Edmunds.com Offers Five Tips for Choosing the Right Auto Body Shop

Edmunds.com Offers Five Tips for Choosing the Right Auto Body Shop

SANTA MONICA, Calif. — March 16, 2011 — Finding an honest auto body shop can be a scary experience for consumers who don't know the difference between a fender and a bumper. Edmunds.com seeks to save drivers some angst — and even some hard-earned money — with "Five Tips for Choosing the Right Auto Body Shop."

Edmunds.com's Senior Consumer Advice Editor Philip Reed spoke with a body shop owner in Long Beach, CA, who offered these five tips for choosing the right shop to work on your car:

• Listen to recommendations from friends, family and other acquaintances. It shows that the shop has proven that it can satisfy customers.
• Consider the shop's location and overhead. Shops in some towns and counties are more expensive than others in the surrounding areas. Also, shops with a lot of front-office workers need to pad estimates to help pay for the extra staff.
• Get several estimates. It's the best way to avoid overcharges and some shops may even match the lowest quote. But don't always jump on an extraordinarily lower estimate, since it might omit work that really should be done to the car.
• Ask the right questions. Does the shop provide a written warranty? Does it carry fire and theft insurance? Does the shop use new, used or aftermarket parts?
• Follow your intuition. If a shop isn't busy, there might be a good reason for that. A dirty and disorganized garage might also reflect the quality of care that may be put into your car.

For more details on making the smartest decisions for your car's body work, please read "Five Tips for Choosing the Right Auto Body Shop" at http://www.edmunds.com/car-care/5-tips-for-choosing-the-right-auto-body-shop.html. Edmunds.com also offers tips for handling scheduled car maintenance at http://www.edmunds.com/car-care/maintenance-basics.html.

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Edmunds publishes Web sites that empower, engage and educate automotive consumers, enthusiasts and insiders. Edmunds.com, the premier online resource for automotive information, launched in 1995 as the first automotive information Web site and hosts the most established automotive community online. Its mobile site, accessible from any smartphone at www.edmunds.com, makes car pricing and other research tools available for car shoppers at dealerships and otherwise on the go. InsideLine.com is the most-read automotive enthusiast Web site. Its mobile site, accessible from any smartphone at www.insideline.com, features the wireless Web's highest quality car photos and videos. AutoObserver.com provides insightful automotive industry commentary and analysis. Edmunds is headquartered in Santa Monica, California, and maintains a satellite office in suburban Detroit. Follow Edmunds.com on Twitter@edmunds and fan Edmunds.com on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/edmunds.