Billy Darr with Triangle Auto Body says his shop often sees shoddy repairs from other shops that cut corners that could leave drivers in dangerous situations.
Darr says his shop has seen a number of cars that were repaired but those repairs weren't done to standard. He says some of the repairs left the vehicle frame weaker and could fail if the car was in an accident again. He says some of the shoddy repairs could also lead to rust and corrosion.
Darr says these are problems consumers would not notice because after a repair they typically may only look to see if the vehicle cosmetically looks good.
Darr says customers need to closely look at the repair shop, ask for references, make sure the repair comes with a warranty, plus make sure the technicians are certified to do the repairs. Darr adds, "If a shop is uncomfortable with taking you back and walking you through the repair step by step don't go there."
And remember when it comes to picking a repair shop, by North Carolina law you have the right to choose which shop you want to do the repairs. Darr adds, "Don't take the word from a referral, insurance person, or a car dealer because sometimes there's monetary benefits that they're not aware of that may skew that."
Darr says another problem at this point is that there's no regulation or grading system over body shops, like you see at restaurants and salons, but Darr says the collision industry is pushing for it and one could be in the near future.
