Do you have a favorite automobile maker? Ford, Chevrolet, Subaru, and others all have their followers who have been loyal for many years. One manufacturer, though, has been committed to quality repairs for a long while: Toyota. From a statistical point of view, ownership of Toyota vehicles is longer than average. The reason? Quality auto body repair. Both Toyota and Subaru have launched campaigns that focus on superior collision repair and maintenance that appeals to both new owners and loyal customers.
How did Toyota do it? They have something called a “collision repair warranty.” Today, we’re going to talk about why Toyota cares about the quality of your auto repairs and why you should as well.
Why Quality Auto Repair Matters
Everyone loves saving money. There is no denying that. Still, you should also be driving the best version of your vehicle. It is essential that you have the correct parts in your car. Otherwise, you will find yourself visiting the auto body shop more frequently.
Here are some reasons why you should care about the quality of auto body repair:
Optimal Performance
You might think that getting salvaged parts from the junkyard is a cost-effective option. It can be, but is it truly worth the risk? Cheap parts are not going to support the optimal performance of your vehicle. Some systems will even be compromised by cheaper parts and will malfunction faster. If you opt to save money and ignore the quality, it means that the higher quality parts will be working harder to compensate—and they will fail sooner. In the end, you end up getting burned for trying to save money and may even have to pay a higher price for repairs in the end.
Durability & Longevity
As you can imagine, cheaper items are not synonymous with a longer lifespan. In other words, cheap items are nowhere as near equatable to Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) quality. Budget replacement parts will break faster, and you will have to pay for repairs more often than you would when paying for quality. Investing in higher quality repairs and parts is an investment in the reliability and durability of your vehicle.
Look Out For Collision Repair Warranties
Imagine this scenario: You just get your car back from the auto body; everything is fresh, looking as good as new. But within a few days, you start to notice that there is rattling, misalignment and that the paint color is off a few shades. There is something wrong, even if you cannot put your finger on it. In the worst-case scenario, these issues will go from noticeable to progressively worse, until you can no longer ignore it.
That is when you find out that your vehicle was a victim of “cutting corners.”
Collisions are the absolute worst. Not only are you put into a life-or-death situation, but then you have to go through the arduous process of insurance claims and repairs. Even if you walked away from the accident unscathed, you were probably shaken. Getting back on the road will not feel the same for a while, and having a car that feels unsafe even after repairs is upsetting.
The expectation is that collision repair shops are going to provide quality service and workmanship. Besides, if you are bringing your vehicle to a maker’s dealership, you believe that the repairs are going to be held to the same quality as the new vehicles on the lot.
That is why Toyota decided to do something different. They didn’t want customers thinking that the car they purchased from a Toyota dealership was a lemon or “nothing but problems” from the start. Ford, Toyota, and Chrysler all did research and found that providing quality repairs builds brand loyalty; so Toyota began offering collision repair warranties.
What does that mean?
A collision repair warranty is a guarantee that, when dealing with a collision incident, the body shop does not cut corners. Instead, they focus on providing a full service that satisfies the customer—not the insurance company. Toyota even stated that they “no longer chase satisfaction scores.” Instead, they are focusing on the customer experience. Plus, they expanded their relationships with OEM certified shops to help those businesses provide better service.
Toyota’s Changes Affect You Too
Even if you are not the owner of a Toyota, you should know that Toyota’s decision may end up affecting you in the future as more parts manufacturers start moving in the same direction. OEM certification programs, discussions to reduce the cost of replacement parts, and so on will affect the cost and quality of repairs.
On the other hand, if you ignore a manufacturer’s call to increase quality and go to a body shop that does not care about that, non-approved or cheap aftermarket parts may void the vehicle’s warranty. Your personal safety could be affected, and the resale value of your vehicle will also suffer.
Get Repairs Done Right
Accidents happen, and when they do, you want proper repairs. That is why having a quality team, one that is trained in OEM and conscious about the customer experience is essential. You want an auto body shop that is going to get it right the first time. Do not pay for reduced cost and guessing games.
Elmer’s Auto Body is committed to high-quality repairs done by experienced and certified technicians. We prioritize quality every step of the way, and we never leave you wondering if the end result is good enough. Give us a call or fill out the contact form to learn more about our services.