What Does “Certified Auto Body Repair” Mean?

What Does "Certified Auto Body Repair" Mean?

To service, run, and keep your car roadworthy can be an expensive journey and not one that you want to keep revisiting. Choosing a certified auto body repair shop will mean that you are choosing a repair shop that maintains a certain level of good quality, not only in the parts they use but the labor they provide. This sounds exactly like what every customer needs but to be specific, what does it mean for a repair shop to be qualified as certified?

 

What Is A Certified Repair Shop?

Any repair shop that claims to be a certified repair shop or inspires to be a certified repair shop needs to meet a list of requirements. These requirements include a technical assessment, collecting customer reviews and satisfaction, including repair warranty and reasonable pricing. Choosing a repair shop that has passed this test and includes these elements can give customers a sense of trust in the repair shop. Being certified can also help customers feel more comfortable booking an appointment online as they are aware that the level of service will be satisfactory. It should not be hard to find a certified auto body shop in South Jersey as certified repair shops are more common than not.

 

What Is OEM?

An OEM-certified repair shop requires going through an OEM certification process, which can often be costly to the business. Passing an OEM certification process will also take a long period of time to complete. Therefore it is worth the investment to pass if the repair shop believes their work is of high quality and sees that this investment is worth it for their business rates.

 

What Do You Need To Be A Certified

Here is a more in-depth look at what an NJ body shop will need to become certified:

  • Customer service skills and positive reviews
  • Technical assessment skills
  • Reasonable prices
  • Provide warranty

 

Customer service skills

Any auto body shop in South Jersey must be able to have strong customer service skills and provide not only customer satisfaction but good customer service reviews. When the auto body repair shop is applying for this certification, good customer service is assessed by surveyed feedback forms that have been completed by various customers. These feedback forms are completed by an array of customers who have booked with the auto repair shop as the survey will not just rely on online reviews. The requirement to pass the certification is that the customer service feedback results must be at least three times what is expected, i.e. the average of the industry standard. Once the feedback forms have been completed by various different customers and reviewed by the program, they will then be shared with the auto body repair shop to highlight where they can improve.

 

Technical assessment skills

Completing the appropriate technical assessment skills is vital to be qualified with certification. To pass the technical assessment, all auto repair body staff will need to have the experience and training to diagnose and repair various types of vehicles when they have various different types of faults.

 

Reasonable prices

Reasonable prices are defined by certified mechanics and are dependent on using quality parts that have come from a factory. The pricing will work out to be two sums, the first sum will be for these quality parts and the second will be for the labor time. When pricing labor costs, this should be based on the industry standard and, of course, consider costs that may be dependent on your local area.

 

Provide a warranty

Providing a warranty on work shows that the auto repair shops have confidence in their own repairs. Providing this warranty on your work to your customers is another way your auto body repair shop will need to function in order to pass the certification. The warranty that is provided on the work must be from a minimum of 12 months or 12,000 miles. This length of warranty must apply to all parts that have been fitted and the labor that has taken place on the vehicle. When choosing what parts to use, it’s advised that any auto repair shop must use original equipment that is factory-made or as good as new, second-hand market parts. It is common for most certified auto body repair shops to offer a longer warranty than 12 months, with the common percentage offering up to a 24-month warranty.

 

The Benefits Of Certified Auto Body Repair

The benefits of visiting a certified auto repair shop allows you to have confidence that the repair shop has the right equipment, correct training, quality parts, and a good customer service reputation to be able to work correctly when repairing your vehicle. If your car is repaired at a high-quality auto body repair shop, this means that your repair is likely to last a lot longer. If you are aware that your car needs a lot of repairs, visiting a certified repair shop may help you as they will provide a warranty on any work they have done to your vehicle.

Elmers Auto Body has the following Certifications:

How Elmer’s Auto Body Can Help Today

Upgrading your auto repair shop to being certified will not only help your repair shop declare quality workmanship but in the long run, could bring more business your way. When picking a garage, using a certified auto repair shop will not only give you confidence that your repairs are in safe hands but will ensure that you will get customer satisfaction with the repair that has taken place on your vehicle. If you need any repairs to your vehicle call Elmer’s Auto Body today. The team at our auto body repair shop in South Jersey is ready to repair your car back to its original form using quality parts and skilled labor. Read more about our services here.

Tips To Enhance Your Vehicle’s Value After An Accident

Tips To Enhance Your Vehicle's Value After An Accident

Unfortunately, vehicle accidents cannot always be avoided. Even if your driving is impeccable, there will always be the possibility of disaster. As long as no serious injuries have occurred, the first priority after an accident will be vehicle repair. Unfortunately, being involved in a major collision can lower the market value of your car. This is fair because damaged goods are always worth less, even if they have been repaired. Still, there are ways to bring that value back up again. With that in mind, let’s discuss some ways to enhance your vehicle’s value after an accident.

 

How Does A Collision Lower A Vehicle’s Value?

 

Naturally, any major accident (and most minor ones) need to be reported to your insurance company. In turn, that insurance company will file a diminished value claim in response to a collision. This claim is simply a note on the vehicle’s official history stating that it was involved in an accident.

There are three different types of diminished value claims:

  • Inherent: This claim is made when the vehicle has been properly fixed and restored to its pre-accident state. A slight value loss occurs here because things are no longer original and pristine.
  • Immediate: This is a claim that usually won’t be filed if the vehicle is fixed in a timely fashion. It signifies a large and immediate value reduction due to damage sustained in the accident.
  • Repair-Related: This claim is used for value losses that result from bad repair jobs.

Now then, let’s talk about some of the ways in which you can bring that value up again.

 

1. Make Sure All Repairs Are Done Correctly

 

Obviously, you want your diminished value claim to be an “inherent” one. These claims generally have the lowest reduction, and they only require that the vehicle is properly repaired. Make sure that the body shop and all its mechanics are certified to work on your type of car, and make sure that they have a good track record. It’s also important to use OEM parts wherever possible. If everything is done right, it shouldn’t be that hard to get your damage claim placed in the least harmful category.

 

2. Consider Some Upgrades

 

Vehicles are always worth more money when they are in their original state. However, once major repairs have been done and parts have been replaced, your vehicle will no longer be in that original state. The upside of this is that you can go ahead and upgrade the vehicle in any way you might like. Upgrades will generally increase the value of any vehicle. Examples of value-raising upgrades might include:

  • New tires and/or rims
  • A new paint job
  • Better headlights
  • Leather seats
  • Spoilers, trim, running lights, and other cosmetic improvements
  • Engine improvements or a better engine

 

3. Get An Appraisal

 

Most auto shops will be willing to appraise your vehicle for a small fee. This simply means that they will thoroughly check the vehicle for any problems. They will also take various factors into account to determine an approximate market value for the car. While an appraisal may not immediately raise your vehicle’s value, it will verify its existing value and help you to keep from getting “low-balled” when it’s time to negotiate the price with a potential buyer. In addition, the appraiser can probably suggest some effective ways to raise your vehicle’s value.

 

4. Documented Regular Maintenance

 

The condition of a car makes a huge difference in its value. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to verify the condition of some vehicles if the owner hasn’t kept good records. You should keep a record of every repair that is done on your vehicle, even if it’s just routine maintenance like changing a spark plug or changing the fluids. When it’s time to sell the car, you can show those documents to a potential buyer as proof that the car has been regularly maintained.

 

5. Add New Safety Features

 

Instead of upgrading your existing features, you can opt to add new ones. In particular, older cars usually won’t have the same safety features that you see on newer models. For some buyers, a thing like that can make a big difference. That’s why it can greatly increase the value of your car to equip it with better safety systems.

 

6. Get The Vehicle Detailed

Because we spend so much time inside of them, many vehicles have a tendency to get dirty. Whether it’s trash on the floorboard, spilled coffee in the console, or animal waste in the backseat, it needs to be cleaned. Stains and other such wear will reduce the car’s value without a doubt. Thankfully, these issues are easy to fix with a routine detailing job, which can raise the value by a moderate amount.

 

Conclusion

 

There is no reason to worry that collision repairs will kill your vehicle’s resale value. When things are handled in the appropriate way, you can keep those value reductions to a minimum. Using the methods on this list, you might even be able to increase the value beyond pre-accident levels. But, we hear you asking, “where can I find the best auto body shop near me?” The answer is Elmer’s Auto Body, as we specialize in helping car owners maintain the value of their vehicles. If you would like to know more, you can call us at (856) 218-0202.63

What Are Pre And Post Collision Scans?

What Are Pre And Post Collision Scans?

When your car has been involved in a collision, the damage will not always be obvious. Some things are extremely obvious (like a busted fender, for instance), but many other problems are less visible. In particular, issues with the vehicle’s electrical systems will not necessarily be plain to see. That is why every good collision repair begins (and ends) with a diagnostic scan.

 

How Does A Diagnostic Scan Work?

 

As in the medical field, the term “diagnostics” refers to the process of finding your problems so that they can be fixed. With all the computerization that is present in modern vehicles, a diagnostic scan is highly essential. Otherwise, it can be ridiculously hard to isolate and identify subtle issues.

Diagnostic scans work by using a special tool, technically called an “on-board diagnostic tool.” Yes, the name is highly self-explanatory, but that’s neither here nor there. This is a small device, about the size of a walkie-talkie, that can plug into a special port and scan the vehicle for any known problems. In most vehicles, this port is located under the steering column, but it varies by model.

When the tool is plugged in, it will take a couple of minutes to scan the car’s electronic control modules (ECM). These are small computers that are fed information by special sensors throughout the vehicle. In some cases, it may be necessary to repair one or more sensors and/or ECMs before an accurate diagnosis can be given. The diagnostic tool will display codes that correspond to specific problems.

 

How Does An ECM Work?

 

While older vehicles would often have a single ECM, modern vehicles have many. They might be located in the same area, but each of them is technically considered to be a separate computer. Here are the most common types of ECMs that you might find on a vehicle:

  • Engine Control Unit- Controls the firing and timing of the engine, while also giving feedback
  • Door Control Unit- Controls power doors and gives feedback on their condition
  • Power Steering Control Unit- Controls the power steering system and reports any problems
  • Powertrain Control Unit- Controls the transfer of force from the engine to the wheels, while also reading any issues
  • Body Control Unit- Controls various secondary systems like wipers, air conditioning, etc.
  • Transmission Control Unit- Controls the switching of gears in vehicles with automatic transmissions and reports any problems
  • ABS Control Unit- Controls the brakes and gives feedback on their performance
  • Airbag Control Unit- Controls the deployment of airbags and reads their status

There are others that might be present in your car, but we think you get the idea. Each of these ECMs relies on accurate feedback from their respective sensors, which they use to report codes to a diagnostic tool. Each of these is basically just a small computer that is designed for one specific job.

 

Pre-Collision Repair Scans and Post-Collision Repair Scans

 

Whenever you are having a collision repair job done, it is essential to do a pre-repair scan. Otherwise, the repair technician might not fix (or even notice) all of the existing problems. No one wants to pay for half a repair job, so that is not acceptable. Nearly all auto manufacturers recommend that a scan like this should be done before any collision repair. For repairs that are covered under a warranty, it is usually a requirement.

A post-collision scan is just as important. Otherwise, there is no opportunity to verify that the vehicle has been fixed. It will also verify that the mechanic did not create any new problems in the process of fixing the old ones. Some auto manufacturers have gone so far as to require all their certified mechanics to do pre-scans and post-scans on every vehicle of that particular brand.

For instance, GM now requires both of these types of scans whenever a collision has occurred. These guidelines also call for hands-on diagnostic work, but that doesn’t negate the need for scanning.

 

Can All Vehicles Be Scanned With On-Board Diagnostic Tools?

 

Unless you are talking about a particularly old vehicle, you should be able to plug in a diagnostic scanner and use it with no problem. EPA regulations mandate that all cars sold after January 1, 1996, must have on-board diagnostic systems so that they will be compatible with such tools. If your car is any older than that, you should probably go to a mechanic who specializes in antique vehicles. These regulations were first introduced in 1994 but did not become fully mandatory until 1996.

 

How Much Do Repair Shops Charge For Pre/Post Collision Scans?

 

This will vary somewhat according to the repair shop in question. All mechanics and shops have an hourly labor rate, about which you can ask. Many shops just charge according to the time taken for the scan. Some others, however, charge a flat rate for each scan performed. Talk to your repair shop to find out the specifics of this matter. So, after you ask yourself: “what is the best auto body shop near me?, the next question to answer is: “How much will they charge me for a scan?”

 

Conclusion

 

Modern automotive repair is a much more high-tech process than it was in the past. Without proper diagnostic tools, every repair job becomes much more difficult. With these tools, labor costs should be reduced. When the mechanic doesn’t have to take the time to diagnose every problem physically, it creates faster and more efficient service for all. If you would like to know more about this subject, you can call Elmer’s Auto Body at (856) 218-0202. If you need the best South Jersey auto body shop, you cannot go wrong with us.

Can Damage From A Head-On Collision Be Repaired?

Can Damage From A Head-On Collision Be Repaired?

A head-on collision is one of the worst types of auto accidents that you can suffer. These types of collisions are far more likely to result in serious injury, and also much more likely to decimate your vehicle. Obviously, the damage will mostly be in the front, and that’s where the most important part (the engine) is located. So, that brings us to the essential question. Can damage from a head-on collision be repaired? It depends on several key factors.

 

The Extent Of The Damage

 

The first thing to understand is that it all depends on the extent of the damage. If you are talking about a low-speed collision or an indirect collision, the damage might be minimal. In most vehicles, the radiator is right in the front, so it’s probably going to be toast. There is always going to be a fan right behind that radiator, so it’s likely going to be destroyed as well. However, those parts can be changed out without much trouble, so they aren’t the biggest concerns.

The biggest concerns are the frame of the vehicle itself, as well as the engine. When these things are damaged beyond repair, it’s better to scrap and replace the car. If there is frame damage, it might still be possible to repair the vehicle, but that is something that has to be decided on a case-by-case basis. While it is certainly possible to replace an engine, the parts and labor involved are going to be extremely expensive.

 

Type Of Damage Incurred

 

It’s not just about the sheer extent of the damage, as the type of damage will also be a determining factor. If the frame has been bent to the left or the right, this is called “sway damage.” Likewise, “twist damage” involves the frame being twisted. You also might have “mash damage”, in which the metal of the frame has been compressed like an accordion.

Mash damage is probably the worst of the three, while sway damage is generally less serious. Twist damage is right in the middle, as it all depends on the extent of the twist. After a certain point, the frame can no longer be restored to a safe and stable state. However, if you just have some light sway, the vehicle can probably be repaired. Body shops have straightening machines that are great for light damage, and damaged sections of a frame can often be replaced.

 

Safety Concerns

 

Safety should always be a key factor when choosing whether to repair or replace a vehicle. For example, let’s say that your car has suffered severe mash damage and some twisting in key places. It might be possible for a skilled body shop technician to restore that vehicle to a point where it can be driven. However, it will never be particularly safe to drive that vehicle. Should it be involved in another collision with a badly weakened frame, the results could be catastrophic.

Body shops have to think about these things when repairing vehicles. If they send someone out with an unsafe vehicle and something terrible happens, they can be held liable. There are also various laws and state-level regulations that determine when a car can legally be allowed back on the road after a collision.

 

Type Of Vehicle Frame

 

All cars and trucks made today will generally have one of two frame types: Uni-body or ladder-frame. A uni-body frame is exactly what the name implies: The entire frame is one piece. A ladder-on-frame design, by contrast, uses the frame as more of an anchor on which to attach the body. You usually see ladder-frame designs on trucks and other larger vehicles, as it is better for bearing a large amount of weight. In any case, uni-body repairs tend to be more expensive and more difficult.

 

Availability Of Parts

 

If your vehicle is damaged severely enough to compromise the frame, there will certainly be other damaged parts as well. Most (if not all) of these will need to be replaced. Of course, this might include sections of the frame and body, so you’re definitely looking at some expenses for all those parts. And, of course, that problem becomes much harder if your vehicle’s parts are not so easy to find. Aftermarket parts can often be substituted for rare ones, but that might reduce the vehicle’s resale value.

 

Can You Drive A Vehicle With Frame Damage?

 

Absolutely not. It is not safe to drive a vehicle that has suffered frame damage. We have already mentioned the fact that such vehicles are unsafe due to their structural integrity being weakened. However, there is another problem: Such a car usually won’t drive straight. The frame is the very core of the vehicle, so you cannot expect it to travel straight on a bent frame.

 

Conclusion

 

As you can see, there is no simple answer here. Damage from a head-on collision may or may not be possible to repair. It mainly depends on how much damage the vehicle took, what type of damage was incurred, and the amount of time and money that will be required to return the vehicle to an acceptable condition. If you are in need of a frame repair, there is no need to ask yourself “where can I find the best auto body shop near me?” because you are already looking in the right place. To find out more, you can call us at (856) 218-0202.

7 Signs That You Might Have Received Bad Auto Body Repair

7 Signs That You Might Have Received Bad Auto Body Repair

Unfortunately, not all repair shops are equally good. While many of them are run by highly competent and well-trained people, there are always a few exceptions here and there. In many cases, substandard mechanics will rely on the customer to accept the work without asking too many questions. This, of course, is a mistake, and it often leads to shoddy repair work going unnoticed and uncorrected. Here are 7 of the plainest signs that you might see if you have received a bad auto body repair.

 

1. The Steering Doesn’t Feel Normal

 

When a vehicle impact occurs, it will frequently affect some aspect of your steering. This might be something obvious (like wheel damage), but an expert repair technician should be able to catch the subtle issues, too. If your steering feels choppy or “gravelly” after being repaired, they probably missed something. If there is clicking or excessive resistance when you turn the wheel, there is definitely something wrong. You might even experience a handling delay while turning, which could be dangerous.

 

2. The Alignment Of The Wheels Is Off-Center

 

Whenever major collision repairs are done, the wheels should be balanced and aligned. The purpose of this is to make sure that everything is pointed in the right direction (i.e., straight ahead). Some mechanics will try to skimp on this step, but it’s easy to tell if your alignment is not right. Simply find a long straight stretch of road without much traffic. Country roads are the safest bet. While traveling completely straight, take your hands off the wheel for just a second or two and see if the car starts drifting to one side. Obviously, you need to grab the wheel again quickly so that you don’t go too far. If the car wants to drift, that means your alignment has not been fixed.

 

3. Irregular Braking

 

If you find yourself experiencing brake behavior that doesn’t match with the pre-collision performance, it’s also a sign that your repair shop may have done a poor job. When you hit the brakes, it should stop as easily and quickly as you would expect. If there is a lot of noise coming from them, something is probably wrong. If the vehicle tries to drift left or right when you hit the brakes, something is definitely wrong.

 

4. Gaps And Misalignment

 

Collision repair often involves the replacement of external parts, such as bumpers and panels. However, a less-savvy type of mechanic might have a hard time getting everything to line up properly. If someone doesn’t know what they are doing, it is very easy to end up with gaps between panels, misaligned parts, and other such issues. These gaps can cause serious problems over time by allowing rainwater into places that would normally be protected. You can check for gaps and misalignment by opening and closing doors, the hood, the trunk, and/or the tailgate (if you have a truck). If these have trouble closing or staying closed, it’s a dead giveaway that something isn’t lined up properly.

 

5. Electrical System Issues

 

Modern vehicles have a lot of electronic components, and that means many things that can go wrong during a collision repair. When you get your vehicle back from the shop, do a quick check of all the electrical components and make sure they still work correctly. This would include the radio, air conditioner/heat, power locks, power windows, dashboard lights, turn signals, brake lights, etc. If you find something wrong, it’s time to head back to the shop.

 

6. Your Car Is Returned Dirty

 

If your vehicle is in the hands of a competent professional, it should not be returned to you in a dirty state. Auto repair is often a messy business, but it is the responsibility of any good mechanic to return your car in the best possible state. If they don’t take the time to clean the thing, it makes you wonder what else they may have neglected or forgotten to do. This one isn’t a huge problem in itself, but it is an indicator of unprofessional service.

 

7. The Paint Job Is Splotchy

 

Technically, anyone can repaint a vehicle. However, it takes a little bit of expertise to do it right. The real art lies in matching colors, which allows paint repairs to blend into the existing paint job. If they do not match your original color well enough, you will be able to tell when you look at that spot. In some cases, the “splotch” might only be visible in bright daylight, but that is still unacceptable. A professional and well-trained collision repair shop should not send your vehicle home with an ugly finish.

 

Conclusion

 

There are many other signs that can indicate substandard repair work, but this article could never hope to cover them all. However, you definitely need to think about the nature of the work that has been done, and this will tell you what problems are likely to occur. For instance, if they were working on your brakes, that is obviously the first thing you should test. That kind of thinking will help you to find any additional problems.

If you find yourself asking: “where is the best auto body shop near me?”, we have your answer. Elmer’s Auto Body is the most respected auto shop in South Jersey, and we’ve been in the business of collision repair for over 70 years. To find out more, you can call us at (856) 218-0202.

How To Find A Trustworthy Body Shop/Collision Repair Center

How To Find A Trustworthy Body Shop/Collision Repair Center

Most people will require collision repair at some point in their lives. However, it is not always certain that you will be able to find a reputable and high-quality collision repair center. If you find yourself in a situation where you need a good body shop and you don’t already know of a good one in your area, it’s important to be careful. Every business has at least a few crooks, and the collision repair business is no exception. Here are some tips that can help you to distinguish the good from the crooked.

 

1. Reviews

 

This is usually the best place to begin. Once you have some basic info about the body shop, it will usually be possible to find some reviews and customer testimonials. Do not trust those that come from the company itself (i.e., customer testimonials on their web page). You cannot necessarily trust those, mostly because you have no way to verify them. Third-party review sites tend to be better since they have no particular bias.

When you look at reviews, you should realize that some businesses like to “review-bomb” their competitors. The concept is simple: They get people to leave a series of bad reviews, which of course will be false. You can often spot these kinds of reviews when you see criticisms that make no sense, or which are inconsistent. And so, you shouldn’t look so much at single reviews: Read a lot of reviews and evaluate them on a “big picture” kind of basis.

 

2. Word Of Mouth

 

You may not know of a good auto body shop in the area, but you might know someone who does. It might be a friend, a relative, a co-worker, or someone else that you know and like. This is why it pays to ask around and talk to the people you know well. There is a good chance that at least one of those people knows of a good option in your area.

When you do this, it is important that you don’t just go blindly with a recommendation. Use word-of-mouth as a starting point, and then do your homework on the company. Also, when someone recommends a shop to you, get as many details as you can from them. This will allow you to better evaluate the quality of their work and service.

 

3. Look Up BBB Information

 

If you really want to do a deep dive into a particular company, look them up on the website of the Better Business Bureau. This is an excellent way to verify basic information about the company. For instance, if someone says that they have been in business for decades, you can check that information on the BBB website and see it for yourself.

 

4. Use Customer Service As A Measuring Stick

 

A good auto body shop will tend to have good customer service, so this can be a good way to measure their quality. You want to find an auto body repair shop that offers responsiveness and high-quality work with minimal delay. When you ask them for information about what they need to do, how much it will cost, etc., they should be eager and willing to provide you with all the necessary information. If they are not forthcoming about details, rates, and other specific information, it can indicate shady business practices.

 

5. Get Multiple Price Quotes

 

Regardless of which body shop you are checking out, it pays to get estimates from all the auto body shops in your area. They often won’t be willing to give you an exact estimate over the phone, but you can probably get a rough estimate out of them without a lot of fuss. If you have pictures of the damage on your phone, you can send them by text message for better accuracy. The purpose of this is very simple: You need an approximate price range for your repair job. That way, if your chosen body shop tries to overcharge you, it won’t go unnoticed.

 

6. Call Your Auto Insurance Company

 

If you’ve been involved in a major collision, there is a good chance that your insurance company is already involved. And so, you might as well avail yourselves of their investigative resources. If you call them and ask them to give you some information about the body shop, they can probably find that information more easily than you can. Again, they are probably involved anyway, so they will certainly have enough of a vested interest to help you out.

Some insurance companies will insist that you have your car repaired by a shop that they have approved. Obviously, if that happens in your case, you won’t need to bother with this step.

 

How Can I Find A Trustworthy Auto Body Shop Near Me?

 

There are certain indicators of honesty that hold true for all human interactions. Even if you don’t know anything about auto repair, you can still learn to recognize the telltale signs of dishonesty. In general, you should always look for a company that offers prompt and helpful service, honest estimates and appraisals, fair prices when compared to others in the area, and a straightforward demeanor.

At this point, you might be wondering: “Where can I find that sort of auto body shop near me?” If you would like to know the answer to that question, and especially if you happen to live in South Jersey, you can call Elmer’s Auto Body at (856) 218-0202.