As much as you do your best to take good care of your vehicle, there are unexpected situations that can cause damage to it. For example, you’ve just been driving around town, and suddenly, you see hail the size of golf balls falling from the sky! Yes, Australia is known for its hail storms, which is why it’s important to know where you can take your car for hail damage repairs.
No need to fret though—we’re here to help. Follow these steps to find a reliable hail repair center and make sure you get the best service possible.
Step 1: Do Your Research
The first step is to find hail repair services operating in your area. You can do this by searching online using relevant keywords, such as “dent repairs Moorooka”, “hail damage repair Brisbane”, or “hail dent repairs Sunshine Coast”.
Aside from searching online, you can also ask friends and family for recommendations. Sure enough, some of them should have had hail damage repair done to their own vehicles before and can suggest some shops.
Step 2: Make a Short List of Potential Shops
Based on your search, you should be able to come up with a list of shops that you can take your car to. From there, you can narrow down your options by taking the following factors into consideration.
Experience
Ideally, you want to choose a hail damage repair centre that has been in business for a number of years. This way, you can be confident that they know what they’re doing and have the necessary experience to fix your car properly.
Materials and Equipment Used
There are several ways to repair hail damage. For example, a shop would use paintless dent repair (PDR) if the problem is minor and only affects the surface of your car. On the other hand, if the damage is more severe, they might have to use conventional methods, such as sanding and painting.
Location
You need to consider where the shop is located. If it’s too far away, then it might not be worth your time and effort to drive all the way there. All things being equal, it’s always better to choose one that’s closer to you. So, if you live in Moorooka, it would make sense to also find a shop offering dent removal Moorooka has today.
You could also ask if they can offer mobile services. This way, they can come to you instead and save you the hassle of having to bring your car to them.
Quality of Their Staff
Are their staff members friendly? Or, are they accommodating? These are just some of the things you need to take into account to ensure that you will feel comfortable working with them since they’ll be handling your car.
Workmanship
Of course, you would want a shop that can do an excellent job with your vehicle. If there are a lot of people saying good things about them, then that’s usually a good sign.
Warranty
Last but not least, see if they offer a warranty for their work. This way, you can have peace of mind knowing that they will fix any issues that may arise not long after the repairs were done.
Step 3: Check for Credentials
Once you have a shortlist of potential shops, you can now start looking at their credentials. Hail damage repairs are categorised as auto body repair, which means that the shop you choose should have the proper licenses and accreditations.
For instance, they must have a class A or B motor vehicle repair business license. Or, they must company with your state’s motor vehicle repair code of practice.
Apart from that, this is also a good opportunity to see if they are insured. This way, you won’t have to worry if something happens to your vehicle while they are working on it.
Step 4: Read Reviews
Reading reviews is a good way to corroborate if a hail damage repair shop is indeed as good as they claim to be. You can find reviews on their website, or you can search for them on Google and third-party sites.
When reading reviews, pay attention to both the positive and negative ones. This way, you can get a well-rounded view of the business and what you can expect from them.
Step 5: Compare Prices
Of course, you should have a budget for the repairs to be done on your vehicle. However, you should not go for the cheapest hail repair damage centre you can find. Remember that you get what you pay for, and cheap doesn’t always mean good quality.
Instead, ask for a hail damage quote from each centre and compare the prices to see which one offers the best value for your money.
Step 6: Call Each of Them to Inquire
After doing all your research, it’s now time to give the shops a call and ask about their services. This is a good opportunity for you to inquire about other things that you want to know, such as the duration of the repairs.
Step 7: Choose a Shop and Bring In Your Car
Once you’ve chosen a hail repair center, it’s time to bring in your car and have the hail damage repaired. Remember to ask for a written estimate before any work is done on your vehicle, as this helps you avoid being charged hidden fees.
Takeaway
As one of your most valuable assets, your car deserves only the best care possible. Hail damage can be a pain, but with the help of a reliable hail repair center, it will look as good as new in no time. Just remember to do your research and compare your options before making a decision.
By following the steps listed above, you can be sure that you’ll find the best shop for your needs and budget.
Do you also have any tips to add? Share them with us in the comments below! And, for more life hacks, feel free to check out the other posts on our site.
