Tips for Inspecting Your Car After a Collision Repair

Irrespective of which collision repair west des moines ia you take your car after it has met with an accident, it is always necessary to inspect the repair work before accepting it back, only to ensure you are safe. So here is a list of steps to follow, when you take back your car from your trusted collision center post a collision, be it small or big.

Here we are making an attempt to guide you step by step, so that you don’t miss out on any important part.

Inspecting the Newly Repaired Parts

It is the physical condition of any vehicle that should be the key area of the entire focus when you inspect your car before accepting it back from any auto repair shop. This is because many times, after an internal repair, the doors, hood, and the trunk might not be fitted back properly, which will create further problems once you are driving again. Check out all the hinges and operate them a few times to make sure they are opening and closing down as usual.

Checking Out the Body Paint

During a collision repair, your car paint gets damaged, as the mechanics might have to work on few areas for which the paint could have been sacrificed. Even the places where your car body faced dents, the paint will be automatically damaged.

While taking your car back don’t forget to check out the non-painted areas if any, as from those spots itself the remaining paint can start peeling off.

Remember the Electrical Components

Do not leave the electrical components unattended at times of receiving back your newly repaired vehicle. This is important because during the repair process, the mechanics could have disconnected the wiring and forgot to connect them back. Hence turn on all of the electrical components, like the headlights, cabin light, wipers, sound system, infotainment system, charging pad, USB ports and so on. If you find any of those components having a problem, report it immediately to the mechanics who are designated the job of your car. Otherwise it will be difficult to convince the auto body shop to repair them once you’ve driven your car back home.

Check Your Repair Bill Before You Pay

Always check the repair bill thoroughly at the time of picking up your vehicle from the auto body repair shop. It is sheer common sense that one should never pay on the counter blindly without checking if all the structural repairs and the parts used are reflecting on the bill. Check if there is any extra element mentioned there that you didn’t order for. Also check out the parts that are used for the replacement like if they are aftermarket, OEM, or certified ones.

Test Drive

An experienced mechanic of the auto body shop suggested that to have a thorough inspection of the newly repaired vehicle, it is a mandatory step to test it out with a drive with the mechanic of the shop accompanying you. Otherwise, you won’t be able to convince them for a re-repair job if it is actually a fault from their side.