There might have been a time when you looked at your car in despair and thought, “This baby needs some work!” You likely last had your car painted quite some time ago.
Vehicle painting can make a huge difference in making your car look much more beautiful. In fact, it’ll look brand new. Not to mention that car painting can also protect your car from major scratches or other exterior damage.
But how do you find the best car paint shops? Here are our tips to help you make the right choice:
1. It Offers Car Paint Protection
Car paint protection is a film placed around your car’s exterior. Though it’s rather thin, it’s a strong and durable material.
This film gets applied after the car painting process. This is a necessary step if you want your paint to last longer. You can view this link to learn more about what car paint protection offers: https://2wrap.com/automotive/paint-protection-film
2. The Shop Offers a Warranty
You can expect to pay thousands of dollars for your car paint, depending on your needs. While most car paint shops are professional, there can still be issues with bad paint jobs.
Sometimes, a bad paint job can cause the paint to chip away much easier. Other times, the paint has yet to have wax or film applied over it, and your car’s body can get damaged easily.
As a result, you want to ask if the car paint shop offers a warranty. This lets you fix the problem within an allotted period without paying extra. You should also invest in the best car insurance policy and check if your policy covers any charges related to a bad paint job.
3. Reviews and Testimonials
With so many car paint shops around, only the customers can attest to their greatness – or lack of it! Start by looking at online reviews for the closest car paint shops. Ensure these reviews are published on professional sites like Google Reviews and Yelp.
Make sure each car paint shop has at least 100 reviews. Of these, at least 90% should be positive. Positive reviews should give details of why they were pleased with the service.
However, you must also read the negative reviews. They might discuss the need for more features, poor customer service, use of mediocre materials, etc.
You may also want to reach out to your network for testimonials. Ask your friends and family to suggest car paint shops.
4. What Materials Do They Use?
Choosing car paint shops that work with the best materials and brands would be best. It’s always best for them to use chrome spray. Some notable brands include DuPont, PPG, Sherwin Williams, and ArkoNobel.
Always ask a car paint shop what brands they use. You should also be able to request a particular brand for the job. If they use other brands that aren’t as popular, then you’ve got to move on to the next shop.
Check with your insurance company before choosing your paint. Some insurance companies only offer compensation if you work with certain paint brands.
Likewise, if you’ve leased a car, you must speak to the dealership first. They might only permit certain paints to be used. Sometimes, they might charge you a fee if you return the car with unapproved paint!
5. What About the Technicians?
While you can do a great job washing your car, you can’t be the one painting it! Vehicle painting requires specialized skills. You must choose car paint shops where the technicians are certified.
This ensures they’ll have months of training before working on your car. It also means they’ll take their time painting your car and won’t rush through the job.
6. How Do They Prepare?
You want to choose a car paint shop that uses the correct procedures for your car. Before painting a car, the technicians have to disassemble it. Ideally, they should disassemble the entire car, though this is rare.
However, they should remove car parts, including the grille, door handles, headlights, bras, etc. This is to avoid any potential damage during the cleaning process.
The entire process of painting your car should take an entire day. In some cases, it’ll take three to four days to complete.
7. Check Them Out
The final step is to visit and inspect the car paint shops before deciding. Bring in your car and ask the technicians to inspect it. They’ll recommend what paint to use and will give you a quote.
They should also give you an estimate of when they’ll complete the job. This should be within a relatively strict time range.
For example, it’s fine if they say the job will be completed in three to five days. But if they say it’ll be between three to nine days, then it gives the impression that they’re flooded with jobs. While this is good, you want to choose car paint shops that can focus on a few cars at a time.
During this time, ask as many questions as you wish. You can use this as an opportunity to assess their customer service. If they seem frustrated with your questions, it’s time to drive away. If they seem happy to help you, this is where you should drop your car off!
Find the Best Car Paint Shops
Now you know how to find the best car paint shops and have the best experience possible.
Always choose a car paint shop that offers car paint protection. Choose a place that works with the finest paint brands. They should also have certified technicians.
Use reviews and testimonials to narrow down the best options for car paint shops. Visit the shops in person before you make your final decision.
Ready to upgrade your car? Be sure to check out our other car maintenance tips on our blog.