collision-repair

Three Reasons You Should Choose a Certified Body Shop

Today’s sophisticated and high-tech vehicles cannot be repaired the way they were in the past. Auto body shops must keep up with the evolving repair procedures of various auto manufacturers in order to service their customer’s vehicles. According to vehicle manufacturer records, more than 3,500 collision repair facilities now hold an official certification of one or more auto manufacturers. A certified body shop is one that is licensed, trained, and equipped to perform repairs on specific makes and models. Each Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) has its own distinct certification processes and body shops that want to get certified must invest significant amounts of money and time in training and equipment. So why should you only choose a body shop that is certified for your vehicle’s make and model?

  1.  Certified Auto Body technicians are trained to work on specific makes and models such as Audi, Ford, Chrysler, Honda, Mercedes, and many others. The technicians undergo rigorous training and testing on the repair processes, proper part installation, and use the latest technology and specific equipment depending on the OEM.
  2. You run the risk of voiding your vehicle’s warranty if you use a shop that is not certified. By choosing a shop that is certified to repair your car’s make and model, you can ensure that the OEM will honor your warranty in the event of another incident. The same cannot be said if you get your vehicle repaired at a shop outside the certification network.
  3. Certified Shops are held to very high repair standards. Once a shop is certified, they are regularly visited by the OEM for inspections and all repairs must meet the OEM’s high-quality standards. Additionally, trained technicians must keep up with every OEM’s training classes in order to maintain their certifications.

 How do You Know if a Shop is Certified? - Finding a Certified Body Shop

So now you know that you should choose a certified shop, but how do you know if your body shop is certified? Simple – ask them! A certified shop will be able to show you their certification plaques or certificates for different OEMs.  If you aren’t sure, call your car dealership and they will be able to tell you which shops in the area are certified to repair their vehicles. Also, don’t be shy to ask for a tour of the shop. After all, you are leaving your baby there and you’ll want to know that it’s in a good, clean and professional environment. Any upstanding body shop owner will gladly give you a quick tour of their shop floor.  

Clarkstown International Collision is certified to repair most major manufacturers including Audi, Acura, Chrysler, Dodge, FIAT, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, KIA, Nissan, RTS, and Volkswagen. Additionally, CIC is the only shop in Rockland County, NY that is “Elite Certified” to repair Mercedes Benz.

Great experience from start to finish. Thank you!

Zipora Z.

Very friendly, informative about the work and the timing of it, also appreciated they temperature check everyone on entry to their offices. They also were on top of contacting me about expected finish time as well as letting me know right away when it was done, earlier than expected. Would highly recommend!

Sonia Aurora

Cic did a wonderful job repairing my vehicle and everyone there was incredibly friendly and helpful

Tom W

My experience with Clarkstown was and always has been wonderful. Jorge, the company’s manager took care of me personally. He was fast and efficient, a gentleman and a true professional. My hats off to Clarkstown!

Alan K.