Get in Touch with 821 Collision

Play

Q3: Do they have OEM certifications or I-CAR Gold Class status? 🔧

Great starting point when vetting a body shop — but don't stop there. OEM certification means the manufacturer has verified proper equipment, training, and facility standards for repairing your specific vehicle. I-CAR Gold Class is the industry training standard many of those OEM programs are built on.

Here's the honest part: as association president, I've seen cases where that training isn't always being delivered the way it should be, or where the system gets gamed. So use these credentials as a starting point, not the whole picture — pair them with the rest of our question series to get the full picture on a shop.

#821collision #massachusettsautobodyassociation #autobodyrepair #oemcertified #icargoldclass #choosewisely #collisionrepair ... See MoreSee Less

Play

Is your shop independent, or do you have a direct repair (DRP) relationship with an insurance company?

Neither answer alone guarantees a good repair. An independent shop could be behind on the latest tech. A DRP shop isn't automatically bad either — but every shop on a DRP program has made some kind of concession to be there.

So ask: What did they give up, and how does it affect your repair? Labor concessions? Lower-grade materials? Are they still able to run every required safety inspection and follow OEM procedures?

Ask the hard questions before you hand over your keys. More on this series tomorrow.

#821collision #oemrepair #consumertips #bodyshop #njautobody ... See MoreSee Less

Play

Will your shop repair my vehicle according to OEM procedures, even if insurance doesn't fully cover it?

This is the first question from the Massachusetts Auto Body Association's list of 10 questions every consumer should ask, and it's a big one.

Following OEM procedures isn't optional here — every step gets captured, followed, and performed the way the manufacturer requires. But here's the thing: almost any shop can say "yes" to this question. The real test is what happens after you ask it.

Stick with this series — we'll go through more of these questions and show you how to tell if a shop is actually following through, or just telling you what you want to hear.

Drop your thoughts in the comments. Let's talk about it.

#821collision #oemrepair #consumertips #bodyshop #njautobody ... See MoreSee Less