Collision Repair Challenges
When it comes to something as serious as collision repairs for your car, it’s in your best interest to consult an expert. On this episode of The Marc and Mandy Show: Expert Q & A, Franco Borrelli of Hallmark Autobody shares what the three biggest challenges are for car repairs.
Q: What are the three biggest challenges in the collision repair industry?
Franco Borrelli: The first challenge is consumer awareness. Most consumers may or may not be aware of the fact that they have the right to choose the repair facility, in terms of where they want their vehicles to get repaired. Do an online search, ask questions, talk to friends, family, and people they know who have been involved with collision repair, and choose a shop that has a full warranty on repairs, lifetime on paint, body, and materials. And if you choose wisely, you’ll have good success.
The second challenge is color matching. Today’s color technology is extremely difficult. We have a greater selection of colors that we have to choose from and we have to match, tint, and blend those colors. Traditionally, we had to deal with two-stage solids, metallics, and pearls. Today, you’re dealing with quad-stage or four-stage paint, which bring a different dimension to the painting process. And the painter must have a much greater skillset when it comes to tinting, color matching, and choosing the correct color shade.
Finally, I would say the biggest challenge is today’s technology. Today’s vehicles are highly sophisticated, computerized, they have highly complex electrical components, they have systems such as lane departure sensors, blind spots sensors, and adaptive cruise control systems, so it’s very important that you choose a repair shop that follows strict OEM repair procedures. Even the simplest things, such as changing a windshield or changing a door mirror, will require these sensors to be recalibrated, which means means the shop has to go through the complicated procedures of doing a pre- and post-scan to make sure that the vehicle is safe and fully operational when it’s returned back to you.
About Hallmark Autobody:
Founded in 1967, Hallmark Auto Body has had the opportunity to grow with the changing needs of Calgary’s motorists. Hallmark Auto Body is a long-standing member of the Better Business Bureau and the CAA (Canadian Automobile Association). To learn more, visit the Hallmark Autobody website.
