Tip #1 – Go to www.audiusa.com/help/collision-repair and search their list of authorized collision repair facilities.
For instance, I live in Boulder, Colorado and Colorado Coach Auto Body was listed as an Audi certified auto body ship in my area. This means they are an authorized collision repair facility and that the technicians have undergone extensive training and use Audi Genuine Parts, which offer both the utmost quality and the backing of a factory warranty.
Tip #2 – Contact the local Audi dealerships in your area to find which collision centers they prefer to use.
Upon contacting the Audi Boulder dealership, when asked who they recommended for Audi auto body repair, they referred me to Colorado Coach Auto Body. Audi Boulder uses them as well.
Tip #3 – Review your insurance companies website for their select service repair facilities.
Once you get a name of a recommended auto body shop, go to your insurance company’s website and look through their selected service repair facility list for who they work with. Don’t call and ask for the list, they won’t often tell you who specializes in your type of car. Once again, I found Colorado Coach Auto Body on their list. It was on page four, but I was thrilled to find that it happen to be the Audi authorized collision repair facility I was looking for.
Tip #4 – Contact the collision repair facility and ask if they are an I-CAR certified shop.
I-CAR is an organization dedicated to providing the information, knowledge and skills required to perform complete, safe and quality repairs. They are the industry standard for collision repair training. So when you ask your shop if they are an I-CAR shop, this means that their repair technicians have gone through the most up-to-date training on the latest technologies of collision repair and stay proficient in todays fast-changing collision repair techniques. When asked about their I-CAR status, Colorado Coach Auto Body holds a I-CAR Gold class level.
Tip #5 – Check what type of warranty is offered for the repair.
You want to know that the repairs done to your Audi will last. Contact the collision repair facility and ask them to explain their warranty. I found out Colorado Coach Auto Body offers a Limited Lifetime Warranty for all their work for as long as you own the vehicle.
Rachel, I like that you said I should check the auto service’s warranty and let the repair facility explain it to me when I’m choosing a reputable auto service shop. My dad gave me an Audi convertible for my 21st birthday last year, and yesterday, I got into a minor collision accident downtown. I’ve been trying to look for an auto service shop that can make my Audi look brand new again, so I’ll definitely follow all your tips. Thanks a lot!
I currently own an Audi and want to make sure that it gets the best care possible. I like the idea to ask the repair shop whether or not they are I-CAR certified and I didn’t know that that it means that the technicians received the most up to date training. I will keep that in mind when I look for an Audi repair service.
I love that you talked about getting online and making sure the mechanic you want to use is covered by your insurance. My sister is having some big issues with her old car and it needs some work done on it. I’ll share this article with her soon so that she can get an idea of how to find the right auto service to work with.