You Need to Find an Auto Body Shop – Now What?

Whether it is getting in a car accident or damage that has accumulated over time, needing to get your car repaired and repainted can be stressful, unwanted and time-consuming. Most people have never had to choose a body shop to work with before.

The three main things most customers are concerned with when they contact us are:

1. Can they trust us?
2. How much damage is there and can you fix it?
3. How much is it going to cost?

With Santa Margarita Auto Collision, we answer those three main concerns and much more. Here is what to expect when you work with us:

Initial Meeting and Free Auto Body Estimate

We know you are busy and needing your car fixed is an inconvenience. We also know it’s a priority; that’s why you can call us at (PHONE #) to schedule your free estimate or just come down to our location.

Once here, you will be greeted by our front office staff and introduced to one of our estimators. OUr estimators are super-friendly, knowledgeable and patient. They are going to “take you by the hand” and walk you through every step of our three-step process.

Step 1 – The Initial Estimate Process

We start by getting to know you and finding out some key information:

• What happened in the accident?
• Are you paying for repairs yourself or going through an insurance company?
• If using an insurance company, which one? Is it your insurance or the other party involved?
• If you are using insurance, have you had an insurance adjustor/estimator look at the vehicle yet?

Once we have that basic information, we move on to a thorough physical examination of the car. We will:

• We examine the impact area – We check the obvious impact area to evaluate the damage, listing out everything we see.
• We then examine the surrounding/connecting areas – Sometimes you might see that you damaged your bumper and think that’s it; what you don’t notice is the large gap between the hood and fender, which indicates there is structural damage. We will thoroughly examine all related areas and document what we find.

Step 2 – Discovery Process

Once the Initial Estimate is done, responsibility for repairs has been determined and you’ve decided to work with us, we onboard your car into our system. In this step, we:

• Finalize the initial estimate by turning your car over to our Discovery & Blueprint Team – This team specializes in taking apart any areas damaged in the accident, documenting every part involved and pre-ordering all parts needed.
• We find out what is needed in advance – We make sure we get ahead in the process by disassembling anything having to do with the damaged area. This allows us to see any potential problems, work more quickly and avoid delays.
• We get the final estimate and coordinate with the responsible party for authorization BEFORE starting repairs.

Step 3 – Auto Body Repair & Restoration

Once we have the accurate scope of work, estimate and authorization, we start the repair process. We:

• Use our industry contacts to try and use original factory parts in all repairs – Many insurance companies have in their policies to use aftermarket parts in repairs, because it is cheaper for them. We use factory parts wherever possible.
• We start at the structure/frame level (if applicable) and work our way up.
• After structure comes parts – both mechanical and body
• Then it goes to our paint department – our paint department has a reputation as some of the best techs in our industry. Their ability to color-match and blend paint on cars is second to none.
• Lastly, we detail your car upon completion, making sure the finished product is defect-free. We want your car to appear as if it was never in an accident.

We Proudly Offer The Best Warranty in Orange County

This process, our attention to detail and our decades of experience allows us to offer a 100% Lifetime Warranty on all our work – for the LIFE OF THE CAR, regardless of owner.

We have been in business here in Orange County for over 30 years. Our goal is to make your experience with us as seamless and stress free as possible. We want you to become customers for life.

If you have been in an auto accident and your car needs repairs, call us today.

We are proud to serve the cities of Aliso Viejo, Coto de Caza, Dana Point, Foothill Ranch, Irvine, Ladera Ranch, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Lake Forest, Las Flores, Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente.