My baby got backed into. I need to find a body shop to do the repairs. Insurance company says I can take it wherever I want. How do I pick a place to take it to?

It would be great if any one has specific recomendations for somewhere near me. I live in Michigan West of Grand Rapids and work on the north side of Grand Rapids.

It's a Hot Orange Metallic 2005 Mini Cooper S convertible. I've read that color is hard to match.

 

I've done some auto painting, and currently own a car with an unusual paint (3 stage) that I recently had to have fixed .... a few comments

- "color match" is an old term and really does not apply anymore. In old days colors were mixed by hand .... today your color code is entered into a computer controlled mixing machine. There CAN be a difference due to any particular paint company selling different grades of paint but in general the paint will match (unfaded color) {I use Sherwin Automotive and have never had a color match issue ... but I repeat, color fade tosses in a random factor and your car IS an orange 2005, reds and greens are fade prone.}

- OTOH your color is a metallic and ANY metallic repair is very dependant on the skills of the painter .... you need to get the color AND the flake to match. It is all about how the paint is handled IMO/E.

- did your insurance send an appraiser? Got a card? Had you anticipated this question you would have asked him ..... he KNOWS the local painters . . . You insurance may even have a list of recommended shops ....

- is there a local MINI group? Ask 'em ...... https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...motor-club-47/

- the best paint shops I've know were as clean inside as a doctor's office. I once begged a high end shop to work on my Audi as they typically only handled "higher end" cars ..... they wore white coats in the paint shop and you could eat off the floor. OTOH I have done repair work in my garage with results I'm proud of . . .

hope it helps your decision process . . .

 

I asked the guy a couple times and he just kept telling me to take it anywhere I wanted. I guess I didn't ask the right question.

I'll check for local mini groups.

Thanks!

 

Most insurance companies are reluctant to recommend a body shop because a recommendation carries a certain implied warranty. If you have any 'super high' end dealerships (RR, Ferrari, etc.) in your area there's a good chance they don't have a body shop because they deal in a very small number of cars. However, they will occasionally have a need to have some body work done. If you ask them who they use I'm sure they will tell you and it will be the best in the area.

 

whaap has good points and I offer two comments

- my insurance company would send an appraiser to me, or I could visit a list of body shops they provided .... they would accept estimates from those shops. To me, that was an endorsement so yes as OP mentioned it can be 'how you ask the question'

- whaap also mentions finding out who the high end dealers use and I mentioned that point as well. As a sidebar, I know someone who recently bought a Ferrari and the biggest complaint, and biggest complaint I see on their web forums .... crappy paint! Who'd a thunk?

and as a btw .... there are insurance companies and there are insurance companies. Mine consistently tops the lists for customer satisfaction .... but also sells to a limited clientele .... USAA

 

Best thing you can do for a body shop, Read reviews and take suggestions from friends, there are bound to be bad reviews once in a while that is to be expected, but see what they did to fix the problem if anything.
Tyson