Starting 2014 Right with D&D Body Shop

The New Year, 2014, brings a lot of promise and chances for new beginnings. For a lot of people, these means a fresh new 12 months to fix, improve on, or resolve to do something for the rest of the year. Of course, I am talking about New Year’s resolutions!

I have to admit, I am the type of person who has the conviction and will to follow through with things like resolutions, but only at the start. Yes, I have the early enthusiastic starter syndrome. I have all the enthusiasm and willpower to implement things at the start, only to have this enthusiasm wane as the days go by. That is why in anything, from work to relationships, I always have a good start, but not always the best finishes. That may also be the reason I get projects that have to be done as soon as possible. My sense of urgency is commendable, but staying power is something I do not have.
That is why for 2014, I have come up with a New Year’s resolution that is something I need to do, and do fast. My New Year’s resolution would be to get a car.

Wait, is that even a resolution? Why not? I mean, driving myself to work and getting rid of my dependency for public transportation is, I think, one great resolution, right? I think I need to be more responsible, and having my own car is one huge step to responsibility, not to mention I get to fulfill a resolution!

So, finally, when January 2 struck, while the rest of the world grudgingly went back to work, I went ahead to the car dealership to fulfil my New Year’s resolution. With my shiny new Ford Focus, I drove myself to transportation independence as I looked for the necessities: the nearest gas station, my insurance company to meet state insurance requirements, and the carwash I would frequent. That’s enough, right?

Of course, I drove myself to a Friday night out with friends for them to ogle at my shiny new ride. The evening wore on with lots of conversation about my car, maintaining it, et cetera, et catera, when one of my friends asked if I had looked into a body repair shop for my car. I gave him a blank look and asked, “Well, isn’t that what insurance is for?” He laughed at me and told me to come with him to this place in North Amphlett Boulevard the next day.

So, on a bright Saturday morning, I came with my friend to D&D Body Shop, his trusted car restoration establishment. At first, I have to say I was impressed, but I did not show it. What’s wrong with the repair center my insurance company will automatically recommend anyway?

The facilities and equipment D&D used were top class, so I knew this was one special place. When my friend had one of their I-CAR Gold certified professionals talk to me regarding my car, I was treated to an education regarding windshield repair, repairing to the last detail, and professional “good as new” restoration.

I have to say my eyes were opened to what I should do to my car. I definitely will not settle for anything less than top-notch service for my investment. Thanks to D&D Body Shop, I know dents, bumps, and scratches worries will never be a part of my New Year’s resolution of getting a car.

Shopping Around for the Best Car Restoration Services

Owning a car is one big responsibility.  There is more to do than just using it and driving it around.  There are a lot of things to consider like having money to pay for gas, making sure that all parts are in perfect and good working condition.  Using a car that you are not sure about its condition is like going to war only to find out that your weapon has no bullets at all!  Would not that be tragic to say the least?  You would not want to be stranded in an unfamiliar place just because your car broke down and you have no access to repair or the nearest body shop that specializes in car repair is still miles away.

The saying “an ounce of prevention is always better than a pound of cure” may sound so cliché but it does have a point not only during medical conditions but also in other aspects of our life.  It is always best to be one step ahead of things.  There will always be thing that goes wrong when we least expect it.  So in order to eliminate or lower down the chances of this from happening, you can get the services of a good collision repair facility. 

It is not a good idea to do the shopping for a car center when you find yourself in the middle of an unfortunate accident. Looking for one in advance will help you asses if it has all the things that you are looking for in bringing back your car to its original condition.

Ask for recommendations.
For sure, some of your friends have already been in this kind of situation and they already have a shop to go to for repairs.  Read online reviews of the repair shops in your area.  While you are at it, ask questions to verify if what the shops advertise is true.  Don’t jump into conclusions that what you read on their advertisements is always true. Don’t be fooled by flashy pictures and over the top advertisements.  Verification by interviewing people who have had the experience in getting the services of a particular shop is the best way to validate.

Check out their facilities
The pictures they posted online on their website may look good but be wary about this.  One word of caution: Photoshop.  Things can look very different from what you see in the actual collision repair center compared to their pictures.

Read their service contract
Go ahead and read out their contracts.  It is best to be informed with what is written because you know what to expect from them.  Don’t forget to read the fine print, especially how they go about insurance claims and repairs.

Having said this, you need not fret because there are shops that could be trusted, especially when you get to know their certifications and qualifications.  If you are in the San Mateo, CA area, DnD Body Shop is one center that I can highly recommend, being a very satisfied client of them for quite some time now.  With I-
CAR certified technicians, who are qualified to repair BMWs, Fords, Toyotas and all high-end car brands you can sure trust them.  You are sure that with DnD Body Shop, your car is in good hands.

How to Find a Quality Repair Shop for Your Car

Technology has indeed helped a lot in making the car industry grow leaps and bounds. A lot of carmakers today rely on new technologies in making their units superior over the other.  Of course, a lot of these technologies have made safety their first priority. Cars are now believed to be safer, especially since people are now more scrutinizing when it comes to the safety features of their vehicles. 

However, no matter how hi-tech our car is or how high the safety ratings of our cars are, there are still elements that we cannot control when we are out on the road. Accidents are realities that happen, and even when a car is just parked, it can incur scratches or bumps. 

The good news is that if your car gets in the middle of an unfortunate scenario like an accident, causing it to be a wreck, there are great car restoration services you can depend on when you need them. These service centers can help you bring back your car to how it was before the accident happened. And if you have the extra budget, you can even ask them to have some additional extras installed so that you can say you had your car pimped!

With the many service centers offering body repair service, you should be able to weed out through the advertisements and look for the real gem that will bring your car back to its former glory.

1.    Ask questions before turning over your car to them
Even if it would make you feel like a kid asking a million questions, it is best to have everything cleared up before having your car sent to the shop. Ask all the necessary questions like the total cost of the repair, how to go about in using the car’s insurance to pay for the services, and how long the repair would take.  These questions would help you assess if the shop is indeed capable in repairing your car.

2.    Be wary of insurance companies out to make easy money.
Some insurance companies have partnered with car repair centers.  This is great if you have not gotten your car a comprehensive insurance to cover the costs of the repair, as it would be easy for you to coordinate with them.  However, you are never too sure if they are really concerned about your car or the commission that they will be getting from it. It is best to do a background check first.

3.    It is best to do everything in one place.
There are repair shops that specialize in one aspect of repair like paint jobs of windshield repair but it is best to have all done in one place because aside from the convenience, you are sure that your car would not look like Frankenstein after. 

To make sure that you get all you need for your car repair, go to D&D Body Shop.  They have all the certifications and experience when it comes to restoring car wrecks.  Their ICAR-Gold certified technicians are more than equipped with the right skills and when paired with their state of the art facilities you can sleep peacefully knowing that your car is in good hands. Better go with D&D than be sorry.

Excellent Car Repair Does Not Come Cheap

I have to admit, I am the most careful when it comes to driving. With so many car accidents in my teen years, I have learned the hard way that it pays to be good driver. Now that I am an adult, working, paying my own bills, and with a four-year old son as my passenger, I make sure that I obey traffic rules, have all the safety features in my car checked, and avoid all lapse in judgment that can lead to an accident.

Sadly, not everyone is as careful as I. I currently live in an area with many young people who make the road dangerous. And because I share the road with them every day, it’s almost inevitable that my car will eventually have a scratch, dent, or bump even when I’m very careful. For the responsible car owner like me, the best and only thing to do is to have a body shop handy that will help you restore your car to its original form.  The thing is, getting a premium service for your car to make it look and feel brand new after a collision is a very tall order, especially considering the options every ordinary folk has. So when their car gets a bump, if they need collision repair, they usually end up having to go with the most obvious choices.

One obvious choice is to go with the services of the repair center recommended by their car insurance company. Car insurance is required to drive a vehicle and usually, a car repair shop comes recommended with the policy. Getting your car repaired by the recommended shop after a collision comes as a no brainer, but does your car get the care and attention it deserves? Since these shops loyalty is to make the insurance company that referred them profitable and happy, why would they make sure that your car is restored to its factory specification when it leaves their collision facility? Most very likely, your interest as the car owner is only secondary when it comes to these shops.

Another obvious choice is to go to the nearest and most convenient body repair center. It is so much easier bring your vehicle to a shop close to where you live or work. Submitting the necessary paperwork, coordinating with the body repair people, inspecting the progress of the body repair, and picking up your car when it gets done from a nearby body repair center is definitely much better than from a body repair center in another city. But you will regret bringing your car to the nearest body repair shop if they don’t have the up to date equipments and certified repair technicians.

If you are going to settle for these obvious choices, then get ready to blame yourself for not looking for the best. But why blame yourself when you can call on D&D Body Shop in San Mateo? D&D Body Shop has the combination of reasonable costs and world class quality. They have I-CAR Gold certified technicians who can handle any car model in any year, whether it be American, Japanese, or European. Their technicians use premium equipment in their state of the art facility. You definitely will not be given the cheapest prices, but the prices you will pay will surely be reasonable. And if your insurance or the other party’s will pay for the repair, why worry about the price?

Before you make your obvious choices, please visit D&D Body Shop at North Amphlett, and see for yourself how D&D Body Shop will surely give you excellent car repair you will never regret.

Because Your Classic Hot Rod Deserves Only the Best

My every day commute is such a hundred times more convenient since I opted to drive myself instead of taking the bus.  This is why I value my car so much and take care of it very well.  However, now that I am a certified family man, my classic top down 1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata has become rather inconvenient to use, so I have to leave it in the safety of our garage, only to be driven when I want to relive the old days of being a carefree bachelor.

I may be an investment banker from 9 to 5, but I still engage in my interest, classic cars. That is why I love going to motor shows and check out restored and the latest cars on display.  Being on these exhibits makes me value my convertible more, one car I used to drive when I was younger to admittedly impress the girls. However, since I became a family man, she has been sitting in the garage for quite some time now. I have yet to find the time and opportunity to flex her muscles and drive her around town; Family first so they say.

However, I promise myself that I would find the time to take my classic Miata to show off this thing of beauty.  They don’t make cars like this anymore, so showing her off gives me a sense of pride and great joy especially when I hear the comments of onlookers and passersby.  But since this baby has been relegated to the back of the garage for quite some time now, I would have to look for a partner to bring her back to life.  A certified car restoration shop that would help me bring back its glory.

Of course, the first thing that I check while looking for the body repair center I could entrust is that if the establishment is truly capable of handling restoration of antique and classic cars.  Only trustworthy shops should be assigned with repairs of this kind and even on certain cases like windshield repair. I definitely would not want to settle for just any firm with unskilled mechanics. That’s why I choose only the best – in the San Mateo area, that’s D&D Body Shop at North Amphlett Boulevard. 

D&D has helped me in restoring my beloved baby back, as well as keeping our family wagon in tip top shape whenever it gets beat down. My wife also trusts only D&D for her sedan. Yes, they’re that good; after all, their professional technicians are all I-CAR certified, with extensive knowledge and experience in repairing any vehicle model. 

So, when the family’s good and I want to feel the wind in my hair, I can take my red Miata for a spin without any fear of it rusting away while it stays in the garage. Thanks to D&D’s expertise, driving my convertible still feels like heaven to me even after all these years.

Leading Future Generations to the Right Collision Repair Center

I have been a resident of the San Mateo area since birth. I have spent my childhood, all through high school, college, and now, as a working mom. I know the ins and outs of this place, and when it comes to finding a body shop for my car, I go to only one establishment. And now that my son has a new car, courtesy of me and my husband to easily get around for college, I will definitely influence him in choosing the place he would entrust his car to for top notch car restoration. 

As a true blue citizen of this place, I know two things: Anyone will not be disappointed with the number of collision repair center optionsin San Mateo, as there are a lot of these businesses in the area. Two, with a good number of establishments, each one will be giving different figures when it comes to estimating the cost of repairing a car. One place will estimate maybe $500, while another could go as high as $2,000. Yes, the estimates could make any new car owner like my son wonder why there are huge differences from one shop to another. Of course, as a new car owner, my son would most likely be tempted to go for the more affordable alternative. Is the cheapest option really the best choice in the long run? 

The first piece of advice I gave my son for car body repair and collision repair is to pay close attention to recommendations and word of mouth. After all, any business can have the budget to advertise themselves, but only the ones that really provide good service can get customers to sing praises and recommend them to their friends, family, and even acquaintances. I know I can push for the shop that I go to, but for a freshman college student, I have a feeling the opinions that would matter most to him would be his friends’.  Collision repair shops that get recommended may not exactly be the flashiest, the largest, or even a part of a chain of repair shops known nationally. Also, businesses that get good word of mouth have one thing in common: They are regarded as providing a fair price. Whether they charge a bit steep or charge at an affordable rate, their customers will always comment that they charge reasonably and more importantly, customers get their money’s worth.

The overhead costs of the shop also have to be considered. Car repair centers that have swanky front offices will most definitely charge higher than those hole-in-the-wall establishments, but then a more important consideration is the expertise of the people who will actually repair the vehicle. In the case of my go-to collision repair center, D&D Body Shop on North Amphlett Blvd., they have professionals with I-CAR Gold certification to restore your vehicle to factory specifications. So, no matter what their customers’ car is, whether it is a Japanese sedan or a European luxury car, there is an assurance that it will be as good as new once they’re done fixing it. 

These couple of points will hopefully guide my son on the right path when choosing from among collision repair shops in the San Mateo area. I believe I have done more than half the job by recommending D&D Body Shop. The wise thing for my son to do is to enjoy his college life and leave his car concerns with the best – D&D Body Shop!

Choosing Wisely From San Mateo Body Repair Shop Options

As someone who was looking for a body repair shop years ago when I relocated with my husband to escape Seattle’s rains to sunny California, I can now fondly recall that when I was looking for a car restoration firm in San Mateo, I was like a kid in a candy store. There are just a lot of car repair businesses in the area, all of them looking very promising. But in the end, though, I still needed to choose one. I arrived at my choice after some challenges, but I knew I had to need to choose because there is also a lot to watch out for when it comes to things that can happen to any car on San Mateo roads. I am a careful driver, but I cannot really say the same for the city’s young and always-in-a-rush population. One time, I had to have my car fixed even as it was just parked at the Tanforan mall parking lot, when I found a huge dent and scratches on the front passenger side fender.

Right from the start, I did not limit myself with one choice. I made sure I gathered at least four estimates from four different body repair shops. Getting overcharged is one risk anybody will likely have to face if the choices for auto body shops are limited. Another advantage of getting more estimates than just one is that some establishments tend to beat the estimates given by their competitors just so they could get the customer. But I was wise enough not to be swayed by business manoeuvres and choose the right shop based on the factors that matter.

Of course, for anyone on the practical side, this could be the most effective way to bargain hunt for car repair shops. But then, I had to also ask myself if going for the firm that gives the lowest estimate would be ultimately in my favor. Taking the one with the lowest quote might end up with me dealing with a untrustworthy scam body repair shops. As much as I would want to get the lowest estimate to save me possibly hundreds of dollars, I also needed to exercise caution and stay away from people who will short-change me. Besides, I realized that having one repair job done right for a very low cost now might be plague me later, as they may not be doing the job right. After all, as an old consumer adage goes, you get what you pay for. I needed to balance low estimates with the feel I had of the business.

Alas, when it comes to repair shops in San Mateo, I needed to look into what they are really good at. Some may pride themselves as re-painting experts, some at detailing, and still, some at windshield repair. For me, I went for the shop that specializes in everything – D&D Body Shop at North Amphlett Blvd.  The great thing about them is that they need not advertise themselves as specialists in particular body repair jobs; they do everything. I first thought they’re just being jack of all trades and masters of none, but with professional repair technicians who have I-CAR Gold certifications under their belts, they can indeed repair anything for any car, any model, any year. Any problem with a door, a windshield, bumpers, or the hood is fixed expertly.

At the end of the day, I can say that I was wise in choosing my car repair center in San Mateo. The choices might have overwhelmed me, but I took my time to consider my best options and ended up with the best – D&D Body Shop.