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The Quest for Qualifications

04/16/2019 by I-CAR

The Quest for Qualifications

Is the person working on your vehicle after a collision a trained repair professional? If you’re like most, you assume the answer is yes….but the reality is only 2 in 10 repair shops invest in proper training.  And with repair techniques changing faster than ever, yesterday’s collision repair knowledge won’t result in the proper repairs that keep your family safe.
 
Approximately 20% of collision repair shops in the country currently meet the training standards needed to achieve the Gold Class® designation. These requirements were designed specifically to reflect the knowledge a shop needs to understand and properly repair today’s vehicles. Gold Class™ businesses have the training necessary to contribute to:
 
Complete, Safe and Quality Repairs
When your vehicle has been in a collision, you may worry that your car will never look or drive the same again. But collision repair professionals return collision-damaged vehicles back to their proper structural and cosmetic condition every day. 
 
The right training. A shop without up-to-date training and specialists in all the main collision repair roles may lack the knowledge to repair your vehicle safely.
 
The right tools and equipment. A shop without the right equipment and infrastructure cannot measure and return vehicles back to within manufacturer specifications. Gold Class businesses have trained specialists who contribute to a complete, safe and quality repair. They train to be up-to-date on repair techniques and vehicle technologies. And they are also trained to have knowledge of, and experience using, the proper tools and equipment. However, equipment and infrastructure verification is not currently a requirement for the Gold Class designation.
 
Vehicle-Specific Experience
When you select a collision repair shop, you should also consider whether the facility has experience working with your type of car. Different manufacturers use different construction materials and their vehicles can require different repair procedures.
 
I-CAR, the not-for-profit training organization that awards Gold Class® recognition, works with vehicle manufacturers throughout the industry to provide current training relevant to all new makes and models. In fact, a growing number of major automotive manufacturers require the Gold Class designation or I-CAR training of their network partners.  Bodyshopology gives shop locator preference all Gold Class shops in the nation – and one nearest you!