Questions about training and tools
The first three questions sort shops fast. A shop that trains for your make has paid for classes, brand tools and an audit. A shop that has not will tell you it can work on anything.
Ask for names and dates. Real answers come with paperwork on the wall.
- 1. Are you certified by the company that built my car? Ask which makes, and ask to see it.
- 2. Are your technicians I-CAR Gold Class? That is the industry training standard, and it is renewed every year.
- 3. What tools do you own for my car? Aluminum work needs its own sealed room and its own tools.
Questions about parts and repair steps
These three decide how your car behaves in the next crash. Cars are built from mixed materials now, and each one has a written rule for how it gets fixed.
Question 6 matters more every year. A 2020 sedan can carry a camera behind the mirror and radar inside the bumper cover. Swap that cover without calibrating the radar and the car sees the road wrong.
- 4. Do you follow the maker's written repair procedures? A yes should come with a printout for my car.
- 5. Will you use genuine parts, and what do you do if my insurer pushes aftermarket ones?
- 6. Do you scan the car before and after, and can I see both reports? Ask about camera and radar calibration too.
Questions about the claim and the warranty
The last three are about the six weeks you will spend waiting. A shop that answers the phone is worth a lot when parts are late.
We give you a limited lifetime warranty on our workmanship. It runs for as long as you own the car. Ask any shop to put its warranty in writing.
- 7. Who talks to my insurance company, and who writes the supplements?
- 8. How will you keep me updated, and who do I call for an answer?
- 9. What does your warranty cover, and can I have it in writing?
Check the street number, not just the street
Raintree Drive is a collision cluster. Gerber Collision sits at 8150 E Raintree Dr and Kaizen Collision at 8175 E Raintree Dr. We are at 8120 E Raintree Dr, in the Scottsdale Airpark near the Loop 101 exit.
Reviews get mixed up on a street like that. Match the street number before you trust a rating, and check the address printed on the estimate you were handed.
You can read recent reviews of our shop on our reviews page.
What a good answer sounds like
Ask question 4 at two shops and you will hear the difference in ten seconds. One says yes, of course, we do it right. The other walks to a screen and pulls up the procedure for your year and trim.
The second answer is the one you want. It shows the shop has the subscription, knows where to look and expects to be asked.
Watch for the same split on question 6. A good shop can tell you how the car gets checked and calibrated, and who does it. Vague answers here are a warning sign.
- Vague answer: “We work on those all the time.”
- Real answer: “We hold the McLaren and Mercedes-Benz programs, and here is the paperwork.”
- Vague answer: “We always use quality parts.”
- Real answer: “We ask for genuine parts. If your policy calls for aftermarket, we will show you the line and tell you what we think.”
Independent shop or chain
A chain shop follows a playbook written somewhere else. Cycle time targets, volume targets and a parts policy set by a head office in another state.
We have been family owned since 1972, and the third generation runs the shop now. When we push for a genuine part, nobody upstairs overrules it. Your insurance policy can still decide what gets paid for.
That is also why we can take on exotic work that a volume shop turns away. McLaren owners trailer cars here from out of state.
FAQs
Do I have to use the shop my insurer suggests?
No. Arizona law lets you pick the shop, and the insurer cannot force a specific one. We work with all major carriers.
What does I-CAR Gold Class actually mean?
It is the top training level in collision repair. The shop has to keep a set number of trained staff in each role and renew it every year.
Is a certified shop more expensive?
The estimate follows the maker's steps, so some lines run higher than a quick fix. The insurer pays under your policy and you pay your deductible.
How do I check reviews for the right Raintree Drive shop?
Match the street number to 8120 E Raintree Dr. Three different companies have shops on the same short stretch of road.
How long will my repair take?
It depends on parts and on how fast your insurer approves supplements. We give you a date after teardown, once we can see what is really broken.
Do you work on exotic cars?
Yes. We are a McLaren Approved Bodyshop, and we repair other exotic makes as well. Our exotic repair page has the details.