Automobile repair shop

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A Saab 900 Turbo convertible undergoing regular maintenance at a Sam's Club service garage
A Chery A1 undergoing regular maintenance at a service garage in Ukraine

An automobile repair shop (also known regionally as a garage or a workshop) is an establishment where automobiles are repaired by auto mechanics and technicians.

Automobile Repair Shop near Nako, H.P. India. 2010

Types[]

Samimootor, a car repair shop and filling station in Nuorgam, Utsjoki, Finland

Automotive garages and repair shops can be divided into following categories:

  • The auto parts stores or motor-factors that also maintain service operations. This is not common in the United Kingdom but more common in the US.
  • Automobile repair workshops that are independently owned and operated businesses. These may also include regional or national chains and franchises including OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) repair sites such as in car dealerships. In the United States, these sites are commonly certified by their respective manufacturer to perform warranty and recall repairs by that manufacturer or distributor such as oil changes and other preventative maintenance items. Independent automobile repair shops in the US may also achieve certification through manufacturer sponsored programs.[1]
European Union law (The EC Block Exemption Regulation 1400/2002 (October 2003[2])) permits motorists more flexibility in selecting where their car is serviced. Maintenance and service work does not have to be done by the main dealer providing the garage uses Original Equipment 'Matching Quality' parts follows the manufacturer's service schedules. The Block Exemption Regulation (BER) covers service and maintenance during the warranty period and prohibits vehicle manufacturers’ warranties from including restrictive conditions.
  • Specialty automobile repair shops are shops specializing in certain parts such as brakes, mufflers and exhaust systems, transmissions, body parts, automobile electrification, automotive air conditioner repairs, automotive glass repairs and installation, and wheel alignment or those who only work on certain brands of vehicle or vehicles from certain continents of the world. There are also automotive repair shops that specialize in vehicle modifications and customization. Oftentimes, various specialized auto repair shops will have varied infrastructure and facilities (for specific jobs or vehicles), as well as technicians and mechanics with different qualifications.
  • Online automobile repair shops (mobile mechanics) providing doorstep repair services and home delivery of new and used auto parts of different late model and classic cars whose parts are not widely available in the market.
  • Online automobile service marketplaces such as Openbay and RepairPal are providing consumers choice and convenience when it comes to getting their vehicles serviced. They provide consumers a choice in service centers to select from; service department at a car dealership, independent automotive repair facilities such as Meineke, Midas, AAMCO, GreaseMonkey, Goodyear, All Tune and Lube, and many others. They also have mobile mechanics such as Repair Smith and Wrench where service is performed at a location you dictate (home, office, other).
  • In countries such as the UK, the mobile car body repair sectors has experienced high growth by way of mobile SMART Repair companies providing mobile car body repair services, such as Bumper Repairs, auto body repair, paintless dent repair and paintwork defect repairs to private and commercial consumers, typically within the industry framework of refinishing vehicle damage on a localised basis, where the area of damage being repaired is not in excess of an A4 sheet of paper.

Auto body repair[]

Some repair shops offer both mechanical and bodywork repair. Automotive repair shops that specialize in bodywork repair are known as body shops. They offer paintwork repairs to scratches, scuffs and dents, as well as repairs to the bodies of vehicles damaged by collisions. Many body shops now offer paintless dent repair.

Auto glass repair[]

Other repair shops offer auto glass repair. Automotive repair shops that specialize in auto glass repair are known as auto glass repair shops. They offer auto glass repairs to chips, cracks and shattered glass. The types of glass they repair include windshields, car windows, quarter glass and rear windows. This type of damage is often caused by hail, stones, wild animals, fallen trees, automobile theft and vandalism.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "ProFirst Certification". Archived from the original on 2014-04-27.
  2. ^ "Independent garages and the Motor Vehicle Block Exemption" (PDF). Independent garages and the Motor Vehicle Block Exemption. UK Government. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
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