Difference Between An Auto Body Shop And An Auto Repair Shop

The terms auto repair body shop and auto repair shop are often used interchangeably. Most people think there is not much of a difference between these two terms. However, if one enquires properly especially from industry experts, one would be able to understand the huge difference between the two terms. It is a general tendency of most vehicle owners to think that mechanics at both auto repair shops or body repair shops can do the same kind of work and there is no difference between them. However, if we relate this to a practical example considering a mechanic to be a doctor, do we go to a doctor who treats stomach ailments for our ear infection? Even among doctors, there is a distinction in the way they operate and the expertise they have. In a similar way, every mechanic has a different skill set, and mechanics at auto body repair shops and auto repair shops work on different divisions of the vehicle.

Vehicles are not so easy to understand and many people are not aware of how the components work. Vehicles have two divisions, one consisting of the engine and the other part which is the body holding the engine and other internal components.

An auto repair shop is a place where mechanical and electrical repairs are done. An example of the kind of work that is undertaken at the place would be changing the oil of the car, fixing a broken light of the car, or repair of the combustion engine. All the repair and fixing of internal components of the car are done at the auto repair shop. Mechanics at auto repair shops have the knowledge of the components and how to restore them back to working condition in case of damage. You can also get some parts of the vehicle checked which you feel are having issues at an auto repair shop. This can be noises coming from the engine which you may feel are suspicious and require to be checked or the faulty lights of the vehicle.

An auto repair body shop on the other hand refers to everything related to the body of the vehicle. This may include the windshield, windows, roofs, doors, trunk and bumpers. Auto body repair shops are all about restoring the aesthetics and external appearances of the car. Everything related to the exteriors of the car is usually routed to body auto repair shops.

Whenever a vehicle encounters an accident or collision, they usually get concerned whether the internal components are intact or to what extent have got damaged. Be it the engine, suspension systems, or other internal parts of the vehicle, if any one of these components gets damaged, then the vehicle will not run properly. The auto repair shop is therefore that place that takes place of all the repairs of the internal systems of the vehicles.

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If there is external damage to the vehicles like dents, scrapes, replacement of damaged glasses and body panels, or damaged paints, it is an auto repair body shop where you should take your vehicles. All body shop repairs are done here and the experts here ensure everything is restored back to normal.

An auto repair body shop also has mechanics that can repair the internal damages to the components of the car. These mechanics can assess the extent of the damage caused by collisions externally or internally. Mechanics here, therefore, are equipped to handle both kinds of repairs if the situation arose.

In general, whenever there is an accident or collision, it is advisable to take your car to an auto repair body shop over a general auto repair shop. This is because an auto body repair shop has facilities to mend both external and internal damages making it a better option. It will not be necessary to take the vehicle to another location and again pay extra money for repairs.

A vehicle, in the long run, may require services from both an auto repair shop and an auto body repair shop. Since we use vehicles daily in our lives for commuting to work and elsewhere, they are bound to have issues once in a while like any other object. Sometimes the engine may break down or maybe the body of the vehicle may suffer some damage from an accident. It is important for vehicle owners to understand the problem their vehicles are facing and accordingly take their vehicles to either of the shops. Every problem related to a vehicle requires special attention and needs to be worked upon in a unique way. Generalizing and clubbing mechanics or these shops into one category can actually get confusing for vehicle owners. They may land up at the wrong shop and then have to take the trouble of taking it to the right one. Therefore, while auto repair shops and auto body repair shops sound like similar things, they have subtle yet distinct differences.

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