We are proud to be a Gold Class™ collision repair business. The Gold Class recognition indicates that our technicians are trained in the proper repair techniques and procedures that contribute to the complete and safe repair of your vehicle.
The Gold Class designation is awarded by I-CAR, a not-for-profit training organization founded by the collision repair industry and dedicated to consumer safety.
As a Gold Class Shop, we require wach of our technicians involved in collision repair to take ongoing training every year. This includes classes on new vehicle technologies and the latest repair technologies.
When you car has been in a collision, getting it repaired properly is critical for your family’s safety and your peace of mind. But how do you know if a shop has up-to-date knowledge to repair your vehicle safely?
The Gold Class designation lets you know a collision repair shop has trained technicians who know how to repair your vehicle properly. Approximately 10% of collision repair shops 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 for:
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. Complete, safe and quality repairs depend upon several requirements, including:
• 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.
Finding Hidden Damage
If your car is in an accident, it may suffer damage you cannot see — including structural damage that can compromise its integrity and increase your risk of serious injury in a later collision. Damage to your vehicle’s structure can affect the operation of your car’s crumple zones and airbag timing, turning what should be a minor accident into one that can jeopardize your life. Gold Class shops know how to:
• Find hidden damage
• Perform a complete and accurate damage analysis report for front, side and rear impacts
• Diagnose damage to restraint systems, electrical systems and advanced materials
• Perform structural repairs and restore steering and suspension performance
• Determine which parts can be repaired and which need to be replaced
Using Current Repair Procedures
Today, your vehicle is a high-tech machine and the procedures needed to repair it properly can sometimes change significantly from one model year to the next.
Complicating things further, new vehicle technologies are being introduced all the time. More than 200 vehicle debuts or redesigns are planned for the next three years alone. Many will have new safety technologies and new lightweight designs that will demand new collision repair procedures.
Collision repair professionals at Gold Class shops train every year to stay current with new repair procedures and new technologies. So when you choose a Gold Class business, you know you’ve chosen a shop with the up-to-date knowledge that contributes to complete, safe and quality repairs.
