After you've been in a car accident, you may be anxious to get your car repaired and back on the road. However, mistakes made during the collision repair process can give you all kinds of problems with your car in the future. Here are some mistakes to avoid making when having your car fixed after a collision.

Automatically Going to the Shop Your Insurance Company Recommends

Many people think that they need to go to the body shop recommended by their insurance company, but in many cases that is simply not the case. While your insurance company may only be covering a certain amount of repairs, it does not follow that they will only pay if you have your work done at certain shops. If you can find a good collision repair shop on your own, you may have to pay more out of your own pocket, but you can feel more comfortable knowing that the work done will be quality work.

Having Aftermarket Parts Installed Without Your Knowledge

You may not even know what kinds of parts are going into your car when it is being repaired, but it is smart to ask. The body shop may think that you're looking for the most affordable repairs possible and might be putting aftermarket parts in your car.

Aftermarket parts are typically imitation parts that come from companies other than your car's original manufacturer. While these parts may cost less than original manufacturer parts, they might be more susceptible to corrosion and other problems.

Ask the mechanic to only use parts from your manufacturer if you want to be confident that replacement parts will not create problems in the future. If you need to save money, you might also choose to search out used parts from your car's original manufacturer.

Not Approving the Paint Color

When you pick your car up after repairs are made, you don't want to be surprised by the color of the paint on your car. Don't assume that the mechanics will match the paint exactly, as they might work with the closest match they have available in the shop instead of ordering new paint specifically to match your car. Ask to be notified before they put new paint on your car and make sure that you approve the color before it is applied.

Ignoring Warning Lights

When your car is finally fixed, you might be excited to jump into it and drive away from the auto body shop as soon as you can. If you see warning lights, you might ignore them because you just got your car repaired. However, this can be the wrong thing to do.

The warning lights might be on because the mechanic simply forgot to reprogram them. It might also be that there are electrical issues with your car. Before you drive away, ask about the warning lights so that any additional necessary work can be done.

Avoid the pitfalls described in this article and you can get your car back in good condition. Be sure to talk to the mechanic and technicians regularly so you can be more confident that you'll get your car back the way you want it