What’s the Difference between an Auto Body Shop and an Auto Repair Shop?
Who better to ask than your local auto body shop? Don’t worry, you won’t be the first person to ask. People who hear about our body shop often wonder – what exactly is an auto body shop? Do you fix, say, brakes? Or can I take my car to a regular repair shop to fix a paint scratch?
Cars are complicated
Vehicles are a complicated and necessary part of everyday modern life. Most people choose to just drive their car without digging in to how it works. That’s okay! We’re guessing that’s you, if you’re asking this question. A quick understanding of your car will help you understand the difference between an auto body shop and an auto repair shop.
To drastically simplify, your vehicle has two basic divisions: The engine, which provides the power to move, and the body, which holds the engine, passengers, and everything else.
A normal auto repair shop will fix engine components and related parts that wear out during normal driving, whereas a body shop fixes the body: frame, doors, windows, bumpers, etc. These parts aren’t involved mechanically in powering the vehicle or bringing it to a stop.
What auto body shops (or collision centers) do
An auto body shop repairs damage to the exterior and non-moving parts.
- Restores vehicles after minor or major collisions
- Repairs dents in the sheet metal
- Restores paint and repaints to match factory colors
- Replaces bumpers, damaged body panels, and other components that are not part of the engine
- Repairs or replaces glass
What auto repair shops do
An auto repair shop performs regular maintenance and repairs moving parts.
- Replaces brakes
- Replaces other parts that wear out during normal driving
- Performs oil changes
- Repairs engine components that wear out or become damaged during use
- Repairs other moving components of the vehicle
We hope this guide helps you understand the difference between auto body shops or collision centers and auto repair shops. Feel free to explore our site more to learn more about our St Paul body shop services!