Who Owns the Auto Body Repair Shop?

Gain an understanding of the body shop you are looking for by looking at the ownership. With a family-owned and operated business, there is typically a personal touch that goes along with all the work that they perform. They truly want what is best for you, as they understand the hardships that one may face when experiencing car issues. In having the personal touch, the owners and employees will work to fulfill your needs to the best of their abilities in an attempt to get you back on your feet as fast as possible. Look for a family-owned and operated business whenever possible, as these families have an understanding of the issues you are experiencing.

Experience

One of the biggest determining factors in learning if one is qualified and fit to handle your car is by looking at the experience they have. Professionals with years of experience in the field need to be working on your car. A garage that has been in business for several years is a great indication of their dedication to their work, as well as dedication to their customers. Looking at the different services a body shop has is also a key indicator of its success, as the more services provided, the greater knowledge they have in that field. A quick check to see the different certifications that staff has, including ASA, USACP, I-Care, or Master Tech Certified, can show you just how experienced the employees are.

Rating

Just as you would with any business, it is smart to check the reviews of a body shop to understand if they are successful and trustworthy. A website can sometimes be misleading or false, but a quick look at what people who have already been to the garage can tell you all you need to know. As well as checking reviews and comments, you should also be looking at the website and social media pages to see if they are up to date. By doing this, you can see how much work they put into their business outside of the shop itself, as a good website can show you exactly what you are looking for. This is also a great way to find out who they are, what they offer, and how to contact them if you want something specific with your car.

Do not take chances when fixing your car, so find the right auto body repair shop with the right people. By following these tips, you will surely find the perfect fit. If you are currently looking for a trustworthy garage that can help with your needs, M&G Body Shop is a perfect family-owned auto body shop and is willing to help you. Contact us today and have your car fixed the right way!

The post What to Look for in a Great Auto Body Repair Shop appeared first on M&G Body Shop | Fleet Body Shop Cincinnati, Ohio.

Here is a handy checklist to get you started when you put your RV baby down for a long winter’s nap:

1. Secure your location – a covered location is best, but if you have to store out-of-doors, then a motor home cover or tarp, securely fastened, should protect your RV from the elements
2. Shut off propane tanks and remove them from your vacation vehicle
3. Unplug the battery
4. Empty all sewage tanks and empty all water tanks*
5. Fill up all of your fluids, including gas (but do drain all your water tanks and have all the pipes air blown (compressed air)
6. Make sure all circuit breakers are turned off
7. Always, refer to your manual or dealership for more in-depth winterizing instructions

*Never try to drain your water heater while it is under pressure or while it is hot!

The post After your Last Fun Fall Getaway, It Will Be Time to Winterize your RV appeared first on M&G Body Shop | Fleet Body Shop Cincinnati, Ohio.

Here is a list of a few essentials:

1. Sunglasses
2. Sunscreen – yes, even in Fall, you need sunscreen for when you stop to sight-see or take a breather
3. Bring any prescription medicine you have – if you spontaneously decide to extend your trip or if you encounter any type of delay in getting home, it’s one less thing to worry about
4. Pack a jacket or sweatshirt – especially in Fall, evenings and early mornings can be chilly
5. Extra water and non-perishable snacks – you most definitely don’t want hunger and thirst hampering your good time
6. Car chargers for your phones
7. Some extra cash – if you’re going to be traveling a rural route, some smaller gas stations or shops may not take credit or debit cards
8. And, of COURSE, be sure you have a properly inflated spare tire, lug wrench, and jack with you – always be prepared for a flat tire emergency
9. And, of COURSE, be sure you start your trip with a full tank of gas – and you would be wise to check your oil, too

Enjoy! #roadtrip

The post #Roadtrip – Some Essentials appeared first on M&G Body Shop | Fleet Body Shop Cincinnati, Ohio.

So, what SHOULD you do if your brakes aren’t, well, braking?

1. According to Allstate, “Unless you’re behind the wheel of a classic car, your vehicle likely has a dual braking system, which controls your front and rear brakes independently. As a result, both halves of the system would have to fail for your car to totally lose all braking power. Still, reducing your car’s braking ability in half can be enough to make it feel unsafe, but there may still be some stopping power. Try applying strong, consistent pressure to the brake pedal to see if you can slow the car down.” 
2. Also, definitely don’t give the car any more gas. Try getting it to slow down some by taking your foot completely off the pedal, and pump your brakes a few times, quickly, to see if there is any leftover brake pressure.
3. Shift to a lower gear. Also, DefensiveDriving.com says, “If the brakes haven’t started working after three or four pumps … use the parking brake. Gradually apply the parking brake and be prepared for the car to skid.”
4. Staying calm and having the presence of mind to turn on your hazards helps let others around you know you are having a major issue. Honking the horn, along with the hazards, should let other drivers know to clear out of your way.
5. Avoid turning off the car. Yes, it SEEMS like a good idea to get the car to stop, but it could very well cause your power steering to not work and if that’s the case, that is just one more hazard you are trying to deal with at the same time.
6. If it looks like you have to hit something in order to slow down and stop, try your best to have the side of your car run along something such as a fence line or roadside rail or even shrubbery. Avoid other cars, certainly, and definitely avoid pedestrians! While it seems impossible to avoid hitting anything head on, you also want to try not to make a sharp swerve or turn. Yes, unfortunately a daunting task to try not to do either!  Mostly keep a sharp eye out, keep a cool head, and deal with the situation as safely as you can. SafeMotorist.com has other helpful tips on the subject.

If this intimidating situation occurs, please do NOT drive your vehicle again until your brakes are fixed or replaced.

The post What If Your Brakes Go Out While You’re Driving? appeared first on M&G Body Shop | Fleet Body Shop Cincinnati, Ohio.

Your tires are made with treads to disperse water as it rolls over wet pavement, which helps keep any type of hydroplaning to a minimum. So guess what is the first thing to consider to avoid this scary situation? You’re right! Keep your tires properly inflated and replace your tires (rotate, too!) when needed.

And, slow down! Going too fast in the rain keeps your tires from properly dispersing the water as your car rolls over it.

Myth or truth? Roads are more slippery when the rain has just started, even more so than after it has been raining for a while and is pouring. TRUTH! A light rain or when a rain has just begun causes the water to try to mix with the oily road surface and, yes, you guessed it, it’s more treacherous then versus in a deluge.

And just few more common sense tips:

1. Avoid puddles and standing water, if possible. Choose the lane that has fewer spots of standing water, when you can.
2. Try not to slam on your brakes! Braking “hard” can force a hydroplane on wet surfaces. Likewise, go slower in a turn and try not to make a super sharp turn when driving in the rain.
3. Avoid cruise control. Sometimes the rapid acceleration of cruise control is tricky on rainy days. Stay in complete control yourself and ease into accelerating.

The post Hydroplaning – What is It and How to Avoid It appeared first on M&G Body Shop | Fleet Body Shop Cincinnati, Ohio.

1. Be aware, that this time of year, you need to be more cautious and on the lookout for farm machines, especially if you drive the back roads often.
2. Keep a safe distance when you see a tractor ahead of you.
3. Have you seen those really, really large/wide farm machines? Remember that these simply cannot get out of your way onto the road shoulder. Use extreme care around these larger vehicles.
4. If you are about to pass a slow-moving agricultural machine, triple check that all is clear.
5. If the road you’re traveling has tall crops in the fields on the sides of the roadway, be alert and on the lookout for tractors entering the road from the field. Visibility could be obscured by taller crops.

What it boils down to is being aware of your environment and surroundings, using extra safety precautions, and having patience. If you’re too frustrated, think of your favorite delicious veggie and how much you love visiting that corn maze or pumpkin patch in the Fall….at some point a tractor or combine harvester helped bring your favorites to you.

The post Sharing the Road with Farm Vehicles appeared first on M&G Body Shop | Fleet Body Shop Cincinnati, Ohio.

There are so many acronyms out there but here are a few of the most common:

From J.D. Power – Car ratings and research:

• VDS – Vehicle Dependability Study
• IQS – Initial Quality Study
• APEAL – Automotive Performance, Execution, and Layout Study
• CSI – Customer Service Index Study

From State Farm Insurance – Auto insurance ratings:

• LRI – Liability Rating Indexes
• CDI – Collision Damage Indexes
• DTI – Damage and Theft Indexes
• VSD – Vehicle Safety Discounts

When researching for yourself a new car, or what the deal is on your current vehicle, just a little bit of knowledge about all of these “ratings” can go a long way. Usually, if you are doing an Internet search, the website you are on will have a legend that will explain the myriad of confusing abbreviations.

As always, feel free to contact us or come by our shop at 12018 Hamilton Avenue, Cincinnati, if we can be of any service to you.

The post Deciphering Vehicle Ratings appeared first on M&G Body Shop | Fleet Body Shop Cincinnati, Ohio.

There are a lot of resources out there to help you sell your vehicle safely. DMV.org shares some very good tips:

1. “Trust your gut.” If someone seems to not be on the up-and-up – don’t bother. You hear every day about scammers or worse when people want to meet to buy/sell an item. If you get a bad feeling, trust yourself and say no thanks,
2. Gauge the person’s interest by phone before agreeing to meet to show them the vehicle. That way, you have their phone number and name, etc., and also you can get a good feel of what the person is really looking for. This, too, gives the other party a good run-down of what you are selling, giving that person the chance to say no thanks, if need be. Saves a wasted trip for you both.
3. Be wary of pushy people. If someone seems super pushy or starts trying to haggle before they have even seen the car, that is a definite red flag. Like mentioned above, “trust your gut.”
4. Know the name of you are meeting for the test drive. Perhaps have them send you a picture of their driver’s license beforehand, even! If a group of people show up or it’s not the person you thought you were communicating with by phone or text – drive away. It’s better to lose a sale than to endanger yourself.
5. It’s perfectly acceptable to ask to see a driver’s license before you let someone test drive your vehicle. If they are up to no good, chances are they won’t want to show you their license.
6. Meet in a populated area or parking lot. Some cities/states even have designated “buy/sell” lots, usually located near a police station. Do a little research about a good place to meet – remember, safety should be your first priority.
7. Pre-plan the test drive route. Let the interested party know of it beforehand to keep him/her from driving somewhere you are not familiar.

These are just a few common-sense tips from DMV.org. We suggest you check out their suggestions for more tips and ideas to help your transaction go as smoothly, AND as safely, as possible.

The post Selling a Vehicle? Be Smart, Be Safe appeared first on M&G Body Shop | Fleet Body Shop Cincinnati, Ohio.

So, here you go!

• Keep a good maintenance schedule

Properly maintaining your vehicle with routine service helps your car or truck or motorcycle run at its best efficiency.

• Take advantage of your warm engine

Did you know that once you are using your vehicle, a warm engine gets better gas mileage than starting up cold again? So, take advantage and run as many errands at once as you can – this is time-efficient AND gasoline-efficient.

• Keep an eye on your tires

Keeping your tires where they should be pressure-wise is super important, Cincinnati!  Not only for your safety but also for the best gas mileage, too.

• Make use of cruise control

When on a road trip, if you tend to have a lead-foot, try using your cruise control more often. Staying at a more stable speed that is not all “hurry, hurry, slow down again, hurry” will be far more friendly to your gas tank.

• Make it a neighborhood effort to save on gas

Carpooling to work or to your kids’ soccer or baseball practice is a practical way for you and your friends and co-workers to save on gas.

The post How to Use Less Gas! appeared first on M&G Body Shop | Fleet Body Shop Cincinnati, Ohio.

While you don’t have any control over the condition of area roads, you can take some precautions regarding your own driving and vehicle:

• At night when vision is naturally reduced, it is best to take well-lit routes to reach your destination.
• Take it easy speed-wise – especially at night – so you can see a pothole before you are right upon it.
• Whenever possible, choose routes with which you are familiar.
• If you do hit a pothole, take a good look at your wheels and tires. If your vehicle acts “funny” after hitting a pothole, or “feels different,” then you may need to have it checked out by a professional.

If you have hit a pothole and are unsure if a “symptom” is concerning, give M&G Body Shop a call and we’ll be happy to chat with you: (513) 851-9056

The post Oh, Geez – the Dreaded Pothole appeared first on M&G Body Shop | Fleet Body Shop Cincinnati, Ohio.