OEM Certification And What It Means
It used to be that there were car dealerships and independent body shops. Car owners could decide to take their vehicle to the dealership for auto body repairs or go to a local independent body shop. Dealerships are typically pricier, while independent body shops are less reputable and may offer substandard repairs.
However, there’s a better option. There are now OEM certified independent body shops, that offer high quality repairs that have been approved by the automaker, with the convenience and price break of using a local facility. OEM Certification requires numerous stipulations like:
· Having the facility and equipment necessary to complete the highest standard of work
· Thoroughly trained and well qualified auto technicians
· Only using OEM parts
OEM stands for original equipment manufacturer. OEM certification means that a body shop has been acknowledged to only use factory-approved parts. It also means that the facility has the correct equipment to install those parts, and uses only factory-approved procedures. For example, Cline Collision Center is a Ford Recognized auto body facility. This means that Ford has authorized Cline to do work on all Ford vehicles, including the new F-150 that has an aluminum frame. Aluminum frame vehicles require different equipment than traditional steel ones; because of the corrosive nature of the metals, completely separate equipment, tools, and space is needed when working on an aluminum vehicle. Cline has the right environment to offer top-notch Ford repairs.
OEM Certifications from Several of the Top Automakers
Ford isn’t the only automaker that has recognized Cline Collision Center’s work as meeting or exceeding the stringent standards expected for top-tier auto body repair. We are also certified through Fiat Chrysler, Hyundai, Infiniti, Nissan, Kia, and Honda. In fact, our technicians carry the highest level of training, including certification through Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) and Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (II-CAR), the gold standard of auto body certifications. If you have any other questions about OEM Certification and how it pertains to your vehicle’s repairs, call Cline Collision Center.