Restoration Shops Get Good Grades

Almost three quarters of the enthusiasts surveyed have restored a car in the last five years. Of those 47 percent did all of the work on their own versus using a professional shop.

Sixty-three percent of survey participants have restored a collector vehicle in the last five years.

Sixty percent of those restorations focused on either cosmetic or mechanical refurbishing, and the remaining 40 percent were complete frame-off restorations.

The primary goal behind these projects was to restore to show quality (57 percent), but 36 percent of respondents said their motivation was to restore to driving condition. Only seven percent worked to bring their vehicle to the most pristine condition of all – concours quality.

Of those who enlisted the help of pros, the majority would recommend the shop highly to others. Ninety-four percent rated the quality of work performed by the shop as very good. In terms of cost and timeliness, the shops fared pretty well also. Eighty-five percent said they were pleased with how they were charged and 72 percent felt the shop they used completed the work in an acceptable timeframe.

The shops also scored highly in customer service – almost 90 percent felt the personnel they encountered treated them very well. In addition to great customer service, the facilities also get an “A”, as 83 percent rated the physical condition of the shop as very good.