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How to Recognize Sham Companies Offering Classic Car Repair in Orange County?


Classic Car Restoration industry, like any other industry for that matter, is full of sham companies whose reliability and quality of work are questionable at best. Some companies specializing in classic car repair in Orange County like Chimera Motors have a reputation that can be confirmed either by checking for online reviews or talking to our valued customers. Others, who seem to come and go and whose names you can never remember, offer all kinds of incentives but in reality cut a lot of corners and ultimately take your money for a half-decent product. The best thing you can do to battle such fraud companies and individuals is to go into the whole process fully informed and ask around in order to get some references. And in case this fails, here are a few common tricks these companies might use in order to lure you that you have to pay attention to.

Ridiculous Promises

This one is just common sense: if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. If an Orange County Classic Car Repair shop offers rates that are ridiculously low compared to other shops, it means you are going to get low-quality service. You have to know that a proper car restoration project will require serious funding to be done right, and if you go for the cut-corner methods these companies offer your newly restored car won’t stay new for long. If you want your car restoration project done right, it is better to be ready to put up than be sorry.

“Deal Expires Today”

Limited time offers are something you are strongly advised to avoid, whether we’re talking about car restoration or any other service for that matter. This is an old marketing trick which urges you to accept a service before you have the time to ask around about the company and actually find out that they have an unenviable track record. By pressuring you to accept the deal before it expires, these companies are likely to get their hands on your priced old-timer and cause damage that could be difficult to repair after you’ve discovered that you’ve been a victim of a scam. Be aware that premier service costs the same today, tomorrow or anytime in the future.

Intentionally Vague Contracts

If the classic car repair shop gives you a contract which uses ambiguous language forms and unfamiliar legal terms, be aware as you are likely about to get scammed. A company that has nothing to hide is likely to keep the contract concise and easily interpretable, while the ones who are trying to mask deception and get away with it use these vague contracts to deceive you. If you can’t understand what the contract is saying for the most part, better look for car restoration services elsewhere.

Enormous Deposit Requirements

A small deposit is common practice in the car restoration business, but if a company is asking for a large part of the cost to be paid in advance you can be sure that you are looking at a textbook scam. A sham business struggling to make ends meet might ask for a huge down payment, and there are countless cases where people made massive payments only to witness the company close the next day. Reputable car repair shops ask for a small, symbolic deposit and charge you as the car repair or restoration project progresses.

The Premier Orange County Classic Car Repair Service

Like we mentioned earlier, the best way to avoid being scammed is to do thorough checks on the internet and ask around to see if someone was scammed by a particular company. At Chimera Motors, we offer only the highest quality services and have countless customer references to back it up. Contact us at 714-907-0609 for any questions you may have. We will be happy to remove any doubt you might have about our business ethics and methods.


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