CONSUMER WATCH : Fender Fakery

Californians who have seen movies being filmed on location know well that things often are not what they appear to be. It’s all for the sake of entertainment. Now there’s official word about a pretense that’s far from entertaining: Many California auto repair shops are faking it, at the expense of their customers.

Significant problems of fraud and incompetence in auto body repair were documented in a report released Monday by the state Bureau of Automotive Repairs. The study was prepared by a committee that included members of the insurance and automotive repair industries as well as law enforcement.

In addition to adding an average of $866 to a vehicle repair bill, the suspect practices can pose significant safety risks, the report warned. Investigators found, for example, in scrutinizing repairs made on 52 cars that only 29% were done properly.

Only a fraction of the 1,572 auto body shops surveyed had employees certified by industrial associations for metal work, and many lacked the equipment essential for good repair, the report said.

Even more disturbing than the evidence that less than a third of repairs were adequate was the finding that there was fraud in a whopping 40% of the cases studied. That’s an argument for tougher state regulation.

In the meantime, here are some tips for consumers. Make and keep specific notes on the damage to your vehicle. Request proof of technicians’ qualifications from the shop where your vehicle is to be repaired. Ask lots of questions. Because as this study shows, looks can be deceiving.