I have located a few different body shops in DFW area. My question is- What should I look for to deterimin a good quality body shop.
One Place said they were slow and would give me a good deal just to keep the shop going. What do ya think?

The quality of the work produced can't be measured by the appearance of the shop. Ask around and look at some work that's been done. Car shows can provide examples. Paint stores can also make suggestions. Car clubs may point you in the right direction. Generally a production shop doing resto type work for filler won't produce the quality of work provided by a dedicated resto type shop. Why are they slow?

Doing restoration work is a good way for a Shop to go broke. Be very cautious in your selection.
Stick with shops that are clean, appear to have low overhead, and have been around for a while. They should do resto and refinish as a major part of their business mix.
A Collision shop that is willing to discount your repair to "keep going" may not be around to finish the job.
What usually happens is that they take your car in to keep "busy", then they get some retail Collision work , your "pride and joy" sits.
Martinsr has spoken to this issue in detail.
As a Shop owner that has done the "keep busy" or "favor to a friend" thing in the past, I too have been guilty of keeping cars too long.
For most major Collision Shops we stay alive doing retail collision repairs.
I have been using one of my own cars to keep the guys busy for 11 years, still not done.
Karl

yeah it sure is interesting that if the car gets pushed in the corner and sets long enough to get a little dust on it the guys just forget it is there.

There are lots of "signs" in my findings. They are not carved in stone, there are many with these red flags that may actully be a good place to go. But as with all "red flags" they can not be ignored. They are a tool in finding a shop just as how good a car may look as it leaves. If that beautiful car took five years of begging to get back, well that isn't a shop to drop your car off is it?

Drop you car off at a shop that needs your job to "keep it going"? DON'T DO IT, that sounds like a place you will go back to find locks on the door and mail piling up on the floor under the mail slot. :(

Click here for "Confessions of a body shop owner" (http://www.camaros.net/cgi-bin/forum/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=003401)

thanks for the informative help once again guys!
I will use all this info to search out a good body shop.
Dan

Get everything in writing, I mean EVERYTHING, even what may appear to be the most minor detail. There is a lot of room for miscommunication and you can bet that somewhere along the line a problem or misunderstanding will come up. It's pretty hard to remember what the original agreement was six months down the line. If you can, get an actual breakdown of cost for each phase of the work that is being done. I know this sounds anal, but better safe than sorry on something that is so important to you.

that sounds like good advice, I will try to do just that
Thanks