Need Auto Body Shop Recommendation

toml · 12-01-07, 03:09

Hi,

Somebody backed into my parked car on the street and dented in the left front fender and driver's door where it meets the fender. And ... no note. I'm

because their irresponsibility will come out of my wallet to the tune of a $500 deductible. And with my getting married next month and paying for the wedding, it's not like I have a spare $500 lying around. Okay, enough of my sob story. Oh but wait, I'd just polished out the car a couple weeks back and put my second coat of 845IW on it just 4 days prior to it getting hit.

The car is driveable, so it could have been worse. I could only get the door open maybe 6", but a local body shop was able to separate the crunch enough to where the door now freely opens. They told me that I'd need a new fender and that they'd have to do some work on the door and then repaint it. This is the body shop that the local Honda dealer recommended to me a while back (I think the same person/corporation owns both).

I don't have any experience with local body shops on the North Shore, so I thought I'd ask if you can recommend any. I really don't want to have to be living the body shop horror stories that I've heard here. So, I'm really looking for someone who can do it right the first time.

I live in Beverly, MA. Would prefer for it to be local-ish, but I'd be willing to travel.

I'll also be moving the first part of January to western MA (Holyoke), so should I get it done out there instead? My thinking is that if there is a problem with the job they do, I won't be at the other end of the state.

Also, should I wait until spring to get the work done when we've finished with winter? I don't know how soft the paint will be or how well it will stand up to the salt, sand, and weather here if I do it now.

Anyway, any advice and/or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Tom

T.C. · 12-03-07, 10:10

Hi Tom,

I have a couple places that I could reccomend, but they both are booked out until early January as of now. If you are going to be moving out to the Western part of the state, I would stick with a shop out there just in case issues do arrise- as you stated. Hopefully, some members can reccomdn a good shop out there. Please let us know how you make out and best of luck with the wedding!

toml · 12-03-07, 10:59

Hey TC, thanks! Rick recommended a place to me which I'll call tomorrow and see what availability looks like. And honestly, if you know of a shop that is that good that there wouldn't be any problems that I would need to come back for, I could always drop the car off before the wedding in early Jan. and pick it up afterwards.

So, please PM me with any recommendations if you'd like.

T.C. · 12-04-07, 10:41

I would reccomend either ****'s Autobody in Sommerville, MA or Phaze II autobody in Westford, MA. Both come highly regarded and I have multiples experiences with both shops. Very professional and talented. Hope this helps.

RickRack · 12-05-07, 05:13

Hey Tom,
Have you had a chance to call Julian yet?

wlee · 12-06-07, 12:35

Hi All,

I'm living in Lowell, MA (northern part of MA).

Could you recommend a body shop for me also?

Unknown car hit my oddysey's front bumber at parking lot and ran awayon in this monday.

As I have a frame damage, I really want to go to an expert of frame repair.

Southern part of NH will be fine also.

Thanks in advance.

toml · 12-08-07, 03:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickRack

Hey Tom,
Have you had a chance to call Julian yet?

Rick, yes I did. We've scheduled my car to go in just before I get married. That way, he'll have it while I'm away on my honeymoon. I also told him that you referred him to me.