nickel

Does anyone have any great experiences with getting major repairs at an autobody shop in the Los Angeles area? I'm hoping to get recommendations in and around Koreatown if possible.

My 2006 Scion XA has some major door/fender damage, self-caused...Spaced out and backed it out of the garage with the driver door open. Now the door won't close... praying no one steals the car before I get it to a body shop.

Any ballpark guesses on how much it would cost to get a door replacement?

AcidDrop

iTrader: (4)

here's a recommended paint thread for socal.
https://www.scionlife.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=127148

nickel

Thanks AcidDrop for the link. I will be checking it out. But do you think people would have different recs when it comes to doing repair (as opposed to paint)? Should I judge a body shop's ability to do collision based on the show style painting jobs they do?

nickel

Looks like from the paint thread, the closest recommendations are mostly concentrated all in Noho or Gardena:
Julian's Auto Body (6926 Lankershim Boulevard, North Hollywood, CA 91605)
Western Auto Body (17001 S. Western Ave. Gardena, CA 90247)
Auto Explosion (13805 S. Normandie Gardena, CA 90249)
Marco's (999 Monterey Pass Road, Monterey Park, CA 91754)

And from another guys's thread:
Matrix Collision Repair (‎1016 S La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90035-250

I found a KTLA "Best of LA" list here:
Sam's Auto Land, Gardena
Anaheim Hills Auto Body, Anaheim
Auto Body Masters Inc, Culver City
High Quality Auto Body Inc, Alhambra
Valley Motor Center Auto Body, Sherman Oaks/Van Nuys


Unfortunately because I can't close the door, even though I can drive it I'd probably get a citation... I have to tow my baby so I need to keep it close by.

My insurance carrier is recommending Sidle's Automotive, they have a A rating on BBB, Citysearch review here. If anyone's had any work done there or heard about them that would be great, since their review online seems on and off and not enough reviews to really judge.

AcidDrop

iTrader: (4)

not sure how much it will be as every bodyshop gives out different qoutes but if your insurance is recommending that bodyshop then go to it, when my gf got in a accident we went to one that looked legit but really wasn't so the car had to get moved to a bodyshop that the insurance recommended and the car came out awesome as if nothing ever happened. you have pm coming your way.

Mos_Def

iTrader: (5)

i know theres a body shop at the corner of olympic and hoover. its in the same block as the food 4 less. im not sure of their work, but i drive by it all the time when im in the k-town area.

nickel

Thanks much for the advice AcidDrop, its good to hear from someone else who had a good experience with a body shop. I called my insurance again and got an even bigger list of body shops and have been spending some time looking them up on the internet. The thing is, nearly all the shops in my radius on the list have got some pretty shady reviews, no reviews, or reviews that are inconsistent: kind of good, and then kind of bad!

I'm on Ameriprise / Cosco insurance. These are a few of the other shops listed on their "VIP program." Maybe this will help other people...

• Sidles Automotive (5910 West Pico Blvd.Los Angeles, CA 90035) BBB gives A+ BBB Accredited
• Idas Auto Body & Repair (3412 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, 90019) No Yelp, No YP, No BBB?
• Globe Auto Body Inc (1360 S Flower St Los Angeles, CA 90015)Yellowpages Google BBB gives A+ BBB accredited
• Trojan Auto Body (2908 S. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA, 90007) Yelp BBB C+ being reviewed Probably not a good idea to go here?
• Western Collision Center (811 N Western, Los Angeles, CA, 90029) Yelp Google BBB gives A- Not accredited
• Auto Tech Collision Center (1116 West Washington Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA, 90015) BBB gives A+ BBB accredited
• Crenshaw Collision Center (4610 Crenshaw Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, 90043) No Yelp, no YP? BBB gives B- to different name
• Classic Collision Center (3020 Riverside Dr, Los Angeles, CA, 90039) Yelp BBB A- Not accredited
• Hollywood Caliber Collision Center (1925 N. Wilcox Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, 9006 Yelp BBB A+BBB accredited

Yeah Mos_Def, I see auto shops everywhere in my 'hood but unfortunately nearly no one reviews the K-Town area places (on my insurance list) online...

I guess it's either go with a shop that has the pretty good ratings off the list or else try to find a halfway decently rated one on "the list" (to stay "guaranteed") and hope I'm one of the lucky ones that gets good service.

archebald23

Try searching for consumer advocate sites, they have a database on well established Los Angeles auto repair shops and you can even ask for an estimate of the cost of car repair.