Find the Best Car Damage Docs
Last updated June 2026
Carmakers have made enormous technological leaps in the past decade. Using high-tech plastics and alloys, they now design and manufacture vehicles that are lighter yet stronger and safer than ever. Devices like automatic braking and steering, blind-spot sensors, multiple airbags, and crumple zones prevent crashes or keep riders safer during them. But these advancements come with a downside: New cars are very difficult to repair after accidents. Mechanics must have wide knowledge of an array of materials, and replacement parts must be installed with extreme precision.
Our ratings reveal that some auto body shops do a stellar job of undoing damage from fender benders or major crashes, and regularly restore their customers’ wheels to pre-accident appearance and performance. But we also found that some other shops may compound your misery with lousy work. Plus, prices for auto bodywork vary widely from shop to shop.
Auto bodywork is difficult to do well. Since any blemish shows on the smooth skin of a car, even ordinary tasks like removing dents or blending paint are challenging. Below the surface, precision is equally critical—with an error of less than 1/16-inch in the adjustment of a modern car body frame capable of affecting performance.
Mechanics also must possess expertise on the properties of metals and plastics; the mechanics of high-tech suspension and steering systems; modern welding methods; the art of paint tinting and blending; how to spot accident-related damage to mechanical, electrical, air-conditioning, and other systems; and much more.
To find a shop that provides top-quality repairs, consider several points.
Customer Reviews
Our Ratings Tables report how area body shops were rated by their customers. We primarily surveyed Consumers’ Checkbook subscribers, but also other randomly selected consumers we invited to participate.
Our surveys asked consumers to rate shops they’ve used as “inferior,” “adequate,” or “superior” on questions such as “doing work properly,” “promptness,” “letting you know cost early,” “advice on service options and costs,” and “overall quality.” For shops that received 10 or more ratings on our surveys, our Ratings Tables reports the percent of each shop’s surveyed customers who rated it “superior” (as opposed to “inferior” or “adequate”) on each of these questions. Click here for further discussion of our customer survey and other research methods.
Many of the shops were rated quite highly by their customers. Several of the shops were rated “superior” for “overall quality” by at least 95 percent of their surveyed customers. But some other shops were rated “superior” overall by fewer than 65 percent of their surveyed customers, with customers often complaining about delays and shoddy work.
Complaint Histories
In addition to ratings from customers, our Ratings Tables show counts of complaints on file with local government consumer protection offices for a recent two-year period.
Effective Communication with Your Insurer
If an insurance company is paying for repairs, you want a shop that can make an articulate case for the repairs you need. Does the shop provide a clear estimate? Can its representative explain and document the need for each element of the job? If so, chances are good that the shop will get your insurance company to pay for all needed work.
Experience with Your Model of Car
While most good body shops are capable of repairing a wide variety of cars, make sure the shop has experience working on yours. Even some highly popular domestic car models now require expertise or special equipment to repair.
Source of Parts
Shops can use new original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts, aftermarket parts from independent parts manufacturers, or used parts. OEM parts are usually the most expensive option, which is why insurers often push shops to use less expensive aftermarket or used parts.
There is some concern over the quality of non-OEM aftermarket parts. In some cases these parts serve as acceptable substitutes for OEM parts. But many body shop owners told us that they generally prefer OEM parts because aftermarket parts often fit poorly. Several also noted that many aftermarket parts are thinner and lighter, and have surfaces improperly prepared to ensure paint adherence. In many cases, the shop can make adjustments to correct unsatisfactory parts and absorb the labor costs of the extra work. Good shops simply reject unacceptable parts. One shop owner told us he rejects about 20 percent of the aftermarket parts (fender, hood, etc.) he receives, either because of defects or poor fit, compared to rejecting less than five percent of OEM parts.
While shop owners seldom have difficulty returning ill-fitting parts, such problems can delay repairs. Sometimes the poor fit is not discovered until after considerable work has been done—for example, after a fender has been mounted and a headlight doesn’t fit properly.
If your shop plans to use aftermarket parts—or your insurance company requires them—find out if the components are certified by CAPA, an independent testing organization set up by insurers. Manufacturers can seek CAPA certification for individual parts by submitting them for testing; if a part meets CAPA standards, it will bear a label indicating that it is of comparable—or superior—quality to its OEM counterpart. Unfortunately, less than one-fourth of parts produced by aftermarket parts manufacturers are CAPA-certified, and quality varies considerably among the non-certified parts.
Used parts usually aren’t a problem, as long as they fit well and aren’t rusted or dented; if you are paying for repairs yourself and a used part will save you considerable money, there’s no reason not to accept it.
Maryland and Virginia laws require shop estimates to disclose which parts are aftermarket or used parts. (Laws in the District do not have a similar requirement.)
Certifications
The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), a nonprofit organization that certifies auto mechanics, also tests and certifies auto body technicians. ASE’s Collision Repair and Refinish Certification Tests evaluate mechanics on four types of work: painting and refinishing; nonstructural analysis and damage repair; structural analysis and damage repair; and mechanical and electrical components. ASE also tests and certifies individuals for skills in analyzing damage and completing estimates.
To become ASE-certified, a technician must pass one or more of the collision repair and refinish exams and present proof of two years of relevant work experience. Those who pass the four collision repair and refinish tests (which include painting and refinishing) become ASE-Certified Master Collision Repair Technicians. To remain certified, technicians must be retested every five years, forcing them to stay on top of changing technology.
We asked each shop listed on our Ratings Tables if it employed at least one ASE-certified technician. It turns out that shops employing certified technicians do not have higher customer-satisfaction levels than shops with none—which is not surprising since the proportion of certified technicians at most shops is low. Nonetheless, it’s worth requesting that a certified technician work on your car.
The ASE Blue Seal of Excellence Recognition Program recognizes shops where at least 75 percent of technicians are ASE-certified and at least one mechanic is certified in each area of service the shop offers. Blue Seal shops are reevaluated annually to determine if they still qualify for certification. Look for an ASE Blue Seal of Excellence plaque at a shop you are considering for repair work. To find Blue Seal shops, go to ase.com/repair-centers.