The estimate is free. The number is honest.
Bring the vehicle to 40923 Albrae St and we will write it up while you wait. No appointment, no charge, no pressure to book the work with us.
Why we will not quote a price over the phone
Photos help us ballpark a job, and we are happy to look at them. But an in-person look is the only way to catch damage hiding behind a panel, and a number that changes three days later is worse than no number at all.
What you get instead is a written estimate, in person, free, usually while you wait.
What actually moves the price
Repair vs. replace
A panel that can be straightened costs less than one that has to be replaced. That call gets made after we see the metal, not before.
Structural damage
Frame and structural work takes more labor hours than cosmetic body work, and it comes first in the repair order.
Parts and availability
Part cost and how quickly it can be sourced both affect the total and the timeline. Some vehicles simply cost more to put parts on.
Paint and blending
Matching involves pulling your paint code, mixing to it, and blending into the surrounding panels. More panels in the blend means more work.
Hidden damage
What is behind the bumper cover is not knowable from the driveway. This is the single biggest reason a real estimate beats a guess.
Related systems
Suspension, glass and wheel alignment often ride along with a collision repair, depending on what got hit.
Insurance claim, or paying yourself?
If there is a claim
Bring your claim number. The estimate goes to your carrier and we handle the adjuster back-and-forth. You are free to choose your own shop; your insurer can recommend one, but the decision is yours.
If you are paying out of pocket
Tell us. We will write the estimate the same way and you can decide what to fix now and what can wait. There is no obligation to book the work with us.
A supplement is what happens when panels come off and we find damage nobody could see. It gets documented and sent to your insurer, and we tell you before the work goes ahead. It is normal, not a surprise charge.
What to bring
- The vehicle. Photos are useful, but we need to see it.
- Your claim number, if a claim is already open.
- For a DSP or fleet van: the unit number and who to bill.
Fleet and DSP estimates
Running multiple vans? Commercial accounts get priority intake and scheduling, parts pre-ordered for drivable vans, and consolidated billing instead of one invoice per unit. Call the shop and ask for fleet.
Drive it over. We will write it up.
40923 Albrae St, Fremont, CA 94538. Mon-Fri 8-5, Sat 8-12. Free, no appointment needed.