Looking for a Body Shop

[garymatt]

Looking for a Body Shop.  Been searching posts finding little but all quite dated. On the bright side I hope no one else has had this need lately.
A truck backed into the 2013 Toyota Highlander's back corner bumper in December. It has been taped up.
THEN on Monday a foot accidentally hit the gas instead of the brake while parking at Keaau shopping center in front of the laundromat. The cement curb or wall in front was not kind. Now the front bumper is pretty much shot.
Looking for recommendations for a reliable honest body shop.
I think there might be one in HPP on 31st off Paradise but I'm not sure.  It will take driving around to find it.
For insurance I think I'll need to get at least two estimates.  Google maps show bunches (really) in Hilo.
That will do if I have to but what is more important is finding a good and reliable place.

[garymatt]

WOW! It has been about 2 weeks and nobody has replied.
Maybe that is telling. We asked our very trusted mechanic/auto repair guy if there is any place he could recommend
to fix the damaged bumpers on the 2013 Toyota Highlander.
He paused for a moment then said he couldn't recommend anybody.
Every actual body shop I have found has been in Hilo.
Wally's in HPP like other car repair places in general that I have spoken to say they don't do body work, just repairs. I wonder about Bob's across the highway.
Web searches find a dozen plus with most of those having consistent reviews and not in a good way.
So again, is the any body shop OR repair mechanic known to any that come to mind?

[TomK]

Perhaps no one here has needed a body shop recently and that's why there are no replies. Going by Google reviews, NW Motors Inc next to the airport has good reviews. It's on Silva St in Hilo next to the airport. I've not used them so can't give an opinion.

[Chas]

In July 2022 we used Body Pros in Hilo and liked them. Replaced a damaged rear bumper on a new vehicle. Did a good job of fitting, matching paint.

[keaau mary]

WOW!  It has been about 2 weeks and nobody has replied.
Maybe that is telling. We asked our very trusted mechanic/auto repair guy if there is any place he could recommend
to fix the damaged bumpers on the 2013 Toyota Highlander.
He paused for a moment then said he couldn't recommend anybody.
Every actual body shop I have found has been in Hilo.
Wally's in HPP like other car repair places in general that I have spoken to say they don't do body work, just repairs. I wonder about Bob's across the highway.
Web searches find a dozen plus with most of those having consistent reviews and not in a good way.
So again, is the any body shop OR repair mechanic known to any that come to mind?

Aloha, Awhile back I had a pig charge my truck on 26nd/Kaloli. Major body damage! Limped over to MS Auto across Ken's Towing. They were great! They fixed it in under a week, dealt with my insurance and sent me home in a spotless truck. Highly recommend!

[terracore]

I wonder about Bob's across the highway.

So again, is the any body shop OR repair mechanic known to any that come to mind?

As far as I know Bob's only does safety checks now.

I don't have any recommendations for body repair.  The one time we may have needed one the insurance company decided to total the car instead.  Since I got a good deal on it, the check was more than what I paid for the car, so I didn't complain.

Good luck in your search.

[AaronS]

Kraftsman Autobody in Kailua-Kona does an awesome job. They've been in business over 40 years and have a excellent track record.
They just replaced my bumper, brake light, and body work to the tune of 7,000 on my truck. If you check Yelp and Google Reviews
for Kraftsman for a 2016 GMC Sierra pickup, you'll see what great job they did.

[Durian Fiend]

Aloha, Awhile back I had a pig charge my truck on 26nd/Kaloli. Major body damage! Limped over to MS Auto across Ken's Towing. They were great! They fixed it in under a week, dealt with my insurance and sent me home in a spotless truck. Highly recommend!

  Any idea what prompted this behavior? Also, where was your car body damaged.   Must have been a real big one  to do this and walk away OK. Hard to believe a pig would get the better of an encounter with a car.

[TomK]

Kraftsman Autobody in Kailua-Kona does an awesome job. They've been in business over 40 years and have a excellent track record.
They just replaced my bumper, brake light, and body work to the tune of 7,000 on my truck. If you check Yelp and Google Reviews
for Kraftsman for a 2016 GMC Sierra pickup, you'll see what great job they did.

Unfortunately, that's a long way from Puna.

[Chas]

Aloha, Awhile back I had a pig charge my truck on 26nd/Kaloli. Major body damage! Limped over to MS Auto across Ken's Towing. They were great! They fixed it in under a week, dealt with my insurance and sent me home in a spotless truck. Highly recommend!

  Any idea what prompted this behavior? Also, where was your car body damaged.   Must have been a real big one  to do this and walk away OK. Hard to believe a pig would get the better of an encounter with a car.

Not hard to believe for me. When I lived in PA, I had 3 deer "encounters" within a space of about 5 years! The first one really messed up my front quarter panel and the wheel well cover. The second one did in the bumper and hood. This was on 2001 Corolla with 300k miles on it. None of the damage affected driving or safety. I never turned these incidents in to my insurance because I knew that they would total it, and I loved that car.

I did eventually get a newer Corolla, and this time, the deer hit me. He ran right into the side of the car. Both side doors were damaged beyond repair. Well, they could have been fixed but the insurance company determined it would be more than the car was worth. (about 6k).

None of the deer died as a result. At least, not at the scene.