Bay Area Body Shops?

[steponit]

Just wondering if anyone has any recomendations on a good, honest body shop in the Bay.

About a week ago I was driving on 101 and my front slapped a huge piece of big rig tire tread that was on the road. Needless to say I gotta get the whole front end redone and maybe some mechanical parts as well (my check engine light came on days after).

So if anyone has input, it is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[KenzBenz]

if you find a place let me know too =) im looking for a shop too around the bay

[gav]

That happened to me about 1.5 years ago on 101. It tore up the front end pretty good ($2000). I got great repair service at Unique Automotive in San Francisco. They dealt with my insurance and all. Advice to insurance - tell them the object was moving, otherwise you'll get dinged for the accident. My experience is your gain!

-g

[C Sport 6]

German Motors on Folsom blvd. in Sacramento. off of Watt and 50- My mechanics cousin owns the shop and he seems to do pretty good work, from what ive seen.

If money is no object, and u want the finest of quality, check out L.R. Spencer co. in Burlingame. (www.oursl.com) They specialize in restorations of vintage SL's, and do body work on all MB's.

[KenzBenz]

whats the price range of your cousins shop? low , ave, or high?

[C Sport 6]

Hey KenzBenz-
Ive seen your car around town a couple of times, its gorgeous! Theres another 202 (94-97 style) ive seen in Davis tons of times thats dark red metallic, lowered, with 18" rims, looks pretty neat.

The shop is my mechanics cousins shop, as for price he seems to be low-avg. I had some body work needs about a year ago-

The estimate for the work I needed at German Motors was $2500. I had been backed into by a neighbor, and the drivers side doors needed to be replaced on my 300DT. $2500 included new doors, proper paint prep, necessary blending, and removal and installation of everything. I opted to use my ins. payback from the accident on the car mechanically, so It still hasnt been repaired.
Planning a complete body restoration with L.R. spencer in the Spring. Damage pics are on my homepage gallery.

Just for comparison, the same work at L.R. Spencer co. was quoted at $4,500. Obviously they will do the best job, but if you want a good affordable respray, German Motors should be fine.

I have also used Cooks autobody in Sacramento, off of Business 80 & El Camino with my C280. A deer hit me in Colorado. They replaced Drivers side front fender and headlight; I was also rear ended in the C280 by a completely retarded fool in a 190E and they replaced the trunk, rear bumper cover, and repainted both. Both repairs came out fine. I think the rear end repairs totaled around $3500, and slightly less for the front. I used them because I didnt know of German Motors at the time, and my ins. company reccomended them. Apparently they are the MBZ dealer-reccomended body shop for the Sac. area- they send all of their clients to cooks.

On a side not, when i was rear ended i was VERY surprised at the minimal damage to my C280. I was on a busy street in Sac. in the left hand lane during rush hour. I saw him coming up behind me, and it didint appear that he was going to stop. Being blocked into the lane by traffic on the riight and a median with trees and plants on the left, there was nothing I could do to get outta the way, so i put the brakes on, to avoid slamming into the car in front of me, and braced myself against the seat with leverage from the steering wheel.

He hit, and as soon as the traffic started moving, I was able to use a left turn lane to go into a parking lot, the idiot followed in his 190E.
I got out assuming that my car would be really messed up. The bumper cover was pushed in about a half inch, and thhe trunk lid was dented in below the license plate. The 190E was another story- Grill and hood smashed upwards, radiator burst, fenders buckeld, and front driver and pass. doors buckled. He got what he was asking for!
Found out later that his license was suspended- he had been in 5 other accidents with the car, and the car was his girlfriends.

[C Sport 6]

Accident pics of w123-

http://groups.msn.com/W123Club/hugotheturbodiesel.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=1060