Body Shop Recommendations in Lincoln Park Chicago

Welp, it finally happened. My parked car got hit in Lincoln Park yesterday afternoon. I was over by Fullerton and Halsted, and someone turning into the alley clipped the back of my 2020 Forester. They left a note, but the phone number was a Chicago Public Schools main line. Real classy. The rear bumper is pushed in and scraped up pretty good, and the right taillight is cracked. My insurance deductible is $1000, so I'm trying to figure out if I can get this fixed for less out of pocket. I'm most worried about the paint match on my Horizon Blue Pearl color. Looking for a reliable body shop on the North Side, somewhere convenient from Bucktown. I need a place that will give me an honest quote, do quality work, and not try to convince me I need a whole new bumper assembly if a repair is possible. Who have you used that you actually trust?

There's a big shop on Clark just south of Wrigley that I used. Took my Accord there after a tow truck scraped the whole side of my car. They did a decent job but you have to be really clear with them upfront. The first estimate they gave me was for all new door panels. I pushed back and they ended up repairing them for half the cost. The work was solid, just be prepared to advocate for yourself.

Ugh, that's the worst. My wife's CR-V got slammed by a runaway cart at the Peterson and Western Target last year. We took it to a family owned spot way up north on Western Ave, almost to Touhy. The owner, an older guy, walked me through the whole process. He showed me how they use heat to reshape the plastic bumper and why the color blending had to extend into the quarter panel. The final job was flawless, you couldn't even tell. It's a bit of a drive for you but they were straight shooters and the price was very fair.

I have to disagree with going to a small shop, Eddie. I did that once with a place over by me in Irving Park and got burned. The paint match looked okay at first, but after one Chicago winter with the salt and ice, the clear coat started to peel right off the bumper. They claimed it wasn't their fault. I'd strongly suggest going to a larger, certified collision center that offers a lifetime warranty on their work. I used one of the big ones just off the Kennedy near the Addison exit, and while it wasn't cheap, I have peace of mind. For a newer car, the warranty is worth it.

Good advice in here. Definitely get at least three quotes before you decide anything, Rob. And before you go, give the car a good wash so there are no surprises about scratches under the dirt. The most important thing to ask is if they're quoting you for an OEM taillight or an aftermarket one. The aftermarket parts are cheaper but sometimes the fit and finish isn't quite right. The big repair corridor along Elston has a bunch of places, you could probably hit three in one afternoon.

This is all super helpful, thank you everyone. Irene, your story about the paint peeling is exactly what I'm afraid of. That point about the lifetime warranty is making me think twice about trying to find the absolute cheapest option. It's not really a savings if I have to get it redone in two years. And Andre, I hadn't even thought about OEM versus aftermarket parts, that's a great question to ask. I've booked two appointments to get estimates next week, one at the bigger place off the Kennedy and one at the family spot up on Western just to compare. I'll let you know how it goes.

Just seeing this now. One other thing to check, if you do decide to go through insurance, is to see if the shop is a preferred provider for your insurance company. My agent told me it can speed up the claims process significantly and they handle all the paperwork directly. Sometimes they have deals on the deductible, too. We learned that after my husband's car was damaged in that crazy hailstorm a few years back.