Collision Repair Shops Near Midway on the Southwest Side of Chicago

Had some bad luck yesterday driving to Midway to pick up my in-laws. I was stopped on Cicero just south of the Orange Line tracks and got rear-ended by someone texting. My trunk is crumpled and the bumper is toast. The car got towed to a yard near the airport. My insurance agent is telling me to just pick any of their 'in-network' shops, but I'm wary. It's a dark metallic blue car and my biggest worry is a bad paint match that you can see a mile away in the sun. Does anyone have a collision center they trust on the Southwest Side, somewhere near Midway or Clearing or Garfield Ridge? Looking for a place that does quality work, will actually deal with the insurance paperwork without a hassle, and won't hold my car hostage for six weeks. This is my daily commuter so I'm already stressing about getting to my office in the loop.

That's rough, sorry to hear it. There's a family-run place on Pulaski, south of 63rd, that has been there forever. My brother took his truck there after someone swiped his whole passenger side in the parking lot at Pete's Fresh Market. They did a great job blending the paint, you couldn't even tell. They're old school, so you have to be direct with them about what you expect, but they take pride in their work. Don't just rely on the insurance adjuster's estimate, have the shop write their own before they start any work.

I'd be careful with some of the bigger name shops around there. My wife took her Forester to one of the huge places over by Ford City Mall a couple years back for a similar rear-end job. The quote was reasonable but it was one headache after another. They ended up keeping the car for almost a month, and the 'new' bumper they put on had a slightly different texture up close. The color looked fine in the shade but in bright daylight it was a shade too light. We ended up having to bring it back twice.

Just a heads up, check your insurance policy for rental car coverage now. Some shops have loaners or an Enterprise on site, but if not, getting authorization from the insurance company can take a day or two. The last thing you want is to be paying for a rental out of pocket while they sort it out.

Honestly, for a paint job you're worried about, it might be worth paying to tow it to a shop you absolutely trust, even if it's not on the south side. My guy is up here near me off Elston and he's a magician with color matching, but he's always booked out. A bad paint job tanks your resale value. It's probably not worth the drive from where the car is now, but don't just pick the closest place to save a hundred bucks on a tow.

Thanks for all the input, everyone. That warning from PalosHeightsPat is exactly what I was worried about, I know exactly which big shop you mean and I'll be steering clear. I appreciate the tip on the rental car too, NorwoodNick, I just confirmed my policy covers it. I'm going to have the car moved over to that place on Pulaski that OakLawnTony mentioned and get a detailed estimate. I'll ask them specifically about their process for paint blending. I looked into JeffParkJoe's suggestion, but the adjuster is giving me grief about towing it that far north. Hoping this smaller spot works out.