Phil's Auto Body Comparative Summary

With almost four decades in the business, Phil Chadd, owner of Phil’s Auto Body in Santa Cruz, says he’s learned to take some of the angst out of auto body repair. “ “People tend to be stressed after an accident, so we try to lighten up the situation. We make them feel comfortable, walk them around, and show them the process of how we’re going to repair their car.”

Phil believes that level of comfort and openness has been crucial to his success. He says customers gain confidence that their cars will be restored to original factory conditions before work even begins. “Most of the cars we repair are less than five years old, so customers don’t want them looking like they’ve been to the body shop. We fully guarantee our work and follow up after it’s complete to ensure they’re satisfied. If any problems arise, we can deal with them.”

Phil’s dedication to customer service is built around a core of quality workmanship. Each of the company’s primary auto body technicians has been in the business for more than 25 years, and its painter has more than a decade of experience.

He and his team are known for working with insurance companies to cover the use of original factory parts instead of less expensive aftermarket replacements. “We take great pride in reproducing the original factory appearance of a car,” he says. “That means a lot of disassembly work, which is something some body shops don’t do—especially for paint work. We don’t just mask and blow on the paint; we take off all the trim and paint it properly. If a car isn’t right, it won’t leave our shop.”

When the bodywork and painting is done, Phil’s Auto Body details cars inside and out. “Most of the time, cars that leave our shop look better than they did before the accident,” says Mr. Chadd. “We try to make it appear that cars were never here in the first place.”