Below, you can read some customer feedback regarding our work. You can also see our reviews directly on Angie’s List.
Ted M. (6/20/17) – ★★★★★
They fight to give you the full value for your car if it is damaged and they use only the best parts (not cheap parts other insurance companies use). His repair service is excellent. He helped me get twice the value for my used car that the dealerships were offering me. Bottom Line: I highly recommend using their service.
Trevor R. (10/4/16) – ★★★★★
I neglected my car for a while! 
So I had a lot of service work to do.
My dad’s a mechanic, but he lives in another state and the passion for fixing engines just didn’t rub off on me at all.
I needed a trustworthy person to look at my car and I heard about the work this company does.
I figured if they tried to screw me I could just show the quote to my dad and see whether or not this guy was for real.
The owner works very closely with the customers.
I’ve observed him very carefully and I have to say I think he’s a very fair, sincere and honest person.
They gave me a rental car to drive for about 2 days for FREE.
The customer service was extremely memorable, but the part that I appreciated most was that they listened to me and was clear, firm and honest about what I needed to repair that day and what could wait until the next visit. What a relief!
George A. (6/23/17) – ★★★★★
Description of work: I needed to repair a dented and scratched front fender on my 6-month old car that occurred from a hit-and-run accident. Unfortunately, the repair was going to cost less than my insurance deductible, so I needed to find an auto body repair place with reasonable prices because I was going to have to pay for the repair completely out of pocket. (Ouch.)
Ray was extremely helpful and professional, and he gave me two options (at different price points) for the body repair work my car needed. I got estimates from 6 different repair places in and around Pasadena, and Ray’s estimate was $400 cheaper than any other estimate. The repair turned out great, it took less time than I expected, and I was extremely pleased with the result. Collision Auto Repair doesn’t have a fancy building or a marble waiting room like other (very expensive) body shops, but I didn’t want or need those amenities. What I needed was a quality repair at a good price, and that’s what I got. I highly recommend Collision Auto Repair.
Dave F. (2/1/17) – ★★★★★
Description of work: body work and paint.
They did a great job. Prompt and charged just what they estimated. Even provided cheap rental car.
Robert B. (7/3/16) – ★★★★★
Description of work: Repaired passenger side of car and rear wheel from a side swipe accident. This was covered by the other drivers’ insurance. In January 2016 Ray did a non-insurance claim repair on my Audi RS5 (this is the one that cost $1400).
Ray is in the highest class of warm, personable and responsive professionals. He is definitely on your side and not the side of the insurance company. He will consistently work to get every penny’s worth of benefit that you are spending on your insurance premiums if you need to file a claim. He will demand that parts which need replacing are new and not refurbished. He does not take shortcuts. And because of this, and the fact that it’s a small shop, sometimes it takes a bit longer. Insurance companies move at their own glacial pace and when Ray requires that their adjusters respond to a modification of the initial estimate because of a new problem uncovered as work progresses, he will stay on them until they approve what he has requested. He does not make do or settle for less than getting your vehicle back to its initial perfect condition. We have used Ray’s services three times now and once was for repair work on my Audi RS5 I did not want to submit to my insurance. The cost was significantly less than estimates I received from other local shops. And the outcome was perfect. Ray took the time to explain why, even though the dent was in the left rear quarter panel, that the repainting must cover a much larger area in order to blend in. He also has a small fleet of rental cars at very reasonable rates. So when your insurance company suggests a couple of “preferred” repair shops (which is code for “they’ll do what we tell them to do and get the parts we tell them to get”) just go see Ray and tell them “thanks, but I want to go to Collision Auto Specialist”.
Marlina S. (3/7/16) – ★★★★★
Description of work: Replaced my bumper
I brought my car in with a torn up bumper. 😦 Ray and Shanaz worked hard to make sure the job was done right! My car looks like new! I couldnt be happier with his service and will return for future auto repairs. Thank you so much!!!!
Santos R. (1/15/16) – ★★★★★
I was going to get my brakes repair- but was no able to drive the 25+ miles distance, however, collision auto specialist responded to all my questions and were very friendly and professional- my brakes were checked locally and do not need replacement at this moment but I will give them a try when they do, Thanks
Margaret L. (11/30/15) – ★★★★★
Description of work: His shop repaired all the dings and dents on the bumper and front fenders of my car so that it looks new again.
Ray makes you feel like a part of his family! He and his very sweet wife take a personal interest in their customers.
Deborah M. (11/7/15) – ★★★★★
Description of work: The provider repaired a long scratch/dent down the entire passenger side of the car.
I highly recommend Collision Auto Repair Specialist. I have a very difficult schedule so I called Ray the day before and said I would like to come in the next day at a specific time to get a quote to repair the car. (We were not using insurance due to high deductibles). I sensed that the time I was requesting was not very good for Ray but nonetheless he was very accommodating. When we arrived, Ray was ready and greeted us warmly. He was professional at all times and takes clear pride in a job well done. He gave us a very good quote (we had another which was much higher) and we accepted on the spot. He took the car in the following business day and prepared us for a five day process but he finished in three days. The quality of the work was excellent–the car looks brand new. It was a pleasure to do business with Ray. I would refer him to all my family and friends!
Carol W. (6/23/15) – ★★★★★
Description of work: Replaced torn-off front bumper and other damaged parts of Toyota RAV 4.
This is a very courteous service. They looked for the least expensive replacement parts so it would cost the least to fix my ten-year-old car. It took a few days, but it was complete.
Peter O. (6/8/15) – ★★★★★
Description of work: Remove dent and repaint left front fender panel. Remove small dent in front bumper cover.
I should mention that this work was done outside my auto insurance policy owing to the amount involved and a relatively high deductible on my policy. The work was completed on schedule, and there were no cost overruns or hidden charges. I dealt directly with Ray, the owner of the business, who had worked previously as an engineer and had acquired this company. I thought he was very professional and fair. Quality of work was high, and they were very attentive, even giving me a lift to my house after I dropped off the car. Lastly, I was impressed with their interest in receiving feedback from me after the work was done. I would definitely use this company again.
Georgia S. (5/21/15) – ★★★★★
Description of work: The provider promised he could fix the car like new and he did.
I was involved in an accident in March and the first place I took it to said it was a total loss and couldn’t fix it and told me to find some place else. I found Collision Auto Repair Specialist on Angie’s List and called him. When I took the car to Ray he told me it was possible to fix it like new and he was right. Hopefully there will be no more accidents, but if there are I know where to go immediately. My car is a 1989 Ford Crown Victoria so parts were not readily available, but Ray worked his magic right down to the paint job. I am very happy with the job and would recommend his company to anyone who needs a repair. Thanks Ray for a job well done. The car looks like new.
Kenneth M. (4/28/15) – ★★★★★
Description of work: Collision Auto Repair Specialist (CARS)repaired the rear passenger door and corner panel of my Lexus after I failed to clear a concrete column in a parking garage while pulling out of a parking space.
I checked the glowing reviews in Angie’s List and was so impressed by the reports that I didn’t bother to get any other body shop estimates. This is the first time that I’ve gone with someone without getting other quotes for body work. I was going to my Lexus dealer for some numbers but figured that CARS will beat them easily since dealers have always charged me more than independent shops. By the way, the price is based on the fact I was paying out of pocket without insurance reimbursement.
I met the owner, Mr. Ray Akramian, when I brought my car for the work estimate. He explained in detail what he was going to do and gave me his honest opinion on my options as to how the car will be repaired which affects the final price. Mr. Akramian also described how the detail estimate was determined and estimated how many days the work would take (3-4 days). If I went the cheaper route, it would have taken 1.5 days, but the repair work would not last as long.
I brought my car in on Monday morning and picked it up on Friday. I asked why the job appeared to take five days instead of the estimated 4 days and Mr. Akramian explained that the clock starts ticking the day after I drop off the car. This was not a problem for me since I was not in a rush. But, you may wish to clarify the timing for your job to avoid any misunderstanding.
I expected a superb job from Mr. Akramian and his staff and that’s what I got. The Lexus looks great and no one will ever know that it had a run-in with a concrete column. He gave the car a wash before handing the keys over to me. Thanks, Mr. Akramian and Angie’s List!
Daniel W. (4/7/15) – ★★★★★
Description of work: Replaced driver side mirror and repaired driver side door and front panel.
I was pretty happy with the service. The owner was really nice and gave me a reasonable price. I had similar work done at a different body shop a few years ago and the prices were comparable. They also gave me a rental at $15 per day which was pretty helpful since I was paying for all of the repairs out of pocket. They finished the work faster than originally estimated and the repairs look great. The paint job blended in really well.
Vincent B. (3/11/15) – ★★★★★
Description of work: Repaired, re-finished and painted the passenger side rear quarter-panel and door on very short notice and with a very tight deadline.
Ray is the best auto body professional I have dealt with over many years in the Los Angeles area. He is very knowledgeable, professional, friendly, courteous and completely honest. He is dedicated to doing the best possible job for a fair and reasonable price, and he explains each aspect of the work that is needed and why it is needed. He will go out of his way to ensure that you are satisfied with the work performed, and jump through hoops to get your car back to you as quickly as possible, even if, as in my case, you are only able to give him a day or two’s notice to complete a major repair. I went to Ray based on his Angie’s List rating, and boy, am I glad that I did.
Ray provided me a rental car while his men worked on my car, and stayed in touch with me over a weekend so that I knew that the work was proceeding as it had to in a tight time-frame. The car was returned to me exactly when he said it would be, and for the price he said it would cost. The quality of the repair and refinish is just superb; you cannot tell that there were ever major scrapes and gouges all along the areas of my collision with a steel column in an underground parking lot. The whole door panel and quarter-panel on the rear passenger side had to be removed, repaired and refinished. It was done so well, I cannot tell even in bright sunlight the newly painted areas from the unchanged areas. Terrific.
I will return to Ray whenever I have need of body work in the future, despite the fact that I live in Westwood, and he is in Pasadena — a major hike for me to get to. Doesn’t matter. Ray’s that good.
Jacqueline S. (3/2/15) – ★★★★★
Description of work:body work and paint on my damaged auto panel. He did an outstanding job!
I will just say that this is a family-owned business. They are polite, professional and fair. I drove from Thousand Oaks to Pasadena, after speaking with Mr. Akramian by phone, as I was impressed with his honesty. I was not disappointed. My car was completed in two days (dropped off on Wednesday and completed by Friday). I was able to also rent a loaner car (PT Cruiser) for a nominal fee. I cannot say enough about how beautiful my car looks. Mr. Akramian and his wife are as charming as they are honest and I can recommend highly their services.
Charlie C. (1/27/15) – ★★★★★
Description of work: replaced shocks/struts.
After being told by another shop that my rear struts were leaking hydraulic fluid, I brought my 2009 Prius to CARS to get a second opinion. Ray’s mechanic found that they were indeed leaking and needed to be replaced. He quoted me $400 to complete the job using the best parts – no generic brands. The other shop was about $50 higher, so I went with CARS. Ray ordered the parts and worked with my schedule to find a time to bring my Prius in that was convenient for me. His mechanic completed the job in less time than was quoted and I immediately felt that it drove better. Since then I’ve brought my Prius back in to have an oil change and they also rotated my tires as part of the price. I’m glad to have found CARS for all my future maintenance needs.
Hester B. (5/22/14) – ★★★★★
Description of work: The right running board and brackets were replaced along with a cracked light cover. They also did touch ups where the paint was damaged.
We were very pleased with the job overall. A replacement running board had to be ordered and took a long time to arrive. Originally we were told that it would arrive in about 5 days. It ended up being about 12 days. While I understand that the delivery schedule was not under their control, I feel that they could have done a better job of letting us know the status of the order and delivery. As soon as the part was delivered, they got the new running board installed very quickly and finished the work very professionally and promptly.
Sanjay N. (4/22/14) – ★★★★★
Description of work: Ray oversaw the repairs to the front of my Honda Civic after I rear ended another driver in a moment of carelessness. Luckily, no one was hurt. Ray provided an estimate for me and dealt with the claims adjuster after I agreed to have his shop perform the work. Every interaction was professional and courteous. I felt my questions were answered and that the work was done with a concern for detail.
I’m extremely satisfied with the work. Ray is willing to hash it out with the insurance company in order to make sure that no shortcuts are taken. The car was in the shop a bit longer than originally specified, but that seemed to be the result of a part needing to be shipped. I would definitely take my car there again. The total cost of the repairs was over $5000, but I was only responsible for the deductible.
Margaret G. (2/7/14) – ★★★★★
Description of work: Collision Auto Repair repaired the dent and repainted the area.
The front fender of the car was damaged by a parking attendant. The completed repair in 2 days as promised. Car looks good as new. The charge was less than we were quoted by other body repair shops.
Maricela M. (2/6/14) – ★★★★★
Description of work: repainted bumpers, repaired and refinished several body panels to take care of several small to moderate dents, scratches & dings.
Ray, the owner of this small shop, is a nice and conscientious guy. He worked with me to stay in my budget on this non-insurance job fixing accumulated dents, dings and scratches on my 2002 Highlander. End product looks great. I would use Ray again.
Marie L. (2/5/14) – ★★★★★
Description of work: Repaired my niece’s broken passenger window when her car was broken into in 1 day as promised, repaired a dinged door in my husband’s Lincoln MKZ, replaced a bumper when my husband was rear-ended, is now repairing the cover of my husband’s gas cap.
Ray is wonderful, he helped my niece with a shattered window, he fixed it in one day vs. a 3 day wait from another source. My husband has had 2 fender benders, (not his fault) in his new Lincoln MKZ and we were thrilled with the service, price and delivery time. My husband accidentally broke his gas cap cover off while trying to squeeze by
the car and gas pump, just a few days ago and so it’s on order but we’re confident
it will be repaired perfectly and quickly.
Catherine M. (7/24/13) – ★★★★★
Description of work: Replaced severely damaged front windshield of BMW X-5, repaired damage done to the roof from the same object that destroyed the windshield.
The repair job on my BMW X-5 went great. Ray the owner of Collision Auto Repair Specialist was great. This was an insurance claim job and Ray made sure that attention was given to every detail to the repair. That the insurance company was informed of any work needed to make the car look as if it had never been damaged. Even bringing to their attention damaged that their adjuster never considered. The car looks great!
Virginia K. (7/8/13) – ★★★★★
Description of work: replaced a side window, replaced the driver side mirror.
They were very thorough, and the work was done perfectly. (My car window had been smashed in a burglary.) With my permission, they took a little longer to find an expensive part at the best price. I have used them again because of their excellent service.
Daniel R. (4/23/13) – ★★★★★
Description of work: the front bumper and the interior around the hood of my car got smashed in an accident. Collision Auto Repair Specialist did the entire front end of the car.
My experience with them went very well. I liked dealing with the owner, Ray. He got me the best price on the parts for the vehicle. He didn’t take any short cuts when it came to fixing the car the right way. I have already referred him to my wife.
Tyson B. (4/10/13) – ★★★★★
Description of work: I took my car to Collision Auto for a bumper repair.
I liked that their prices were fair. It was a good experience. They were really courteous and professional. It was the lowest estimate that I got. They are very fast with their repairs.
Smith L. (1/15/12) – ★★★★★
Description of work: replace front bumper, painted bumper, replaced front windshield, and washed car.
Mr. K got the best parts at a competitive price and had them installed with great care. This is not my first visit at CARS. The owner stands by his work and will go out of his way to make sure you get proper service.
Collision Auto Repair Specialist 