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Eric Pennington's Auto Body & Paint
Categories: Automotive Body Shops Automotive Auto Repair Body Shops, Auto Repair [Edit]
49 S Railroad AveSan Mateo, CA 94401
(650) 347-8420
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 8 am - 4:30 pm
Jenny Q. said: "Got an oil change here that only took about half an hour. They didn't pressure me to do anything else to my car, which I really appreciated. Usually mechanics see me and think "Oh look a dumb female, let's try to rip her off!" Not…" read more »
62 reviews for Eric Pennington's Auto Body & Paint
62 reviews in English
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Review from Tony N.
Irvine, CA
I visited Eric's shop when I was looking to get a rear bumper replaced on a Honda Accord.
While I was there, I asked Eric if he knew much about doing custom work. I recently got an Odyssey that I wanted to refit with Touring Edition parts.
Eric really took his time by reviewing the Honda Part's site with me and letting me know specifically which parts I needed to order. He could of said "Sorry I can't help - call Honda" at any time. He shared everything that he knew, added as much value as he could before he sent me on my way to solve this puzzle.
Through the process, I could see that Eric is a very knowledgeable, patient and kind individual. His primary focus is to help his customers and if he get's business in the process than that's great. This is how every business owner should operate.
His selflessness encouraged me to sign up for Yelp so I can
Eric also has a very nice shop that is very clean and having observed the works in progress, I can tell that they do very high quality work here.
A big plus is the owner being onsite and being very good at what he does. Greatness always starts from the top.
While I did not get work done that day, I would feel very confident with entrusting any of my vehicles to Eric's shop. -
Review from Steve L.
Call me a knucklehead...
It was a cool weekday evening. I just picked up my daughter and her friends from their practice, got them loaded into the car, and I was pulling out of my parking spot.
"Screeeeeeeeech" It was only for a couple of seconds, but it sure felt like an eternity,
"Hey Dad, that doesn't sound good," my daughter stated.
"No it doesn't," I replied.
I stopped the car to take a look. Although it was pretty dark outside, I can see the deep, white scratch contrasted against the dark blue color of the body, and brought to light from the moonlight. I scrapped my right rear fender on a parked hitch.
Great.
It was one of those damages that was light enough that it wouldn't prevent me from driving the car, but it was noticeable to bother me. I had already sustained some damage a little over a year ago, and now this.
There are many body shops in the area, and the ones I have used in the past were OK. Got the job done, but nothing spectacular.
I did some research, narrowed my search to Eric Pennington's. Yelp was among the sources I used for my research. This place not only had the highest ratings, but also had a lot of reviewers over long period time. A good indicator for me.
I met with Eric, and he was able to provide me a quote that was fair, and equitable enough to keep my insurance premiums stable. Their work was very good, I couldn't tell there was a deep scratch on my fender.
A family-run business, very professional, but friendly and personable service. They finished my car within the time they promised. I hope I don't get into more mishaps with any of my cars again, but if I do, I'd go back to Eric Pennington's. -
Review from lorraine c.
Mountain View, CA
Any chance I can give them 8.5 starts???? Huh Yelp??
My personal experience; I never saw the shop, never met Eric (the Awesome) Owner, Never paid a dime, though I would with out doubt use him/the shop for any of my future needs.
Here is why....
As a female aside from the obvious scares one can have, such as an unplanned pregnancy...or...accidentally sending a potentially hazardous email or text to the wrong person. Going to a auto body shop or mechanic can be ranked right on up there on the terror scale.
I got to work at 630am today in the pitch black darkness and my truck door would not close..or I should say latch. I panic'd drumming up a million potential dollar amounts that I was about to dish out for something sooo stupid. Why would my door open..and not shut!
Anyhow, I called,..he (Eric) called back immediately. Gave me some potential thoughts as to what was the issue and told me to come down. As my brain processed a bit more coffee, a thought occurred to me based on his suggestion and I was easily able to fix the problem myself.
Why I would use this shop....
I called back, explained all was harmonious and Eric proceeded to tell me what I need to do to prevent this problem in the future..then what potential future problems my vehicle experiences and how to avoid them, and explained thoroughly some simple maintenance I can do on my own to save myself money.
AGAIN,..Never meet him,..never saw the shop....didn't spend a DIME...felt like I was talking to my own pops and now writing this review to express THIS IS THE PLACE TO GO PERIOD! -
Review from Lee K.
San Mateo, CA
I took my wife's Lexus to this shop for a nasty gouge in the door and they did an amazing job both with the repair and the color matching and painting. I am a very picky person and under the closest scrutiny in all types of lighting I must say their work is beyond excellent, it truly is perfect!
Perhaps even more important is the fact that you are treated honestly and fairly. This is definitely a rare place, a body shop you can completely trust. If Yelp would let me I would award them a perfect 10, five stars isn't enough. -
Review from David B.
San Mateo, CA
If you're anything like me, your car is your second girlfriend (Sorry babe!). You take her out to dinner, treat her to spa quality washes, and just generally look her up and down every time you see her.
So when some degenerate keyed my car, I had a multitude of thoughts I'm not proud of. This person has died several thousand deaths in my mind, and I assure you none of them are quick or painless.
I found Eric Pennington's through yelp, and stopped by to just get an estimate. I left with the biggest grin on my face. These people are amazingly nice and caring. I was told exactly what I could do about the damage and taken through in detail. The work they did was phenomenal. The five stars is more than deserved. I'm coming back with cookies as soon as I can! -
Review from Peter H.
Redwood City, CA
Brought our car here for repair after we were rear-ended. It's a real family business; the people are very friendly and helpful. The repair was done so well you would never know anything had happened.
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Review from Kristi K.
San Francisco, CA
Really great, personal service. They don't try to nickel and dime you for every little thing. I was fortunate that when I asked a co-worker for a referral, he sent me to this shop.
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Review from Mr. and Mrs. L.
San Mateo, CA
I took my car to Eric's after I was side swiped. He and crew his took care of all the details. I received my car back within 5 working days even when he said it would take 8! When it was time to pick up my car, I almost did not recognize it because it looked like new! His crew went above and beyond repairing my car. They cleaned the inside of the it, wiped every panel down, vacuumed the back seat (I have two young kids), and dusted! They washed and polished the whole car. They even went and scraped off the stubborn tree sap off the roof! My car looked beautiful and new!
I highly recommend this family run business. The customer service is personable and warm. You get value with this auto body shop! -
Review from Diana E.
San Mateo, CA
I agree with everyone! I too had the awesome experience of working with Eric Pennington's. I heard of them through yelp too - and found this place to be SO WORTHY of 5 stars! They are a family run business - they are efficient, helpful and make repairing your car pretty much effortless. The work I had done was through AAA, and Pennington's arranged the rental car for me - all I had to do was show up! The work was done in a timely manner, and when the car was returned to me, she was so pretty - all washed and detailed.. This place is amazing - definitely get your body work done here, especially if you have insurance coverage - they are a bit on the pricey side. But so worth it! Great customer service!!
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Review from Jeanne M.
San Mateo, CA
What a team! This place is perrrfection. No matter what the job is, they make you feel comfortable and make sure all is taken care of!
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Review from Debbie B.
Santa Clara, CA
Can you say integrity?
This place is the bomb! A woman swerved into my lane and I dodged her by steering to my left consequently rolling over one of those flexible stand up signs for pedestrian crossings in the middle of the street. The woman just kept on going - totally oblivious.
I didn't think there would be much damage because I was only doing around 35 mph. When I got to work, I looked at the left section of my front bumper and it was really scratched up and a lot of black spots. It looked horrible. My car is a new Crosstour so I was pretty sick about it and wanted to get it taken care of.
I found Eric Pennington's on Yelp and drove over there. A gal greeted me, looked at my car and asked me to hang on a minute. She came back with some rubbing compound and a rag and started working on the spot. It required a bit more muscle so she grabbed a guy. Within a few minutes, my car looked brand new again. She said she hated to see me waste my money. They didn't ask for a dime. Seriously? I was blown away.
This place saved me hundreds of dollars!! If I ever need any body work - I'm heading straight for Eric Pennington's! -
Review from Jenn G.
Redwood City, CA
I have had very bad experiences with auto body shops in the past and was skeptical that there was a shop out there with real people that truly cared. I have had to take my car in on two different occasions and each time was painless. They are professional from start to finish. Also, they have great communication, so I was never left wondering about my car. This sounds weird to say- but I feel like part of the family here. They treat you well and you drive away happy!
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Review from Laura J.
San Carlos, CA
BY FAR THE BEST AUTO BODY REPAIR SHOP IN THE BAY AREA (and California for that matter!!). I must have terrible luck because my poor little nugget of a Jetta gets hit, dented, dinged, rear-ended like crazy. I recently had to bring my car in (I went the Eric Pennington for the first repair too!!) to get the back bumper fixed after being rear-ended. Turns out the whole trunk need repairing and the body of the car as well. Ronnie called me and kept me up to date on all the repairs and was sooo sweet. The customer service here goes above and beyond. They fixed my front bumper for free (which was damaged previous to the accident and they fixed this without me even asking!! and for no additional charge---how sweet!!). Their work is exceptional and the fact that they work directly with Hertz rental services which is only 5 minutes away is BEYOND convenient, the rental place comes and gets you then lets you leave the rental with the auto body shop when your car is ready...so ya no hassle in dealing with gathering a whole entourage of people to plan rides.
GO HERE, YOU WILL BE HAPPY I PROMISE. they have incredible work ethic- loyal, hard working, professional, kind, integrity...if i could give 6 stars out of 5 HELL YA I WOULD! thanks ERIC PENNINGTON'S AUTO BODY! :) -
Review from Leslie K.
San Mateo, CA
I had the BEST experience at Eric Pennington's. Whenever an insurance company recommends a body shop, you always wonder if they are going to do their best job. Well they definitely did. I would go to Eric Pennington's anytime I need body work. They have the best guest service, and treated my car like it was a Bentley when it was only a Scion. It was so refreshing to have great guest service, especially when spending unexpected money when an accident happens. My car looks better than ever and the paint job was absolutely wonderful. I asked for a touch up paint stick to be ordered to take care of minor scratches and I would pay for it. It cost $5 extra and when I went to pay for it, they even tried to tell me not to worry about it. I was so happy I paid for it anyway. Best car shop expereince ever............
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Review from chris s.
San Mateo, CA
Words cannot fully describe my appreciation and respect for the Eric Pennington family and staff.
Somehow my Lexus got a scratch from all across the top of the door frame to the back. I came across yelps review and noticed all the great things that was said about this establishment. A little skeptical I decided to give this place a try and hope they wouldn't charge me an arm and a leg. When I showed up, Brent immediately took great care of me and used a substance to buff out the scratch. I asked him how much it cost and he said, "its on the house just bring us some cookies if your in the area". I was blown away and brought him some of my girlfriends home baked cookies.
Three months later, a lady hit my car and damaged the bumper. I immediately knew where I would take it. The lady who hit me insisted I get four other estimates and since she was paying I agreed. Eric Penningtons shop was the lowest rate. When I put my car in the shop they had a rental car waiting for me and they kept me informed about the entire process. When my car was ready, it looked amazing! Washed, shiny and better than ever. As long as live in the Bay Area, I will be there customer for life.
So recap:
1. Amazing family
2. Honest business (not trying to hustle you)
3. Competitive rates
4. Great Customer Service
5. Impeccable work
If you are in the market for car work you would be foolish not to give them a try. -
Review from Myles L.
Belmont, CA
Made an appointment here to get my front bumper touched up after an inconsiderate driver scraped up against it in a parking lot. I brought the touch up paint from the dealer and they quickly touched up my bumper. When I tried to pay, they refused to accept any payment. Great service and professionalism.
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Review from Elaine S.
San Mateo, CA
I brought my car to Eric Pennington's and was very happy with the service. They completed the work on time and did a great job!
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Review from ponta b.
San Jose, CA
WOW!!! That's all I need to say.
They do wonderful job. I recommend them. They will take good care of your car. They are very friendly, and warm.
My insurance (statefarm) was telling me I have to give 2 weeks notice to schedule to get a quote at a body shop, but Eric took care of me, and I was able to get a quote within 4 days! (some days I was not able to bring my car there, so that is why it took 4 days, but he was even able to do it within a day or so!!) Then, he worked on my car, took care of my rental car, and voila! My car was done! It was so easy, smooth, and I did not have to worry about anything.
If something happened to your car (hope not, but if), please go check them for yourself. I am sure you feel the same way.
I am so glad I found them!! -
Review from lara f.
North Miami Beach, FL
I stopped by this place for a quote for some body work I needed done on my car. I thought I would get an honest quote based on the positive reviews from my fellow Yelpers. Well, imagine my 'sticker shock' when I saw the printed quote. It was literally 3x as much as what Gava's Auto Body quoted me. Oh, and I was told it COULD end up being more if it took additional hours for the labor. Check out my review on Gava, where I actually ended up having my work done, if you're looking for a low cost, honest quote and A+ work.
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Review from Raisa K.
Mountain View, CA
I was involved in a chain reaction car incident on highway 101. My Lexus's rear bumper was smashed. Eric promised me to fix it in 5 days, but it happened earlier because his people worked long hours.
The quality and service was excellent. -
Review from Niina I.
South San Francisco, CA
I picked this place because of the good yelp reviews and it is close to my work.
This place is awsome, Ronny and Eric are so nice and genuin. I think it is hard to find a place with good people like them in bay area.
I needed to replace a rear bumper for my mini cooper, and as soon as the parts arrived, they fixed it in 2 days. The car was washed and cleaned inside and out, even on the rims and tires!
My car hasn't looked so good in a long time, so I was very pleased!
5 stars for the quality of work, and great customer service! -
Review from jagruti p.
San Mateo, CA
I just got back from this paint shop because some moronic dope hit my car while it was parked and didn't leave me a note. People SUCK! So now I have to go around to body shops and ask for estimates which is a boring waste of time not to mention annoying because when I think of car repair shops the word swindler comes to mind.
Anyway, I was supposed to go to some other repair shop, but google maps brought me to this place. I think it was a total stroke of luck because it turned out to be a good experience!
This is a family owned business and everyone was super friendly. The lady came out to give me an estimate and brought a rag with a bottle of water to clean the part of my car that had scratches and revealed that I really don't need any repairs done to my car. She told me to come back next week when her painters will be working and that they would patch it up for me! I highly recommend this place, they're nice, honest and won't try to jack you! -
Review from Jamie S.
Redwood City, CA
I'm not surprised the Eric Pennington's has 5 stars. This place is the best. My parked car got hit by an incompetent driver, who then left me a note saying they wanted to pay cash.
I have never been in an accident and I had no idea what to do. My sister recommended that I go to Eric's and boy I'm glad I did! Ronny (who I think is Eric's wife) was amazing. She kept reminding me, "don't forget you didn't do anything wrong and this should be easy for you." When the other persons insurance refused to get me a rental car, Ronny hopped on the phone and I was set up with a nice rental car with in minutes. She basically handled everything.
Thank you Eric Pennington's for making my car pretty again! -
Review from Ray S.
Santa Clara, CA
I just took my car in for a quote today at lunch. The service was amazing. They even took care of some paint transfer on my fender right then and there, while we were still going over the damage. I'll certainly be bringing my baby in here to get the work done!
-R -
Review from Bay Area Y.
Cupertino, CA
Pennington is a great guy: very knowledgable & resourceful, honest and consistently offers quality service! I've taken a few of my BMW 745's here and have never left unsatisfied - thanks, Eric...
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Review from Pamela D.
San Mateo, CA
I was recently rear-ended with damage done to the middle of my rear bumper. The insurance company recommended Eric Pennington and because the body shop was so close to my home, I used him.
Not only are Eric and his staff incredibly fun and friendly, but the work was done in a matter days. Eric and his team, not only repaired the damage from the accident but buffed out and painted some previous damage I had on left side of the bumper. My car came back totally clean. It looked like it did the day I drove it off the lot.
I will recommend Eric Pennington to anyone/everyone I know and will use only him if I need any body work in the future. -
Review from Aaron H.
San Francisco, CA
Recently went to this body shop to have a couple emblems painted. The owner was nice and professional in his advice. There was another younger gentleman there who helped me as well who was attentive and had a pleasant attitude.
I was particularly happy that even though the service I was seeking was cheap, they still took the time to give me great service and answered all my questions.
I would definitely consider these guys should my car ever need real body repair. -
Review from Mark K.
Foster City, CA
Much has been written here about Eric's customer service. I recently chose his shop based upon those reviews and wanted to leave my own, not only from a customer service perspective, but from the aspect of the repair work I experienced in hope that this will help others in their choice of repair shops.
I have been a car enthusiast for quite some time owning Porsche cars and recently an Infiniti G35 coupe six speed. A Jeep recently hit and ran my vehicle damaging my left rear quarter panel and wheel, a 19 inch OEM Ray forged aluminum wheel. Eric's shop is not a State Farm authorized repair center, but he is authorized by Farmers and several other carriers. My insurance is through State Farm and they have provided me with great claims service in the past.
It took a little over 2 weeks to finish my repair and this was due to Eric's attention to detail. My car color is Diamond Graphite which is a dark silver, a difficult color to match correctly. In addition, I did NOT want to have my car repaired with body filler and a nail gun, but instead wanted the repair to involve the replacement of the damaged metal. When Eric looked at my vehicle, he stated that it was the only way to properly repair the car, which gave me confidence in the type of work he performs.
He carefully explained the process he would follow and told me that he believes the repair should be done to factory specifications which includes corrosion protection behind the repair, a procedure other shops don't perform. Having been a car detailer, I am familiar with color matching and repair, so this was another element which impressed me. I also knew that my side curtain airbags would have to be disabled during the repair and wanted to know that the shop performing the repair would properly disable and enable those important safety features. Eric's attention to detail gave me that confidence.
I also needed the rim repaired and rather than have another shop refinish the wheel, I wanted a new OEM rim. Shops can seldom if ever restore a rim to OEM color and Eric agreed.
State Farm asked Eric to have the wheel refinished and when it arrived, he saw that the wheel didn't match the others and negotiated with my insurance carrier to replace the wheel with an OEM. In addition his work is very good in terms of paint and body alignment. 95% of the panels match perfectly with the seams being the same distance as those which were not damaged. There are a few minor paint, or rather prep errors, but most people would never notice them and again they are minor. Again, having been a detailer, my eye can see those small details.
I would highly recommend Eric's shop, not only for his customer oriented approach, but for the quality of work he and his staff perform. -
Review from Cynthia W.
Belmont, CA
My daughter had a fender bender in a parking lot and since the insurance company allows you to choose any auto repair place you want, I chose Eric Pennington because of the Yelp reviews - I was not disappointed. They couldn't have been more accommodating with my schedule. I came in on a Friday afternoon with the insurance estimate and asked if they could fix it the following week since I would be out of town and not need the car and they said "No problem" and were ordering parts even before I left. They were also able to get genuine Hyundai parts even though the insurance only allowed for after-market parts. It's a family run business, and Eric, his wife and son couldn't have been any more helpful. I actually had the cab from the airport drop me off at their place on the following Friday afternoon and the car was washed and ready to go as promised. And it looked great! Highly recommended.
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Review from mei t.
San Mateo, CA
I had a wonderful experience at Eric's. They made me feel so much better after a terrifying incident where I was side swiped on the highway. They were kind, friendly and very efficient. They had my car back too me as good as new in a week. Eric took care of everything for me and made sure I knew what was going on and kept me updated. They made me feel so very much better after a traumatic incident. I would recommend this place to everybody, they are the best.
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Review from surag p.
Portola Valley, CA
AWESOME!
I had a VERY minor dent on the edge of my new Audi door that was making it rub every time I opened the passenger door. I went to the dealer and numerous shops and they all quoted me anywhere from $500 to $1,000+ for a job that couldn't possibly take more than 15 minutes. I went into Eric's shop for a quote and he did it for me on the spot. He didn't even charge me and wouldn't accept my payment!
If I ever have auto body needs again, this is the first place I'll stop. -
Review from Siobhan O.
Millbrae, CA
Eric Pennington takes great pride in his work. He doesn't take any short cuts. You can be sure the job is being done right. He is kind, personable and extremely knowledgeable. This is the only place I will ever bring my car in the future. I have nothing but positive things to say about Eric and his shop. Bring your car there and rest easy that it will be returned to you in the best possible condition.
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Review from Kyle C.
San Francisco, CA
Jackass in a flatbed truck backs into my X3 while it was parked. So turned here to find a top notch body shop...found Eric. He and his team were as fantastic as everyone says they are. Super friendly, highly professional. Got my car done on time and the work was great...good as new.
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Review from Bethany M.
San Mateo, CA
For as rare as I hope our need for autobody repair needs will be... I am so glad this place is around!
I felt taken care of and that quality was the top priority. Ronnie (sp?) was thorough and helpful. She helped my husband and me to understand the estimate we were given from an insurance company how to get the necessary
Couldn't be happier!!!! THANK YOU!!! -
Review from Alex r.
San Mateo, CA
I would highly recommend Eric and his auto body shop. Worth all 5 stars!
My Lexus got hit a few weeks ago while I was on the freeway. As a certified Farmer's auto body repair shop, Eric dealt directly with Farmer's on all of the work done on my car. The original insurance estimate was about half of what the final bill ended up being. Eric worked with them directly and i never had to go back in for another estimate. Eric and his team reserved me a rental car, drove me back and forth and even returned the car for me.
Finally, i figured that while my car was there i would have a another scratch worked on. Eric gave me a fabulous deal on that work because he was already working on my car.
All in all: great experience, great service, great work done on my car and very cost competitive! -
Review from Robert C.
Burlingame, CA
Eric is the best. You can really appreciate his small business customer-service oriented approach. It just feels family owned and you know he is working his butt off for you. I had some bad repair work done on my car before at another shop. A year later, I started noticing things falling apart. I contacted my insurance agent, (through Farmers) who recommended Eric to me. I brought my car in for Eric to look at and I could tell how upset he was that someone could have made such bad repairs and try to pass it off. It was a pain having to work through insurance: reopening claims, talking with adjusters, and all that business, but I was surprised at how much Eric had already worked with them on my behalf. I feel like he was standing up for my rights - that I should have my car repaired correctly and paid for by my insurance company. He also was very good at keeping me updated on how everything was going.
Overall, it was a great experience. My car looks awesome. Eric is a great guy and has pride in his work and his profession. If you ever need repairs on your car, I would easily recommend Eric. -
Review from Myung K.
San Mateo, CA
Eric does more than just body work. I had a sheet metal part that needed some light modification, and Eric was able to help me out. It's rare to find a business these days that will work "outside the box," so to speak, but Eric will go that extra mile to help his customers. If I ever need auto body work proper, I know where I'll be going.
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Review from R S.
Philadelphia, PA
HOLY CRAP!!! these guys are awesome...
So some a$$h0le thought it was OK to "key scratch" my car all the way from my bumper to my hood... ohhh aahh ouuchhh it hurt....
Thank my good karma I had comprehensive coverage with farmers which covers vandalism and EP is a Farmers certified shop - so you do not have to do anything. Once your claims adjuster okay's your claim all you have to do is drive your car to EP and drop it off - they take care of everything from there on.
In a weeks time I had better paint on my car than it was when I bought it. Simply amazing - the only good thing was I just had to pay my deductible else I would have been screwed at how expensive these guys are (2G's + for repainting the whole side) don't know if its normal but really really expensive -
Review from Kim J.
Burlingame, CA
Top of The Line!! No need to look further, the reviews are all true! I had someone back into me and had the pleasure of bringing my car to Eric's this past week. Within 5 minutes, I felt like a family member. I am a STICKLER for good quality and service and with Eric's it was effortless. No BS, incredible knowledge and reputation within the community and also with insurance companies! How often do you actually want to bring cookies to the employees of a place because you feel they are so special and made YOU feel so special - not to mention the quality of work!! OUTSTANDING and now I'm a friend, advocate and customer for life!
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Review from Matt A.
Belmont, CA
This shop deserves six stars. They made the entire process simple and stress free. From the estimate to setting up the rental car, everything went smooth. My car looks as good as new and I can confidently recommend Eric Pennington's to anyone looking for auto body and paint work. I only wish all businesses had the kind of customer service I received here!
