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Mathews-Carlsen Body Works
Categories: Automotive Body Shops Automotive Auto Repair Body Shops, Auto Repair [Edit]
2480 Faber PlPalo Alto, CA 94303
(650) 856-6200
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 8 am - 5:30 pm
50 reviews for Mathews-Carlsen Body Works
50 reviews in English
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Review from jr c.
San Jose, CA
12/8/2011
Brought my car in to have the rear fender fixed. Excellent, friendly staff that did a fantastic job in less time than quoted. I did have to call them to find the status of my car, but I believe they had just finished on the one and a half day job.
Happily recommend them for body work in the future. -
Review from Astrid C.
San Francisco, CA
2/2/2012
I've intended to write a review on Yelp sooner...Definitely the best experience I've ever had with an auto body shop. I had a fender bender that left my bumper crooked. I felt a lot of anxiety about the length of time that it'll take to get my car fixed and worried about transportation while my car was in the shop. So I called ahead to make sure that they'll be able to drop me off at work after I take my car in and later pick me up after they're done. They were really friendly and understanding on the phone. They walked me through a few scenarios and the potential repair times. So I took my car in during my lunch break. Tom walked out as soon as I arrived, looked at my bumper and asked me to back halfway into their garage. Long story short, he fixed my bumper within 15 minutes and did not charge me. I tried pay but he wouldn't take it. They're honest and definitely know how to do things both effectively and efficiently.
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Review from Irene A.
Palo Alto, CA
1/5/2012
Best experience ever with this auto body shop. Someone backed into my Audi, and the plastic case surrounding the front license plate had to be replaced. My husband briefed Tom by phone, so by the time I arrived a few hours later, he was already expecting me. He looked at the part, said it would take 2-3 days to order, and called me when it arrived. When I came in to get the new part installed, I was in the middle of a phone call when I pulled into the parking lot. Tom came out with the mechanic, showed him what needed to be done, and got him working on it right away. By the time I was done with my phone call, everything was taken care of. No appointments were necessary. The cost was about what I expected. The whole experience was quick, painless, easy. Tom is very friendly, cheerful, and helpful, really a joy to work with.
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Review from hassan c.
Stanford, CA
3/9/2011
If you thought good old fashioned great customer service was dead, come to Mathews-Carlsen and you will be proven dead wrong.
I had a minor mishap today, as I was parking, I bumped the curb (happens all the time), for some reason, after years of abuse part of my lower bumper cover (under the hood) gave in and started making contact with the road. I tried ripping it out and couldn't, so I decided to look up some body shops and found this one.
I wasn't worried as much about the expense, I was mostly worried that they wouldn't be able to help me without an appointment and that it would take a few days before I get my car back.
I even prepared a whole dialog sequence in my head to try to convince them to just take care of me today.
I pulled up to the shop, entered, was greeted by the owner who came out, took a quick look and said he would have one of his guys take care of it right then and there and didn't charge me for it.
I told him that he has earned all of my future business and left just blown away with the experience. -
Review from Kevin E.
Mountain View, CA
10/24/2010
Don't even question it. Have your body work done here. These guys are pros, and your car will be like new. If you have an Audi, there's no other place you should be considering on the peninsula.
A month after I purchased my first Audi, some idiot drunk driver rear-ended us while we were stopped at a red light. Of course insurance covered it, and you have the right to go anywhere you choose, even if it's outside of the recommendations of your insurance company. Without hesitation and due to recommendations from friends, we had our bumper and trunk repaired here.
Even though it wasn't out of pocket for us, the service was top notch, relatively speedy, and our car looked flawless. -
Review from Johnson c.
Palo Alto, CA
1/6/2011
My car was vandalized when I was at Cupertino. The passenger side was badly scratched Thru yelp, I went to Matthews-Carlsen and was very satisfied with their work.
They did a great job in the paint and detailing work. They even touch up scratches that were not vandalized.
I would definitely recommend them to anyone who needs work on their cars. -
Review from Eva H.
San Jose, CA
6/28/2011
I recently damaged a side panel on my 2008 4Runner. I called Mathews-Carlsen the day it happened, I came in same day for a quote. They ordered the panel for me and called me by Monday to let me know they had received the replacement part, I brought it in and they replaced it within 2 hours. Hands down the best customer service and they did a great job. This is the only place I'd trust with my car.
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Review from Connie C.
San Jose, CA
3/25/2010 2 photos
I reserved my 1,300th review for a very special place... and this is it!!
Three weeks ago, I got into a car accident (with the most wonderful woman who deserves a special thank you in this review too). I was a bit jolted by the experience, but luckily had some good emotional support there and was able to take care of the situation in a swift manner.
Thank goodness for the trusty Yelp App (how in the world did I live without it before?!), because it led me to Mathews-Carlsen. I was looking for the nearest auto body shop, and of course, they appeared at the top of the list, and with so many glowing reviews, I knew it would be the best place to take my car.
Within minutes after the accident, I was at the shop, and Tom put together an estimate. I was prepared for the high price tag on the damages, but wasn't sure if the woman who would be taking care of it would be. It's a classic Mercedes, and the parts to be replaced were going to be expensive. The estimate came out to $9,300. YIKES. Since the woman had worked with M-C in the past, she was familiar with their outstanding work, and they were all able to work on bringing the price down by $2,000 by getting in used parts. I was confident that the used parts they would find would be just like new. And they were.
When my car was ready 2 weeks later, it pulled out of their shop looking BETTER THAN NEW. I felt like I was on Pimp My Ride! M-C did a phenomenal job, and I was nearly in tears when I saw how shiny and new it looked. And to my surprise, they did pimp my ride: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The paint matches the pinstripe along the side of the car. It's THE Yelpmobile now!
Tom Spencer and the entire Mathews-Carlsen crew are amazing and deserve 10 stars if it were possible. Customer service does not get better than this. Not only did Tom call me several times to give me status updates, he also gave me a follow up call a week later to make sure everything was ok. Plus they proudly rock their "People Love Us on Yelp" sticker and biz cards. Awesome!
A MILLION THANKS for taking care of me, and taking even better care of my car!! -
Review from Peter V.
Palo Alto, CA
7/8/2011
I came in to have them look at my car's bumper before selling the vehicle. The job to fix the bumper properly was too expensive so instead they buffed out whatever scratches they could from the bumper, applied touch up paint, and gave me the extra touch paint for free! How much friendlier can it get?
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Review from Ishaan S.
Sunnyvale, CA
11/3/2011
Simply fantastic. I had them do some minor body work on my car's passenger-side door, which was dented. They straightened it out and blended the paint perfectly; you would never know there had been any damage. They were very timely as well, and even did some minor touch-up work on the rear bumper for free! Their prices, while a little higher than the competition, were reasonable, and definitely acceptable given the quality of the work.
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Review from Nobody X.
Los Angeles, CA
8/9/2007 ROTD 5/2/2008
In 2003, I called Mathews-Carlsen, crying, parked in a parking lot, sitting in my baby who had been backed into... Tom Spencer patiently assured me over the phone that they would make her look better than new. A week later, his word was gospel and they even took out two dings while they were at it!
The quality of service is unparalleled. The customer service is professional, responsive, and personable. Moreover, they are reasonably priced. These guys really know what they are doing, partly because they are car enthusiasts themselves, but mostly because of their eye for quality work. Also, I'm convinced that they have Superman on staff, because they can do just about anything you need (insurance adjustor correspondence, rental cars, detailing, towing, interior strip/leather replacement, and even alignment using the mystic Porsche/BMW system). And if you won't take my word for it, then take Carlsen Porsche's recommendation, and if we combined aren't good enough for you, then you shall bow down when you see that all the Carrera GTs and Ferraris get sent there as well.
I've been there two handfuls of times since that fateful day in 2003 -- either to chat with Tom, Betty, Paul, and JR, or to bring in friends with car woes. I wouldn't trust anyone else with my car, and neither should you. -
Review from Tom B.
San Francisco, CA
8/27/2009
FACT: The body re-work (paint quality, quality of execution) done by a dealer or independent body shop will never be as good as the original factory work.
I didn't heed this advice when I wanted a quick paint job to repair hairline scratches across my two door panels. My $50 deductible has never been exercised, so I figure why not. Little did I know that this minor "touch-up" would result in 6 trips out to the shop.
Trip #1: Initial trip for a quick 15 minute consultation.
Trip #2: Drop-off
Trip #3: Initial pick-up but noticed that fasteners were missing in the door frame and large scratch appeared on the left rearview mirror.
Trip #4 Returned it to replace fasteners and repaint left rearview mirror. In the process of repainting it, they broke the mirror while trying to reset it.
Trip #5: Returned once mirror part was ordered only to discover that the shipment was lost somewhere in the office.
Trip #6: Returned again once new shipment was received and mirror issue was finally resolved.
After seeing so many Porsches roll in and out of their back office, I felt reassured. Perhaps, their high-end accounts receive premium treatment and attention from the qualified mechanics. Nonetheless, the front office was extremely apologetic and friendly, but "sorries" only get you so far. If management was truly sorry, they would have returned my deductible. Simply put, faults were both in the back office and front office. One star for a good paint job, but poor follow-through. Seriously reconsider coming here if you have minor body work done.
Secondary Note: Yelpers beware! There seems to be a lot of fake posts below from suspicious users. Most likely an attempt to increase their ratings. -
Review from Brooke R.
Bay Area, CA
7/19/2008
They make your car look new again. Who doesn't want a second chance at making your car look new?
These guys are thorough and do amazing work. Everyone here is awesome, but Tom is my man!
My dad has been taking his cars here for 15 years, from the Porsche to the Mercedes (they work on all types of cars, even my used Honda), The guys at the front desk are nice and friendly. They walk me through the quote and politely answer any questions I may have. If they say something will be ready on a certain day, it'll be ready on that day. They also will pick you up if you ask.
I love these guys and long for the days when I can have expensive cars and drive them into walls and trees and then come here to fix them. For now I take my car to sketch Mountain View where they don't do the same quality of work but labor is less expensive :) -
Review from Karen Y.
Los Altos, CA
8/18/2011
Honest to goodness--these guys are great. Had used them several years before for an insurance claim with great results. This time, I had a dent on the rear passenger side wheel well (dog leg) from a runaway grocery cart at a parking lot. Long story short, they gave me an estimate for $1,500 for the repair, but also suggest I contact Dent Magic (a paintless dent removal guy) because he may be able to fix it at a fraction of the price. Beside providing me with a money saving idea, they also gave me a bottle of custom matched BMW touch up paint for the paint chips on my hood. Where can you find such honest and helpful people these days. 5 stars for customer service and their workmanship on my previous Cayenne.
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Review from John L.
Hayward, CA
6/22/2007
Even though it seemed like they only worked on more expensive European cars (Seemed to have a lot of Porsches), they took my Subaru Impreza in for repairs after a front end collision. I chose them because they are part of the AAA Direct Repair Network so that means that their repairs are guaranteed for the life of the car and that if it's good enough for Porsches and Audi's, it's good enough for a Subaru.
Very courteous and professional people. Although the repairs took longer than I expected, they were very honest and transparent why it was delayed. They were also very re-assuring and answered all my questions.
I got the car today and it looks like it's never been in an accident. The car was washed and waxed. Even the inside was cleaner than how I left it.
Probably not the cheapest place since the repair was over $6,200, but definitely well worth it (good thing for AAA insurance, i only had to pay $500). No corners were cut, no repair was skimpt, all new parts for anything that appeared to being remotely damaged. Would recommend it to anyone car in need of a repair. -
Review from Liza B.
Menlo Park, CA
4/19/2007
Very professional and prompt service. I called and had an estimate on my car the same day as my accident. I was a little worried as I have a small Honda and the lot was jammed with huge luxury cars and tiny shiny sports cars. Would my humble Honda be ignored in such company, relegated to the table next to the service station and the leaky air conditioner? No! I had an appointment the next week, and no one can tell that my front bumper had been completely decimated, and that there had been ugly scratches on my hood. They matched my dark bronze metallic paint perfectly.
They also have a an affiliation and direct electronic link with my insurance company, so all estimates and paperwork were "taken care of" by providing my insurance number. Nothing else could have been easier.
After 1 day, yes, 1 day, my car was available to go. Communication was via phone and *email*. I received prompt call-backs and replies on my questions. They also buffed out a cosmetic scratch on my car for me. Hondy got the coveted booth with a view and top notch service.
While I can't speak to the quality of repair for a major accident, I would not hesitate to bring my car here for any body work, and I would recommend this shop to all my friends. -
Review from Darlene C.
San Jose, CA
9/24/2010
Wow - Drop your car off and KNOW you are going to LOVE the results!
Everything about their service is 5 star. Courtesy, professionalism, and above all, outstanding quality. The turnaround is very expeditious and you'll absolutely love the workmanship. -
Review from Richard S.
San Francisco, CA
7/10/2007
I have to concur with the other reviews. My (two-week-old) car was rear-ended. Although the damage was quite minor, I really appreciated that they were friendly and efficient. They scheduled the work for two weeks later so that they had time to order the parts they needed. Once the car was in the shop, it was out within 48 hours, and everything looked like new.
A few days after I got the car back, I was taking something out of the rear hatch, and noticed that one of the small trim pieces that covers a bolt was missing. The next day, I drove by Mathews-Carlsen, and explained that although this was really minor, it bothered me. The guy said, well, that would bother him too. He ordered the new piece, and even agreed to drop it in the mail to me so that I wouldn't have to make a second trip. While it wasn't an expensive or difficult thing for him to do, his willingness to do it with a friendly attitude was appreciated. -
Review from Annalynn C.
San Francisco, CA
4/16/2008
I can't believe I haven't written about Mathews-Carlsen before! I'm a die hard customer. The goal is not to have to seem them too often, but when I do have to see them, I am NEVER disappointed. They do a bang up job with auto body work (pun intended) and their customer service is bar none, the best you'll ever find from any auto body shop.
I've taken my car in to have it repaired a couple of times for minor damage and it comes back looking brand spankin' new! Tom is always very helpful and provides the best service, along with Paul.
Tom knows how meticulous I am when it comes to my car and he goes the extra mile to take care of me. I highly recommend Mathews-Carlsen to anyone who likes to keep their baby in tip-top shape. Whether you have a Honda or a Porsche, Tom and his crew will take care of ya! -
Review from Russ H.
San Jose, CA
11/14/2008
I was sent to Mathews-Carlsen by my insurance company when someone tried to break into my car. I'm always leery of insurance recommended auto shops but was pleasantly surprised by MCBW.
The estimate was fast and easy, as were the repairs.
I'm not hoping to need to see them again (knock on wood) but if I need auto body work done, I know who I'm going to see. -
Review from Antonia D.
Palo Alto, CA
2/11/2010
1 Star for Tom being so helpful and friendly. When I would call in and say my name he would know I was the Silver Saturn.
2 Stars for such a quick estimate.
3 Stars for knocking off $500. Some guy ran into me and wanted to pay cash, $2600 YIKES. He some how called in and got them to take off $500. Once I was assured that my car was going to be fixed the same as before the discount I thought this was a nice offer.
4 Stars for a job well done. My car looks great.
Minus 1 star for how long it took (and right during the massive week of rain in Palo Alto). I know it was Saturns fault for taking so long to ship the parts, but I wished they would have let me keep my car until the parts arrived.
All in all not to bad of an experience. My car looks great and I did not have to pay one cent. Be careful driving through Rains parking lot! -
Review from Sylvia K.
Palo Alto, CA
10/19/2009
Two years ago, I got into an accident and my beloved Subaru Outback got seriously damaged on the doors and the front. Right at the scene of the accident, my insurance told me to bring the car to one of their approved dealers, MCBW, and I yelped them right away. I called Tom, told him what happened, which insurance I had and that I needed a rental car. It took me 15 minutes to drive from the scene of the accident to MCBW and believe it or not, Tom had already contacted/dealt with my insurance company, with their agreement rented a car from Enterprise and had them pick me up.
As I had to have some major work done, it took them about 3 weeks (yes, it was only my Subaru, no Porsche here, so maybe that's why it took so long). Still, when I picked up my car, it was a fantastic job and I would highly recommend MCBW. I will bring my car there again and have recommended them to all my friends. -
Review from Julie K.
San Jose, CA
7/8/2009
Tom and Mathews-Carlsen Body Works are fantastic! I cannot emphasize enough how thrilled I am with their work.
I had a minor fender bender, but because Honda makes their bumpers out of plastic, I needed to get a new one. I dropped the car off Monday morning, and not more than 30 hours later the job was done and my car is back to beautiful. The paint is matched perfectly, and the alignment of the bumper looks better than it did before the accident!
My car was washed, armor all'd, and vacuumed. They did a far better, and more thorough, cleaning job than the car wash that I usually go to. My car is beautiful and looks like new again! I love it!
Thanks Tom & Mathews-Carlsen!! -
Review from Martine M.
San Francisco, CA
11/5/2010
This business is incredibly professional and they do outstanding body work!! We've recommended them to friends and everyone has been happy. Everyone we've dealt with there has been professional, knowledgeable and polite! I wouldn't go anywhere else.
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Review from Jason C.
San Francisco, CA
10/7/2009
Banked into a pole and really messed up my SUV.
Tom was professional and kept me up to speed on the repair progress. Overall, I am satisfied with the finished repair job.
BTW - They even fixed a separate (small) scratch on my car for no charge while my vehicle was being repaired. :)
Would use again if auto body work is needed. -
Review from blue s.
Los Altos, CA
1/19/2011
I hope you dont have to deal with body shops but if you are reading this the damage is probably done! Dont worry, Mathews-Carlsen will fix it.
I had a fender bender in San Fran a couple of months ago while standing at a traffic signal. The lunatic standing in front of me reversed his car on full speed when the light turned green, instead of going forward. I should have called the police because I am quite sure he was tipsy.
Anyway, I took my Mercedes to Mathews carlsen and spoke to Tom Spencer. I must admit at first I was a little uncomfortable because I did not see many luxury cars parked there. But I had a great experience. Tom took care of dealing with the idiot driver's insurance company. I got my car back in exactly the time he promised me, 3 business days. And car looked brand new.
Not only did they do a great job of painting the hood and replacing the parts but Tom also took care of minor scratches and bumps that I had on the back of the car since before the accident.
The Enterprise Rent-a-car close by works very closely with them and made it as convenient as possible. I highly recommend Tom.
5-stars for the great customer service, immaculate work and delivering on-schedule. Highly recommend Tom Spencer and Mathews Carlsen. -
Review from Claire G.
Palo Alto, CA
8/6/2011
The people who work here couldn't be more gracious or more friendly. They do incredible work, too. I'm always shocked at how fast they fix everything--and how well. Such a pleasure!
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Review from J M.
Palo Alto, CA
7/17/2010
A guy backed into me at ranch99, so I took my car here to have them fix the bumper. The damage wasn't terrible, but did dent and scratch my bumper.
So i took the car into Matthews Carlsen.
The service was professional and quick.
They did an excellent job on the bumper. It looks like new. Paint matching is incredible. Highly recommended and AAA approved. -
Review from Scott K.
San Jose, CA
4/25/2008
I was extremely delighted at the level of service I received from Mathews-Carlsen. A week after JR looked over the damage on my BMW, he had it in the shop, bumper pre-ordered. I was on a business trip during the time. When I got back, the car was waiting for me in my drive-way, washed and in beautiful shape. Now I can't say that they'd deliver your car, but that was definitely the icing on the cake for me. Great service.
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Review from Lisa C.
San Francisco, CA
1/29/2006
I found these guys to be extremely professional and personable. Always seem to be having a blast, so I assume they genuinely enjoy their work. Patiently answered all of my questions. One well-dressed man even crawled under my car to check it out, dirtying his white shirt. Now that's service. Judging from the parking lot, every luxury car owner in town gets work done here. I wouldn't hesitate to come back here for future repair work.
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Review from Anne L.
Palo Alto, CA
6/20/2011
The best! Attentive, thorough, efficient and really great work. Unfortunately, my care has suffered a number of fender benders, crunches and various other abuses in the past 3 years and these guys have been tremendous in everyway. I definitely, highly recommend them for their great work, but also their fantastic customer service. They are nice, and they want to get things done right! I will never go anywhere else!
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Review from Marian R.
Dallas, TX
6/26/2008
These guys are incredible! Mathews-Carlsen just made me a customer for life. I came in with my beat-up Corolla (the front passenger door wouldn't open due to a huge dent), and Tom and his crew had me in and out with a working door in less than an hour, for an incredibly generous price, especially for a starving college student :) The guys are kind, fair, funny and fast, on top of doing great quality work! I'm recommending them to everybody.
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Review from Marissa H.
Palo Alto, CA
6/25/2010
I took my car in for an estimate on my bumper and had the pleasure of meeting with Paul. He was very professional and to the point. I also had some issues with my interior dash. I got two quotes that were a dollar apart, but I decided to go with Mathews-Carlsen because of other stellar reviews on yelp. My insurance was being a bit frustrating about the payment, but Paul was able to work with me. The car was done in less than a few days. They even contacted John who did the dash repair to work concurrently with the bumper repair--it was as good as new! Better yet, they washed and cleaned my car (even got rid of the dog hair; now it looks as good as new!
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Review from lilli g.
Oakland, CA
6/20/2009
They not only did an expedient and professional job on the crushed rear of the car, they matched the paint to perfection and even detailed off the dings and knicks from non-related injuries to the car without my even asking. Tom was extremely tolerant of all my questions and concerns and was even willing to deal directly with the insurance company instead of demaning $ upfront from me. It's hard to find good quality car repair, matched with honesty and great customer service. I've found that here.
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Review from Christopher L.
San Jose, CA
5/28/2011
A spray paint can in the road gave my Porsche an unexpected set of racing stripes all over the rear of the car as it exploded. They weren't even open, but the dude who happened to be in saved my bacon. He got me in and cleaned up the car's exterior, on his day off no less. Personable and professional, a well deserved 5 stars, sir!
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Review from Mmmm K.
Mountain View, CA
11/6/2008
Tom is the man. There is no better body work shop and excellent service to match Mathews-Carlsen.
I brought my car in on two occasions (yes, my carma has been a little iffy lately) and both times Tom and his team gave excellent service, did an amazing work with the body and paint, and worked patiently with my insurance company to meet their quote.
My car is a tricky color because it's a different shade of blue/green depending on how the light hits it. They were able to make my car look flawless, blending the quarter panel, the front fender, and later the bonnet and front bumper. Additionally, they go out of their way to ensure that all your needs are taken care of, and are timely, responsive, reliable and wonderfully reasonable.
Tom is the man. I cannot say enough good things about this excellent person. -
Review from David S.
Los Gatos, CA
5/7/2009
SO some lady backs up into my wife's van. Crunches the plastic thingie in the front. Great. Call AAA. I go to Mathews Carlsen to have the van repaired. Tom, the estimates manager is friendly and knowledgeable. He even calls Hertz to come get me for my rental. Tom seems to have a great relationship with the staff and the other places he deals with.
3 days later I get a call that the van is finished. Really? I took my old Accord to another body shop some years ago and they had it for 2 weeks! I went to MC and my van looked great. The paint was perfect and the car restored to perfect condition. I even got to leave the rental car at the body shop - per Hertz direction! Hertz said, Tom always takes good car of our cars so just leave it there!" Pretty good testimonial.
My van was fixed, my wife was happy, and I will always go to Mathew Carlsen to get my car repaired. -
Review from Manny H.
Bay Area
5/23/2008
We just picked up our car from Mathews-Carlsen and found every comment posted here to be true: quality workmanship, great service and no surprises. I would recommend them to anyone in the south of the Bay area.
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Review from Samantha C.
Mountain View, CA
Updated - 12/20/2009
Like a total moron I wound up in yet another car accident a month after my previous review. This time I f-ed up my hood, and again, Mathews-Carlsen came to the rescue. Everything was fixed up within a day and their pricing was definitely fair. They even went out of their way to fix up a few random dents on my car and painted over some scratches, without my even asking. Great service once again MC!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/25/2009
Tom just absolutely MADE MY DAY! The service Mathews-Carlsen did for my car was PHENOMENAL. Like the… Read more »
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Review from amanda m.
Sunnyvale, CA
9/10/2008
Absolutely awesome! My car was in an accident and they were referred to me by my car insurance. They did a perfect job fixing it. They even washed the outside of my car. They were very nice and helpful with everything. I've never had an experience like this at any other auto repair place. They were fantastic!
