Chilton Auto Body: CARSTAR Network

Chilton Auto Body Joins CARSTAR Network

Chilton Auto Body, with 11 collision repair facilities in the San Francisco Bay area, has joined the CARSTAR network, becoming the new largest MSO under the CARSTAR banner.

Eleven collision repair facilities in the San Francisco Bay area have joined the CARSTAR network, becoming the new largest MSO under the CARSTAR banner.

Mike Chilton, co-founder of Chilton Auto Body, is a second-generation repair center owner. Working for his father at his only location in the Bay Area, Chilton was introduced to the business at an early age as a technician. In 1986, he bought the small San Mateo facility and kept his father’s business going, expanding throughout the region as his customers’ needs grew.

“We were first interested in joining the CARSTAR team because they were flexible and willing to support our growth goals while staying true to our roots,” said Chilton. “We met most of the team at ‘Discovery Day’ in Charlotte, where we learned more about the organization and we were impressed with the knowledge and professionalism exhibited in every single person we met.”

With values that closely align to CARSTAR’s, CARSTAR states that Chilton Auto Body will continue to prioritize their customer needs and work to ensure each facility operates under the highest standards. All 11 locations are full-production facilities supporting all kinds of collision repairs. Each location is Tesla-certified and I-CAR Gold, with several additional accreditations pending.

“Mike’s passion for his business shines through each facility he and his team run, but they remain solid to the earth, fitting in perfectly with our principle of being humble and hungry,” said Michael Macaluso, president, CARSTAR North America. “CARSTAR has the resources available to help multi-store owners like Mike thrive in their markets, and I know with this boosted support, Chilton Auto Body will solidify their position as leaders in the Bay Area.”

Well-known in their region for their philanthropic efforts, Chilton Auto Body has given a tremendous amount back to their community. Most notably, the group contributed more than $25,000 to help those affected by the California wildfires last year, donates annually to the San Francisco 49ers Foundation and supports local causes.

Chilton Auto Body has begun renovations to officially brand their locations as CARSTAR, with the first two expected to be complete by early October.

You May Also Like

Exit Strategies: Personal Vision & Financial Planning

The most critical first step in an exit or transition plan is to develop a financial plan and personal vision of what your life will look like post-business.

Jerry was a 63-year-old auto body shop owner who contacted me regarding putting together an exit strategy. Like most shop owners, he had become tired of the day-to-day grind of dealing with the back-and-forth fights with the insurance carriers, yet he still loved the idea of being a part of a business he built from the ground up. Ideally, he would have liked his production manager, Evan, to become his heir apparent, yet he had no idea if Evan was interested in owning the shop or if he was even capable of doing so. His shop was a prime candidate for a consolidator, and he had received an offer from one, yet he cared about his employees and wanted to make sure they were taken care of. Also, he was unsure what he would do with himself if he did not have a place to go. He did not know where to turn.

Collision Repairers: Will You Take the Oath?

Today’s collision repairers are challenged with a new set of concerns, one being the need to follow OEM repair procedures.

Three Generations Keep Trains Running on Time at CARSTAR Jacobus

CARSTAR Jacobus Founder Jerry Jacobus and son Dave share a passion for collision repair and also model railroading.

Auto Body Repair: The Right Way, the Wrong Way and Another Way

In a perfect world, every repairer would make the right decisions in every repair, but we don’t live in a perfect world.

The Digital Blitz

We talk so much about how much collision repair is changing, but so is the world of media!

Other Posts

Driven Brands Named Cystic Fibrosis National Corporate Champion

The Driven Brands Collision group was honored at the recent Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Volunteer Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C. 

Chicagoland CARSTAR Continues Support of Lincoln Tech

Chicagoland CARSTAR sponsored an educational booth at the Lincoln Tech Spring Career Fair for the ninth consecutive year.

CARSTAR Car Crafters Trains SkillsUSA Gold Medal Winner

Dane Robbins learned new skills at CARSTAR Car Crafters, won the gold medal in the state SkillsUSA competition and now will compete in the national competition this spring.

VIVE Collision Appoints New Vice President of Operations

VIVE Collision has announced the promotion of Stephen Kohut to vice president of operations.