The economy is lagging, but some body shops are reporting booming business as vehicle owners choose to take care of their existing vehicles rather than shop for new ones.
In Molalla, Ore., Price Auto Body owner Terry Price says that although the Ford dealership across the street from his shop has closed down, Price Auto Body is "very busy."
"People would rather spend a couple thousand, get [a vehicle] all fixed up, shined up, no dings, no dents, instead of going out and spending $30,000 or $40,000 on a replacement," Price told TV station Fox 12 Oregon. "I’ve seen a lot of it."
Price added that his employees are working late most days to handle the repair volume.
Paint manufacturer DuPont has tried to capitalize on the trend of consumers hanging on to their vehicles longer by encouraging them to invest in an "automotive makeover" with a fresh coat of paint rather than spend for a new car, a news release from the company stated.
At Charles Gabus Ford in Des Moines, Iowa, the body shop is so busy that it has outgrown its current space, general manager Jim Bintner told KCCI-TV Channel 8.
"We’re adding a new building out back," Bintner said. "In a down economy, most people think we should be pulling in, but we’re expanding because we just don’t have enough room."
James Fonzi, owner of Gates Automotive – a collision repair, towing and mechanical business in Rochester, New York – received $147,000 in tax abatements to renovate a vacant 25,000-square-foot building that will become a towing facility, local newspaper the Democrat and Chronicle reported.
When asked why his business was growing during a slow economy, Fonzi claimed that collision repair and towing are almost "recession-proof" and that "we tend to actually improve a little bit" during recessions.
Do you think the collision repair industry is "recession-proof?" Has your shop seen an upswing in business recently? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
