After spending more than 31 years in the automotive business, I've developed a slightly annoying habit of noticing the little things when I walk into a repair facility. I notice the communication, the professionalism, the cleanliness, how the customer is treated--and, most importantly, whether the people actually seem to care. That's why I was so impressed with Active Auto Body on NW Couch Street. Emily is absolutely fantastic. She has that rare combination of professionalism, personality, and genuine customer service that makes you think, "Yep... somebody here actually knows what they're doing." She always keeps me informed and is incredibly pleasant to deal with, and made the process far less painful than having to look at the repair estimate in the first place! And then there's Rich, the owner. You can tell pretty quickly when an owner is actually involved in the business versus someone who just happens to own the building. Rich takes pride in his shop, his people, and the work that leaves the facility. That attitude trickles down--and you can see it in the way customers are treated. Having spent decades on the service-drive side of the automotive business, I can tell you that good body shops are easy to find; GREAT body shops are a different animal. Active Auto Body is one of the great ones. Professional people, excellent communication, quality work, and an owner who actually gives a damn. What more could you ask for? Well... maybe a free set of tires and a lifetime supply of coffee. But apparently Emily and Rich have limits. Five stars for Active Auto Body. If you need collision or body work in Portland, do yourself a favor and give these folks a call. Your car--and your blood pressure--will thank you! read more

If you care about quality work, great customer service, and supporting a local business, I highly recommend stopping by Active Auto Body first. They had me in and out within 10 minutes, and the repair was so minor they wouldn't even charge me! I will be sending over a doordash gift card for the team for being so delightful and helpful! read more

Car door was damaged by a local business while servicing. This business chose Active Auto Body to replace and paint my car door. The Honda factory paint is a sparkly purple color and I was a bit worried about paint matching. Rich was super communicative and helpful during 13 days they were ordering parts, waiting for parts, installing and painting the door and blending the paint with other parts of the car. The window up/down mechanism needed a repair/reset by Honda. Rich offered to take the car to Honda but I decided to take the myself. Rich dealt with Honda Service Dept. by phone and he paid for the diagnosis and electronics reset. Paint looks great. I would not hesitate to use Active Auto Body again and will recommend to friends. Thanks, Rich and Active Auto Body staff. read more

Everyone was very friendly and knowledgeable. The repairs to my Volvo were excellent and less than I thought they would cost. And they wasted a time getting the repair done. I highly recommend them! read more

We recently had our car egged, which caused significant damage to the paint. Because our vehicle has a matte finish, several body shops in town didn't want to work on it. Only a few shops in the area are BMW-certified and able to handle Frozen paint repairs, and some of the others warned us that we'd likely be paying out of pocket for anything the insurance wouldn't cover. When we called Active, Rich was upfront about their experience with Frozen paint and assured us that we wouldn't pay anything beyond our deductible. Throughout the process, they did excellent work, communicated clearly, and set proper expectations. They were also proactive about working with the insurance company to get supplemental repairs approved and kept their promise to not push costs back on us. The entire team seems very personable, honest and experienced. The car turned out great. I really appreciated working with them and would highly recommend their shop. read more

What a fantastic Team led by Rich Smith! From start to finish my experience was excellent. Communication by the front office staff - Amber and Rachel - was professional, thoughtful, kind and clear! The creative and talented craftsmen - Norberto and Roberto - are beyond reproach. From the beginning damage to the conclusion of an excellent finished, looking brand new conclusion, the process was flawless. Rich is a patient, insightful and an experienced leader. He clearly communicates what the cost will be, what the process will include and the timeframe for completion. EVERYTHING he shared and did happened. If he wasn't pleased with the outcome, he corrected it. Looking for the best auto body repair company? Look no further - Active Auto Body will provide the outcome you want. read more

Don't go here if you need things done within a month. I took my Mini Countryman here on advice from the Mini dealership, and man I wish I would've picked anywhere else. They've had it for 3 weeks now for a fairly minor fender repair, and I cannot get a straight answer as to why it's taken this long. When I called to find out, Rich wanted to argue about the mechanical work that needs done and talk down to me about the repair rather than give me an answer as to why the minor bodywork has taken 3 weeks. I will never use this place again, and I'll make sure Mini knows they've been terrible to deal with. read more

They had my car for two weeks for a small dent in the hatchback lift. I thought it would be a short situation, but so goes it. They treated me with kindness and care. They worked directly with my insurance company so I'd didn't have to be concerned about much. The repair was perfect. There are no signs that I ever had a fender bender. That's the goal. I'm leaving a happy customer. I recommend Active Auto Body to anyone who wants good honest work. read more

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Exceptional body work and communication. Came at the recommendation of the BMW Portland dealership and am glad I did!

I didn't even have the permanent license on my car and felt like such an idiot. They are a busy shop and fortunately my car was drivable. Nonetheless they got me in as soon as they could. They did an excellent job on my BMW and they were super nice to me; very kind and thoughtful. I'm sure the dealer would rather I go to their shop, but I wouldn't go anywhere else. I just wish I would stop needing the services of a body shop. read more

Update: on top of all of this they did a really bad job. I'm detailing the car and I've found multiple peel spots and a run. Just unacceptable. I will be pursuing a warranty claim. read more

Mini if Portland recommends ACTIVE Auto Body for MINI body wor. Drove over a curb in gas station and pulled front air-dam and hood was askew. who knows if undercarriage was damaged. Dropped by ACTIVE for evaluation and estimate. Hood not shut completely. Front plastic air-dam fixed with one screw. And no charge! These guys are super friendly not trying to pile on the charges! read more

Treated poorly. Walked in office with three people sitting there & said hello & got no response. Got an estimate & insurance company countered & said present to them. Once again ignored. I sent two emails & no response. Unacceptable customer service....RUN!!!!! read more

I was rear ended, Ative Autobody was recommended to me and they did a fantastic job fixing the damages to my car. They were also great to work with and gave me realistic dates on when the repair work would be completed and met them! read more

Love this auto body shop. Very real down to earth people who will give you reasonable advice and provide a high quality product. The atmosphere is casual and friendly and everyone seems happy to be at work and like their job. Their cost estimates and time lines are accurate and reliable. I send all of my friends and family there and everyone is super happy with their work. Magin at the front desk is a star and a true professional. She obviously knows a lot about cars and car repairs and is good at explaining all of that stuff to us lay people in a way we can understand. Pro tip: if you are paying out of pocket ask about used parts to lower the cost. This saved me about $300 on a $3,800 job. read more

They've decided that insurance companies don't pay enough by the hour so they now charge the customer extra over and above what the insurance company pays. I guess if you have a BMW you don't really care about that or maybe you do. But somehow Active thinks their services are worth more than everybody else in the industry read more

They promised 2 weeks but it took 5 weeks to get my car done and found out they forgot to fix some other stuff as listed in the estimate file. Don't waste your time with this poor service. read more

If I could leave no stars, I would. I have not had a shop try at every corner to deny my business. I was informed via the receptionist at Active Auto Body upon calling multiple body shops to repair my BMW. The receptionist said they do bumper swaps regularly, and my request was standard. Upon bringing the vehicle in for an estimate, Rich shared all the reasons they cannot swap an F31 bumper with a factory F31 bumper with minor cosmetic changes. Both are factory and both for the same front end. I called back to inquire with another Active Auto Body rep, and again they said they do this every day. Rich did not listen to my original request and assumed I wanted an m3 bumper; I do not, as the m3 is wider than the stock 330. Rich also thought it was important to share that my car had a factory recall not pertaining to any bodywork, and I let Rich know the parts per BMW have been on backorder for 24 months. Rich continuously tried to find reasons not to help. I have since had to follow up with Rich on two separate emails, checking pulse after 30 days on where we are procuring parts and seeking a reply to his prior message that he would share a quote for the work. It is the day of my drop-off, negotiating a rental car on a Monday, and Rich has not replied to confirm parts have been ordered or even approved per the price. I followed up with Rich again via phone, and he continued to push my business aside as he shared being short-staffed and hasn't had the time in over a month to check on the parts. WE ARE ALL SHORT-STAFFED AND DOING THE BEST WE CAN RICH! And that is why I made the concessions to take the day off to make this car hassle happen; however, Rich has not followed through with his quote and the work he said her would provide. Waste of time over the last month and a waste of a day today taking off work. I am simply trying to get my bumper fixed per an insurance claim that I was not of fault, and Rich has been the icing on the cake to make this a burden and a waste of time. read more

This shop was amazing. My front bumper was mangled after hitting a semi tire on the highway. Additionally, the underside was ripped up pretty badly. I didn't think there was any way that it would look the same. Imagine my surprise when I picked it up today and it looked brand new. Not only was the bumper and undercarriage completely factory condition, they even detailed the car on the inside and out. It felt as if I was picking up a brand new vehicle. These guys were amazing! Did I mention they also came in under the insurance estimate? How great is that! read more

Rich and his team do excellent work. They are factory trained and carry a good reputation within the local automotive industry. We have had our VW Jetta fixed here and they did an awesome job with a replacement quarter panel. The blend was done well that you can't even tell it was replaced. I highly recommend active auto body for your auto body needs. read more

Fisher Volvo sent us here for body work. The estimate process was quick and efficient, we were able to book easily, and the finished product is outstanding. We had a little trouble with getting an accurate completion date (when you're down a car, days seem like months), but that was minor and completely forgotten when we saw the results. That also worked well with our insurance company. A+ results! read more

Rich and the team at Active Auto Body are the best. From the initial bid, scheduling work, professionalism and quality of the job, it was all five stars. Rich communicated with me regularly and made certain I has happy with the finished product. I wouldn't consider going anywhere else for auto body work in PDX. Top notch.. read more

I was in an accident and my car was totalled. Active and Mehgan were the ones who had done the assessment. Mehgan was always great with communication and all the staff were very friendly and informative. I would hight recommend them. Great job!!! read more

My car was taken here by BMW of Portland for some simple paint work on my door, front bumper and hood. I guess BMW contracts out most of their work and this happened to be the shop. My car came back a week later to BMW of Portland, so I went in to pick it up. I drove the car back to work and got out of my car only to find a huge scratch and dent on my door. I immediately called BMW of Portland and they asked me to bring it back in. I asked who did this and they immediately said "Active Auto Body". They caused severe damage to my car and returned it to BMW without saying anything, who does that? I am sure they were hoping I wouldn't notice... Anyway, the car goes back to Active Auto Body and they agree they will fix their mistake. I called Active Auto Body and asked for a manager. I ask for an explanation on what happened and how long it will take this time. The manager get on the phone and is extremely rude, he denies ever causing the damage and infers that I caused the damage when I drove the car home in the 20 minutes I was in it. He goes on to say that BMW should have checked the car before they gave it to me... but why didn't they check it too? The damage on the car was done by a large object being placed on it during repairs, clearly. I then ask if they can help me out for their mistake and get the car completed quickly. He is then even more rude and says it will be another week to fix their mistake. He simply says "we are too busy", gives me no other explanation. Don't waste your time here. They are very rude and will cause more damage to your vehicle than they will fix. I get it mistakes happen but then there are ways to fix what you have done and then there are ways to make it much worse. The latter is the case at this place. read more

Active Auto Body helped repair my 428 twice in the last year, after 2 separate times being rear-ended. The team could be more wonderful to do business with! Magin helped me both times and is the most professional, product informed and nice person. One accident was handled with an insurance claim and the other was paid via the other party. In both situations, they did a perfect job executing. Quality of work at Active is top notch, BMW expertise is top notch and prices are very honest. They are the #1 rated BMW repair shop in Portland for a reason! read more

We've had cars repaired here five or six times. I don't know... maybe seven?? (Over a lot of years - don't judge me.) The experience and repair have always been superb. Same is true for this last one (sure, I hit my neighbor's parked car - shut it). Norberto was incredibly kind and professional. Car was finished on time and in accordance with the insurer's estimate. They even took the time to clean glue residue from an old sticker, from my window. How nice is that? I'm sure I'll be seeing them again soon. read more

My Mini Cooper was 6 months old when it was rear ended. We couldn't open the double doors in the back, the camera was demolished. Active put my car back together and you'd never know it was in an accident. They were kind, courteous and repaired my car in a timely manner. Highly recommend. read more

I wanted to express how satisfied and appreciative I am with the work that the folks at Active Auto did for on my car. Not only am I satisfied with their the body work but also the wonderful customer service from everyone at the front desk, especially Megan. My car looks beautiful, again and I would highly recommend Active Auto for those with luxury cars and need work done. They are fast, friendly, professional and knowledgeable. Two thumbs up forsure. I am a big fan. I hope to never have to have work done to my car again in a result of an accident or dent but if I do, I will be contacting Active Auto to do the work. read more

it was an unfortunate circumstance that led me to Active Auto Body. On Sunday, my car was attacked by a roving band of zombies! Yes it is true! The Portland Zombie Walk invariably is not without a group of rowdy party goers, and unfortunately I was stuck in the traffic they caused. One overzealous zombie was a little too invested in his role as a member of the undead, and started banging on my car (granted it wasn't that hard) with his hands. Low and behold, he left me with a dent on the door. I guess I should just be thankful to be alive...not everyone can say they survived an attack by a group of zombies. The staff at Active were friendly and professional. The gift bestowed upon me by my friendly neighborhood zombie was referred to as a "soft dent;" luckily they were able to remove it using a technique called paintless dent repair, which is a minimally invasive procedure. You would never know the dent was once there! They were able to fit me in within 1 day, and the repair took less than a full afternoon. I also obtained a bid from a place down the street, and Active was about 25% less expensive. Plus, they were recommended by the dealership where I bought my car. read more

Lets begin at the beginning. My brand new car that doesn't even have plates on it yet gets a custom crow bar job in the night. Active got right on ordering the part to get it looking new again and were very upfront and communicative about what to expect in terms of lead time. Now I know what you are thinking; new car fresh off the lot? Why not go to the dealer? BECAUSE the dealer can't even change my oil in less than 4 hrs and whose got time for that!?!? While we are waiting for the part the thieves came back and broke the window, welcome to Portland. I called active and they recommended getting the window replaced before the body work. I have a window guy I like so I couldn't use active for that service but I'm sure they would've done an excellent job. In communication with Magin I learned that the part came in sooner than expected. I dropped off the car on a busy Friday and was barely able to sit back done at my desk and they were calling to say it was ready. Not to mention the friendliest cutest shop dog you've ever seen. Amazing service and quality. Truly a welcome addition the my speed dial should myself, friends, and family ever need a body shop. ... we will. That's life! read more

Taken my car here twice, and they have done great work on my car. They have almost always gotten back to me the same day whenever I've left a voicemail. read more

So, I rammed my white 328 into a huge weighted traffic cone first thing this morn on my way to work. Naturally I was so flustered and scared being the first time I've ever hit anything in my life, I called into work. Obviously I was on a mission to get my car fixed. So I called bmw portland who referred me here. Let me just say this guy is seriously amazing! He came out and literally wiped all the bright orange stuff off! I felt so dumb since all he used was thinner but I was so happy! I was literally ready to give him like $500 for a new paint job. I feel he could have easily taken advantage of the situation being I was so naive. Lol. Point being, he wiped it off and didn't charge me anything! read more

My Volvo recently had a run-in with my garage. My dealer recommended Active Auto Body for the repairs. I feared they would cost at least several hundred dollars. Rich Smith, senior collision consultant, looked at my car and then returned to his office. He came back with some paint thinner and applied it to the areas where the garage had come in contact with the car, magically making all signs of the paint disappear. I thanked him and asked how much I owed. He said nothing. I was happily surprised - this kind of customer service is hard to find these days. If I ever do need repair work, this is where I will take my car. Thanks, Rich. Steve B. read more

Great customer service, honest and friendly employees, and truly phenomenal work. My car looked better than it did the day I bought it when I went to pick it up. Can't recommend them enough. read more

Highly recommend Active Auto Body! My BMW went through a string of bad luck rear endings and the team at Active returned my vehicle to a brand new state each time, I couldn't have been more pleased with the results. Quality in craftsmanship and the professional and friendly staff to help me through the process will keep me returning if ever I have the need. Thanks Active Auto Body!!! read more

I had my Mini Roadster fixed at Active this last two weeks. They did a great job and were very professional. I would definitely use them again if the unfortunate happens again. read more

My 528i was scratched up by a hit and run driver, rich from action autobody took care of my car perfectly, kudos to his team they did a great job, can't tell where the scratches were. I will be going back to this place for all of body work from now on read more

I had damage to the right front of my old Corolla. My insurance sent me here, and I'm very glad they did. I worked with Rich Smith, and he made my upsetting situation far less stressful; instead of giving me time frames he couldn't honor, he was straightforward and did exactly what he said. Yet it was done in a very timely fashion. And the result is excellent. What a great job! Wish I could have my entire car look the way the repaired sections looks now. I couldn't be happier with the work done in this shop, and the professionalism shown by Rich. Highly recommend. read more

Love these guys. Hit road debris and needed a new bumper. BMW Portland reco'd these guys and wasn't disappointed. Bumper looks amazing. Shop & employees were friendly and worked fast. Can't reco them enough. read more

These guys saved my wife and I an incredible amount of grief. We were on our way through Portland when we ran into what seemed to us like a serious problem. They took a look, sorted it out and had us on our way. This isn't their normal line of work, but they were friendly, thoughtful and most of all incredibly helpful. I'd bring work here in a flash. Great place! read more