At 47, I've owned an auto detailing business for 20 years, and I know how difficult running an Auto Body shop can be. I also ran the only factory authorized BMW repair in Kona, on the Big Island. Now, that being said - here's my experience: As the insured by USAA, my father took his late model dark blue Lexus to Blake's, and their work was superb. They replaced the rear bumper cover, and the blending of color was near perfect. When a friend damaged the passenger door of his Mazda MX-3, I suggested that we go to Blake's. There's a GEICO representative that meets the insured there, and negotiates the deal with Blake's and cuts THEM a check directly. You pay your deductible out of pocket when you pick up your vehicle. You may like that convenience. What I didn't approve of was the unsavory New York attitude I experienced from a representative that had been working for GEICO for 10 plus years. There was the usual discrepancy that happens with body work between the first estimate you receive, and the final bill when the shop almost always uncovers additional damages that tend to raise the bill by at Least $500. All body shops will tell you that in the event they find additional unseen damages, they will work with the insurance company directly. Standard operating procedure that allows them to make more money. Oh well, who cares as long as my car looks right. Right? Over 25 years in sales, I know when somebody is trying to close me - and I don't like it. When I made it clear, two times, that I wanted to have the check cut to my friend directly...which is his right as GEICO's customer...I had a change in attitude that made the temperature in the room go cold and silent. The collusion between the manager and the GEICO rep even felt shady to me. The original verbal estimate for a full door replacement, dropped to just the outer shell of the door - which lowered the amount of the check by approximately $500. That of course includes the labor for removing and replacing the door etc, etc... Now, understand - It wasn't about the dollars, per se, but it was about us deciding not to play ball at Blake's because of that asshole, and taking their deal down the street because we weren't happy with Blake's recent dip in Customer Service on Yelp. So, we collected the check and left. Now, a year later - I barely "rolled" my mother's 2015 Honda Fit into a foot tall retaining wall that crunched the driver's side of the bumper to the point that it busted a fog light, and the bumper cover popped out, and hung down. It was a good sized gash - I hadn't scratched a car since 1998. If you know bodywork, you'd think to yourself,"well, shit. There goes $2 grand." Well, my father decides that the car is going to Blake's - while I bit my tongue. I dropped the car off, and they gave me my initial estimate which was $1408.00. Jason, the Manager at the time, made it clear if there was additional damage, of course - they would work that out with USAA. The final bill, of course - was $3781.00. Whatever. Now, if it was that asshole GEICO rep, he could have cut me a check me a check for the first amount, less my deductible - and sent me down the road. Luckily, Dad was a Captain in the Air Force and he has USAA. They pay. Always. Anyway, I had a rental car reimbursement, so I wasn't without. Now, I go to mexico for 10 days - which means they had the car forever. When I came to pick it up, I immediately noticed the vanity plate was missing. When I walked out to the car, the shades of the fender panels vs. the bumper cover were two different colors and the paint was hazy on the driver's side...like the difference between an red orange and the bright red. So, I refused to take the car. I had to rent another car for a few days, and take more time off to come back and pick it up a second time. When I returned several days later, the paint work was near perfect. I drove the car to my office in South San Francisco the next day, and when I got off the freeway I felt a strange vibration. I looked down and noticed that temperature light had illuminated. Pulling the car over, I found that the main hose to the water pump had come loose because they failed to move the hose clamp back into place. I also notice the windshield washer bottle had not been remounted to the frame. I temporarily replaced the hose and inched it to a Korean repair shop that had to put a secondary clamp on it because they couldn't reach the first. In the end, Jason called a tow truck and transported the car back to the shop and rented me yet another car. I have to say that Jason is is a great guy to work with, but the amount of time I lost at work and school was totally unnecessary had Blake's exhibited better Quality Control. If it were my shop, and I got paid $4 grand - I would've detailed the client's car inside and out, filled the gas tank for $20 bucks - and made damn sure they could tell I had gone the extra mile for them. We got lots of apologies. read more

My hood had extreme hail damage. Blake's fixed it it looks great. The staff is friendly. The State Farm estimator isvthe best.

I was extremely satisfied with Blake's service and cost. I got 4 quotes for the work needed, ranging from $1300 to $2600 (quite a range). I told everyone that I wanted a firm estimate, no surprises, I was very adamant about that. Since I didn't hit anything just scrapped a fence which ripped one side of my bumper off, I also commented that it should probably only be cosmetic. My bumper however was wired to the frame in 3 locations. Everyone got the same info. Blake's was the only company that took off the bumper to ensure a thorough inspection, thus no surprises estimate. Although Blake's wasn't the cheapest their estimate wasn't far from the low estimate that hadn't even entered the proper make and model of the car when pricing the parts. This was the 2nd time I used Blake's - hopefully I won't need their services again, but if I do, I will go back. In the interim if I have any friends that need body work I will definitely recommend that they also get an estimate from Blake's when pricing repairs. Jose is incredible - helpful, knowledgeable, reliable, efficient, diplomatic - a real asset. Unfortunately I didn't get the name of the gentleman that helped me when I paid and picked up my car, but he also deserves some positive recognition. They have a really good team there! read more

Wow this is LONG overdue, I've been meaning to write this review for months. What can I say, EVERYONE at Blakes have tremendous customer service and they ALWAYS do their best to give you the best price that isn't wrapped up in all these hidden fees and or unnecessary work. Their goal is always the customer first. I've been to them 3 times (due to myself for accidents lol) and without any problem or hesitation they assisted me and gave me additional help finding another mechanic to fix what they couldn't only because they didn't do the type of work that I needed in addition to my mirror being broken off. I will always go back to them. I've moved from San Rafael but I will always go back to them if I'm in the Bay Area. Lastly, they are also super fast and have a courtesy pick up drop off services (when it wasn't Covid) so you don't have to wait there until they finish. I can go on and on about them but they are the real deal. You will not regret going to them. I don't make reviews unless I am highly disappointed or extremely satisfied. In this instance I am beyond happy. read more

These guys are great! My new car was rear-ended twice within the first month of ownership. Ugh. Through an insurance claim, I was sent to Blake's. They were absolutely fantastic. Super friendly, efficient, nice office, quick to return calls and great auto body work. I will absolutely be using Blake's for future repairs. read more

Well, the previous reviews didn't scare me off, and everyone I know who have had service done on their vehicles by Blake's Auto Body gave them rave ratings. I brought my Lexus in for body work, they gave me a very good price with excellent, friendly, and quick service in setting it all up, and kept me posted. I even added additional work for them to do on my vehicle and it was quite reasonable. Now the real test: timeframe and quality of service - EXCELLENT! Jason was great to work with and he stuck to his promise that my Lexus would look great in less than a week.. I highly recommend them and can't thank them enough. That reminds me, I will have to drop a thank you gift off to the shop and Jason soon. Thanks to all who worked on the best car I've ever owned! Keep up the wonderful work! read more

It pains me to do this, because I want to support local businesses, especially in San Rafael, but if I could sum up my experience in a word, it would be: FAIL Context: I was rear-ended and sent hurtling into the car in front of me. My new Subaru-sandwich was covered by the rump thumper's insurance, so I went to Blake's with appraisal and check in hand. Strike 1: I dropped off the car and was told "Ready by Friday." (Is a statement that begins with "ready by..." ever to be believed?) On Friday, I was told Monday. Naturally, the car was ready...on Tuesday. Strike 2: Damage was inspected, and I mentioned one of the headlights was no longer working. "We'll fix that for you." (Is an off-handed promise that isn't backed by money changing hands ever to be believed?) Lo and behold, when I went to pick up the car, the light was still out. I mentioned it, and to the salesperson's credit, the oversight was acknowledged. "So, will you fix it if I bring the car back?" I asked. "Sure, I'll order a bulb," he replied. "It's covered by the amount I gave you, right?" I assumed, innocently. "No, no, you'll have to pay extra for it and the labor." (silence from me) "I'll call you when the bulb arrives," were his parting words. Strike 3: Never received a call (10 days and counting). Strike 4: The hood had needed to be replaced, so I walked up to inspect it and noticed right off the bat that it looked as though my car had an overbite. I assumed it was because the hood was installed improperly. The salesperson stares at the front and says, "Oh...yeah." Car is inspected, and it is determined that the damage to the front wasn't limited to the hood. The grill was in fact pushed in and the front bumper was out of alignment. The salesperson stares at the front of the car. . . . . (uncomfortable silence). "So, will you fix this?" I venture. "No, you'll have to get the car re-appraised for these damages, and it looks like this may have had some prior damage, so they probably won't allow it as part of the accident. "Uh...so, you're saying that you didn't notice this when you put the hood on, and didn't think to mention it while the car was in the shop? And there was still damage to the car that you're returning to me and so I'm dropping the entirety of my $2,500 insurance check just to have the hood and bumper replaced...?" (Apparently so.) FAIL One star because the hood and bumper stayed on. read more

Once once again this shows how people at the certain businesses could alter the facts and make it to their advantage to cover up for follow employees. In this case I never went to the property in the first place on December 9th without asking permission from the front desk retrieve my personal effects from my vehicle. Nor did I ever enter the workshop the second time when I tried to return the key. I simply asked one of the shop employees when I was standing across not even entering the workshop. Anyway I would leave it at this is a case of extreme prejudice in my opinion. Of course they will do anything to discredit me and my claim. The incidents that happened at this establishment has left me deeply distressed and traumatized. And any further communication from this establishment has become a form of harassment. read more

I had an active insurance claim and went to this shop to get the repair started. My auto dealer where I had bought the car told me they could not help me and that just the bumper itself would cost $1000 and then there was labor to add to that. This body shop had the option of doing this expensive work and billing the insurance company and nobody would've been the wiser. Instead, the man who came out to look at my car said "oh, we can fix this easily. No charge to you. Let me get my manager." The manager came over and clipped the bumper back on in a matter of one minute. How interesting that my car dealership was not able to do that for me. So the insurance claim is closed, no need for my insurance to cough up any money. And Blake's Auto Body has way more than five stars in my book. They did not see me as a cash cow, but as a human being to be treated with integrity. Thank you so much, Blake's! read more

There are a ton of body shops in my area but there is one in particular that provided me with awesome service. Blake's Auto Body is that company. I give them super high marks for service, work quality, speed and price. Kudos go to Anthony (mgr), Eric (estimator), and Mike. read more

Horrible service and bad attitudes all around. This place was the worst auto body repair shop I have been to in my whole life. I don't think anybody in their right mind should go get their car fixed here. Its sad because Blake's Auto Body is just another prime example of how bad customer service has become in America. Usually I like to support small business but I would rather go to huge franchise then get my car fixed here ever again. read more

I had to go twice to get the job done correctly. John and I spoke about the bumper and about the specifics of the assignment. Someone at Blake's neglected to either communicate the specifics of the job or carry out their duties. Either way, I had to return the following week and wait while they did it correctly. The worst part is that when I pointed it out, John wasn't at all kind or apologetic. It was apparent that he was frustrated and just kept asking me if I would like to wait now or come back and get another rental car while they finished the job. He blamed it on the "guys." The customer service was really lacking. I would rather take my car anywhere else than return to Blake's Auto Body. Very disappointing. read more

I hit a deer with my Honda Pilot and I went into blake's because they were open on Saturday (which I guess most places aren't) and they got me all set up to drop my car off Monday. They fixed the front bumper, both headlights, and my seatbelt. They did such a fantastic job! They even washed my car and it looks brand new!! I would 100% go back if I needed any work done and would highly recommend them. Thank you for making my car look beautiful again:) read more

This was my second visit to Blake's Auto Body in San Rafael and the second time I was super pleased with the work! The first repair was out of pocket and the second was an insurance claim. In both instances the work was beautiful, above expectations and within the estimates. Plus, the staff was super helpful and pleasant. Hope I won't need repair work again for awhile, but when I do, will definitely return to Blake's! read more

Had a great experience there with the repair of my Toyota T100 truck. Service was good, and it looked great. Truck looked awesome when they were done. read more

Very smiley/happy service. Unfortunately, the end result sucked. Small dent repair and hitch re-install after uhaul failed to install in correctly the first time. Dropped the car off Monday morning and was told it would be ready later in the week. Friday morning came along, no call........was then informed that they would need it through the weekend. I had surgery scheduled for monday so it was a huge pain, but what could I do?........finally get the car back on Thursday, drive home only to find a panel flapping in the wind (not secure) no lock washers on the horizontal bolts/hitch and............one of the main hitch bolts on the frame was cross threaded and driven in about 3/4 of the way. All this after I was told what a professional job they did.......needless to say, I won't be back. read more

I used Blake's Auto Body when I to get my car fixed from when somebody rear ended me, best decision I've made. The people there are so helpful from the lady at the front desk, to the person helping you through the whole process while your car is being repaired, and even the guy who drove me back to work after I left my car at Blake's. The work on my vehicle came out amazing, couldn't even tell it was in a accident, and it only took them a few days to do it. All the work comes with a life time warranty, and they even gave me a gift card for a free pizza at a restaurant in Corte Madera which I just used last night. Will use Blake's Auto Body in the future and refer all my family and friends there as well. Thanks Blake's! read more

I have used Blake's in San Rafael a few times over the years. They are always reasonable in cost and provide excellent, friendly service. Just used them again for a minor job. After they have done their body work, my car always looks great! read more

Solid on every level. Timely. Communicative. Great work that is guaranteed

I received a very professional service from Blake's Auto Body quite a while ago. I still remember their wonderful customer service. They cheerfully answered all my questions, and took an excellent care of my car. Highly recommended. read more

Overall had a great experience with Blake's. I was rear ended and had to wait for the other drivers insurance to sort things and for Blake's to call me - so that delay was the only little hiccup but since my car was driveable, the delay didn't impact me much. They finished my car in a couple of days and even though it was just a bumper replacement and a couple of other minor things, they detailed my car really nicely. Bud Simmons was terrific - I would recommend Blake's to anyone. read more

Blakes is awesome! They reattached the spoiler on my 2005 Prius in just a few minutes with minimal expense. Thank you!

The repair took twice as long as expected but SOOOO worth it!!! My car had some pretty bad damage from a wreck, the wheel well was completely caved in, there were dents and scrapes everywhere, it was in bad shape. Blakes even worked with us on the rental and made the process really easy and convenient. My car looks BRAND new!!! I think it might look better now than when I bought it!! Staff was SUPER friendly too. They're kind of tucked away from sight, but these are definitely pros. read more

Blake's repaired my Subaru after an accident. Their work was guaranteed. Recently I noticed the paint was peeling off the replaced bumper. They were wonderful!!!! Fixed the bumper, no charge. When there is a problem, that is when a business shows its real customer service. Blake's gets an A+ from me. read more

I was involved in an accident during July. My insurance company Geico recommended Blakes because they are a Geico Certified Repair Shop. The damages came to 12k and the repairs took almost 3 weeks. Which is fine, I wanted it to be done right. A few days after I picked the car up I noticed minor issues with the work they performed. Ultimately I took it to another shop to review the work done, and they found a lot of issues. $2,000 in issue to be exact. Do not go to Blakes if you want quality work! read more

The final work product was fine but getting prompt follow up and my car back in a timely manner was a problem. Here's what I experienced: - Influenced by other Yelp reviews and my insurance company, my car was delivered to Blake's on a Monday morning by a towing company. Within an hour, I received a call from Blake's service rep telling me the car had arrived and he'd be preparing a quote for the insurance company that day. He said he be back to me that afternoon or early the next morning. - After not hearing anything, I emailed the rep Wednesday morning for a status update. He acted as if he'd never heard of me then realizing he'd dropped the ball said, "Your car is next to be evaluated and I'm headed out there right now and will let you know what's going on by noon." - Again no call or email so I called Thursday afternoon. My service rep said my paperwork was on his boss's desk but his boss left early for the day so nothing was approved. He said I'd hear something the following morning - No call or email so called Friday to ask status and was told the parts had been ordered and it would take about 18 hours to make the repair. I asked if 18 hours meant the following Wednesday and was told that might be aggressive but to expect the car back the following Thursday or Friday. - After hearing nothing by the following Thursday afternoon, called and asked if I should pick up the car the next day. The rep said they'd identified an additional part that needed to be replaced and that no repair could be made until the part arrived. Shocked, I asked if it really took all week to determine one part was a problem. Rep said they wanted to do it right and I should expect the car on Monday - two weeks after it was delivered. - True to form, no call on Monday so I called Tuesday morning and was told the car would be ready at around noon that day and they'd called. Nope. No call. - Finally got in the car and told them I'd be there to pick up the car at 3PM. They emailed back that I should arrive at 5PM. 11 working days later got the car back. Note: the car needed no body or paint work. Not impressed and probably should have gone to Anthony's which was the other shop recommended by my insurance company. read more

We won a car detailing package from Blake's at a school auction. They did a super job with our car. Thank you so much for supporting Marin schools, and for making our car look new again. Much appreciation!! read more

I just got some custom work done to my Jeep and couldn't be happier. I came in on a Saturday to get a quote and Fernando took down my info and gave me a detailed breakdown the next Monday. I informed him how a certain body piece is removed and he revised his quote accordingly (to my benefit). That is honesty right there. All in all, I am very happy with the quality of the paint work and will definitely be back if I need more work done in the future. Thank you! read more

Excellent service! Recently fixed my car for about half the price other auto shops quoted, and the repairs look great. Erik and his team were so helpful, and went out of his way to have the car ready quickly and on budget. Would highly recommend their shop to anyone in the Bay Area, and would only go to Blake's for future repairs! read more

Blake's Auto Body did an absolutely stellar job with my car, and their customer service was excellent. Everything was seamless - from them dealing directly with USAA for all of the insurance stuff, to taking care of arranging for my rental car - and it couldn't have been more painless. Jose contacted me everyday to let me know how things were progressing, and my car was even ready a day early. The car looks PERFECT and I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for an auto body repair shop. read more

Jason and crew did a perfect job fixing up the car. I found Jason to be super professional, attentive, and friendly. He worked without issues with the insurance company to coordinate the supplemental estimate as it came up. The repairs were finished on time, and the car looks great. read more

I was tail gated by a truck for several blocks on Van Ness Ave and was trying to change lane to avoid him but finally got rear ended. The sad part of the story is that we were both at fault. Took my CL 500 to Blakes as I saw on Yelp that they also offer to detail your car after the repair. Unfortunately I was told that they do not offer that service and had no way of doing so. I was told that they had informed Yelp many times to take it off of their website but to no avail. But the manager said they will try to clean my car as best they can but it is not a detail job. They did a great job in repairing the bumper and minor painting although it took them a day longer than promised. They were great but hope not to have to use them too often, read more

Excellent communication and fantastic repair service. Car was ready exactly when promised and you could not tell that the auto had been damaged at all. Highly recommend them. read more

Just wanted to give a big SHOUT OUT for the crew at Blake's. I received a phone call from one of my clients this week and he was extremely pleased with the service he received. His car was finished on time and returned to him in better-than-new condition. Fernando was a pleasure to deal with. THANKS for taking such great care of my clients!! read more

Thank you Fernando. I brought my car to Blake's to repair a smashed window. They got me in quickly, finished the job in two days and for underestimate. For an added bonus, my car was nice and clean. I'm so happy to have my car back. Thank you! read more

If you're reading this review, chances are you are checking out Blakes because your insurance company has directed you there -- they handle most if not all of the majors as a "preferred provider" meaning they negotiate lower rates with the insurance companies in exchange for volume. I have used Blakes 3 times in my life and the first two times several years back were great -- great service and quality. Unfortunately, this time, the car was late, the communication was laughably bad to non-existent, and the car was returned to me with rippling / "orange peel" where they had painted, and needed to be returned for a final "color sand," which they should have done in the first place. The car was also returned with other blemishes and some overspray. There was even unbuffed wax on the trunk. They were in a big hurry. My diagnosis is that Blakes is now a sausage factory, giving up margin / profit for volume of cars they put through, and the people that work there just can't keep up with it. You literally see people running around there trying to keep up with the line of people and cars everywhere. They're all very nice, but they are all overwhelmed. Strong areas: - Front desk staff are great and well-trained - Answer the phone promptly - You don't get voicemail... I always reached whoever I was calling there on the first call - Check in was fast. Maybe too fast as clearly there was a misunderstanding on when the vehicle would be ready. Areas of improvement: - They need to under-promise and over-deliver, but they do the opposite, over promising and under delivering on schedule and quality. - Their automated vehicle status emails never did work right and I was told it wasn't set up properly. Even better would be a text as your car goes through each stage of the process during the week. - Quality of the work was subpar as they admitted, and to their credit they fixed it but they need to get it right the first time and I'm sure they would agree with that. - Their associates need to spend time reviewing what they are going to do to your car, then when you pick it up they need to walk you through it and also tell you how to care for your car for the first 30 days (no waxing, etc). - In the old days they spent time going over what they did with you and even gave you a pizza coupon which I never used. This time it was "here's your keys, what's your hurry, boom" and I had to stop the guy to have him go over the repairs which is when we noticed the problem. This final visit to Blakes will indeed be my final visit to Blakes, ever. There are too many good shops in San Rafael to go through this again. They need to either hire more people or take less business, but as evidenced by their most recent Yelp reviews (sort by "newest" instead of "Yelp sort"), the wheels are falling off and they need to course correct before they permanently damage their reputation. In my case, they have. Sorry, can't recommend. read more

Stellar and trustworthy . Restored my bumper to like new condition on my luxury high end car. Now that I'm aware of their straight forward honest way I would have no need to shop for competitive bids for future body work. They have earned my trust and respect. read more

The guys at Blake's are true blue good guys. They fixed my hare-brained fender bender in less time than it took me to write this review and I was on my way... Robbing my husband of weeks of driving jokes at my expense, thank GOODNESS!! Get your dented jalopy in here, people!! read more

I made two appointments to get car repaired - and two times I was turned away at the door for no reason. I suspect that the repair was not profitable enough for the shop - so they simply cancelled service appointments. These folks were rude, unprofessional and made it clear that they will only do big jobs that will insure a big profit. Would not recommend :-( read more

I called Blake's to have a window fixed (break-in) and Fernando Candia made everything so easy and painless. I called them on Monday and they were able to get my car in on Wednesday ( he tried to get me in on Tuesday but had to wait on the parts) Not only that they called to get me a rental car for the day. I was in and out in 10 minutes. He handled all the insurance paperwork. I will update on the outcome. when I pick up my car this afternoon. read more