Pros: -Quick service -Called Enterprise to come pick me up for rental car -High quality service (I think, although I'm no expert) -Really nice staff -Worked directly with insurance companies Cons: -Car smelled awful for days after they "cleaned" it -They began the bumper repair without my consent. Meaning, I wasn't sure if I wanted to have it repaired or replaced after someone hit me. When I called them on day #2, they said they'd already moved forward with the bumper replacement. Maybe that's what I would have chosen to do in the end, but I would have preferred to have a choice. -They NEVER called me to tell me what was going on with my car repair. A repair that was supposed to take 48 hours ended up taking 5 days (don't think that's their fault in any way). I had to call them to check up on progress 3 times, including on the last day as I was driving to their shop not knowing if my car was finished or not. Probably would go back to them again, though, because they were nice and it's convenient. read more

Had a good experience with this location on a previous repair. The second time not so good. More like horrible. My car was hit on July 8th it took about 3 weeks for me to get an appointment. Just when I decided Hustead's was taking too long they text me to let me know I can bring the car in. Once they had my car it took a while to get the parts in. More waiting. Finally I get a message (about a month later) that my car was ready for pick up. Made an appointment and everything just went downhill. The paint on my car was very wavy. You could literally tell it was hit on the right side. The right side looks nothing like it did prior to the incident. I notified the shop and someone came out to look at the car. He agreed the area looked wavy and offered to fix the car. Adding insult to injury the employee says we cleaned your headlights for free. Dude really. I'm more concerned about why the paint on my car looks like it was painted by amateur painters. I was given an estimate of three days to fix the paint. Three days turned into two weeks. No call or anything letting me know my car was behind schedule. Finally got my car back Tuesday and the paint still looks the same. Wavy. I'm positive Hustead's didn't do anything to my car. Probably just held the car and pushed it out the door. Not happy with the rush job. On the morning of pickup my car was sitting outside. Called someone to come out. I was told I didn't have to sign anything. I found it odd that no one came out to show me any paperwork that they redid the horrible paint job. It was like here's your keys leave. Pretty much left with a horrible paint job after having no car for almost two months. I wound be bringing my car here again. I'm assuming it's a real hot and miss with this location. I'll just have to find another place that can properly paint my vehicle. read more

Hustead's is awesome! I brought in my 2008 Mercedes SL500 after someone rear-ended me...I was devastated! Everyone at Hustead's were so helpful in getting my vehicle fixed and working with my insurance company. When I picked up my car, they repaired it so good that I couldn't even tell that it was in an accident. It actually looked like a new car! read more

Awesome service. Melinda called me super quick after filing claim. I didn't even have to reach out to them. They made it super easy with rental car facilitation and great service. They're awesome!! read more

Thank you for such a smooth transaction of replacing my rear bumper. Very courteous and informed me of the steps during the repair. Also thanks for the bottle of wine! read more

This is such a great auto body shop! I came in with my bumper practically falling off. The estimate was almost $1800 and Vince helped me out by getting a technician to pop it back on. He even used some spray to get rid of the marks on my car-- all for free! Amazing service and customer service. All around, I highly recommend!!! read more

Just picked up my car from Hustead 's Auto Body in Berkeley. Junior was my service representative. Not only he was great and helpful all the way through, my car looked a lot better even before my accident. He really fought with Insurance company for a just additional repair that was needed. Every thing he promised came through !. The shop is very professional. The staff is great and the work is very exceptional. They also delivered the car back to me exactly as promised. I highly recommend them. read more

I highly recommend Husteads, they have amazing customer service and fixed my car very quickly. They even fixed an area of the car that I didn't request to be fixed with no charge.This is definitely my go to place for service from now on! read more

Husteads Auto Body - Berkeley - Body Shops Near Me - Berkeley, California

Husteads did an awesome job on my car. They were friendly, cost effective, and quick. Melinda and Dustin were great! They kept me posted on the progress every day and far exceeded my expectations. I definitely recommend this Husteads location! read more

This was my first experience at a body shop. The repairs were quick. Everyone here was very polite, from the mechanics to the customer servicd reps. I feel bad I forgot one of the ladies name but her and Melinda were great. read more

Came here to replace my side mirror and headlights. Very good customer service and waiting area!

Pleased with their responsiveness and how they updated me about my car. They were able to answer my questions. I liked their text alerts as well. read more

I had a great experience with the team here. I scraped up part of my front bumper and came in to get a repair estimate. Melinda came out immediately to greet me, and she was able to have Julian and Cobo fix the issues right there. Melinda helped me 1) to get the scrape fixed so you can barely see it and also fixed some misalignment in the bumper/wheel area, 2) to avoid having to deal with my insurance company and 3) saved me over $500 dollars in deductible. All of this in 15 minutes and at no cost. Thank you! read more

Great service ---- they were hustling to provide a good experience + did good work.

I can't say enough wonderful things about Hustead's. Last year I had two minor accidents about a month apart and Hustead's did both repairs. The entire process was perfect from estimate to job completion. I was so impressed with the work they did and the professional and yet friendly manner in which they carried it out, that recently when my mom needed body work, I brought her car to them even though they live 40 minutes away. It was so worth the effort. The price was a great value and once again the workmanship and service were impeccable. I have generally worked with Dustin, and he is great. Honestly everyone I have had contact with there has been so kind and helpful. read more

It's been a long time since I've had to use Hustead's, but let me tell you, if you need repair work done or estimates for insurance purposes, this is the place for you. In order not to get anybody in trouble (or any tactless Yelpers asking awkward questions), I'll be vague when I describe the first time I went there. Some douchenozzle from L.A. sideswiped me on University at MLK in a rental car - and was very apologetic until his harpy of a girlfriend swooped into the conversation from the passenger seat. But anyway, the guy had paid for the full coverage from the rental company, and all the damage he did to my old Civic sedan was basically cosmetic, so my eyeballs were going cha-ching the whole time. Here's where the vagueness comes in - suffice it to say that the people at Hustead's know EXACTLY what you need to deal with an insurance claim, and are VERY efficient in handling it for you. I dropped my car off on my lunch break and by the time I had walked the 5-6 blocks back to the office, every single thing I needed to submit to my insurance company had been faxed to me by Hustead's. And I picked up my car that afternoon. ALL OF THIS FOR NO CHARGE. That alone earned them a lifetime of loyal service from me, and I haven't had a single negative thing to say about them in the years since. Oh, also, their attached towing company does some towing for the City of Berkeley, and even those guys are pretty cool. One time I managed to get there like 3 minutes before their regular hours closed, and the dude on duty actually radioed a driver to come in and scoop me up and give me a ride down to the tow yard (on the other side of San Pablo) so I could grab my car. Awesome. read more

Got into an accident a few month ago but Hustead really took care of me. Melinda and Brian made the whole experience so smooth! Amazing customer service and the work was great as well!! read more

Husteads Berkeley on Durant is a AAA approved shop that does amazing work. Vince, Kyle and Melinda are a fantastic, customer-service oriented team up front, and the folks doing the work in the back are super skilled at making your car, even if it's 11 years old, look new again. Recommended! Thank you all for everything. read more

If I could give this place a zero I would. I come in after a crash to get an estimate only. I go to get lunch and when I come back I see the receptionist marking up my car without my consent. Then I'm told it's not safe to bring the car off the lot and am tricked into signing my car with them. They didn't give me any time line of when my car would be ready nor did they call me to update me regarding my car--I had to call them every single time. After they make the repairs, I pick up my car and I notice that the 2 doors don't open anywhere near how smoothly the other doors do AND there's a scratch on my window tint on the inside of my car. On top of that, they leave materials removed from my doors in my trunk. I call and tell them about the doors and tint and I go into bring them my car in for the second time. They adjust the repairs and they're better, the doors open slightly better and they re-tinted the damaged window tint. I go to pick it up and they clean my car, but leave the parts they removed from before in my trunk again!! Not happy with the repairs but I didn't want to deal with them any longer. Not happy with the customer service/communication, and not happy about their deceit. Don't waste your time. read more

Against the auto body company I wanted to go to the person who hit my car insurance company referred me to Hustead's to get a quote. The quote was much lower then the company I wanted to take the car to. I got the car back in 3 working days as promised and the work was beautiful...Junior is the man I worked with and like others have said he is the best. However, the entire staff is warm and friendly you could just see they love doing what they do and love working together which is rare. I have never written a review on yelp until now I just think you all should know what I know. The toping on the cake was they did more work on the car then what the insurance paid for. My front and back of my car looks brand new. I was so happy and thanked them for giving me this early Christmas present. Junior even suggested places and wrote them down where I could take my car to get work done that they don't do there. If you ever need any body work done, ya better take it Hustead's because they are truly the best. read more

They did a great job and they did it surprisingly quickly. Melinda and Kyle, the people I dealt with, were terrific. There were daily email updates on the progress of the job. Best body shop I've used in the area. Scott W. read more

Best experience I have ever had with a mechanic, they were very communicative so I knew what was happening at every step and so kind. They replaced my bumper and lower control arm and everything is good as new. Super fast service, really grateful! Definitely will be coming back. read more

Super nice and honest ! Quick efficient ... I came without an appt but a 911 issue and they fixed it for me right away! Definitely recommend ! read more

Great customer service! I had to get a brake light replaced and McKevitt was going to have me wait 2 hours. So I bought the part and drove over to Hustead's and they replaced it and did a safety check in 5 minutes! Always keep them in mind! read more

Parked my car underneath a roof with a tiny oil leak for 2 weeks while I was away, and it left a very unsightly stain on the trunk (see photo!! yuck!). After some googling, I decided not to DIY any home solutions and risk ruining the paint altogether. Came across Husteads and stopped by on a whim to ask for an estimate around 4:15 in the afternoon. I was greeted by Jose; I showed him the photo and he *immediately* went into the back and grabbed a rag with some sort of liquid soaked into it. I showed him the car and he rubbed it completely clean in a matter of 10 seconds (if that!). I asked what I owed and he told me it was no worry at all because it was such a tiny job. Jose is incredibly friendly and helped me in and out in literally less than 1 minute. Hopefully nothing ever happens to my car where I would require their services, but rest assured if it does happen, I will definitely be returning! read more

Husteads Auto Body - Berkeley - Body Shops Near Me - Berkeley, California

My stupid neighbor hit and ran my car. Insurance said I couldn't prove it, because they denied it. This happened to my last car, and it was about 2000.00$ for a relatively small dent/mark on the door/ wheel/ side of the car. I took it downtown Berkeley and went to the parking bay at Hustead's. From the time I walked in, to the time I got an estimate emailed to me was about FIVE minutes!!! the bid was have the price of another Bodyshop that I went to. They were nice and helpful. It was actually clean inside, and someone that wasn't covered from head to toe is dust helped me. Seems good to me. read more

I was rear ended. Husted's was very helpful, up front about charges and willing to take the other driver's insurance as payment in full. Great job. Rear bumper looked like new despite an unusual paint. Car finished precisely at time estimated. I was quite pleased. read more

this is the worst auto body shop i've ever dealt with. they are rude, totally unhelpful, don't keep their contracts, don't keep their word. i wouldn't trust them with my bicycle let alone my car. buyer beware........ to give details of what occurred: i have usaa insurance and husteds has a contract with them to handle all their car wrecks. however, husteds yard was almost full and when i told them my air bag went off they wanted to avoid using up one of their few spaces on my car and wanted to just send me to the junkyard before even looking at my car and actually fairly evaluating the condition of my car. they did not want to honor their part of the contract with my insurance company and almost got away with it. when i called and told them that was not ok as they had a contract with usaa and usaa had a contract with me, the guy i spoke with sam got rude and nasty and then when i called back kyle started to yell at me and then hung up. those are the details of why i give them a piss poor rating. i'd never chose them myself. they have no concept of being fair and doing the right thing. go somewhere else if u can. read more

I took my car to the shop to get the headlights cleaned. Husteads did a great job and they did it for free. I'm definitely going back next time I have an issue with my car. read more

A neighbor dented the driver door of my 3 week old Subaru Forester a few months ago and I took the car to 4 body shops. Unfortunately, they all told me the door would have to be completely replaced. The 4th shop was Husteads and Dustin was very friendly and helpful explaining in detail what repairs needed to be done. Throughout the process, he communicated regularly to keep me updated. There was a little glitch when I picked the car up after the repair, but this was taken care of promptly. So far, the new door looks good and the paint job seems very good. They did a top notch job on the repair as well as customer service. They even gave me a free bottle of Two Buck Chuck! I would definitely refer others to Husteads and especially to work with Dustin. read more

I took my car into Husteads shop today to repair the mirror on my driver's side door. This is the third time i've been to their shop, and the excellent service I always receive from Vince and the rest of the team is why I continue to come back! They are kind, professional, and they always get their work done in a timely manner. I highly recommend their business, and I will gladly continue to do business with them whenever I need work done to my car! read more

Great customer service! A few weeks back i was in a car crash and my insurance recommended this place. I'm so glad they did. When i first arrived to Husteads the woman at the front desk was so humble and so professional. She offered me a beverage and we had a lovely chat. DUSTIN was the gentlemen in charge of my car. When we had a consultation he was very detailed about what needed to be fixed from what he could see and gave me an estimate of what it would cost. While i was waiting for my car to be repaired he would always call and update me on the progress of my vehicle. We all know how stressful it can be when your car is in the shop and a rental car is just not your baby haha. But in the end i must say it was worth the wait because my car came out looking spiffy. Also they gift you a bottle of wine, what a kind gesture. I definitely will keep them in mind for future services. Again big shout out to DUSTIN and his crew! You made this girly real happy! read more

Wow! I can't thank Husteads enough. I was visiting in Berkeley from the Central Coast when my Catalytic Converter was stolen. Husteads made an unpleasant experience so hassle free and pleasant. Other shops were going to take 3 to 4 weeks and they were able to get the part in a day. They worked with my insurance company seamlessly and were able to get my car picked up and at the shop the day of the loss. Melinda was proactive in getting me information and keeping me updated. Carlos was informative and gave me valuable information to avoid future occurrences. The icing on the cake was that when I came to pick my car up the road dirt was all washed off inside and out. They all went above and beyond what I expected, I felt heard and taken care of. I highly recommend them. The next best thing would be if they were located on the Central Coast just incase I ever had to have work done in the future. Thanks a Million! read more

Husteads did a great job on my Prius and Dustin was terrific. They described what they were going to do, they did what they said, and all the while keeping me updated on each major step and overall progress. They worked directly with my insurance company and there was a minimum of paperwork. Thank you Husteads. read more

I'd give them 0 stars if I could. I took my car there for an estimate for some very minor damage to the side door panel of my new Honda CRV. The guy (who was reluctant to even come and look at it when I said it wasn't going to be an insurance claim) took a brief look and said the whole door panel would need to be replaced at a cost of about $3500. After finding on YouTube how to remove the inner door panel of the car, my husband easily popped out the dents. Cost $0. Take your car somewhere else! read more

This place is great! They communicated directly with the insurance company and treated me and my car with TLC. They kept me informed every step of the way by text message. And I was gifted a bottle wine when I picked up my car! This is the only place I will allow to do any work on my car - which now looks better than new! read more

First off I have to say that Husteads is an amazing company. I crashed my orange whip into a pole and my friend referred me to Husteads . As soon as I went in I was helped immediately. I got a reasonable estimate and when it was all said and done the total was less than the estimate. The car look good as new when finished, if you crash your car or anything like that I would highly recommended Husteads Auto Body! read more

I was driving down the 101 in my virtually new Fiat, following a truck with debris in the back. Do you ever drive behind trucks with poorly secured cargo, and think to yourself, "geez, that's an accident waiting to happen?" Well, yes. A cement block fell off the truck, hit the road, shattered, and the pieces then hit my car, blowing out (literally) a window and destroying the paint over about 50% of the car's surface. The Fiat dealer recommended Hustead's. This review is actually also a ringing endorsement for my AAA insurance, and everyone involved in it. Hustead's is a AAA partner shop. I drove the car to them, called AAA and reported the accident, and -- they took care of everything. Literally. Two weeks later, I received a call from JR, saying, the car is ready. It was as good as new. This was a complicated, messy situation. I can't say enough good things about AAA for their coverage of the damage, and, about Hustead's, for the quality of the work, and for their partnership with AAA. Communication was terrific. They did everything they could to make the situation transparent and painless. Thank you JR! And AAA read more

I had a previous experience with Hustead's that was good. They were responsive and fixed the car well. This review is about the rude person who answered the phone when I called today. My car was in an accident that was another driver's fault. I called Hustead's, as an approved provider of that person's insurance, several months ago. The woman I spoke with was very nice and told me Hustead's would call the insurance company to see if they could re-open the claim in case they started work and found that there was unseen damage. I didn't hear back for months, got busy and didn't follow up until today. When I called, I spoke with another woman who was curt and unhelpful. She couldn't find me in their system. When I told her that her co-worker had represented that they would call the insurance company to re-open the claim so that they could start work on my car, she said quickly and curtly, "No. You need to call them," and promptly hung up on me. While that may be a change in how they do business, no longer calling the insurance themselves to re-open the claim, it was clear from the way this woman spoke to me that they could not care less whether they got my business. read more

I was involved in a rear end and needed to have my trunk repaired. I took my car to Hustead's and they were the BEST! They made sure my vehicle was repaired in a decent amount of time. They are dependable, caring and made sure I was taken care of and updated on every step in repairing my vehicle. read more