Uptown Body Shop is Here to Help

Q&A with Uptown Body Shop Manager Nick Curtis

Is your car in need of an auto body shop near Milwaukee? Come see us at the Uptown Body Shop. Our Southeast Wisconsin body shops on Mayfair Road in Milwaukee and Commerce Boulevard in Slinger are collision centers, dealing with car accidents, fender benders, safety recalls, warranty work, glass replacement, PDR (painless dent repair), and more. Below are some frequently-asked questions to help get you started.


What car repairs can the Uptown Body Shop do?
There's no such thing as a repair too small. Everything from a scratch or ding in your car door to a loose front bumper, faulty wipers to a damaged window from a break-in-our two Uptown Body Shops handle all this and more. We do our best to keep all jobs in the shop, with some outside vendors even coming right to us. When we can't handle it in the body shop, we send the car over to our service department to handle the fix.

Do I have to be an Uptown customer?
No, you don't have to be an existing Uptown customer to bring your car into the body shop. We welcome all new and existing customers-and every vehicle make and model.

I've just been in a car accident-what do I do?
To start, you can always call us at (414) 777-5731. We'll walk you through the process. When you call, we'll ask whether you're going through insurance or paying out of pocket. Not sure if you're going through insurance? You can always bring your car in for an estimate and decide from there. We tell customers that if the repairs are more than your deductible (whatever that may be: $250, $500, $1000, $1500, $2500) then we suggest going through your insurance.


If you go through insurance, call your provider to start a claim, then bring your car into the Uptown Body Shop. Some insurances will send out their own appraiser or adjuster to assess the damage. We wait for your insurance to give approval before we start repairs. We'll need the insurance claim number. We'll also need to know if you have rental insurance, so you're not stranded during repairs (we can call to find this out).

When can I bring my car in after an accident?
Uptown Body Shops are open Monday through Friday, and we can see any car same-day. During the week, we always have estimators on hand from 8am-4:30pm. We're closed Saturdays and Sundays.

How do car repair estimates work?
For the best estimate, bring your car into the body shop. Or you can send photos and we can write an estimate via email based on the photos. We prefer you to bring the car into the shop (between 8am and 4:30pm, Monday through Friday) so we can see the vehicle damage in person.

If you move forward with Uptown Body Shop for your repairs, we will do an official tear down to see any hidden or missed items in need of repair that aren't in the initial estimate. We get approval from the customer before proceeding with any repairs not included in the initial estimate. We always take photos throughout the process to share with the customer and insurance company.

How do car repair payments work? 

For out-of-pocket payments, customers can pay however they like. We do request some money down to cover the cost of pre-ordering parts.

If going through insurance, once a claim is started, we can write an estimate and take photos. We then share these with the insurance company and customer via email. Most insurance companies say they will review our estimate and get back to us within 24-48 hours.

How does the repair process timeline work?
Once we're set to go, we send updates to the customer every 3 days about where we are in the process-for example: waiting for parts, in the repair process, painting, estimated finish dates, and more.

Do you have a waiting area or offer shuttle service?
We have both! If you come to us for a quick fix, we have a small area in our office for customers to wait for repairs or estimates. If it's a longer wait time, we take customers up to our service waiting area. We also offer a shuttle from 8am-4pm Monday through Friday for body shop pick-up or drop-off. In some cases, if requested, we can even deliver the finished vehicle to the customer.

What if you notice additional service is needed during the repair?
We always aim to return a car that looks even better than its pre-accident condition. While our main job is to locate necessary repairs related to an accident or incident, we will inspect the whole vehicle thoroughly.

For example: if a customer comes in for a front-end hit and we notice the radiator is smashed in, we know the damage is related to the recent accident (hidden damage). Unrelated damage would be a front-end hit, but the car also has a broken taillight. The damaged taillight isn't connected to the recent accident, but we will point this out to the customer, give them a quote, and ask if they would like us to also take care of this repair at the same time.

What are some pro tips for auto body maintenance?
Prevent rust: 
In our lovely state of Wisconsin, rust is a big concern. With snow, rain, and the amount of salt that goes on the ground, it's just a recipe for rust. If you're able to park in a garage or parking structure, that will go a long way to help prevent rust. Regular car washes and keeping your vehicle dry in general is the rule for rust-prevention.

Avoid dings in your doors: 
If possible, park away from other vehicles to avoid door dings and small fender benders.

Catch small issues before they become big problems: 
A small ding or rock chip in the paint should always, at least, get some touch-up paint so it doesn't start to rust. A small chip in a windshield can sometimes be repaired before it starts to spider out and crack more, in which case you need a whole new windshield. Catching these seemingly small issues early can often make a big difference. Get that ding or scratch repaired now so that it doesn't spiral into a larger repair later. Aesthetic fixes also raise the value of the car if turning in a lease, trading in, or selling a car personally down the line.

Looking to start a repair? Call the Uptown Body Shop in Milwaukee at (414) 771-9000 and in Slinger at (262) 644-8300. We're here and happy to help you and your car get back on the road.