Auto Body Images in Laurel, MD

A while back somebody put a dent about the size of a basketball in the right rear quarter panel of my car. On the recommendation of my friend Tom, I got a quote from Auto Body Images in Laurel, MD (or maybe it's officially Jessup, MD) and then took advantage of a short trip to minimize my downtime without a car.


I used the night drop service to leave the car early in the morning, then picked it up three days later when I flew back in. They did a great job.

The Damage
The dent caved in the panel but didn't do anything to make the car undriveable (or even scratch the paint). They told me it would take 3-4 days to repair.

With my Austin trip lasting 3 days, it seemed like a good way to minimize the effects of having my car in the shop.

Picking Up The Car
At first it seemed everything would work out perfectly. Once they started working on the car they thought there'd be a good chance it would be done when I got back.


But then Maryland got hit by the first real winter storm of the season, a couple of inches of snow followed by an icy, wintry mix that put a glaze of ice over everything. On the day of my return, they were having trouble giving me an estimate of the completion.

When I touched down at BWI, I called them and fortunately, the car was ready. They told me they weren't able to apply a decal because the metal was too cold, but I was able to pick up the car that day and avoid getting a rental.

The dented panel looks like new. Here are before and after pictures (ignore the salt spray from the messy weather):


The cost was reasonable, just under $600.

Getting There
Auto Body Images has a somewhat weird location. They're behind the Comfort Inn on US Route 1, practically in the curve of the on-ramp from US 1 South to MD 32 West. But once you know where they are they're pretty easy to get to, and my experience with them was good (though the reviews on Yahoo were decidedly mixed).


Their building is right behind Columbia Cab which is convenient if you need a taxi.