Can anyone help with Auto Collision?

searcher profile

February 18, 2026

by a searcher from University of Pennsylvania - The Wharton School in Los Angeles, CA, USA

I'm looking for anyone who has experience with the auto collision industry for a potential transaction. Ideally, I need to source an operator?
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commentor profile
Reply by a searcher
from Georgia Southern University in Orlando, FL, USA
great insights from ^redacted‌! I'm definitely on the learning path for the collision side, so keep sharing! I might be in find-a-manager mode for a collision shop though.
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Reply by a lender
from Cornell University in Los Angeles, CA, USA
Hi ^redacted‌ - nice to meet you. I am always glad to share some insights into this industry. We've financed a number of auto body and collision shops through SBA loans so can share what we see from the lending side. Two things worth knowing about this industry right now. Repair volume is shifting. Repairable claims dropped over 10% in 2025 and nearly 1 in 4 vehicles appraised are now total losses. Higher deductibles are also pushing more work into customer-pay instead of going through insurance. When you're looking at a shop, pay close attention to how much of the revenue comes from insurance work versus customers paying out of pocket, and how that mix has been trending. A shop that relies too heavily on one or two insurance company relationships is a real risk if those relationships change after you take over. Repairs are getting more complex. Around 65% of collision repairs now require recalibrating the car's safety tech (backup cameras, lane assist sensors, automatic braking radar, etc.) and that number keeps climbing. Shops that have the equipment and trained techs to handle this in-house are worth more. Shops that outsource all of it or don't have the right certifications are going to fall behind. That equipment and training costs real money, so make sure you factor it into your numbers. It's a good industry to be in, if you know what to look out for. If you ever need help reviewing a deal, I am happy to help. We work with all the major SBA lenders. The bank pay us after your loan closes, so this is a 100% free service for you. You can email me directly at redacted or schedule a meeting with me: https://cal.com/francodeguzman/30min. Look forward to chatting!
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