Formula 1 Collision Center

The work completed on my 2020 Outback was superb. There was a lot of damage that required replacement of doors and panels and repairs of others. For this Formula 1 deserves 5+ stars. There were a couple of very minor repair issues but they are of no real import. The titanium gold color of the Outback is difficult to match. Nevertheless, there are no telltale signs of repainting, so carefully done was the paint matching and blending. I’m a repeat customer, having used Formula 1 several years ago to repair collision damage to the right side of my Impreza hatchback. That work was superb, as well. After Outback repair I carefully inspected the right-side body seams of the following: Front bumper cover (not damaged but removed for access), front fender (repaired), both doors (replaced), right quarter panel (repaired), and rear bumper cover (removed for access). These gaps and seams are tighter and in better alignment than those on the left side, as it came from the factory. Great job! My only body seam issue is with the left side of the front bumper cover where it meets the left fender; it is slightly skewed. In the past I removed and reinstalled the front bumper cover as part of various small mechanical repairs and I may well be the culprit of this wayward seam. While in the shop for the right side, I also paid out of pocket to have a crease repaired to the left front fender. It took approximately three months to complete all repairs, from the initial estimate to final delivery. My insurance pays $900 maximum for rental car reimbursement, which is the equivalent of one month. I had to pay out of pocket for two more months. I believe that the Outback could have been inspected to determine hidden damage and then returned to me partially disassembled while parts were sourced and shop scheduling was completed. I know this is not SOP, but it would have limited my financial loss. My other issue regards the creased left front fender. I was quoted a little under $1,000 for that repair, for which there was no hidden damage. The film-based body protection installed by the dealership when new was discussed and I provided the original installation certificate. There should have been no charges in addition to those quoted for that repair. But I then received an amended, perplexing quote for nearly $2,000, including color blending. Why? Nothing changed from the time of the straightforward initial quote. I opted to forgo the color blending, betting on the quality and professionalism of Formula 1’s metal workers and painters to repair and panel-paint the fender without it being an obvious repair. This was a good call, as Formula 1 did indeed match the paint on the fender to the surrounding panels. Again, great job. I still had to pay a few hundred dollars more than expected, which annoys me, but the quality of the work ameliorates this concern. I’m giving a 4-star rating because of the additional out-of-pocket for rental car expense and the unexpected price increase. If I had the option, I would have rated the whole process 4.75 stars. 5 stars for the work, and deducting .25 stars for the administrative and financial concerns. But don't let any of this dissuade you from using Formula 1. Their work is truly superb.