Behrends Body Shop

Just an hour in to our five-​hour drive from Portland to a glorious, long-​awaited, three-​day getaway on the Olympic Peninsula, the sound of metal hitting asphalt ground our trip to a halt and threatens to dash our plans to smithereens. We pull off at the next exit and under a freeway overpass see the problem… the cowling to our Jeep’s engine compartment underbody bent low due to a previous mechanic’s failing grade in bolt-​tightening 101. This combined with our 75 MPH speed has just the right effect. Our early Saturday morning arrival on Kelso’s very deserted Pacific Ave. shows little promise of turning things around. The tension in our Jeep is rising as we pull to the curb between Pine and Ash streets. You know how it goes… you open a browser window on your smart phone and say to yourself, what is the magic search word; what will get me to my goal the fastest here. «Kelso Auto mechanic» yields only one automated voice mail after another, and «Kelso Auto Parts» is no better… nobody open and the tension is becoming palpable. Then a random word, which of us thought it I do not know, but at the inception of a hallelujah moment there it is, «Kelso Auto Body» and a few brief seconds later a genteel male voice is answering. It seems Behrend’s Body Shop is closed, but it’s time for some Saturday morning cleaning and Ron is there with broom in hand and for whatever reason answers our call. Coincidence… nope, don’t believe in those! Turns out, we pulled off at the right exit, and then to the curb just three blocks from salvation. 30 minutes later, 45 tops, we are on our way and groovin’ to a new tune. And proprietor Ron, Mr. I-Can’t-Take-Any-Of-Your-Money, barely accepted what I would call a mechanic’s tip; $ 20 is a cheap price to pay for a hallelujah-​save-​the-​vacation moment. Ron did not touch my Jeep’s paint job, but he did touch my wife’s heart, and a stranger that can do that could not possibly fail to make a car’s heart sing with a shiny new paint job. Ron gets five of the shiniest stars possible from this satisfied «customer!»

Behrends Body Shop is THE place to take your vehicles after any sort of body damage. Over the past 20+ years, I have had the opportunity to use their services several times. Probably more than I want to admit! Dick and Jim and the rest of the crew are always friendly, polite and get the job done in a timely manner, at a fair price and they work seamlessly with your insurance company. Next time I back into a pole, or my husband’s truck, or whatever other driving misfortune I may have, I will definitely be using Behrends for all of my auto body needs!