Brownsdale Auto Body Inc.

06/12/2026

**It's That Time of Year Again Booth Overhaul.......But There's More Going On Behind the Scenes Than Most People Realize**

When you pick up your vehicle from a quality collision repair center, you see the finished product—a vehicle restored to pre-accident condition with a smooth, glossy finish.

What you don't see is everything that happens behind the scenes to achieve that result.

It's that time of year again—our annual paint booth overhaul.

To maintain the highest-quality refinishing and the cleanest possible paint environment, we completely service and refresh our booth. It's a significant investment in time, labor, filtration, floor coatings, wall coatings, and maintenance, but quality doesn't happen by accident.

One question we often get is about our booth flooring. We use specialized flooring that meets NFSI Certified B101.1-2009, ANSI/ESD STM11.11, and MIL-STD-3010C standards.

What does that mean in plain English?

• Slip-resistant for employee safety
• Designed to help control static electricity
• Helps reduce dust attraction and contamination during the refinishing process
• Contributes to a cleaner paint environment and a higher-quality finish

There are less expensive alternatives available, but when it comes to controlling static electricity and maintaining a clean refinishing environment, we believe you get what you pay for.

Our goal is simple: provide the best possible finish while protecting both our customers' vehicles and our employees. We continually invest in our facility, equipment, and processes because quality repairs start long before the paint is sprayed.

A great paint job starts long before the paint is mixed. It starts with the facility, the equipment, the maintenance, and the commitment to doing things the right way—even when the customer never sees it.

**Quality Collision Repairs Since 1988**
**Brownsdale Auto Body, Inc.**

06/12/2026

A big thank you to our friends at the bank for stopping by today with a gift in recognition of National Automotive Service Professionals Day. We appreciate the thoughtfulness. To all the technicians, painters, estimators, parts specialists, and collision repair professionals out there, thank you for what you do every day to keep our communities safe on the road."

06/05/2026

**David vs. Goliath**

When you've been in an accident, remember that you have a choice where your vehicle is repaired.

At Brownsdale Auto Body, we are an independent collision repair facility. We are not contracted with insurance company direct repair programs, which allows us to work for you—the vehicle owner.

That means we can advocate for proper repairs, discuss repair procedures openly, and help guide you through the claims process while keeping your best interests in mind.

We're a small-town shop with the same certifications, training, equipment, and experience as the larger facilities. Our technicians have decades of experience, and we've been proudly serving our community since 1988.

If you've been told where to take your vehicle, keep in mind the decision is yours. We'd be honored to earn your business.

Brownsdale Auto Body, Inc.
Quality Collision Repairs Since 1988

Send a message to learn more

05/29/2026

**Good Neighbor? You Decide.**

A customer recently chose Brownsdale Auto Body even though we were not on her insurance company's preferred repair program.

We brought the vehicle in on Monday morning, contacted the insurance company immediately, arranged for an inspection, sourced OEM parts from a local dealership, scheduled the required calibrations, and had the repair completed by the end of the week. The vehicle was safely repaired and returned to the customer without unnecessary delays.

My focus was simple: get the customer back on the road safely and efficiently, then handle any remaining paperwork afterward.

After returning from a short vacation, I submitted the final supplement. Because the vehicle had already been repaired and delivered, questions were raised about reviewing some of the additional items.

What happened next surprised me.

The customer later informed me that she received a phone call in which she was told that Brownsdale Auto Body was a difficult shop to work with.

Think about that for a moment.

The vehicle was repaired quickly. OEM parts were used. Required calibrations were completed. The customer had her vehicle back within days.

Yet after the repair was complete, the conversation wasn't about the quality of the repair or the service provided. It was about the shop.

I'll let the facts speak for themselves.

Consumers have the right to choose the repair facility they trust. That choice should be respected regardless of whether the shop participates in a preferred repair program.

At Brownsdale Auto Body, our goal remains the same as it has been since 1988: repair vehicles safely, properly, and efficiently while putting the customer first.

You decide what is fair.

Brian D. Gerhart
Brownsdale Auto Body, Inc.
Quality Collision Repairs Since 1988

04/28/2026

From the Heart of Brian at Brownsdale Auto Body....

As the seasons change, people are getting boats out, kids ready for prom, starting careers, or enjoying time with their families. And now many customers are being pulled into situations they never asked for out-of-pocket costs, delays, paperwork, disputes, arbitration talk, and insurance confusion.
Think about that. You did not sign up for a fight. You just want your vehicle properly repaired and to move on with your life.
That is why I believe a lot of these issues should be handled right in our office, through our own administration, before they ever become your burden. Many of those other avenues should be last resorts, not the first move.
What happened to advocating for the customer? We have the knowledge, the experience, and the responsibility to help guide you through the process.
Our main goal is to safely and properly restore your vehicle for longevity and peace of mind. We do not want an insurance company telling us any different.
That is also why we are not on a direct repair program. We will not be dictated to take shortcuts. Period.
Sometimes there is no choice and costs may fall on the customer. I will not sugarcoat that. But when that happens, you deserve to know every avenue was exhausted first, every option was explored, and someone stood up for you along the way.
I am not an attorney. I am not a public adjuster. I am a business owner, and I chose to assist my customers. That mindset has been lost in too many places, and it needs to come back.
I am advocating, not negotiating. I educate, I empower, and I work to keep the stress off my customers while pushing the claim where it needs to go.
And once in a while, a customer will say, “Just restore it, I will pay the difference.” That kind of trust means everything, because it comes from knowing we fought for them before.
The day I stop fighting for my customers is the day I shut the doors.
Because word travels fast. People know who stands beside them and who does not.
This is not just about restoring vehicles. It is about trust, fairness, safety, and doing right by people when they need help most.

Brian Gerhart

04/25/2026

I built this car back in 1983 when I was just a kid figuring it out, learning as I went with more drive than experience. But the story really starts earlier.

I was 13 years old. Every time my dad drove past this farmyard, I’d see an old ’69 Firebird sitting out in the back pasture. Turns out it was my brother’s friend’s car, and I bought it for $50 with lawn mowing and rock picking money. That was it. That was the spark. I saved it, got it into primer… then life happened. Traded it to a Grand Sport, then to a Nova, and eventually into this Camaro.

Fast forward to today, my youngest pulled it out, gave it a proper wash, freshened it up with headlights, belts, starter, and alternator, and now he’s taking it to prom. That hits different.

What started as a 13-year-old kid staring across a pasture turned into something people around here know. Not because it’s perfect, but because it’s real. It’s still standing, just like Brownsdale Auto Body.

Proud moment tonight. Enjoy the weekend, folks.

Collision Repair Services

04/18/2026

Big shoutout to the crew at Otomo’s Towing. This wasn’t just finding a car this was a 44-year barn find, and the journey to track it down was something I’ll never forget.

There’s a story behind this one, and you guys were a big part of it. I didn’t just enjoy it you lived it. Moments like this don’t come around often.

Logans crew I appreciate all of you. You’re one of the good ones. Respect.

04/14/2026

The hail storm has passed. It's time to settle down and return to normal. Storms like this remind us how quickly situations can change and the stress that comes with vehicle damage. In our line of work, we see the full spectrum, but our priority remains doing the job right and caring for our clients. Fortunately, we were spared this time. Safety is paramount.

04/08/2026

WHAT DO YOU MEAN MY CAR’S TOTALED… DON’T I HAVE A SAY?

Let’s talk about what’s really happening right now with vehicle damage claims.

Even on smaller hits, it’s turning into a numbers game. Vehicles are being pushed into “totals” by stacking repair costs with guessed salvage values just to justify wiping them out.

Think about that.

Your vehicle gets taken off the road, and you’re told to go buy another one. At today’s prices. At today’s interest rates.

Meanwhile, many of those same vehicles are sold, rebuilt, and put right back into the market.

So was it really about the vehicle… or was it about making the numbers work?

Here’s the reality in Minnesota. There is no full safety inspection that guarantees that rebuilt vehicle was repaired the way you would expect. It’s mostly documentation, not workmanship.

So you lose your vehicle, and someone else ends up driving it.

And you’re the one starting over.

Now here’s what most people don’t get.

You still have a say.

You own the vehicle. You control the repair. You are the decision maker.

Not the insurance company.

And here’s where it should raise a red flag.

If you make a claim and you’re immediately being pushed toward a specific shop, stop and think.

You have the legal right to choose your repair facility.

Some shops operate under agreements that limit how far they can go for you.

We don’t.

At Brownsdale Auto Body, we run a different system. Statutory. Strategic. Customer-controlled.

We operate under statutory compliance, customer-controlled claims, and thorough documentation to protect you. We go the extra mile and then some.

If we were tied to an insurance contract, we couldn’t do this for you.

You can’t serve two masters.

We serve one.

The vehicle owner.

You.

Brownsdale Auto Body
No shortcuts. No compromise. We don’t back off what’s right.