Drivers say Matthews body shop did little or no work

MATTHEWS, N.C. — Keanna Hancock says it was a fender bender, that she took her SUV to Independence Collision & Auto Repair in Matthews, and that she paid $5,000.

“They had my car for a total of eight months,” she said.

And Hancock says during that time. the shop took the bumper off, but nothing else.

She says she finally demanded the SUV back, but that the business wouldn’t give it back so easily.

“And I had to have the police come out there with me to try to get my car off of the property, but I wasn’t successful at the time,” she said.

She says officers saw it as a civil -- not criminal -- matter, so it didn’t work, but that the shop eventually gave in.

But, she says, the shop didn’t refund any of her money. And without that money, she says she couldn’t afford to get her SUV fixed elsewhere. Plus, she says, she was still making car payments. So she got rid of the SUV and now relies on family, Lyft, and Uber for rides.

“All I did was wanted to get my car fixed so that I’ll be able to drive and do the things that I needed,” she said.

Three drivers complained to Action 9 recently and four contacted the N.C. Attorney General.

Action 9′s Jason Stoogenke asked the business for its side of the story. It promised to send a response last week, but that week came and went and it never did. Stoogenke reached out again Thursday, but it didn’t respond in time for this report.

If you need a body shop:

1. Do your homework -- look up reviews and ask people you trust.
2. You don’t have to go with the company your insurance suggests. Remember: your car, your choice.
3. Make sure the shop uses original -- or OEM -- parts ... not ‘aftermarket’ ones.
4. Ask how long the work will take and -- if your insurance company stops paying for a rental -- whether the shop will provide one.

WATCH: Video shows man ‘terrorizing’ north Charlotte auto shops

Video shows man ‘terrorizing’ north Charlotte auto shops

©2023 Cox Media Group