Crash Course in Reputable Auto Body Service

A-1 Auto Body in Broken Arrow has built its excellent reputation for customer service over the past 31 years it’s been in business.

Matthew Lewis, general manager at A-1 Auto Body.

When the unexpected happens, it is natural to feel as if you are on shaky ground – and in turn, to search for stability. This can be especially important if you have a car accident. In such a stressful and uncertain time, you don’t want to trust your vehicle repairs to just any body shop. You want a shop with a proven reputation and foundation in the ­community.

A-1 Auto Body in Broken Arrow has earned its solid and stellar reputation in the area over the last 31 years, since owner Dave Lewis first opened its doors. “I moved to Oklahoma in 1980 and worked as head painter for a well-known Ford dealer in Tulsa,” Dave recounts. “Then we opened our shop at 71st and Elm in Broken Arrow. We moved to our present location at 63rd and Aspen in 2003.”

Dave has since semi-retired and turned over the shop to his son, Matthew, who strives to continue the tradition his father set in place. “We are family here and we try to treat our clients like family, as opposed to being just another customer,” says Matthew. “We get a lot of compliments on being willing to help people in all aspects of their claims, even if it is not directly related to collision repair.” The staff at A-1 keeps up with the insurance claim process and helps the client navigate through those sometimes ­treacherous waters. “There are a lot of hassles and bridges to cross,” Matthew points out. “But we believe in working through problems.”

Excellent results are also a focus at A-1 Auto Body, which is why Matthew and staff strive to keep up on the latest developments in auto body repair. “A lot of people don’t understand that the reason it is often so expensive to repair a car after an accident is because of constant industry changes,” he notes. “For instance, aluminum repairs are heavy on the latest models, and these repairs are costly. Also, machines for repair diagnosis are constantly changing, and these are expensive as well.”

Matthew likens the diagnosis of needed auto body repair on each vehicle to that of a physician on the human body. “Every wreck has its special circumstance,” he says. “Each person’s car claim is different.” He says that each individual repair requires a lot of thought and work with the customer, ­customer’s family and friends, technicians, and the insurance company. “We want to make everyone happy,” he says. “It’s a three ring circus and we are right in the middle of it.”

But this challenge does not daunt the staff at A-1, which is why they have consistently earned referrals and repeat ­business over the last three decades. They recently displayed their commitment to community by helping repair the car of a ­gentleman who was overseas in the war. The young man’s prized Mustang was damaged in a hailstorm, and because of the difficulties of communication that arose from him being overseas, wires were crossed and his ­insurance premium had not reached its destination on time – so there would be no insurance coverage. The technicians at A-1 volunteered their labor and provided the paint and glass. By the time the young man came home on leave for the holidays, the Mustang was restored and ­waiting for him.

No one wants to believe catastrophes will happen to them, but in life, we can always expect the unexpected will occur. Don’t wait for an accident to happen and then scramble to find a reliable place for repair – remember the name of A-1 Auto Body in Broken Arrow, where proven service is a port in any storm.

For more information, contact

A-1 Auto Body

(918) 258-4789