Hilton Head Auto Body Shops: Collision Repair on the Island
Who fixes dents, bumpers and wrecks on Hilton Head Island, where the shops are, how insurance claims work in South Carolina, and what to know about deer season.
For auto body work on Hilton Head Island, Gerber Collision & Glass and Caliber Collision are on Cardinal Road at the north end, and Precision Auto Body is on Arrow Road at the south end. Dent Werx PDR and Felix Dent Services fix dings without repainting. In South Carolina you can pick your own shop for an insurance claim.
Updated
Hilton Head Facts for Auto Body Repair
- Your choice of shop
- The SC Department of Insurance says you can have your car repaired wherever you choose, even if the adjuster recommends a shop. The claim pays the local market price for parts and labor.
- Glass and deductibles
- South Carolina law says a car insurance deductible doesn’t apply to auto safety glass.
- Deer season
- About 45% of deer-vehicle crashes in South Carolina happen during the October and November rut, mostly near dawn and dusk.
- Where the shops are
- Two body shops share Cardinal Road on the north end, 0.7 mile from Hilton Head Hospital. Precision Auto Body is on Arrow Road at the south end, and the paintless dent shops are on Palmetto Bay Road and Spanish Wells Road.
- Off the island
- Better Collision is on Fording Island Road in Bluffton, 5.7 miles from the hospital, and AutoNation’s collision center is on SC 170.
- Drivers
- About 57 in 100 island households have two or more vehicles (as of 2024).
Auto Body Shops on Hilton Head Island, SC
How we chose these: collision and auto body shops on the island, plus two just off it that island drivers use, each with a long record of customer reviews. Each card lists the facts you can check, including where the shop is; the stars open a summary of what customers say.
17 Cardinal Rd, Hilton Head Island, SC 29926
Phone: (843) 681-4600
The Gerber chain’s island shop for collision repair and auto glass. Rental pickup and drop-off is arranged. Closed weekends.
Why it’s listed: Reviewers describe a bumper scrape handled at the front desk, a rental car arranged and a repair finished early. Two reviewers report serious problems with a repair, so get the finish date and any warranty in writing.
- Where:
- Cardinal Rd, 0.7 mi from Hilton Head Hospital and 6.2 mi from Coligny
- Hours:
- Monday to Friday; closed weekends
- Also does:
- Auto glass
10 Cardinal Rd, Hilton Head Island, SC 29926
Phone: (843) 342-9741
The Caliber chain’s island collision shop, across Cardinal Road from Gerber.
Why it’s listed: A visiting family with a front-end collision on a Mercedes was taken in without an appointment, and another customer says the shop fixed a problem left by the previous owner. One reviewer lost time at pickup, so confirm the ready date.
- Where:
- Cardinal Rd, 0.8 mi from Hilton Head Hospital and 6.2 mi from Coligny
79 Arrow Rd, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Phone: (843) 842-2898
An independent body shop for scratches and collision damage, on Arrow Road near the Sea Pines Circle. Closed weekends.
Why it’s listed: Reviewers describe a scratch buffed out so it looked new, a Tesla’s bent hatchback hinges repaired and a Lexus returned looking good, and they single out the owner’s attention.
- Where:
- Arrow Rd, 0.5 mi from Sea Pines and 1.7 mi from Coligny
- Hours:
- Monday to Friday; closed weekends
1498 Fording Island Rd, Bluffton, SC 29910
Phone: (843) 707-0197
A Bluffton collision shop on US 278 in Bluffton, with a long record of reviews from island and visiting drivers.
Why it’s listed: Reviewers say staff handled the insurance claim and the rental, called with an update at each step, and returned cars detailed. A visitor was quoted a date that would have cut into a vacation and had the car back early.
- Where:
- Fording Island Rd, 5.7 mi from Hilton Head Hospital and 2.9 mi from Old Town Bluffton
1667 Okatie Hwy, Ridgeland, SC 29936
Phone: (843) 962-9629
The AutoNation dealer group’s collision center, on SC 170 toward Ridgeland.
Why it’s listed: Reviewers describe staff handling the insurance adjuster and extra damage found mid-repair, written estimates with more than one option, and a Hyundai Palisade that came back looking new.
- Where:
- SC 170, 14.5 mi from Hilton Head Hospital and 7.4 mi from Old Town Bluffton
Paintless Dent Repair on Hilton Head Island
How we chose these: mobile and small-shop dent repair on the island with a record of customer reviews. Paintless dent repair works when the paint isn’t cracked, so a shop can quote from a photo.
30 Palmetto Bay Rd, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Phone: (912) 259-0893
Paintless dent repair, by quote, with visits to the customer.
Why it’s listed: Reviewers describe a 4Runner dent fixed fast and a ding on a Mercedes door repaired while the family was on vacation. They say the technician explains how the repair works and quotes in advance.
- Where:
- Palmetto Bay Rd, 0.3 mi from Sea Pines and 1.4 mi from Coligny
- Also does:
- Visits the customer
374 Spanish Wells Rd, Hilton Head Island, SC 29926
Phone: (843) 603-5546
Paintless dent repair out of the Business Park on Spanish Wells Road. By appointment only.
Why it’s listed: Reviewers describe a first door ding on a new car, a deep ding on a Saturday morning and a large dent on the cab of an F-350 worked out, and say the prices were reasonable.
- Where:
- Spanish Wells Rd, 3.0 mi from Hilton Head Hospital and 3.8 mi from Coligny
- Hours:
- By appointment only
Choosing an Auto Body Shop on Hilton Head
Gerber and Caliber are chains that work directly with most insurers, and they sit across Cardinal Road from each other near Hilton Head Hospital, so it is easy to get two estimates in one trip. Precision Auto Body is the independent on the south end. Better Collision in Bluffton and AutoNation on SC 170 are the off-island options, a 6 to 15 mile drive from the bridge.
Get a written estimate, ask whether the shop uses new factory parts or aftermarket ones, and ask what the paint warranty covers. Photograph the car, inside and out, when you drop it off. On a rental-car vacation, call the rental company before you choose a shop.
Insurance Claims: You Pick the Body Shop
The SC Department of Insurance says that if an adjuster recommends a shop, you can still have the car repaired wherever you choose. The adjuster bases the payment on the market price for the repair and the local average rates for parts and labor, so ask your shop to work out any gap with the insurer before it starts.
Glass is different: South Carolina law says a car insurance deductible doesn’t apply to auto safety glass. If you have trouble with a claim, the SC Department of Insurance takes consumer complaints. For local agents, see Hilton Head insurance agents.
Deer Season on Hilton Head Roads
The SC Department of Natural Resources says about 45% of deer-vehicle collisions in the state happen during the rut, usually October and November, and most happen near dawn and dusk. On the island, slow down on the wooded stretches of the plantations and at the north end at those hours. If you hit a deer, pull off safely, call 911 if anyone is hurt, and photograph the damage before the tow.
Door Dings and Dents Without Repainting
Parking-lot door dings and hail dents with the paint intact are what paintless dent repair is for, and it usually costs less than a body shop repaint. Dent Werx PDR visits you, and Felix Dent Services works by appointment on Spanish Wells Road. Send a photo for a quote, and go to a body shop instead if the paint is cracked or the panel is creased.
Auto Body Shops Near Hilton Head in Bluffton and Ridgeland
Better Collision is on Fording Island Road in Bluffton, and AutoNation Collision Center, on SC 170 with a Ridgeland address, is the closest to the Okatie and Ridgeland side. For more shops in Bluffton, see Bluffton auto body shops.
More Car Help on Hilton Head
Mechanics, tires, towing and windshields are on Hilton Head auto services. To protect new paint after the repair, see paint protection film on Hilton Head, and for a detail afterward, car detailing. For dealer service departments, see car dealerships near Hilton Head.
Frequently Asked Questions
What auto body shops are on Hilton Head Island?
Gerber Collision & Glass (17 Cardinal Road) and Caliber Collision (10 Cardinal Road) are on the north end, and Precision Auto Body of Hilton Head is at 79 Arrow Road on the south end. Better Collision in Bluffton and AutoNation Collision Center on SC 170 are the closest off-island shops.
Do I have to use the body shop my insurance company recommends in South Carolina?
No. The SC Department of Insurance says you can have your car repaired wherever you choose. The adjuster bases the payment on the market price and local average rates for parts and labor.
Is H & H Auto Body still on Hilton Head?
H & H Auto Service on the island lists mechanical repair on its website, and its body shop was sold in 2021 to Joe Hudson Collision Center. Gerber, Caliber and Precision are the island body shops listed here.
What happened to Advanced Auto Body on Hilton Head?
Advanced Auto Body’s old listing at 10 Cardinal Road is marked permanently closed, and Caliber Collision now operates at that address.
Who fixes a small door ding on Hilton Head without repainting?
Dent Werx PDR and Felix Dent Services do paintless dent repair. Dent Werx visits you, and Felix works by appointment on Spanish Wells Road.
When do most deer collisions happen in South Carolina?
During the rut in October and November, which accounts for about 45% of deer-vehicle collisions in the state, mostly near dawn and dusk.
Are Hilton Head body shops open on weekends?
Gerber and Precision Auto Body are closed on weekends. Felix Dent Services takes appointments, so call to ask about Saturday.
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