John Rucosky/Johnstown Business Weekly
Brandon Maxwell, a technician with Collision on Wheels Inc., prepares a car for a paint touch-up inside an inflatable auto body shop.

New franchise offers mobile auto-body service

By DEBBIE ROMAN EISENBERG
FOR JOHNSTOWN BUSINESS WEEKLY
A new area business is filling a niche in the auto-body market by bringing the repair shop to you.
Collision on Wheels Inc. has re-engineered traditional auto-body services for minor vehicle damage such as dents, small scratches, scuffs, chips, bumper damage and small-collision work. The company can do the work at the customer’s location.
Company vans carry inflatable structures that serve as mobile auto-body shops and paint booths. The structures shield customers’ cars from the weather while work is being done and protect nearby vehicles from any paint spray or other possible effects.
“Some people might have the misconception that the work will be subpar as compared to conventional auto-body shops,” said owner and operator Jack Biddle.
“They might have a lower expectation from a mobile service like ours. I want to assure people that Collision on Wheels uses expert techniques to successfully fix the problem. All work is warrantied for as long as the customer owns the car.”
The inflatable structures allow repairs to be made in any weather with the exception of very high winds. Special painting techniques limit waste from overspray, which translates into cost savings, Biddle said.
He said Collision on Wheels provides a major convenience and significant cost-savings with trained and certified technicians who repair only what is necessary.
Instead of submitting insurance claims and paying deductibles, customers can pay out-of-pocket because costs are less. This is a real plus for lease turn-ins, Biddle said.
“We even repair damage due to deer accidents,” Biddle said.
The Collision on Wheels repair process is the core of the company’s system involving the correction of minor surface damage. A special technique is used to repair dents. The system duplicates a car’s original look, leaving the repairs undetectable, Biddle said..
Collision on Wheels’ technology enables successful mid-panel paint blends, he said..
The process matches the vehicle’s paint with a specially designed clearcoat product and application of paint with a new spray technology.
The company offers same-day estimates and an estimated two- to four-hour repair time.
Biddle began operating Collision on Wheels after 30 years of selling building materials. He decided it was time to do something different.
A car guy by hobby, Biddle wanted to get into something that he knew he would enjoy doing every day.
He researched many different auto-related businesses and found Collision on Wheels.
The business opened Nov. 12 with two repair vans and two employees.
Biddle said he has added a third van and technician in response to customer demand. He plans to create a total fleet of 30 or more vans.
Collision on Wheels covers parts of Cambria, Somerset, Allegheny, Blair, Bedford, Indiana and Somerset counties, and most of Westmoreland.
A main headquarters sets up all appointments and can be reached toll free at (866) 402-3368.
Biddle may be reached directly at jbiddle@collisiononwheels.com.