---
title: "Fix Auto USA: Its Limited Lifetime Warranty, Insurers and Owner"
description: "Fix Auto USA promises a limited lifetime warranty for as long as you own the car. Who owns it, how its shops handle insurers, supplements and the deductible."
url: "https://baronauto1.com/car-care/fix-auto-collision/"
type: "article"
published: "2026-10-16"
modified: "2026-10-16"
site: "Baron Auto"
disclaimer: "This site is under new ownership and is not affiliated with Baron Auto Emporium dealership."
---

# Fix Auto USA: Its Limited Lifetime Warranty, Insurers and Owner

> Fix Auto USA promises a limited lifetime warranty for as long as you own the car. Who owns it, how its shops handle insurers, supplements and the deductible.

*Detailing & Maintenance · 22 min read · 4,962 words*

## The short version

- Fix Auto USA is a network of independently owned collision repair franchises. Driven Brands, the parent of CARSTAR and Meineke, bought it on April 20, 2020, and licenses the Fix Auto name from “a third-party licensor.”
- The warranty page promises “a limited lifetime warranty on all repairs,” honored “at any of our 200+ locations across the U.S.,” and says the car should stay free of craftsmanship defects “for as long as you own it.” No warranty document is published, so what “limited” leaves out is not stated.
- No page says the warranty passes to a new owner. The warranty page speaks of craftsmanship; an article about one shop says “both parts and labor.”
- Fix Auto says its shops “handle claims directly with insurers.” Two of its articles say you may pick your own shop, and California, home to 160 of the 221 store pages in its sitemap, bars insurers from requiring a specific shop.
- Fix Auto expects “Supplemental approvals for hidden damage.” California requires an itemized estimate and your authorization before work starts and before the estimate grows.
- The only word on when the deductible is due is in an article about one shop: payment may be needed “before repairs can proceed.” Sunbit and Zip financing is offered at 26 listed shops in 3 states, by our count.

If you searched for Fix Auto, you most likely need a body shop after a crash. Fix Auto USA is a franchise network: the shop is owned locally, while the name, the warranty promise and the insurer programs come from Fix Auto USA, which belongs to Driven Brands. On 17 October 2026 we read Fix Auto USA’s [warranty page](https://fixautousa.com/warranty/), its [FAQ](https://fixautousa.com/faqs/), About, services, quality, certification, financing and careers pages, seven of its articles and its locations sitemap, and Driven Brands’ annual reports (Form 10-K) for fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2025 at the SEC. On 18 October 2026 we read three California regulations on insurance claims and repair estimates. This site has no commercial relationship with Fix Auto USA, Driven Brands or any repair shop.

**Figure: What Fix Auto USA's documents say, by situation**

Ten situations a Fix Auto USA customer may meet, from selling the car to a lower insurer estimate, with what Fix Auto's own pages and California's rules say about each.

Read from fixautousa.com on 17 October 2026 and from California Code of Regulations titles 10 and 16 (via the Legal Information Institute) on 18 October 2026. Shop counts are our arithmetic.

## Who owns Fix Auto USA, and who owns the name

Driven Brands owns the company. Its 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 26, 2020 records the deal: “On April 20, 2020, the Company acquired 100% of the outstanding equity of Fix Auto, a franchisor and operator of collision repair centers, for $29 million, net of cash received of approximately $2 million. This acquisition resulted in the Company acquiring 150 franchised locations and 10 company-operated locations.” The About page agrees (“2020 Fix Auto USA joins Driven Brands”) and says headquarters moved from Anaheim, California to Charlotte, North Carolina: 6 years under Driven in 2026, by our arithmetic.

The brand is older: Driven dates Fix Auto to 1997, and the About page says “In 2011, Fix Auto USA launched its franchise model,” with 30 franchisees at the start.

Driven does not own the name itself. Its fiscal 2025 10-K says: “We license or sublicense, as applicable, the Fix Auto trademark for use in connection with our business in the U.S.” and “Registrations for ‘Fix Auto’ are owned and maintained by a third-party licensor.” The next sentence names one company, warning that “third parties (other than Mondofix in the case of ‘Fix Auto’) may have filed for marks in countries where we have not registered the brands as trademarks.” Read together, the two sentences point to Mondofix as the holder of the marks. The fiscal 2020 10-K gave the licence “an estimated useful life of seven years,” an accounting estimate; neither filing says when the licence itself ends.

Fix Auto USA is often described as part of a wider Fix Network. None of the fixautousa.com pages we read says so, and Fix Network’s own sites refused our requests for their robots.txt files, so we read nothing there and do not describe it.

**Fix Auto and CARSTAR.** They are sister networks under one parent, not one network. Driven’s fiscal 2025 10-K says its collision services “are offered through CARSTAR, ABRA, and Fix Auto” and counts “1,077 collision locations, as of December 27, 2025” for the three together. A 2025 Fix Auto USA release quotes the “President, Driven Brands Collision Group,” and CARSTAR’s franchise disclosure document, read for our [CARSTAR page](https://baronauto1.com/car-care/carstar/), lists “FUSA” among Driven’s brands joined through an acquisition in April 2020. The Fix Auto footer reads “A Family Of Driven Brands.” Each brand has its own warranty wording; this page covers only Fix Auto USA’s, and our [Meineke page](https://baronauto1.com/car-care/meineke/#who-owns-meineke) reads the same parent’s filings.

**Who runs your shop.** A local owner. The careers page says shop jobs are “for an independently owned and operated location and not with Fix Auto USA corporate,” and Driven’s 10-K says it does “not control the day-to-day operations, such as hiring and training of employees, of the franchisees.” For problems, the contact page sends customers back to the shop: “Contact your Fix Auto body shop about a repair status, concerns, or any other inquiries.”

## The limited lifetime warranty, word for word

The warranty page is three short paragraphs. In full, the promise is this: “At Fix Auto USA, we stand behind the quality of our work with a limited lifetime warranty on all repairs. This warranty is honored at any of our 200+ locations across the U.S., offering you peace of mind no matter where you are.” The second paragraph sets the length: “We expect your vehicle to remain free from defects in craftsmanship not just immediately after repairs, but for as long as you own it.” The third adds that the warranty “is a testament to the trust we have in our skilled technicians and their work.”

So the promise covers “all repairs,” lasts as long as you own the car, and any U.S. shop in the network is to honor it. Much is not said: the page never explains “limited,” lists no exclusions, gives no claim steps and links to no warranty document. We found none on the site.

**How Fix Auto USA’s own pages describe the warranty (read 17 October 2026)**

| Where | What it says | What it covers |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Warranty page | “a limited lifetime warranty on all repairs”; free from defects “for as long as you own it” | “defects in craftsmanship” |
| Warranty page’s search description | “Every Fix Auto USA body shop offers a lifetime warranty on repair work.” | “repair work” |
| Home page badge | “Lifetime Guarantee” | Not stated |
| OEM certification page | “all repair work at Fix Auto collision centers is backed by our limited lifetime warranty” | “all repair work” |
| Article, Jul 20, 2026 | “a limited lifetime warranty honored at 200+ U.S. locations” | Not stated |
| Article about the Rocklin, California shop, Feb 04, 2025 | “a limited lifetime warranty on all repairs, covering both parts and labor as long as you own the vehicle” | “both parts and labor” |

The scope matters most. The warranty page’s “defects in craftsmanship” means the shop’s workmanship; “parts and labor” also covers a part that fails. Only the articles about the Rocklin shop mention parts, and they speak for that shop, not as the company’s warranty text.

**Get the warranty terms in writing before you authorize the repair.** Fix Auto USA publishes no warranty document. Ask the shop for its written warranty at the estimate and check three things: whether it covers parts as well as workmanship, what it excludes, and what you must bring to make a claim at another Fix Auto shop. If the shop has no document, ask it to write the warranty’s length and scope on the estimate or the final invoice.

Federal rules put weight on the word “lifetime.” The FTC’s guide on advertising warranties, 16 CFR 239.4, says an advertisement that uses “lifetime” “should disclose, with such clarity and prominence as will be noticed and understood by prospective purchasers, the life to which the representation refers.” Fix Auto USA’s warranty page names that life: yours, as owner of the car. Its home page badge, “Lifetime Guarantee,” does not. The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act’s definition of a written warranty turns on “material or workmanship” (15 U.S.C. 2301(6)); whether a collision repair falls under that Act is a question for a lawyer. The warranties of two company-run chains are read on our [Gerber Collision](https://baronauto1.com/car-care/gerber-collision/) and [Crash Champions](https://baronauto1.com/car-care/crash-champions/) pages.

## If you sell the car, move, or the repair fails

**Selling the car.** No Fix Auto USA page says the warranty passes to a buyer. The only length it gives is “for as long as you own it,” and both Rocklin articles repeat “as long as you own the vehicle.” Read plainly, the promise is made to you as owner, and nothing in it carries over to a buyer. Keep the invoice anyway: a buyer may ask which shop did the work, and an accident can show up on a history report (our [accident check page](https://baronauto1.com/vehicle-history/vin-accident-check/) explains what those reports draw on).

**Moving or travelling.** This is the part of the promise that is written down: the warranty “is honored at any of our 200+ locations across the U.S., offering you peace of mind no matter where you are.” The page names no condition, no approval step and no “participating” shops. Keep the original invoice and estimate to show what was done and when.

**Where to start a claim.** Fix Auto USA publishes no claim procedure and no warranty contact. Its contact page sends repair concerns to the shop, so the first call is to the shop that did the work, or the nearest Fix Auto shop if you have moved. Because each shop is independently owned, ask the second shop before it starts whether it will do the warranty work at no charge, and get that answer in writing.

**Figure: Annotated photograph**

Three numbered callouts over the photograph mark the dented rear quarter, the damage hidden under the tree and the trunk lid, each with one fact from Fix Auto USA’s warranty page and California’s repair-estimate rules.

Fix Auto USA’s warranty page and California’s repair-estimate rules, read on 16 October 2026: Fix Auto's warranty: free of craftsmanship defects for as long as you own the car (callout 1); Hidden damage found mid-repair means a supplement; in California you authorize it (callout 2); Only some Fix Auto shops hold each carmaker certification: ask this one which (callout 3). The photograph is illustrative.

**If the car is later written off,** our [total loss page](https://baronauto1.com/vehicle-history/total-loss-check-by-vin/) explains what the title record will show, and our [gap insurance page](https://baronauto1.com/financing/gap-insurance/) covers a payout below the loan.

## How Fix Auto shops work with insurers

Fix Auto USA’s FAQ answers the first question in one line: “Will you work with my insurance company to make the repairs? Yes, we handle claims directly with insurers, making your auto body repair easier and less stressful.”

Driven’s filings show how much the business depends on that. Its fiscal 2020 10-K, the year it bought Fix Auto, said of its three collision brands: “We maintain collaborative relationships with the top insurance carriers in the United States and Canada, which generate more than 85% of our collision revenue.” The fiscal 2025 10-K adds that “Many insurance companies have systems, agreements, and minimum service levels that they use to allocate services and repairs.” The 2020 report described the contracts, performance-based agreements: “We have PBAs with a variety of insurance providers, typically with one-year durations with automatic renewal provisions,” and an insurer “may terminate or elect to not renew the PBA” if service levels are missed.

An article on its Tucson, Arizona shop explains the consumer side: “Direct Repair Programs (DRPs) are partnerships between auto repair shops and insurance providers designed to simplify the claims and repair process for customers,” and through them “customers benefit from faster estimates, prioritized repairs, and direct billing to insurance providers.”

The franchise pitch shows the other side. A March 2026 article written for shop owners says the network offers “Introductions and solicitation to insurance partners” and “KPI tracking, analytics, and performance coaching to maximize volume,” and it is candid that “Not every insurance partnership is right for every shop.” A July 2026 article lists what insurers judge a shop on, starting with “Repair quality and safety” and “Cycle-time performance and predictable timelines.” A program shop works to the insurer’s measures as well as the repair’s. That is no reason to avoid one; it is a reason to ask at the estimate whether the shop is on your insurer’s program, and which items your insurer will not pay.

## Your right to choose the shop

Fix Auto USA has no company-wide page on this. Two of its articles about individual shops cover it, in different strengths. The Tucson article is firm: insurers’ recommendations “are often based on cost agreements rather than repair quality. Drivers should understand that they have the right to choose a repair shop that prioritizes high-quality collision repair services, certifications, and advanced tools.” The Rocklin article hedges: “Many insurers have a network of recommended repair shops. ... However, you are typically allowed to choose your repair shop.”

The right comes from state law, not from the shop, and California matters most for this network: 160 of the 221 store pages in Fix Auto USA’s locations sitemap, 72.4%, are California shops, by our count on 17 October 2026. California’s fair claims regulation, [10 CCR 2695.8](https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/california/10-CCR-2695.8), says in subsection (e): “No insurer shall: (1) require that an automobile be repaired at a specific repair shop; or, (2) after a claimant has chosen an automotive repair shop, suggest or recommend that the claimant select a different repair shop, except as permitted by California Insurance Code section 758.5.” You have chosen “when the claimant has specified to the insurer a specific automotive repair shop,” so name the shop to your insurer early.

Minnesota, where Fix Auto also has shops, requires insurers to tell claimants: “You have the legal right to choose a repair shop to fix your vehicle.” We quote Minnesota Statutes section 72A.201 from this site’s reading of 9 October 2026; our [CARSTAR page](https://baronauto1.com/car-care/carstar/#right-to-choose) sets out the rest. We did not read the other states’ rules; your state insurance department can tell you yours. The right runs both ways: you can pick a Fix Auto shop your insurer did not suggest, or decline one it did.

## Estimates, supplements and hidden damage

Fix Auto USA advertises “Free Estimates,” and its FAQ promises “a clear, upfront estimate before repairs begin.” It prints no prices. Its July 2026 article on cost says “There is no single price for collision repairs” and that “Fix Auto USA locations provide detailed repair estimates and help explain the work required to restore your vehicle.”

The first estimate may not be the last. The same article warns: “Because some damage isn’t visible until repairs begin, the final repair plan may differ from the initial assessment.” Its article on repair times lists what an insurance claim may involve: “Initial estimates Insurance reviews Supplemental approvals for hidden damage Claim documentation,” and adds: “Keep in mind that hidden damage discovered during repairs may occasionally require adjustments to the original estimate and schedule.” That second approval is a supplement: the shop writes up what it found and asks the insurer to approve the extra work.

Fix Auto USA does not say how it tells you about a supplement. California’s auto repair rules cover it. [16 CCR 3353](https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/california/16-CCR-3353) opens: “An estimate shall be provided to and authorized by the customer before any work commences.” For body work, the estimate must be itemized: “Parts and labor shall be described separately, and each part shall be listed in the estimate.” [16 CCR 3353.1](https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/california/16-CCR-3353.1) adds that “No diagnosis or repair, including no-charge and warranty repairs, shall commence and no charges shall accrue without specific authorization from the customer,” and that “Any estimate or revised work order provided to the customer shall be authorized by the customer or the customer’s designee in written, oral, or electronic form.” A supplement is a revised work order, so in California it needs your yes.

**An insurance repair at a Fix Auto shop, step by step: Fix Auto’s words and California’s rules (read 17 and 18 October 2026)**

| Step | What Fix Auto USA says | What California’s rules say |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Choosing the shop | Drivers “have the right to choose a repair shop” (Tucson article) | No insurer may “require that an automobile be repaired at a specific repair shop” (10 CCR 2695.8(e)) |
| The estimate | “a clear, upfront estimate before repairs begin” (FAQ) | Itemized, parts and labor separate, authorized before work (16 CCR 3353) |
| The insurer’s estimate | Not addressed | The insurer must give you “a copy of the estimate upon which the settlement is based” (10 CCR 2695.8(f)) |
| Hidden damage | “Supplemental approvals for hidden damage” (repair-times article) | Any revised work order must be authorized by you (16 CCR 3353.1) |
| Insurer pays less than the shop asks | Disagreements over “pricing, repair methods, or parts” can delay the repair (Rocklin article) | If you show a higher written estimate, the insurer pays the difference, names a shop that will work for its estimate, or adjusts the shop’s estimate (10 CCR 2695.8(f)) |
| Payment not yet known | Not addressed | The estimate must say it is “your responsibility to contact the third-party payor for approval of payment” (16 CCR 3353(d)) |
| Towing | Not addressed on the pages read | “Authorization for towing fees shall be obtained separate and apart from any authorization for repair work” (16 CCR 3353(e)) |

If you show the insurer, with a written estimate you obtain, that the repair will cost more than its own estimate, 10 CCR 2695.8(f) says it must “pay the difference between the written estimate and a higher estimate obtained by the claimant,” or, if you ask, name “at least one repair shop that will make the repairs for the amount of the insurer’s written estimate,” or “reasonably adjust any written estimates prepared by the repair shop of the claimant’s choice.” A shop working from the insurer’s estimate must tell the insurer of changes you approve that “would alter the payment amount specified in the third-party estimate.”

On timing, Fix Auto USA says “Minor cosmetic damage may take only a few days to repair, while more extensive structural repairs can take several weeks,” and that driver-assistance systems “may require scanning, testing, or calibration” after repairs. Ask whether the estimate includes that calibration.

## The deductible and paying for the repair

No company-wide Fix Auto USA page says when the deductible is due. The only statement is in the article about the Rocklin shop: “If the insurance policy includes a deductible, you may need to arrange for payment before repairs can proceed, adding another layer of complexity and possibly extending the repair timeline.” Each shop is independently owned, so ask at the estimate when it is due. If another driver was at fault, ask that driver’s insurer about the deductible and about the value your car loses because it now has an accident history; our [diminished value guide](https://baronauto1.com/guides/diminished-value/#first-vs-third) explains who owes what.

For the deductible or anything insurance does not pay, the [financing page](https://fixautousa.com/financing/) says: “Fix Auto USA offers flexible financing options through Sunbit and Zip, making it easier to manage unexpected repair expenses without putting off the repairs your vehicle needs.” Among the uses it lists: “Finance insurance deductibles and out-of-pocket repair costs.” The two differ:

- **Sunbit**, which “uses a soft credit inquiry during the application process, which means checking your financing options does not impact your credit score,” and has, the page says, “no late fees, origination fees, account opening fees, or prepayment penalties.” “Payment terms vary based on the purchase amount and approval details.”
- **Zip**, which lets you “split your purchase into four interest-free payments,” though the same page warns that “Customers may be charged finance charges, late fees, and convenience fees if applicable.”

“All loans are subject to credit approval,” and the offer is not network-wide. The page lists participating shops under three state headings: 23 in California, 1 in Texas and 2 in Utah, 26 in all, which is 11.8% of the 221 store pages in the sitemap, by our arithmetic. Ask your shop. We did not open Sunbit’s or Zip’s own terms.

## Certifications, inspections and what the shops repair

Fix Auto USA lists six services: “Collision Repair ... Fender Repair ... Dent Repair ... Paint Repair ... Windshield Repair ... Bumper Repair.” Windshield repair is offered “as part of our comprehensive collision repair services”; for a glass-only claim, see our [Safelite page](https://baronauto1.com/car-care/safelite/). For dents without paint damage, our [Dent Wizard page](https://baronauto1.com/car-care/dent-wizard/) covers paintless repair.

On quality, the company names three checks: technicians’ I-CAR “Gold Class certification”; verification by the OEC Certified Repair Network, whose “experts conduct unannounced, on-site inspections”; and “internal program auditors who routinely assess our shops.”

Carmaker certification is shop by shop. The certification page says the network “includes many facilities that hold the following certifications” and lists nine programs: Ford, Honda and Acura ProFirst, Subaru, Tesla, Nissan, Infiniti, Hyundai, Kia and Fiat Chrysler (FCA). “There are other OEM certifications that some Fix Auto facilities carry.” The same page then says “Fix Auto has Honda, Ford, Nissan, and Toyota OEM certified technicians,” though Toyota is not on its list. If your carmaker requires a certified shop for certain repairs, ask the shop to show you its current certificate for your make rather than relying on the network’s list.

## How many Fix Auto shops there are, and where

Fix Auto USA and its parent publish several counts, from different dates. The two Driven annual reports we read give no Fix Auto-only figure after the 2020 deal; its fiscal 2025 report counts the three collision brands together.

**Fix Auto USA store counts by source (read 17 October 2026)**

| Count | What it says | Source and date |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100th | “Fix Auto USA Opens 100th location” | About page, 2016 |
| 150 and 10 | Franchised and company-operated locations Driven acquired | Driven 10-K, April 20, 2020 |
| 951 | Collision locations of CARSTAR, ABRA and Fix Auto together, “99% franchised” | Driven 10-K, December 26, 2020 |
| 212 and 0 | Franchised and company-owned Fix Auto shops in the U.S. | CARSTAR’s franchise disclosure document, as of December 28, 2024 |
| over 180 | “over 180 locations nationwide” | Article about the Rocklin shop, Jan 06, 2025 |
| 1,077 | Collision locations of CARSTAR, ABRA and Fix Auto together | Driven 10-K, December 27, 2025 |
| 200th | “the opening of its 200th location” | About page, no year printed |
| 200+ | “any of our 200+ locations across the U.S.” | Warranty page; article of Jul 20, 2026 |
| 221 | Store pages in the locations sitemap, in 14 state folders (160 in California) | Our count, 17 October 2026 |

The network has grown since Driven bought it: 212 U.S. shops at the end of 2024 is 52 more than the 160 acquired, by our arithmetic, and none of the 212 was company-owned. The geography is lopsided. California has 160 of the 221 store pages; the other 61 are spread across 13 state folders, from Arizona and Washington to Florida and Pennsylvania. A sitemap can also list shops that have closed or not yet opened.

## What regulators and courts have recorded

We found no consumer-protection action by a state attorney general or the FTC naming Fix Auto USA. The government matter we found concerns franchise workers, and Driven’s own filings describe it.

**Washington, 2019.** Driven’s fiscal 2020 10-K says: “Beginning in January 2019, several brands, including ABRA, CARSTAR, Maaco, Meineke, Fix Auto and 1-800-Radiator & A/C, received civil investigative demands requesting information concerning their use of no-poaching clauses.” To resolve the Washington Attorney General’s objections, “these brands entered into an Assurance of Discontinuance with the state,” agreeing to drop the clauses from new agreements and “to not enforce any such provisions in any of their existing franchise agreements.” The report adds: “No fines or other monetary penalties were assessed against the brands.” Such clauses limit workers moving between shops in the same chain. The fiscal 2025 10-K says the clauses “were removed from our franchise agreements in the U.S. in 2019.” We read Driven’s account, not the Attorney General’s documents.

**A shareholder suit against the parent.** Driven’s fiscal 2025 10-K reports that “On December 22, 2023, Genesee County Employees’ Retirement System filed a putative class action lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina,” and that “On November 13, 2025, the parties reached an agreement in principle to resolve the case”; on February 5, 2026 the court endorsed the motion for preliminary approval of the settlement. The suit concerns Driven’s disclosures to investors, not repairs, and the 10-K reports allegations and a proposed settlement, not findings.

**Franchise registrations.** Fix Auto USA’s franchise disclosure document would list its litigation and warranty duties, but Minnesota’s registry presented an expired security certificate, Wisconsin’s a bot check, and California’s a search form we did not use, so we read none.

**Government and court records on Fix Auto USA and its parent that we read (17 October 2026)**

| Date | Record | What it was about | What the record says happened |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| January 2019 onward | Washington Attorney General, as described in Driven’s fiscal 2020 10-K | No-poaching clauses in franchise agreements | Assurance of Discontinuance; “No fines or other monetary penalties” |
| December 22, 2023 | Securities class action against Driven (fiscal 2025 10-K) | Driven’s disclosures to investors | Agreement in principle to settle, November 13, 2025; preliminary approval endorsed February 5, 2026 |

We did not read the Better Business Bureau’s site, which blocked this site’s requests on 9 October 2026, and we do not use review sites, so this page gives no rating. If you read reviews elsewhere, note that the charity page says “Many locations also take part in the Gift of Repair initiative, donating for every positive review received on completed repairs.”

## Where Fix Auto USA’s own documents disagree, and what to ask

We recorded 6 places where Fix Auto USA’s documents disagree or leave a gap:

- **What the warranty covers.** Craftsmanship on the warranty page; “both parts and labor” in an article about one shop.
- **Limited, or plain lifetime.** A “limited lifetime warranty” on the warranty page; “Lifetime Guarantee” on the home page; no page says what “limited” leaves out.
- **How many shops.** “200+” now, “over 180” in a January 2025 article, 212 at the end of 2024, 221 sitemap store pages.
- **Which carmakers.** Nine certification programs listed, none of them Toyota’s, beside a claim of “Toyota OEM certified technicians.”
- **How firm the right to choose is.** A “right to choose a repair shop” in one article; “typically allowed to choose” in another.
- **Who owns the name.** “A Family Of Driven Brands” in the footer; a trademark that Driven licenses from “a third-party licensor,” in its annual report.

Your own paperwork outranks all of it: keep the estimate, every supplement you approve, the final invoice and the shop’s written warranty.

- **Before you call your insurer,** pick the shop and give the insurer its name. In California, that is when you have “chosen” under 10 CCR 2695.8.
- **At the estimate,** ask for the warranty in writing: parts or workmanship only, what it excludes, and how to claim at another Fix Auto shop.
- **Ask whether the shop is on your insurer’s program,** and which items on the estimate your insurer will not pay.
- **Ask how supplements work:** who calls you, and whether any extra work waits for your approval. In California it must.
- **Ask when the deductible is due** and, if you need to finance it, whether this shop is on the Sunbit or Zip list.
- **If your carmaker requires certified repairs,** ask to see this shop’s certificate for your make, and whether driver-assistance calibration is on the estimate.
- **At pickup,** check the work before you pay, and keep the invoice as long as you own the car.

## Common questions

### Who owns Fix Auto?

Driven Brands, which bought Fix Auto USA on April 20, 2020 and also owns CARSTAR, ABRA, Maaco and Meineke. Each shop is run by a local franchisee, and Driven licenses the Fix Auto name from “a third-party licensor.”

### Is Fix Auto part of CARSTAR?

No. They are separate franchise networks with the same parent, which counts its three collision brands together (1,077 locations at December 27, 2025). Each has its own shops and warranty wording.

### Does Fix Auto have a lifetime warranty?

Fix Auto USA promises “a limited lifetime warranty on all repairs,” honored “at any of our 200+ locations across the U.S.,” and says the car should stay free of craftsmanship defects “for as long as you own it.” It publishes no warranty document, so ask the shop for the written terms before the repair.

### Does the Fix Auto warranty transfer if I sell my car?

No page says it does. The only length stated is “for as long as you own it,” which ties the warranty to you as owner. If transfer matters to you, ask the shop to put its answer in writing.

### Do I have to use the body shop my insurance company recommends?

A Fix Auto USA article says drivers “have the right to choose a repair shop.” The right comes from state law: in California, no insurer may “require that an automobile be repaired at a specific repair shop” (10 CCR 2695.8).

### Does Fix Auto give free estimates, and can I finance the deductible?

Its home page advertises “Free Estimates,” and its FAQ promises “a clear, upfront estimate before repairs begin.” For the deductible, it offers Sunbit and Zip at participating shops, 26 of them on its list by our count, subject to credit approval.

## Sources and further reading

- [15 U.S.C. § 2301 (Magnuson-Moss definitions)](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/2301)

Recall, complaint and safety-rating figures on this page were retrieved from the federal databases above on August 19, 2026. Federal data changes — re-check any VIN before you rely on it.

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*This site is under new ownership and is not affiliated with Baron Auto Emporium dealership.*

Canonical source: https://baronauto1.com/car-care/fix-auto-collision/