D&S Automotive

What D&S Automotive does

D&S Automotive is a privately held, family-owned collision repair and automotive restyling business headquartered in Mentor, Ohio, founded in 1977 by Carmen Paterniti. The company operates six collision centers and one accessory showroom across Lake, Lorain, and Geauga counties in Northeast Ohio, offering structural and cosmetic auto body repair, paint refinishing using PPG computerized color-matching, auto glass replacement, frame and unibody straightening, and 24/7 towing. Two locations hold Tesla certification (Mentor for full structural repair; Chardon for Tesla-Lite cosmetic repair), and the Mentor Automotive Accessory Store sells and professionally installs truck and Jeep aftermarket parts from brands including BDS Suspension, Rough Country, Rhino Linings, and WeatherTech.

D&S generates revenue through three streams: per-job collision repair (billed either directly to insurance carriers as a Direct Repair Facility or out-of-pocket to consumers), one-time accessory sale and installation (lift kits, leveling kits, tonneau covers, running boards, spray-in bed liners, remote starts, heated seats, off-road lighting, grille guards), and online parts sales through its BigCommerce storefront. The go-to-market blends direct-to-consumer retail at physical locations with insurance-channel referrals from Progressive, State Farm, Nationwide, and Travelers, plus an Enterprise Rent-A-Car partnership at North Ridgeville. Mobile photo estimates via CarWise, in-house pickup and delivery within a 15-mile radius, and an Annual Cruise-In community event round out the customer acquisition and retention stack.

Ownership transferred from founder Carmen Paterniti to his son CJ Paterniti in January 2023; Carmen remains involved as a financial consultant. The company is wholly family-owned with no disclosed external investors, has between 11 and 50 employees, and most recently expanded through the November 2024 acquisition of Smitty's Car Craft, rebranded as the Elyria Collision Center. Industry certifications include I-CAR Gold Class, BBB accreditation, Tesla/Tesla-Lite factory approval, and ASE-certified technicians, and the company has won the Lake/Geauga County Fast Track 50 Established Business award for six consecutive years.

Name

D&S Automotive

Legal name

D&S Automotive

Website

https://dsautomotive.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

D&S Automotive is a privately held, family-owned collision repair and automotive restyling business operating six collision centers and one accessory showroom across Northeast Ohio. It serves retail vehicle owners and major insurance carriers with collision repair, Tesla-certified body work, and professional truck and Jeep accessory installation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Collision Repair & Auto Body Services

NAICS

Automotive Body, Paint, Interior, and Glass Repair (81112), Automotive Body, Paint, and Interior Repair and Maintenance (811121)

SIC

Services-Automotive Repair, Services & Parking (7500), Wholesale-Motor Vehicle Supplies & New Parts (5013)

akta.pro primary industry

Auto Body Collision Repair (Cars & Light Trucks) (TLAKAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Collision Repair, Bodywork & Paint (Light-Duty) (TLAKAAAK)

Keywords

• Collision repair services
• Auto body shop
• Truck jeep accessories
• Vehicle accessory installation
• Automotive refinishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Mentor

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Collision & Auto Body Repair: Full-service collision repair including structural repairs, dent removal, paint refinishing, auto glass replacement, and bumper repair/replacement. Revenue is generated on a per-job basis through insurance claims and out-of-pocket payments. Act as a Direct Repair Facility for most major insurance carriers.
2. Automotive Accessories Sales & Installation: Sale and professional in-shop installation of truck and Jeep accessories including lift kits, leveling kits, tonneau covers, running boards, spray-in bed liners (Rhino Linings), remote starts, off-road lights, grille guards, and heated seats. One-time purchase and installation revenue model.
3. Parts Sales: Direct sale of automotive aftermarket parts and accessories through the online storefront and in-shop parts counter, including branded products from BDS Suspension, Rough Country, Baja Designs, Husky Liners, JKS, Worksport, Zone Offroad, and WeatherTech.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

D&S Automotive operates six physical collision repair centers plus one accessory showroom across Northeast Ohio, delivering full-service auto body collision repair (structural, frame, paint refinishing, dent, bumper, and auto glass) and professional in-shop installation of truck and Jeep aftermarket accessories. The company serves both insurance-referred and out-of-pocket retail customers as a Direct Repair Facility for Progressive, State Farm, Nationwide, and Travelers, and holds Tesla collision repair certification at Mentor (full structural) and Chardon (Tesla-Lite cosmetic). Revenues are generated on a per-job basis for repairs and on one-time purchase plus installation fees for accessories, complemented by online parts sales through its BigCommerce storefront.

Product overview

D&S Automotive is an automotive collision repair and restyling company offering a unified portfolio of services centered on collision repair and vehicle customization. The core offering consists of complete collision repair services (frame, structural, dent, paint, glass, bumper) across six Northeast Ohio locations, complemented by an accessory installation division offering spray-on bedliners, remote starts, heated seats, tonneau covers, running boards, lift kits, leveling kits, off-road lights, and grille guards. The company specializes in truck and Jeep accessories with professional in-shop installation at their Mentor showroom, and holds Tesla certification for cosmetic and structural repairs at selected locations. Parts and accessories are sourced from brands including BDS Suspension, Rough Country, Rhino Linings, and WeatherTech. Services are coordinated with insurance providers through Preferred Body Shop arrangements and include mobile estimate options and 24/7 towing assistance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Collision Repair Services Complete multi-location auto body collision repair including structural and frame straightening, dent removal, paint refinishing, bumper repair and replacement, and auto glass services for retail customers and insurance-referred policyholders.
• Tesla Certified Collision Repair Factory-certified collision repair for Tesla vehicles, including cosmetic repairs on bumpers, trunks, side mirrors, wheels, and glass (Tesla-Lite at Chardon), and full structural and collision body work at Mentor.
• Auto Glass Repair and Replacement Windshield repair and replacement performed in-house, with proper calibration and leak-free seal, integrated with collision repair.
• Paint & Refinishing Computerized PPG color-matched paint refinishing that delivers a factory-matched finish integrated with collision repair and custom paint work.
• Spray-on Bedliner Installation Professional application of Rhino Linings spray-in bed liner to seal and guard truck beds against rust, dents, and scratches.
• Remote Start Installation Factory-style remote car starter professionally installed in-shop, typically completed the same day, enabling remote warm-up/cool-down from phone or key fob.
• Heated Seat Installation Aftermarket heated seat installation for both leather and cloth seats, providing warmth and therapeutic heating benefits.
• Lift Kit Installation Professional installation of truck suspension lift kits that raise vehicle body and suspension for additional ground clearance and the ability to accommodate larger tires.
• Leveling Kit Installation Professional installation of truck and Jeep leveling kits that provide a small increase in suspension height to enable upgrades to larger wheels and tires; installations start at $580.
• Tonneau Cover Installation Professional supply and installation of hard, soft, folding, and roll-up tonneau covers professionally fitted for various truck makes and models.
• Running Boards Installation Supply and professional mounting of running boards, nerf bars, and side steps sized for trucks, Jeeps, and SUVs.
• Off-Road Lights Installation Professional installation of LED and light bar accessories for trucks and Jeeps, including bumper lights, A-pillar lights, driving lights, spotlights, and fog lights.
• Grille Guards and Bull Bars Installation Supply and installation of front-end protection and rugged styling accessories (grille guards and bull bars) for trucks and Jeeps.
• eTop Conversion System Installation Professional installation of the eTop electronic top conversion system that enables convertible-style top operations on equipped vehicles.
• Custom Truck and Jeep Builds Bespoke full custom vehicle builds combining lift kits, leveling kits, wheels and tires, lighting, and complete accessory installations, professionally designed and installed at the Mentor showroom.
• 24 Hour Towing Service Around-the-clock vehicle towing service to bring disabled vehicles to D&S Automotive repair centers across Northeast Ohio.
• Online Parts and Accessories Retail Online retail of branded aftermarket automotive parts and accessories via the BigCommerce storefront at dsautomotive.com, with in-shop parts counter support, covering brands including BDS Suspension, Baja Designs, Husky Liners, JKS, Rough Country, Worksport, Zone Offroad, Rhino Linings, and WeatherTech.

Quantifiable outcome

• Cumulative $227,122 raised for UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital through annual Cruise-In car shows
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Progressive InsurancecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorD&S Automotive's North Ridgeville Collision Center is a Progressive Insurance Preferred Body Shop. This partnership designates D&S as an approved direct repair facility for Progressive policyholders, enabling streamlined claims processing and referrals. D&S also accepts insurance referrals from Progressive at all its locations.
• Enterprise Rent-A-CarcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnterprise Rent-A-Car partners with D&S Automotive's North Ridgeville Collision Center for rental car services. Enterprise picks up customers at the D&S facility and provides vehicle rentals at 4998 Dover Center Rd., North Olmsted, OH while the customer's vehicle is being repaired, creating a seamless repair experience.
• State Farm InsurancecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorD&S Automotive serves as a Direct Repair Facility for State Farm Insurance, accepting referrals and working with State Farm claims at all collision center locations across Northeast Ohio.
• Nationwide InsurancecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorD&S Automotive is a Direct Repair Facility partner for Nationwide Insurance, accepting referrals for collision repair work across its Northeast Ohio locations.
• Travelers InsurancecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorD&S Automotive works as a Direct Repair Facility with Travelers Insurance, handling collision repair referrals and claims at its collision center locations.
• Campbell (PDR Partner)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorD&S Automotive partners with Campbell for Paintless Dent Repair (PDR) referrals. D&S handles more complex collision dent repairs in-house while referring standard PDR-eligible cases (shallow dents with intact paint in accessible locations) to Campbell for paintless dent repair.
• Defender Auto GlassminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDefender Auto Glass is a sister company of D&S Automotive providing in-shop and mobile auto glass repair services across the Greater Cleveland and Akron areas. D&S refers auto glass work to Defender. Defender Auto Glass was also recognized as a Fast Track 50 Emerging Business award winner.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• CARSTAR: Franchised collision repair network also owned by Driven Brands, focused on higher-quality independent shops. Comparable service offering to D&S with insurance carrier DRP integration.
• ABRA Auto Body & Glass: Mid-size U.S. collision repair MSO offering auto body, paint, and glass services with insurance DRP relationships. Comparable business model and customer mix to D&S.
• Fix Auto USA: Franchised collision repair network serving insurance carriers and retail customers across North America. Comparable service offering and DRP-driven volume model.
• Caliber Collision: The largest U.S. multi-shop collision repair operator with 1,800+ locations nationwide. Directly comparable as a multi-location auto body collision repair chain; serves the same insurance-DRP-driven business model that D&S operates.
• Crash Champions: Large PE-backed U.S. collision repair MSO rapidly expanding via roll-up acquisitions. Comparable to D&S in core service offering (collision repair, insurance DRP relationships) and multi-site operating model.
• Service King Collision: National collision repair MSO with hundreds of locations across the U.S. Closely comparable to D&S in core collision repair offering, insurance carrier partnerships, and multi-shop operations.
• Gerber Collision & Glass: Major North American collision repair and auto glass MSO owned by The Boyd Group. Directly comparable service mix (collision, glass, insurance DRP) and multi-state footprint.
• Maaco: Franchised auto body and paint chain owned by Driven Brands. Comparable as a national collision/paint repair brand, though franchise-based vs. D&S's corporate-owned model.

Broad incumbents

• 4 Wheel Parts: National retailer and installer of truck, Jeep, and off-road accessories. Comparable to D&S's Mentor Accessory Store business (lift kits, tonneaus, off-road lighting) but at much larger national scale.
• Truck Hero: Portfolio company owning multiple truck/Jeep accessory brands (UnderCover, Extang, Retrax, etc.). Comparable adjacency to D&S's accessory installation business through overlapping product categories and customer base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCX4xZeLz8kacBTKbcu1tz5Q/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/DSautomotive77
• Instagraminstagram.com/dsautomotive77
• Xx.com/dsautomotive77

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about D&S Automotive