Room is the scarcest thing in downtown Toronto, and a collision repair needs a lot of it. CSN Avenue has 21,000 square feet of production space at 293 Macpherson Avenue, set up so a car moves through the shop in the same order the repair happens. If you're looking for a collision centre in Toronto and want to know what sits behind the front desk, this is the walk-through.
We're a third-generation family-owned business, and the shop holds manufacturer certifications including Tesla, BMW and Porsche. Much of what follows is there because manufacturers' repair procedures call for it.
Where does a repair start?
It starts at the curb. You can book a curbside estimate ahead of time or pull into one of the designated spots when you arrive, and one of our damage appraisers looks at the car with you. If getting downtown is the hard part, our mobile estimating service sends an appraiser to you, and there's an online photo estimate tool for a first look. Either way you get a written estimate that details the cost of parts and labour. Our post on getting an estimate downtown covers that first visit in more detail.
Leaving the car is planned for too. We arrange the rental, you can pick it up directly from our shop, and we can also give you a lift home.
What happens on the production floor?
Once the car is inside, it comes apart before anything gets fixed. Disassembly shows the damage an estimate at the curb can't see, and it's where the repair plan is built and shared with your insurer. Our technicians are factory certified and trained on high-strength steel, and they work with tools and equipment approved by your vehicle's manufacturer.
Structural work gets measured. Our Car-O-Liner measuring system checks the body against the manufacturer's dimensions, so structural work is confirmed by measurement before the car moves on. Diagnostic tools read the car's electronics along the way, a step we explained in our post on how digital scanning guides repairs. Our technicians also repair aluminum bodywork, and our piece on aluminum and mixed-material repairs explains why that work is kept separate from steel.
Why does the shop have two downdraft spray booths?
Paint is where a repair gets judged, so it gets its own end of the floor. CSN Avenue has two downdraft spray booths. In a downdraft booth, filtered air enters at the ceiling and leaves through the floor, which carries overspray and dust down and away from fresh paint instead of across it. Having two means a car curing in one booth doesn't hold up the next one waiting to be sprayed.
Colour is matched before the booth door closes. We use AkzoNobel's Automatchic paint matching tool, which reads the colour from the car itself. A paint code gives the formula, and most codes have several variants, so the panel beside the repair is what the new paint has to match. We went further into this in matching paint to sample colours.
Which manufacturers certify CSN Avenue?
CSN Avenue is a Tesla Approved Body Shop, a BMW Certified Collision Repair Centre, a MINI Certified Collision Repair Centre, a Porsche Certified Collision Centre, a Lexus Certified Collision Centre and a Toyota Certified Collision Centre. Each certification comes with that brand's training, tooling and repair procedures, along with access to genuine manufacturer parts and materials that carry factory warranties.
It also explains why two shops make sense. Our sister shop, CSN 427 Auto in Etobicoke, holds certifications we don't, including Audi and Mercedes-Benz, so between the two addresses, most brands have a certified home. Our certifications page shows what's held downtown.
What's the last stop before you get the keys?
Reassembly, then inspection. We test all systems, including the electronic and safety features, and on cars with driver-assistance cameras in the windshield, the sensors are recalibrated when the glass has been replaced. The car goes back to you in its pre-accident condition, and the repair carries a National Lifetime Warranty.
Questions we hear a lot
Where is CSN Avenue, and when is it open?
We're at 293 Macpherson Avenue in downtown Toronto, open Monday to Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You can reach the front desk at 416-923-8031.
Do you work with my insurance company?
We have established partnerships with a wide range of insurance providers, and we coordinate the repair side of your claim with your insurer directly. Bring your claim number if you have one and we'll take it from there.
My car isn't one of the brands above. Can you still repair it?
Often, yes. We'll tell you at the estimate whether CSN Avenue or CSN 427 Auto is the right shop for your car.
If your car needs repair, book an estimate or call us at 416-923-8031.
