Key takeaways
- Star Auto Body is a body shop. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, automotive body repairers "restore, refinish, and replace vehicle bodies and frames, windshields, and window glass."
- A repair shop is a different trade. The same federal handbook says automotive service technicians and mechanics "inspect, maintain, and repair cars and light trucks," including oil changes, fluids, tires and brake pads.
- If something hit your vehicle, you want a body shop. If something went wrong inside it, you want a mechanic. If you searched for one and found the other, this page sorts it out.
People search "star auto repair and body shop" and land here, and the honest answer is that the two halves of that phrase are two different trades. We're the body shop half. This page lays out what each trade does, using the federal government's own job descriptions, and what our services page lists.
Is Star Auto Body an auto repair shop or a body shop?
A body shop. Star Auto Body, at 515 N Collins Fwy in Howe, has served Howe, Van Alstyne, Sherman, Denison and the rest of Texoma since 1992. Our services page lists collision and body repair, paintless dent repair, bumper and panel repair, hail damage repair, color matching and refinishing, full body refinishing, and insurance assistance. All of it is damage work.
Maintenance isn't on that list. Oil changes, brake jobs, engine diagnostics and tune-ups are the mechanic's trade. If you're not sure which one your problem is, call (903) 532-5365 and ask before you drive over.
What is the difference between a body shop and a repair shop?
One works on what the vehicle looks like and how its structure holds together. The other works on what makes it run. They are trained as separate occupations, and the federal government's own handbook describes them that way.
| Body shop (collision) | Repair shop (mechanical) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who works there | Automotive body repairers | Service technicians and mechanics |
| What they fix | Bodies, frames, panels, glass, paint | Engine, brakes, suspension, electronics |
| Typical jobs | Dents, bumpers, structural realignment, refinishing | Oil changes, fluids, tire rotation, brake pads, sensors |
| What brings you in | A wreck, hail, a scrape, vandalism | A noise, a warning light, scheduled maintenance |
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a body repairer's day includes "Inspect cars for structural damage," "Realign car frames and chassis to repair structural damage," "Hammer out or patch dents, dimples, and other minor body damage," and "Apply new finish to restored body parts." A mechanic's day, in the same handbook, includes "Identify problems, often by using computerized diagnostic equipment" and "Perform basic care and maintenance, including changing oil, checking fluid levels, and rotating tires."
Those are not two versions of the same job. The tools, the training and the shop floor are different.
Which one do I need after a wreck in Texoma?
A body shop, in almost every case where something outside the vehicle caused the damage. That covers four situations, and all four are body work:
- A collision. Anything from a tapped bumper in a parking lot to a hard hit that moved the frame. Structural work is a body shop job.
- Hail. Texas and Kansas had the most hail events of any state in 2025, according to NOAA figures published by the Insurance Information Institute. Our services page says paintless dent repair removes hail dents without sanding, fillers or repainting, so the factory finish stays intact. For heavier hits, the same page says we combine PDR with conventional repair.
- Scrapes, scratches and cracked bumpers. Panel repair and refinishing, usually without replacing the panel.
- Paint that has given up. Full body refinishing, from prep to clear coat.
The one case where you need both is when a wreck damaged something mechanical as well as the body. Tell the shop what you heard and felt during the crash, not just what you can see, so the mechanical side is not missed.
If an insurance claim is involved, remember that where the repair happens is your decision, not the adjuster's. We wrote the whole thing up, with the Texas statute, in our post on whether your insurance company can make you use their body shop.
What does Star Auto Body in Howe actually repair?
Everything on this list is on our services page:
- Collision and body repair, including structural and cosmetic work, to put the vehicle back to pre-accident condition
- Paintless dent repair
- Hail damage repair: paintless dent repair for light to moderate hail, combined with conventional repair for heavier hits
- Bumper and panel repair, including cracked bumpers and scratched panels
- Color matching and refinishing, from a small touch-up to a complete paint job
- Full body refinishing, prep through final clear coat
- Insurance assistance: we work directly with insurance companies on the claim
Estimates are free. As our home page puts it, after inspecting your vehicle we provide a detailed, no-obligation estimate. Bring the vehicle by, or start by sending photos through our contact page.
Bring it by the shop
If a wreck, hail or a parking lot did the damage, you are at the right place. Call (903) 532-5365, look through what we repair on our services page, or request a free estimate.
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