For anyone feeling a bit jaded with their work, a talk with Juan Carlos Gasga Perez is an excellent antidote. He’s been the proud co-owner of Premier Auto Body in Holly Springs, NC, for just over a year, but his career with cars started with soap and water.
“I was washing cars, but I come from a family that was very, very poor and so initially any kind of money was enough for me. But my manager began to see the fire in me to be better. So, he kept giving me more and more until I was the manager myself,” said Gasga Perez.
Premier Auto Body
Holly Springs, NC
919-285-1017
www.premierautobody.us
Instagram: @autobodystrong
Company At A Glance...
Type: Collision Repair
Facility Employees: Five
In Business Since: 2023
Number of Locations: One
Production Space: 6,000 square feet
Several years and a couple of promotions later, the manager of the body shop where he was working gave him a chance to train as a technician. Gasga Perez spent the next 18 years honing his skills — until his quest for excellence started causing him to bump into the company culture.
“I started studying estimates and I could see the things that were being left on the table,” said Gasga Perez. “And I was learning about OEM compliance, and I knew that our shop wasn’t compliant. The shop culture was about volume, and I wanted quality. So, my frustration just started brewing.”
When it comes to following OEM specifications, Gasga Perez said the Car-O-Liner® CTR® 9 Spot Welder is an essential piece of equipment.
To relieve his frustration, Gasga Perez started an Instagram account where he chronicled his work as a tech. A teacher at heart, showing his followers the inner workings of a body shop challenged him and gave him a creative outlet.
“The social media thing just started to evolve,” said Gasga Perez. “I liked the psychology of figuring out what got people interested. But ultimately, I know that people follow me because I am about precision, excellence and quality.”
That Instagram account — which now boasts more than 350,000 followers — was about to open doors for him. By 2023, it had become very clear to Gasga Perez that he needed to move on, and that opening his own shop was the only thing he really wanted. Before the end of the year, he and his business partner, Derek Fox, opened their shop.
Gasga Perez’s growing notoriety as an influencer in the auto repair space meant brands were eager to have their tools in his shop, but he knew exactly who he wanted to work with.
“I was trained on Car-O-Liner® and they are the best,” said Gasga Perez. “I have taken their courses, and I love their equipment. They are OEM-approved and our mission and values just totally align.”
When his local Car-O-Liner® distributor, Autotality, reached out to Gasga Perez to talk about using Car-O-Liner® products in his new shop, he was thrilled.
Since 2023, Gasga Perez has been the co-owner of Premier Auto Body in Holly Springs, NC.
“The thing about Car-O-Liner® is that they understand what we need as techs,” said Gasga Perez. “I’m always asking myself, ‘How do I work faster, better, cleaner?’ And they are asking the same questions. Like the EVO™ Anchoring and Holding system. When I first used it, I was like, ‘This is what I’m talking about!’ They make our job easier for us.”
When asked what Car-O Liner® equipment he cannot live without, he didn’t hesitate. “I love the CTR®9 Spot Welder,” said Gasga Perez. “When it comes to OEM specs, it does such a great job at replicating what they do in the factory. You cannot beat it.”
The Car-O-Liner® BenchRack™ frame machine is another essential piece of equipment for Gasga Perez. “It’s a beautiful thing — I use it all the time,” he said. “I’m watching the other brands making their products bigger and wider, while Car-O-Liner® is always going smaller, neater and more ergonomic, like the new BenchRack™ Versa they released this past SEMA.”
Gasga Perez is also enthused about the Car-O-Tronic™ Measuring System. “It allows you to measure cars and repair them to the millimeter. The precision is incredible,” he said. “It can also identify damage that can’t just be seen by the naked eye, and I can share that reporting with clients. It really offers a significant boost in efficiency for our shop.”
The support Premier Auto Body receives from Autotality is outstanding, said Gasga Perez. “Anytime I have a question, I can call Ben York, and he’s very, very good at responding. They’ve never failed us once.”
York echoed Gasga Perez’s enthusiasm. “Juan’s repair techniques, attitude, attention to detail, and social media talents are driving change in the industry,” he said. “And having the highest quality tools and equipment has prepared Premier Auto Body for the ever-changing vehicle market and the pursuit of future OEM certifications.”
For Gasga Perez, this is not so much a story of rags to riches (yet!) as a story about finding your people — the ones who want the same things you want and will help you get there.
In his words, “Working with Car-O-Liner® is the dream for me. I bleed blue.”
Car-O-Liner® North America
800-521-9696
info@car-o-liner.com
car-o-liner.com
LinkedIn: @car-o-liner
To read more auto body shop profiles from the June 2025 Shop and Product Showcase, click here.
