World Class Auto Body Offers World Class Treatment

by Katie Agnello

World Class Auto Body has been a staple of New Brunswick since 1986. A second-generation owned and operated collision repair shop, current shop owner and manager, Filip Vukelic is proud of his family’s legacy and hard work.

“We’re a proud longtime New Brunswick business, family owned, mom and pop kind of feel. And I’m the second generation that’s going to take it into the future.”

The shop’s main focus includes collision repairs and dealing with various insurance claims. They also specialize in foreign Japanese and German vehicles. However, that’s not the only thing that makes World Class Auto Body special.

“The customer service and support we offer is our specialty,” Vukelic says. “We make sure to provide our customers with updates and any information they need about the repair process and how things work. It really takes a lot of the stress away from the customer when they get into an accident. What makes us different from other shops is the local and welcoming environment we offer to the customers. We deliver a service and a product that meets the standards of the manufacturers.”

Vukelic believes the business’ commitment to family also plays a huge role in making their business stand out. Not only is the shop a family business in ownership, but it is committed to treating its staff and clientele with the same amount of care and trust as family. “We have a very harmonious approach to any issues or decisions in the shop,” Vukelic explains. “And on the customer side, we try to keep people informed at each step of the repair process. That level of transparency is key, whether it’s shop side or customer side.”

The automotive industry is constantly evolving which means a continuous need to keep training and staying on top of new trends and technologies. World Class Auto Body has worked hard to build a strong reputation and network of education.

“We’ve also developed relationships with dealerships in the surrounding area and with various manufacturers that help us with new business,” adds Vukelic. “And we’re known for staying on top of the newest products and techniques. We’re also working with some of the industry’s estimating software to get us out there a little bit more. We stay up to date with I-CAR on the latest changes in the industry. We go to events like the NORTHEAST® Automotive Services Show. We follow various social media platforms that help us track the overall market. We try to cover the whole macro picture of everything in the industry, bring it down to a micro picture and then work from there.”

One of the newest additions to AASP/NJ, World Class Auto Body’s journey to association membership began at NORTHEAST 2026. “I think the trade shows are extremely helpful to a business, especially in building relationships with people there,” observes Vukelic. “I’m a firm believer that when you do anything in life, you have to have some sort of intention behind it. So going into NORTHEAST 2026, I had certain intentions of meeting with vendors and associations and building up that support in the industry. Having an intention and a goal makes the payoff of those investments and relationships more rewarding to you as a business owner.”

As a second-generation shop owner, Vukelic also has high hopes for growing his family’s business.

“In the next five to 10 years, I would love to expand locations, provide more staff support and keep working with more people in the industry to help that growth be successful.” Vukelic explains. “I think it’s important to be open to change and flexibility, and to approach issues from a neutral standpoint. As someone leading the second generation of a family-owned shop, I think the first generation grew up in a different time. They’ve seen technology shifts throughout the years and adapted well, but in order to continue the next step for a business, you have to have forward-thinking younger people who are willing to come in and make that shift for the business.”

Vukelic’s passion for the automotive industry actually came from stepping away for a time. “I went to business school and worked in corporate finance for about seven years,” he relays. “But it wasn’t cutting it in regard to the ‘reward’ side of things. For me, it was about finding something where you can provide a service in exchange for making a customer happy. And I feel like the automotive industry in general is the perfect platform to do just that.”

He took over the business from his father about five years ago and has found purpose in it ever since. “I’m a firm believer in industries that revolve around service, and I believe that those industries will be around for the long-term future. And I think that the automotive industry fits that belief really well.”

Want more? Check out the May 2026 issue of New Jersey Automotive!