Lying Car Body Shop

[Ro_Laren]

Help- I need advice re a lying body shop that did paint work on my car

I dropped off my car at a body shop to get the car repainted and showed the Owner all the dings on my car (including an area on the back bumper where a chain scratched my car when it was previously towed). So I paid to have my car painted and it was supposed to be sanded beforehand.

My car was supposed to be done on Wednesday or Thursday and the shop never called me. I called today and the Owner said it was done. I showed up at the shop and find my car, which wasn't even washed and still had white crap and dust on it. I looked at the back bumper and the chain mark was still there except it had been painted over. And the same nicks on my front bumper were there. My father was with me and we asked why they didn't sand the car. The Owner said they did sand the car, but that it was only "sanded for adhesion." If he was to remove all of the dings and nicks then it would have cost $150 per panel.

Now he said he'll fix the back bumper for free, but I have to wait until 3 or 4 today. This guy is full of it!! "Sand for Adhesion?" What the crap is that? The dings on my front bumper were minimal.... really just chipped paint.

What would you do if you were me?

 

[Ro_Laren]

By the way, here is a pic of one of the scratches on my car:

It is about 1/4 of an inch and when I looked at the car at the shop is was just painted over. It was still raised, but now had silver paint over it. If the car was sanded, that should have come out, right? The shop painted over a rust spot....

 

[DanCPA]

he likely assumed he could get away with it

at the very least he isn't fighting you on the payment for the repair of the bumper

 

[msbae]

Demand he fix it right without any additional charges or you'll file suit.

After this is all over, make a complaint to the local BBB.

 

[John Picard]

Demand he fix it right without any additional charges or you'll file suit.

After this is all over, make a complaint to the local BBB.

Oh sure. Threaten with a lawsuit

He obviously is blowing you off. Be firm and be clear. Get everything in writing and if he doesn't follow through it is then that you consider whether or not a small claims action is viable.

 

[the Dagman]

A few questions:

What state was the work done?
Was the shop part of a chain, or a privately owned shop?
Did the work order you signed when you dropped off the car say it was to be sanded?

No shop gives a shit if you report them to the BBB. Most consumers do not bother to check with them, and they have no authority to make the shop rectify the problem.

If you live in California, we have the Bureau of Automotive Repair that you can file a complaint with. They can actually strip a shop of their business license if they have repeated reports of incidents that you describe and it fails to correct. When I worked in an auto repair shop, this was the authority most shop owners were reluctant to cross. The shop saying it costs an additional $150 per panel after the fact is a jack, and it is illegal in California. Shops have to clearly state costs upfront, say what the price is for, and you have to sign showing you agree to the planned repairs.

If the shop is part of a chain, then there are likely superiors you can complain to. They are more than likely to instruct the shop to fix it right, if they expect to remain in business for the long term.

If none of that applies or gets you anywhere, you can always contact a consumer reporter for a local television station. Particularly if you have a work order saying the car was to be sanded in combination of the photo you took which clearly shows it wasn't. No shop wants the local station doing a story saying they do shoddy work and does nothing to correct it. And local stations just love to show a bad auto repair story in most cases, particularly those that have a visual element they can easily show on camera.

And if all that fails, you can always sue them.

And no, I wouldn't stand for this either. It sounds like those dings and nicks are the reason you wanted the paint job in the first place. You didn't get what you thought you were buying. Pitch a bitch and make a loud stink if you have to. Make sure their other customers know.

 

[backstept]

sanding for adhesion gives the sanded areas a rough texture, and increases the surface area for the new layer to stick to

I don't know the whole situation, but it seems to me that you didn't adequately explain what you wanted done to the car . . . the bodyshop guy can't read minds . . .

who knows? I may be assuming too much

 

[DanCPA]

check what work was promised in your written estimate and hold him to it

 

[Meredith]

Better get Maaco!!!

Or a MACO to hold this guy up to do the job right!

 

[John Picard]

Better get Maaco!!!

Or a MACO to hold this guy up to do the job right!

MAACO is the Wal Mart of the paint and body world.

 

[DanCPA]

MAACO is the Wal Mart of the paint and body world.

Hey, I use their services from time to time
They have various services, from inexpensive to luxury paint jobs. You get what you pay for. Just like you can buy a nice HD tv at Wal-Mart, you can buy a shitty little tv at Wal-Mart
Same for Maaco...