Solar168

Did anyone have any experience with a body shop in the past? Do you have any suggestions? Especially you guys who have Solar Yellow color. I need a body shop who pursues perfection. Let me know.

Goldark

Hello again!

http://www.customcarsunlimited.com/

Has my vote.
Also, please stay away from Bodywerks!

ceboyd

Erich's Lehigh Auto Body in Niles, IL on Touhy Avenue. Ask for Carol Himmel.

My family has been going to them with various cars over the past 27 years.

DIrEctQL

You had problems with Body Werks too?

2Lexos

why am i the only one that hasn't had problems with larry? probably cause i paid cash

DIrEctQL

You and Mack are the only ones I know that had a good experience with Body Werks. I think when people recommend Body Werks I have never been there and never gotten serviced by them. They couldn't fix my bumper ... and it's still not fixed. I'm trying to decide wether complain to insurance and go somewhere else to fix my bumper or go back to Body Werks. 3rd time I came back there they got closer. I am just afraid that if I go there the 4th time, there might be 5th. For #$@ sake, it's only a rear bumper!

Chris

Goldark

Couple of my friends had their cars there for LONG periods, and sometimes the work quality wasn't what they paid for.

jimxo

Boyce Body Works 1240 Nagel Blvd Batavia, IL60510 630-879-9575 ask for Ken (owner) tell him CL sent you.

They do Lexus/Toyota Corp cars They recently painted the bumper on my RX300

Came out perfect

ls400/500sl

Is Body Werks a different place than Boyce's Body Werks in Batava, IL?

Care to elaborate what needed fixing and how they failed?

97 LS400 Coach
Moonstone
33K miles

2Lexos

damn, how do you only have 33k on your LS ? i have 98K on mine

DIrEctQL

Body Werks and Boyce's Body Werks are two different places as far as I know. Body Werks is in Skokie while the other one is in Batavia.

Sometime in March, a lady slammed into my car while it was parked. She damaged the rear bumper, rear driver-side lamp, and parts of the quarter panel. I heard some good things (not really, just they were all over the import car shows and Mack and Alex took their cars there) about Body Werks in Skokie so I told the insurance I want to go there.

Initially everything went smooth; they did an estimate and took my car on Monday. What had to be done was obvious: new rear bumper, new driver side rear light, and some other stuff need bending back and repainting. They told me it will be a few days and I can pick up the car on Friday. I called in on Thursday and they said it's not ready so sometime next week. I kept on calling in and they kept on extending the time. So finally I picked it up on the next Friday. It took them two weeks!

A day after the pickup I noticed few things. The bumper on one side didn't match the color of the rest of the car. I got a "rear light out" indicator on my dash, so there was something wrong with one of the lights. After some time I noticed that the license plate lights were not coming on and a broken connector was floating around the spare tire area. Then some of the carpeting in the trunk was all messed up; the plastic stoppers that keep it in place were missing. Some things were not painted correctly or not painted at all.

So I called it in and they said bring it back ... fine, I did. They checked out everything and made another appointment. So I took the car in again, they fixed most things. Upon pickup, I noticed the rear light out indicator on the dash was still on. While the license plate lights were working something else must be still wrong. Also the owner Larry noticed something on the bumper and said it's nothing big. It looked like something got stuck to the bumper.

He also told me that the guy who is normally buffing the cars is not there and that is the reason for a bad buffing job. Few days later I was cleaning the car and got to see what kind of bad buffing job it is closer. There is white film all over the place, including the windows and every little crack possible. Further more, that little thing that got stuck to the bumper was actually a huge and deep scratch.

I don't understand why I am receiving a special treatment at the place. I am pretty upset with their job. I am considering calling the insurance and complaining so perhaps they'll allow me to pick another place that will do a better job and fix all the things (lights) that Body Werks couldn't. Other wise I will have to go there again.

Now, I should also mention that when I turned my car in second time I gave them a list of all the things that were wrong. I failed to mention there is an indicator on the dash that lights up when there is something wrong with rear lights. They fixed the license plate lights because that's what I listed; however it wasn't my job to list these things in the first place and they should have fixed everything first time I went there.

(Mad) Chris

PS. There is also a piece of paper sticking out from the bottom of the bumper. It seems like a label of some sort that hasn't been removed. Around that area it seems like the very edge of the bumper wasn't painted because that paper/label was in the way. Quality job indeed.

ls400/500sl

What a relief as our LS400 is at Boyce's Body Werks in Batavia for major front end repair. Mother who had jet lag ran into the back end of a parked Honda Accord. When looking around long and hard for a Lexus certified body shop, Naperville Lexus steered me towards Boyce's. I had previously toured Westmont Collision's (McGrath Lexus affiliated) and saw a number of high end cars - BMW, MB and Lexus and although they appeared to be capable, the shop seemed cluttered (parts and cars) and dusty. What impressed me with Boyce's are: (1) making damages sustained in transit to brand new yet untitled cars disappear (2) staff was knowledgeable and friendly (3) damaged areas had trim taken off and were masked (4) shop was clean and organized almost like a showcase body shop and (5) I was patiently shown several vehicles in various stages of restoration.

I insisted and was assured that OEM parts be installed. They agreed and indicated that OEMs were easier to acquire than third party anyway. I have been welcomed and statused on my weekly visits to check on progress. Get this - they even covered (special paper) areas where panels have been removed.

BTW, front end collapsed to front end caps - engine and frame was spared. Grill, bumper, condenser, radiator, left fender, hood will be replaced. Due to impact, air bags deployed and delicate liquid filled motor mounts gave and have been replaced. None of the head or marker lights cracked or shattered. Front windshield also to be replaced.

I realize we are only halfway there - hoping that painted areas indistinguishable, installed parts are rattle-free and electronics fully functional and reliable. She drove like a dream and we want her back as she was.

If interested, I can keep the group apprised. If you wish to backchannel, email me.

97 LS400 Coach edition
Moonstone
33k miles

DIrEctQL

Tyler recommended Boyce's Body Werks in Batavia to Jim. Based on Jim's good experience I will try to see if I could go there insted of Body Werks.

Chris

ls400/500sl

Chris,
Ever make it out to Boyce's? Impressions?

97 LS400 Moonstone
Coach Edition
33K miles

DIrEctQL

Not yet, but this week I will.

Chris