Another Body Shop Horror Story
10-20-02, 09:45 PM
#1
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
Another Body Shop Horror Story
Ok, So it takes them 3 weeks to get my car done, I know it was because they didn't even work on it. I went over there a couple of times and there was no progess. So I tell him after two weeks, I would like the car in one week. The guy said no problem. I picked up the car today, and there was a number of things wrong with the car.
1. They tried to hook the fog lights up to the stock switch and it shorted out my fogs, and my console, so I had no dash lights, no speedo, no tach working.
2. The put and ding, in my right rear passenger door, and they scratched my rear quarter panel.
3. They didn't give me all my stock parts back like the screws, covers, etc. Those of you who have gotten your kit done, has the shop given you EVERYTHING that came off the car back.
4. The broke the tabs off one of the fog lights, so now if I did put the stock bumper on, I wouldnt be able to screw in one of the fog lights.
5. My drivers side inside door panel, seat, and floor mat was covered in grease and dirt.
6. THE WORST ONE OF ALL! There is overspray ALL over the car, windows, rear lights, front lights, the black trim on the doors, the roof, etc. Everything feels rough.
7. They didn't even do a good job in installing the kit. Are you suppose to screw in the side moldings on the top. It looks like crap.
8. The car has trouble starting. Anyone know a solution to this.
This shop was suppose to be a hook up from my friend and he assured me that they do a good job. I am going to take the car back down there, they were closed today, and guy met me at the shop to pick it up. I don't have time to keep driving all the way to the shop. It is like 1 hour away. Damn, I'm so pissed.
The pictures below, the car looks greats, but you can't see all the problems that I mentioned above.
1. They tried to hook the fog lights up to the stock switch and it shorted out my fogs, and my console, so I had no dash lights, no speedo, no tach working.
2. The put and ding, in my right rear passenger door, and they scratched my rear quarter panel.
3. They didn't give me all my stock parts back like the screws, covers, etc. Those of you who have gotten your kit done, has the shop given you EVERYTHING that came off the car back.
4. The broke the tabs off one of the fog lights, so now if I did put the stock bumper on, I wouldnt be able to screw in one of the fog lights.
5. My drivers side inside door panel, seat, and floor mat was covered in grease and dirt.
6. THE WORST ONE OF ALL! There is overspray ALL over the car, windows, rear lights, front lights, the black trim on the doors, the roof, etc. Everything feels rough.
7. They didn't even do a good job in installing the kit. Are you suppose to screw in the side moldings on the top. It looks like crap.
8. The car has trouble starting. Anyone know a solution to this.
This shop was suppose to be a hook up from my friend and he assured me that they do a good job. I am going to take the car back down there, they were closed today, and guy met me at the shop to pick it up. I don't have time to keep driving all the way to the shop. It is like 1 hour away. Damn, I'm so pissed.
The pictures below, the car looks greats, but you can't see all the problems that I mentioned above.
Last edited by mcgong; 10-21-02 at 02:09 AM.
10-20-02, 09:47 PM
#3
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
Heres a pic of the front. The under body parts are just hanging there. They are not attached to the bottom of the front bumper. Is that normal.
Last edited by mcgong; 10-21-02 at 01:11 AM.
10-20-02, 10:04 PM
#5
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Yo Gong, I'll make this quik becuz I gots to watch the Sopranos....
Sorry to hear about this crap happening to you... It makes my BodyShop story look like nothing... I'll take a look at my side skirts and tell you if mine are like that too... Take it easy and do what I did.... Don't pay....
Sorry to hear about this crap happening to you... It makes my BodyShop story look like nothing... I'll take a look at my side skirts and tell you if mine are like that too... Take it easy and do what I did.... Don't pay....
10-21-02, 02:05 AM
#6
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From the pictures it looks great to me mcgong! Regardless of what the pictures show, you say there are problems. I would go back and ***** them out for doing this to your very valuable car. Have them do it right or just don't pay them because they were supposed to accomplish the whole job, not ***** it up.
Best of luck to you bro!
Best of luck to you bro!
10-21-02, 02:17 AM
#7
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Originally posted by mrsypher
Yo Gong, I'll make this quik becuz I gots to watch the Sopranos....
Sorry to hear about this crap happening to you... It makes my BodyShop story look like nothing... I'll take a look at my side skirts and tell you if mine are like that too... Take it easy and do what I did.... Don't pay....
Yo Gong, I'll make this quik becuz I gots to watch the Sopranos....
Sorry to hear about this crap happening to you... It makes my BodyShop story look like nothing... I'll take a look at my side skirts and tell you if mine are like that too... Take it easy and do what I did.... Don't pay....
Last edited by ceoart; 10-21-02 at 02:37 AM.
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10-21-02, 02:21 AM
#8
hey mcgong, sorry to hear about what happened man! That definitely sucks.
Which shop was this? Be sure you get everything straightened out.
Otherwise your car looks great! If you don't mind me asking, is that a real Explosion kit or the imitation kit that ProCarParts sell? Definitely looks nice! How's the fit?
Which shop was this? Be sure you get everything straightened out.
Otherwise your car looks great! If you don't mind me asking, is that a real Explosion kit or the imitation kit that ProCarParts sell? Definitely looks nice! How's the fit?
10-21-02, 04:19 AM
#9
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from looking at pic #2 it looks like the gap between the hood and front bumper is bigger than usual
the area around the lights etc., the kit overall looks great though.How about a shot of the back?
the area around the lights etc., the kit overall looks great though.How about a shot of the back?
10-21-02, 06:49 AM
#10
Lexus Fanatic
Hood Gap - Looks OK...I think it looks bigger cuz the factory bumper has some "bumps" where the screws go by the lights. These bumps are body color (in this case, silver) so it makes it look more "filled in". Most aftermarket kits don't have the bumps. You can easily add them (especially fiberglass)...maybe not a bad idea on light colored cars...on darker cars (especially black), you can't see it anyways.
As for the body shop...
1) The should have to pay for ALL electrical repairs...and they should have to pay a DEALER to have them do it. DO NOT trust them to do it. They OBVIOUSLY can't be trusted in this department.
2) They should have to repair the dig and the scratch.
3) They probably lost all your spare parts...they SHOULD have given you everything back. But in most cases, that stuff will just take up space...all my stuff that I have from the body shop is collecting dust...
4) They should have to buy you a new foglight or at least replace it with a similar condition one...
5) They should pay a detailer to clean the interior. Make sure you get the name and number of the detailer. Don't trust them to "just take care of it"...why? Because they'll probably just try to detail it themselves...
...
6) Overspray is normal at a body shop. You can buy some clay and take it off yourself...not a big deal...but if they have your car detailed, then you should have the detailer clay it for you. They should be painting INSIDE the booth but at MANY shops, they paint outside and that's how you get overspray...heavy fines for painting outside.
7) Side Skirt screws...uh, I would say NO. All the kits I've seen have the screws going in to the side (90 degress from where your screws are). Of course, it is POSSIBLE that this kit needs them there...you can just get some touchup paint and paint the heads the same color...so you won't see them so easily.
8) Did your car have this problem before? (not starting easily)? If not, it's possible that some kind of crap (like bondo dust) go into your car...but the filters should have stopped it all...maybe your airfilter is clogged...
PM with the name the shop (and city)...
Honestly, what they did doesn't sound all too surprising. Most body shops are not very professional. It's not their car and they don't give a ***** about you. Most ricer shops are VERY unprofessional...they have unqualified workers and use crap quality paint, etc., etc...which is understandable since they don't make much money...I mean these ricers are buying $399 body kits, so you can image that they don't have too much cash to get the kit fitted and painted.
Even the dealership and insurance certfied shops can mess up your car like that. It has happened to me and this was a body shop that prides itself of being a "high end" shop... But most of these shops will fix any problems...
Whenever you get your car back from a shop, BEFORE YOU LEAVE the shop, look it over with a FINE TOOTH COMB and write down EVERYTHING you find wrong. Talk to them BEFORE you leave. Go over the list with them and if you can, get them to sign and date the list and let them make a copy....
As for the body shop...
1) The should have to pay for ALL electrical repairs...and they should have to pay a DEALER to have them do it. DO NOT trust them to do it. They OBVIOUSLY can't be trusted in this department.
2) They should have to repair the dig and the scratch.
3) They probably lost all your spare parts...they SHOULD have given you everything back. But in most cases, that stuff will just take up space...all my stuff that I have from the body shop is collecting dust...
4) They should have to buy you a new foglight or at least replace it with a similar condition one...
5) They should pay a detailer to clean the interior. Make sure you get the name and number of the detailer. Don't trust them to "just take care of it"...why? Because they'll probably just try to detail it themselves...
...6) Overspray is normal at a body shop. You can buy some clay and take it off yourself...not a big deal...but if they have your car detailed, then you should have the detailer clay it for you. They should be painting INSIDE the booth but at MANY shops, they paint outside and that's how you get overspray...heavy fines for painting outside.
7) Side Skirt screws...uh, I would say NO. All the kits I've seen have the screws going in to the side (90 degress from where your screws are). Of course, it is POSSIBLE that this kit needs them there...you can just get some touchup paint and paint the heads the same color...so you won't see them so easily.
8) Did your car have this problem before? (not starting easily)? If not, it's possible that some kind of crap (like bondo dust) go into your car...but the filters should have stopped it all...maybe your airfilter is clogged...
PM with the name the shop (and city)...
Honestly, what they did doesn't sound all too surprising. Most body shops are not very professional. It's not their car and they don't give a ***** about you. Most ricer shops are VERY unprofessional...they have unqualified workers and use crap quality paint, etc., etc...which is understandable since they don't make much money...I mean these ricers are buying $399 body kits, so you can image that they don't have too much cash to get the kit fitted and painted.
Even the dealership and insurance certfied shops can mess up your car like that. It has happened to me and this was a body shop that prides itself of being a "high end" shop...
But most of these shops will fix any problems...Whenever you get your car back from a shop, BEFORE YOU LEAVE the shop, look it over with a FINE TOOTH COMB and write down EVERYTHING you find wrong. Talk to them BEFORE you leave. Go over the list with them and if you can, get them to sign and date the list and let them make a copy....
10-21-02, 06:24 PM
#12
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Originally posted by mcgong
Heres a pic of the front. The under body parts are just hanging there. They are not attached to the bottom of the front bumper. Is that normal.
Heres a pic of the front. The under body parts are just hanging there. They are not attached to the bottom of the front bumper. Is that normal.
Let me tell you, that piece of plastic costs $180
10-22-02, 11:22 AM
#13
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
Update,
I took my car back to the shop and told him all the problems, and he agreed to fix everything without question. I stood by my car his guys detailed the car. They clayed the whole car to get rid of the overspray. There are still a couple of spots that need touch up, but they gave a huge bar of clay so I can do it myself. Thats ok, I don't mind that too much cuz they, I wanted to put Zaino back on the car anyways. They agreed to replace all the parts that were missing, or least all the ones I could think of, and replace the broken foglight too. The guy even said to come back whenever and they will give me a free oil change. So I guess in the end, everything worked out ok.
I took my car back to the shop and told him all the problems, and he agreed to fix everything without question. I stood by my car his guys detailed the car. They clayed the whole car to get rid of the overspray. There are still a couple of spots that need touch up, but they gave a huge bar of clay so I can do it myself. Thats ok, I don't mind that too much cuz they, I wanted to put Zaino back on the car anyways. They agreed to replace all the parts that were missing, or least all the ones I could think of, and replace the broken foglight too. The guy even said to come back whenever and they will give me a free oil change. So I guess in the end, everything worked out ok.
10-22-02, 01:37 PM
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Originally posted by ceoart
Many years ago I went to a body shop that did a really bad paint job. Had five big guys who worked for me at the time go with me to the body shop. One of my guys was a boxer and another one was a former Marine. So when I said to the owner who looked like one of the Wrestlers you see on TV "I want my car now and I am not going to pay for the lousy paint job!" The guy said you are not taking your car without paying me or we are going to rumble now! I said next "How would you like me and my boys to bust up your place!" My guys got all around this guy and he backed off and gave me back my car. So don't go there alone or you could be in big trouble. By the way it did not end there. This guy started to call me on the phone and threaten me. But since I am fairly well connected I told a person I know about this guy.
Many years ago I went to a body shop that did a really bad paint job. Had five big guys who worked for me at the time go with me to the body shop. One of my guys was a boxer and another one was a former Marine. So when I said to the owner who looked like one of the Wrestlers you see on TV "I want my car now and I am not going to pay for the lousy paint job!" The guy said you are not taking your car without paying me or we are going to rumble now! I said next "How would you like me and my boys to bust up your place!" My guys got all around this guy and he backed off and gave me back my car. So don't go there alone or you could be in big trouble. By the way it did not end there. This guy started to call me on the phone and threaten me. But since I am fairly well connected I told a person I know about this guy.
