guruuno

Back at the beginning of April this year (2024), I backed into a concrete pillar in the supermarket in a rainstorm.
I took the car with the passenger side 1/4 panel damaged and bumper scraped to my PDR guy (Paintless Dent Removal).
He suggested the affiliated body shop he works at do a replacement of the damaged panel.
Upon completion, I did not accept the paint match (Triple Stage White Pearl), and I had the Ray Catena-affiliated body shop re-do the paint match which also did not match.
I brought the car to a high-end body shop that also does exotic car repairs and they are telling me that the 1st body shop may not have correctly performed the repairs other than the paint match (to be found out specifically what is not done correctly this week).
So the 1st body shop charged around $6,200, and the 2nd shop I do not have what they charged the insurance company to redo the paint mismatch but will estimate it to be say $4,000.
So $10,000 in insurance repairs and now the 3rd body shop indicates that the car repair to correct the deficiencies may well cause the car to be totaled.
The car is flawlessly maintained, with no dings, dents, scrapes, etc., and about 40,000 miles.
Pictures attached.
Is this the new normal today, that a simple 1/4 panel replacement can cause the vehicle to be totaled?
Obviously, without specific information as to what has been discovered as to the deficiencies other than the paint mismatch, I'll venture to guess that body shop #3 wants to correct possible welds, and safety items and most likely wants to repaint the entire car.
ACV is about $38,000, does all of this seem to be whacked out or just the way it is?
Quite frankly, for $38,000 I'd keep the car until it rots with a paint mismatch as it cannot be replaced for $38k.
Comments?

Original damage

New 1/4 panel

They painted the back door to "blend", miserable match

1st body shop finished job, drivers side, no previous damage, bumper paint mismatch

1st body shop finished job, damaged side repaired, bumper paint mismatch

2nd body shop damaged side mismatch

2nd body shop finished mis-match damaged side of car

The drivers side, bumper does not match to existing paint, 2nd body shop attempt

Rarebird1

That's pretty wild. I just received a rear bumper cover from paintedoemparts.com and it matches my 2021 Caviar perfectly and they've never even seen the rest of my vehicle. Something like they match up your vin to the exact manufacture date and can do an environmental adjustment. Pretty crazy 2 different body shops had your vehicle and still couldn't get it right. Those prices sound crazy too. That's their game though, overcharging insurance companies.
That bottom picture is crazy looking. I can't believe that was a second attempt

GS4_Fiend

iTrader: (22)

The color white is nearly impossible to match 100%. Even the best technician out there can only do 90% match at max.

coolbrazz

These new paint colors i've read is a 3 paint process. Some colors are harder to match than others, eminent white is difficult to match also.
Never heard of an insurance company totaling a car because of a paint job. Another option is to trade it in for a 2024 like I did my 2020 RX350. Got a good deal, and my 2020 RX. It stayed on the lot for only 3 days before it sold.

guruuno

Unfortunately, full report forthcoming: not welded properly, not undercoated inner fender, adhesives used instead of OEM procedures to repair areas where mandated by welding, cracking of areas repaired, rusting beginning, no electronics removed before welding, foam filler bumper filler duct taped to frame (hence new rattle), no recalibration of safety system (can't remember the term, but not done), right rear corner sensor mounted incorrectly, hence a safety concern (could have caused an accident), etc, etc. 4 pages of incorrectly done repairs by "Insurance Company Authorized Repair Shop", forthcoming. So if I said, "OK, just paint the bumper to match better, and someone bought the car and got killed because of the defects.....then?
Regardless, I am upset and concerned that there is no oversight on repair shops. Yet, the insurance company pays them for shoddy work and only gets involved in this situation. It's not only about the paint mismatch, it is about the diminished value of the car now that the body shop ruined it making it a total loss.
We shall see.

jcg0324

This could be grounds for a lawsuit.

Rarebird1

Good thing they messed up the paint job

hfahmy

It is almost impossible to match this paint, especially between metal and plastic surfaces. I would let the insurance company total it and buy it back from them. Will be a great deal!

99rx

iTrader: (6)

I'm in the collision industry. Majority of shops you walk into will have some sort of informative advertisement on the wall letting you know how difficult it is to match bumpers to their adjacent panels. They're two different materials and hold the paint/color in different ways. Your match is what I would expect to see, especially from a 3 stage.

Did the entire job go through insurance from day 1? Did you use one of your insurance company's preferred shops?

guruuno

Day 1 shop, preferred insurance partner.
2nd do over, preferred insurance partner.
--------------------------------------------------------Post Repair Inspection Report

Vehicle: 2020 Lexus RX450h AWD
VIN: 2T2XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Mileage: 44,227
Owner: XXXXXXXXXXXXX
Insurance Company: New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance (NJM) Claim Number: XXXXXXXXXXXX

Date of Loss: April 3, 2024 Client Concern: Color Match

Repair Shops Involved:

1. First Direct Repair Program Shop (DRP): Park Auto Body, Inc., 15 Stefanic Ave, Elmwood Park, NJ 07407 (Original collision repair)
   
2. Second Direct Repair Program Shop (DRP): Quality Auto Body, 811 New Brunswick Ave, Rahway, NJ 07065 (Corrective refinish)
   

Post-Repair Inspection Findings by: J**** M*****

Ultimate Collision Repair. 1115 US HWY 1 Edison, NJ 08837: 732-494-1900

On June 18th Mr XXXXXX brought his vehicle to our location, reason being he was unhappy with the original repairs completed in April 2024 by NJM PCC shop Park Auto Body Inc. and subsequent corrective repairs completed by NJM PCC shop Quality Auto Body. Mr. XXXXXXX pointed out poor color match and improper panel fit caused by these repairs and explained what he had been through with this repair and corrective action taken. Upon our first visual inspection with Mr. XXXXXX present, we did notice the same cosmetic issues as stated, however there were more serious indicators of an improper repair. It was at this time Mr. XXXXXXX was advised we would need to perform a proper post repair inspection to determine the extent of improper and unsafe repairs. Appointment made to leave vehicle with us on July 17th 2024.

Results inspection by Ultimate Collision Repair: Park Auto Body Inc.:

1. Failure to perform ADAS calibrations. “Not Performed”
   
2. Deviation from OEM repair procedures. Reengineer from OEM procedures
   
3. Mismatched body color. Original customer complaint
   
4. Failure to inspect blind spot radar alignment specifications; out of spec reading 0.1
   
   - 0.5 & 88.6 to 85.8 degrees “out of alignment specifications, Improper repair
   
5. Incorrect product used for corrosion protection on 1/8 of the Right quarter panel,
   
   specifically on the inner right quarter, right outer wheelhouse, outer & inner floor panels. 1k product applied, required a 2k product for corrosion protection; no body wax or undercoating applied. Improper repair
   

1. Poor seam sealing on right quarter jamb to tailgate, same issues on the quarter to rear body panel and outer wheelhouse. Visibly different from side to side (factory vs repaired)
   
2. Right quarter panel has two seam splits and openings: (1) tail lamp pocket (2) quarter jamb to tailgate. Improper repair Unsafe repair
   
3. Failure to perform three required butt welds; shop substituted with backing plates, deviating from OEM repair procedures Improper repair Unsafe repair
   
4. All three backing plates rusting with no corrosion protection, Improper repair Unsafe repair
   
5. Deviation from OEM repair procedures on the right quarter panel, 30 missing plug & resistance welds, substituted with panel bond. Improper repair Unsafe repair
   
6. OEM procedures require 26 plug welds on the right quarter panel 20 performed; 6
   
   required in location - 8 performed, 8 required - 12 performed, and the remainder were panel bonded without welds. Deviating from OEM repair procedures “Improper Repair” Unsafe repair
   
7. Dallas-area couple awarded $42 million after shoddy repair traps them in fiery crash (dallasnews.com) Todd Tracy on John Eagle Collision Center Lawsuit: ‘There Are Consequences to Faulty Repairs’ (bodyshopbusiness.com)
   
   The Anatomy of a Lawsuit: The Crucial Details of the $42 Million Dollar Verdict – Society of Collision Repair Specialists (scrs.com)
   
   North Texas Couple Awarded $42 Million in Lawsuit that Could Spark Changes in Collision Repair Industry – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth (nbcdfw.com) Couple Awarded $42 Million for Crash Injuries After Body Shop Glues on Replacement Roof (thedrive.com)
   
   Todd Tracy on John Eagle Collision Center Lawsuit: ‘There Are Consequences to Faulty Repairs’ (bodyshopbusiness.com)
   
8. Right wheel over-torqued with no specifications used. “Specs Not Performed”
   
9. Failure to replace four required plastic retainers on the right quarter, instead
   
   painted over with body color. "Substandard”
   
10. Right side tail lamp retainer clip required replacement with rubber seal;
    
    substituted with dumb-dumb. "Substandard”
    
11. Paint imperfections on right quarter jambs, including dirt nibs, overspray, dry patches,
    
    heavy orange peel, and uneven application. "Substandard”
    
12. Rear bumper covered in dirt nibs and heavy orange peel, dry, with clear plastic
    
    protectors painted over. "Substandard”
    
13. Rear bumper paint mils thickness:15.1 mils on the right side in front of the blind
    
    spot radar unit, 7.1 on the left side, excessive mil reading for blind spot radar
    
14. Paint manufacture recommends achieving the best performance, total film build
    
    after refinishing shouldn’t not exceed 14 mils for warranty
    

1. The maximum paint thickness on a rear Lexus bumper for the blind spot radar to function correctly can vary, but generally, automotive manufacturers, including Lexus, recommend a paint thickness of no more than 300 microns (approximately 12 mils) for the radar sensors to operate optimally. Exceeding this thickness may interfere with the radar signal, reducing its effectiveness or causing false readings.
   
2. Rear bumper color does not match rear parking sensors; bumper sprayed with incorrect color variant. "Substandard”
   
3. Rear bumper absorber duct-taped” to reinforcement. "Substandard”
   
4. Rear bumper inner cover tape for blind spot radar damaged “requiring
   
   replacement, Not performed”
   
5. Warrantable paint mill thicknesses max 14 mils reading from vehicle range from
   
   11.5 to 24.9 mills double max warranty allowance 14 mils. “Improper Repair”
   
6. RT Qrt gap to Rt rear door top 3.0 mills lower 3.5 mils Lt Qrt to Lt rear door even
   
   3.5 mils “Improper Repair”
   
7. Park Auto Body scanned vehicles with an aftermarket scan tool Snap-On Solus.
   
   Quality Auto body scanned vehicle with an aftermarket scan tool Autel. Neither scan tool is accepted by Toyota & have limited access into vehicles gateway, limiting ability to properly diagnose, see or clear DTC codes “Improper Repair”
   
8. Failure to perform an in-process scan; no DTC stored codes cleared prior to calibration and final post-scan. “Not Performed”
   
9. ADAS Calibration not performed by either shop, there is no documentation, photos or reports verifying ADAS has been performed, targets setup, alignment, steering angle sensor. Pre-alignment - alignment out of specification” Not Performed”
   
10. Destructive test weld/s, panel bond adhesive test, both required & verify prior to start of quarter panel installation & confirmed. “Not Performed”
    
11. Battery & High Voltage disconnect or required procedures. “Not Performed”
    
12. Lexus safety precautions repair procedures. All electrical components that include
    
    side impact sensors C-pillar, Rt rear seat belt, Curtain air bag, etc as per OEM
    
    repair procedures “Not Performed”
    
13. Post Repair Inspections stated all repairs were acceptable as per reports provided to
    
    XXXXX, XXXX XXXXX@njm.com Please confirm inspections, methods,
    
    inspector qualifications, level of training, current position & employer of inspectors
    
14. 2 Post Repair InspecIons stated all repairs were acceptable as per reports provided to XXXXXX, XXXXX XXXXXX@njm.com “Report never provided”
    

34. Repair procedures requested from insurance company from both DRP repair facili/es “Not provided”

Required ADAS Operations:

1. Blind Spot Radar (ADAS listed on corrective repair estimate):
o Static Calibration (Blind Spot Monitor Sensor Adjustment) “Not performed”? o Inspection (Visually Inspect Installation Area for Damage) “Not performed” o Check Installation Angle (Blind Spot Monitor Sensor Installation Condition

Inspection) “Not performed” 2. Parking Sensors - Rear:

o Check Installation Angle (Sensor Height and Alignment Inspection) “Not performed”

o Static Calibration (Registration) “Not performed” Required Steering Operation:

1. Steering Angle Sensor:
o Driven Initialization (Correct Steering Angle Neutral Point – Turn Steering Wheel

Lock to Lock) “Not performed”
o Driven Initialization (Steering Sensor Zero Point Driven Calibration) “Not

performed”

Required Safety Operations:

1. Seatbelt System:
o Dynamic Function Test (Running Test) “Not performed” o Required when the vehicle is involved in a collision

2. Vehicle Electronics:
o Pre- and Post-Scan Required (Health Check Diagnostic Scans) “Inadequate” o Required when the vehicle is involved in a collision
o In-progress Scan “Not performed”

Required Operational Operations:

1. Back Door Unlock:
o Initialization (Power Door Lock Control System: Initialization) “Not performed” o Required when the battery is installed or repaired

2. Power Trunk Lid/Liftgate:
o Initialization (Power Back Door System: Initialization) “Not performed” o Required when the battery is installed or repaired

This report highlights significant deviations from OEM repair procedures and the subsequent failure to perform required calibrations and inspections, resulting in improper and incomplete repairs.