RANT: Bodyshops suck using a rotary!!!

wifehatescar

wifehatescar

My L5-S1 is killing me!
So, over the past 2 weeks I've had my bumper repainted by one place and my hood by another place (long story, don't ask). Bumper was painted first then hood.

Anyway, everything looks ok except their rotary work!

BUMPER: both corners where the bumper meets the hood and quarter panel are flat down to the plastic

HOOD: one corner of the quarter panel right next to the hood is flat down to the primer. The hood is swirled (normal I guess).

And, there is touch-up paint on my 1 week old brand new bumper---I asked the hood guy if they had touched it up and they said "no". I know the bumper did not have touch-up paint there before they started on the hood. Anyway, I'm not the kind of guy to call him a liar about a small spot. Looks like the rotary dug into the bumper is my guess, it's about 1/2" from the hood edge.


Cliff notes -> :whine :ranton :boohoo :ticked

Good thing I'm not as anal about this car as some other people are......it does have 130k miles on it. That is all.
 
My Accord has 160K on her, if they did that I would be right back in there. No excuse for that IMO.

Hope everything turns out for you!
 
I completely agree. A body shop fixed a ding in my rear quarter panel which meant that the area over the doors were also resprayed. The car was also covered with overspray, so the body shop used a rotary to remove the overspray. The body shop didn't bother to tape up the plastic, chrome or weatherstripping. Instead, they let it rip with a heavy duty compound. The weatherstripping looked like it was 10 years old because it was so chewed up. Not to mention, tons of swirls and holograms. The paint looked like steel wool in direct sun light. Luckily, the body shop screwed up the paint job, so I got the dealer to take the car back (after some convincining).
 
Well, the thing is:
1. It's my only car, can't afford to be without it any longer.
2. Their fix undoubtedly will be touch up paint. I can do that on my own (and probably do a better job)
 
Yeah Body shops suck PERIOD!! (well in most cases) They really dont give a crap about your car. I had to have mine fixed after someone hit the rear. It has gone back twice already and im still fixing all kinds of scratches and stuff all over it!!

Im sorry about your mishap - I hope it all turns out well for you! Good Luck!
 
wifehatescar said:
Well, the thing is:
1. It's my only car, can't afford to be without it any longer.
2. Their fix undoubtedly will be touch up paint. I can do that on my own (and probably do a better job)
Click to expand...
I say GET BENT and B-S too shoddy work from body shops, if it's an Insurance Job contact your adjuster ASAP and have the body shop fix it at their (the body shops) expense -- rental car included !! They did the work, and if it's not right then why should they get paid for it. Of course if it's a friend who did it at a discount price, well than maybe you might have to bite the bullet and live with it.

Just my $0.02 :)
 
Dr Detail is right on, unfortunately today body shops revolve around insurance work. Because of this your car is just another ticket in the queue so at many places they will cut corners. Anyways, I'd make them pay for the loaner while they fix their mistake. There is no way even a shoddy shop should get away with that poor quality work.
 
I have a friend that ...

was a bodyshop worker at one time. When we talk final detailing a car finish I cringe !!! He would wool heavy cut compound a black car and go right to wax !!!

:lmfao
 
This is why I bit the bullet and bought a paint gun. Over the past 6 months I've taught myself body work. I'm far from an expert but my work is better than anything you'd get from a shop. Paint work, like polishing, is all about prep work. I'm in the process of repainting the bottom grey part of my Mustang. All the pieces have been removed from the car, sanded, glazed, sanded again, primed, sanded and a final primer coat and this is all before it's even been painted. A body shop would have just masked the car off and sprayed paint.
 
ncal said:
Dr Detail is right on, unfortunately today body shops revolve around insurance work. Because of this your car is just another ticket in the queue so at many places they will cut corners. Anyways, I'd make them pay for the loaner while they fix their mistake. There is no way even a shoddy shop should get away with that poor quality work.
Click to expand...
With a lot of body shops working on referrals from insurance companies, if you step up and raise a fuss with the insurance co. -- this shop might not be "as busy" ;) I'd bet the cost of a detail that if your adjuster contacts the shop, they will be kissin' your :moon: !!
 
It was actually not insurance work. I can actually live with the issues, just kinda annoying for us car nut's (we all know where each paint chip is on our car, don't we;)). The crazy part is they wreck their own paint work with the buffing.
The one shop gave a good price and the other was referred to me.
 
I think that bodyshops appeal to the majority of people that want their cars too look good when it comes out of the shop and do not want to have to take it back. If the paint needs to wait to be buffed out, I would prefer to wait instead of having them rotary buff fresh paint.
 
wifehatescar said:
we all know where each paint chip is on our car, don't we;) ...
Click to expand...
We know when a customer gets a new one too :) Guess that's what comes from massaging the entire surface till it's slick, shiney and bursting with color ;)

And, truley sorry to hear that ya got burned from the painter -- chock it up to one of those real life learning experiences :( When you do finish up with the touch-up, please post some before and afters :)
 
wifehatescar said:
I can actually live with the issues, just kinda annoying for us car nut's (we all know where each paint chip is on our car, don't we;)).
Click to expand...

No offense intended here but if you really are a "car nut" you won't accept these results no matter how many miles are on it. :(
 
THE FUN CONTINUES

I don't know how I didn't notice yesterday but looks to be clear coat overspray across the entire bottom of the bumper! I can see where their tape was from masking the car off, there is a clean line between the rough areas and the clean, smooth areas. I'm taking my car back today, they are going to try some laquor thinner on it to take off the overspray. Hope that works.

I will have them touch up the corner they polished (more like sanded) down too far.
 
Yeah mine had some very faint overspray on the other side and on my taillights! I played with that for a while and i finally got rid of it!
 
Wow......

they used kitchen towel to rub :bigscream on the thinner without cleaning the surface of any dust (as I expected)

The thinner didn't work so they decided to pull out the old rotary, a wool pad :doh and some Wizards (where's the shudder smilie when I need it?)

I reluctantly let him at it for 5 minutes (again wheeling it without cleaning the dust off), then told him nicely I'd polish it out myself the rest of the way.
They were very nice about it but I didn't bother to explain to him how many detailing rules he broke in 10 minutes time.
 
My brother in law was trading in his Beemer so my father in law took it to a body shop to get detailed. I offered to do it but he said he didnt trust me. This coming from a guy who never stops talking about how great my car always looks. Anyway, the car came back completely hologrammed (sp). I told him "I told you to never take a car to a body shop for a detail".

At that point he asked me if I could fix it and I told him that I didnt think I could.

My bro in law got $1000 less than he should have.

Lesson learned i guess
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top