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octane
05-13-2015, 05:16 PM
so a while back, guy lost control and hit my wife's car and the car next door on a residential street. Insurance recommends a body shop, we get an estimate, I explain to the guy doing the estimate that I am very selective with the quality of the work, I expect no more orange peel than the rest of the car, bumper should be flush with the rest of the panels, the bumper protector is bent, and we expect a new one. Guy is really nice, promises the world, new bumper protector, no orange peel, "from 2 feet you will not see that it's not original"

a couple of months later, they do the job. I pick up the car at night, we can already see that the backup sensor are full of glue, one has a center part that is pushed in/broken, and there are a couple of gouges around the sensors. the next morning I clean the car, and find about 15 nibs on the bumper, couple more tool marks, one of the backup sensor doesn't work anymore, and tons of orange peel everywhere.

I call them to meet with the owner, from the first word I could feel this guy had a very big ego... he saw no orange peel, no gouges, sensor where like that, bumper protector whas curved up because it was like that when it was on the car. I explained to him that we were supposed to get a new bumper protector, and that no the sensor where working before he got the car, and a new bumper should not have gouges in the paint. he blew me off, saying I know nothing and he has 20 years of experience. I told him the estimator promised the world, and this job wasn't cutting it!

the insurance was contacted, they called and he was supposed to redo the job, paint or polish depending on what they feel is needed.

I said that if it was to be polished with an old wool pad on a rotary and put holograms in the paint, not to bother cause I won't be happy. I ordered new backup sensor since he could not source them, a new bumper protector, and dropped off the car when the parts came in....

today I pick up the car, the bumper is not on the car, nobody called to say it was not ready. they freaking buffed it and put in a ton of holograms, he says that's normal in the sun to see, once waxed it won't show. I asked the guy working on the car, if he needed glue to install the backup sensors, he replied that the sensor on the original bumper where all screwed up, the moron that installed them didn't mesure a thing, I'm the moron that installed them I said! right there the tension started rising, I told him that if it's an 8 hour job, they should not try to do it in 4... the guy than starts yealing at me in front of my wife and kid that I was an "rectum" that had nothing better to do and that I was a lowlife... felt like punching the guy.. his boss just told me both his parents are dying of brain cancer, not excuses for his actions at all. my wife was like "both are dying of brain cancer at the same time? heck of a coincidence"

after that I just decided to take the car in the half fixed state and get out of there... no trust and respect left

moral of the story, under promise, over deliver, not the other way around.

tw33k2514
05-13-2015, 06:02 PM
Holy crap man..... that sounds like a nightmare. I would never use a body shop reccommended by insurence though. My brand new car got hit by a teenager texting. And is actually in the shop right now. But it's a shop I've used dozens of times.

I wouldn't let up on that shop you took it to until everything is perfect....

-note 4 powered by T-Mobile

Mike lambert
05-13-2015, 07:49 PM
I would contact the insurance company and request another shop look at it and then call the insurance commissioner in your area. Insurance is supposed to put you back in the condition you were before, no better no worse!

trashmanssd
05-13-2015, 07:59 PM
Yeah ditto on picking your own shop to do the work. I use a shop that an hour away but they do mostly Lexus Mercedes BMW even a lot Porsche Ferrari Maserati work. they are the go to guys for a lot of the high end dealers.

Rayaz
05-13-2015, 08:05 PM
+1

The "preferred" shops used by insurance companies count on business being funneled to them. Since the owner thinks your a rectum, I'd show him just how much by contacting the adjuster. You did what the insurance company told you to do and the shop they sent you to screwed up your car and called you a rectum. Have them inspect it and ask for a different shop to fix it because your not willing to put up with the abuse.

It's quite possible that the adjuster never saw the car after he/she did the estimate. I know my company guarentees my satisfaction with the work for life if I use the preferred shop (I don't anyway).

I've had a few fights with insurance companies over work performed and it was a nightmare. I do not, however, think your a rectum for wanting your car fixed to original condition. Wait, maybe I'm one too?

octane
05-13-2015, 08:58 PM
Thanks for the feedback guys! Makes me feel better. I might actually finish the job myself since it just need a compound and installing the bumper and new sensors... how hard can it be? The insurance will be getting a call and a formal complaint for sure!

Jbirk
05-13-2015, 10:55 PM
I had a similar, bad experience involving a new Infiniti... only it never escalated to name calling. I did, however, sue the Body Shop for not honoring their warranty because I wanted two weeks to report some problem... they said that is too long. I challenged them to explain "two weeks is too long for a lifetime warranty." They never explained a thing... paid me $3700 to have some of their terrible work redone at another facility.

Presuming you are a third-party claimant (i.e. the other party is at fault), be sure to recover inherent diminishment of value, too.

Just hope the at fault party doesn't have GEICO... I can see it is going to be a lengthy court battle.

Don M
05-14-2015, 07:10 AM
Definitely file a FORMAL complaint with the insurance company. Strongly insist (but don't be a *rectum* ;) ) that another body shop *of YOUR choice* look at the car. DO NOT DO ANY OF THE WORK YOURSELF!!!! That will screw you if it goes into a court battle ... they will say that the BS completed the work correctly and YOU messed it up.

Take before pics of the affected areas and look into a personal injury lawyer (the kind that doesn't get paid unless you win) ... just in case, I'm not saying your wife should claim an injury if she's not hurt, but if she is... Anyhow, those lawyers are usually good at their jobs and you might even see a bit of extra cash.

Just a thought

RTexasF
05-14-2015, 07:21 AM
So sorry to hear of this octane. It's way too common that body shops half ass things but being blind to the obvious defects and name calling is well beyond out of line.

I had a similar thing happen to one of our RAV's but upon showing them (body shop) the poor workmanship and paint they squared it away with no grief.

octane
05-14-2015, 08:45 AM
Definitely file a FORMAL complaint with the insurance company. Strongly insist (but don't be a *rectum* ;) ) that another body shop *of YOUR choice* look at the car. DO NOT DO ANY OF THE WORK YOURSELF!!!! That will screw you if it goes into a court battle ... they will say that the BS completed the work correctly and YOU messed it up.

Take before pics of the affected areas and look into a personal injury lawyer (the kind that doesn't get paid unless you win) ... just in case, I'm not saying your wife should claim an injury if she's not hurt, but if she is... Anyhow, those lawyers are usually good at their jobs and you might even see a bit of extra cash.

Just a thought
I'm in Canada, so no lawyers ;-)

octane
05-14-2015, 08:50 AM
So sorry to hear of this octane. It's way too common that body shops half ass things but being blind to the obvious defects and name calling is well beyond out of line.

I had a similar thing happen to one of our RAV's but upon showing them (body shop) the poor workmanship and paint they squared it away with no grief.

the problem with this situation is that I have no trust left with them (after 2 tries to get the job right), didn't want to leave the car there and find new scratches that they would of denied, or giving the guys a chance to go do burn outs with the car... if they are resorting to name calling and all those other lies, who knows were it will stop!

it's when you have problem that you can really see how good a company is...