Car Was Damaged at Repair Shop

[INeedSomeHelp]

Hello everyone,

I am a professional detailer and long time lurker of the site, but never felt compelled to post anything, until now.

I own a black 3 series, I use it as my daily driver/work car when possible ie:no latters are needer or anything large. I keep the car clean and waxed but never felt a huge urge to do any corrective work, between work and life I always kept pushing it back and back until this Spring when I spent 3 days doing a full correction. I was happy with the result.

About a month ago I was driving to a client's house when a long time customer of mine called me. Being a law abiding citizen I pulled into a gas station and returned his call. I parked behind a Jeep on the side along the self-serve vacuums. Anyways the Jeep ended up backing into me, nothing severe just the front bumper needed to be re-painted. After going through their insurance I finally settle on a body shop I am confident in and my car was scheduled to be dropped off last Tuesday.

I drop it off, get a call back on Friday saying that it is ready. I go pick it up and quickly look it over as it was drizzling a little and I just wanted to get out of there. Once I get home I pull in the garage and begin to look it over and...OH MY GOD.

For starters, my car has retractable headlight washers, they hide behind a little rectangular body parts that sit on the front bumper, those were never painted, proof:

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=36241&stc=1&d=1438479949

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=36242&stc=1&d=1438479949

Also the front bumper had the usual stone chips, as I inspected closer the stone chips are still visible, it looks as if they just painted over them and used no body filler. Unfortunately I could not get a good picture of them, but they are definitely visible.

This alone was bad, but then I looked at the rest of the car, apparently they wash every car after the work is done and well here is a small sample of pictures I took with my phone...

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=36243&stc=1&d=1438479949

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=36244&stc=1&d=1438479949
This may not seem bad, but look at the top of the picture, near the bigger middle cloud, those swirls are WITHOUT direct sunlight or the flash of a camera.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=36245&stc=1&d=1438479949

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=36246&stc=1&d=1438479949

The entire car was covered in deep swirls and scratches. I was fuming, still am, so I went back the body shop and asked to speak to the manager. Unfortunately he was not there and wont be back until Monday. Since then my car has been sitting in my garage, waiting.

I assume they will re-do the bumper for me, so I am not worried about that. But for the rest of the car, ideally I would like them to pay my rate for me to completely re-do my car, or have them pay another detailer in my area to do the work (I am not as keen on this idea, as I have slight trust issues). If we cannot come to an agreement, I will take them to court, but I am hoping that won't be the case.

Here is where I need some help/advise...

1. Has anyone else experienced something similar to this?
2. Any suggestions for me?
3. What are my options?

Thank you in advance, any help at all will be welcomed and I hope you all had a better weekend than I did!

[RFrommann]

the rock chips- were existing damage to the bumper before the jeep hit your bumper. their insurance is only paying for the damage that was caused from the accident.

you would've had to offer to pay out of pocket for them to fill in rock chips.


also, good luck fighting them for the swirls, unless you have proof they were not there before hand.

the likely hood of them paying you to detail your car, very slim. they'll most likely offer you a free detail, or something of the like.

[conman1395]

The body shop washed and ruined my car too. Put tire shine over my tire coating too.... Never understood why they would have thought they needed it.

Unfortunately for you the actual paint job seems to be poor too.

I have no suggestions, sorry.

At least you get to practice polishing again.

[oldmodman]

It's too late now but I always suggest the following.

Print up a nice big print form telling the body shop not to wash or polish ANY of your car after the repairs are completed.

Take the manager out to your car (in the sunlight) and take a picture of him right next to the car. Tell him this is to provide proof that your car's finish is swirl free and that the only damage to the paint is the work you are hiring them to repair.

Use a real camera with a good lens and something approaching decent resolution. Not a cell phone.

Tape a copy of the signed form to the steering wheel, the center of the windshield, and both of the outside front seat windows.

Overkill? Take a look at the amount of repair shop butchery that has been complained about on the pages of Autogeek.

[FUNX650]

It's sickening that this had to happen. MERCY!!

However, saying that:
"at least it happened while at a Body Shop"...

would be like saying:

"Yea you got sick...but at least it happened
while you were at the Hospital". MRSA!!


Good Luck in your pursuit of a remedy to your liking.


Bob