autogeekonline car wax, car care and auto detailing forum Autogeek on TV
car wax, car care and auto detailing forumAutogeekonline autogeekonline car wax, car care and auto detailing forum HomeForumBlogAutogeek.net StoreDetailing Classes with Mike PhillipsGalleryDetailing How To's
 
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 14
  1. #1
    Junior Member 94BULLITT's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Frederick County, VA
    Posts
    44
    Post Thanks / Like

    Back from the Bodyshop (swirls)

    My Dad bought this truck new in 2013. After he bought it, he had me order him a wash mit, micro fiber cloths, and detailing products from autogeek to use exclusively on this truck. He has only washed the truck a couple of times, I have washed the rest with the exception of a touchless car wash in the winter. I showed him how to wash it, using the 2 bucket method with grit guards. I usually run out of water close to the end, so I use over 10 gallons water for the wash mit. When it is dried sometimes I would use an electric leaf blower, then touch up with a waffle weave micro fiber towel, after I sprayed quick detailer on the paint. If I did not have time for the leaf blower I would use the waffle weave MF towel and quick detailer. It takes a little over an hour to do a proper wash job on it.

    About a year ago, a guy was mowing grass and threw a rock into the door of my Dads truck. It put a dent in the door and a very small chip. The rock hit close to the seam, the strongest part of the door. He decided to no have it fixed, because he could live with the hard to see dent, instead of poor body or paint work. We had also talked about getting a PDR guy to remove the dent and get a touchup kit from autogeek.

    3 weeks ago, a guy let his door hit the left rear door on the truck. He usually parks away from people to avoid this, and the parking lot was not full but this guy had to park beside him. The nice thing was the guy did not tell him he let his door hit my Dad's truck. The dent was lower in the door, but it also scrubbed the clear mid ways up the door. It could be easily seen from far away.

    So after the door hit the truck, he decided to get both sides fixed. He went to a body shop recommended by the insurance company. Before he took it, I told him he was taking his truck to get swirled. So he went to the body shop talked to them and left it. I told him, he left it to get swirled. The truck was done last week and we went in to look at it. They had washed the truck, but it was covered in water spots and pollen. I noticed a scratch on the passenger front door from them reinstalling the belt molding. We could still see the outline of the dent from the door hitting it. The orange peel was also bad, it stood out from the factory paint. We both have a very good eye for this kind of thing. They agreed to fix the high spot in the body work and buff the panels they painted to reduce the orange peel. They were wet sanding the scratch I noticed, and went through the clear. I think I could have got it out with my polisher. So they had to reclear that door. Supposedly the primer was high on the door where we could see the dent so they fixed that and reshot it. We went to pick it up this Wednesday this time the body and paint work was satisfactory. Again the truck was covered in water spots and pollen. The truck was parked in front of the building, and it was somewhat shaded. Everything looked fine. Then we got the truck back home the right side of truck was in direct sun light and I noticed swirls on the RF fender. So then I started looking it over and the thing is covered in swirls, including the panels they just painted. Body shops wash the vehicle to remove sanding dust etc.

    He called the bodyshop Thursday morning and told the guy. We went there in the afternoon to leave it but he then they decided to for him to bring it back Tuesday. While we were there the guy said they could not do much to the panels they painted. They need to wait 30 days. Then he said something about glaze. Now my blood started boiling, but I stayed calm. I let him know in a nice way that I know body shops use glaze to temporarily hide imperfections. I don't think he liked it too well. So we talked some more, then we found out the hood was also buffed because of over spray, not sure how that happened. After looking at the swirls, I do think some are from a dirty buffing pad and others are from a poor washing technique. Then as we talked some more he was talking about compound. So I asked him what compound they used. He said 3M but did not know any specifics. I asked him about the process, would they use the least aggressive compound to remove the swirls. He said they would and their painter has been painting for 23 years and #3 best painter on the east coast. I'm wondering why he was using a dirty buffing pad, then let it out of the shop?

    So now the reason I am here, What would you do? Would you take the truck to them to let them buff or what would you do? I am worried that since they lost their butt on this job, they will jump in with a rough compound and pad and remove way more clear than necessary, and possibly burn through the clear or either my Dad will have issue down the road from the clear being too thin. If he does take it back, and I go with him to drop it, I am going to tell the guy if they are going to use glaze, they are wasting their time and my time. I am also concerned they will pull the truck in the shop and go to buffing. It would need washed, and shouldn't it be clayed prior to buffing?

    This situation really disgusts me because I have been the one that has primarily taken care of this truck since it was new, and now someone else buffs it, and washes it a couple of time and now the paint is a mess. As far as I am concerned the paint on this truck was about perfect.

    Here is a pic of the hood from were I detailed it a while back.




    Here is a shot of the hood now after they buffed it. You need to get on different angles to see it all swirls, but this is a sample.





    Here is the left front door that was freshly painted.

    Roger

  2. #2
    Junior Member North1Star's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2018
    Posts
    40
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: Back from the Bodyshop (swirls)

    Interesting how all the care you have put into this truck can go in one day because of one wrong decision.

    Anyways, regarding your question, I will not let them touch it again under any circumstance, they are obviously not professionals and there is a high possibility that they will cause more problems to the paint

    You better have a professional detailer you trust do the fixing work for you. At the same time, you need to find a way to have the body shop cover the of the detailing job

  3. Likes 94BULLITT liked this post
  4. #3
    Super Member JKDesign's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Location
    Portland, ME
    Posts
    316
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: Back from the Bodyshop (swirls)

    Chiming in as a bodyshop manager here. Unfortunately most people do not understand the pressure that a shop is under or what they actually get paid to do by the insurance companies.

    Please realize that:

    -Your vehicle is not the one and only vehicle they are repairing
    -They do need to touch the vehicle in more than just the area that is damaged- many of the processes that have to take place- mainly masking to protect from over-spray from primer and paint may cause light scratching/love-marks
    -Most insurance companies DO NOT PAY to wet-sand and compound/polish
    -Mistakes happen
    -A shop could be under pressure due to absent employees/technicians due to illness/injury
    -A human being can never reproduce the exact results of a freshly stamped panel and a robotic paint machine
    -Most smaller shops on the east coast (even larger ones) are hurting for technicians- there are not enough new/young technicians coming into the field to replace the ones that are retiring/leaving/etc.
    -along with the point above- in the northeast at least- there is an extraordinarily high spike in volume of accidents due to the weather we have had this winter and we simply cannot keep-up!!!
    -I have been through a couple different shops- and there are just some vehicles that you repair that you can never get right/make a customer happy and you need to cut the cord and send the customer to another shop- no matter what shop I have been at we have experienced both ends of this phenomenon.
    -Insurance companies DO NOT PAY to wrap up a vehicle like a precious gem to protect it through the entire repair process- and sometimes doing so will impede access to/get in the way of the repair
    -So the above statement means once again that the vehicle must be touched outside of the repair area and be cleaned/washed to a degree
    -the shops suppliers may not be able to provide the shop with all the wonderful things that Autogeek may have to offer.

    --------Above all else- please pay attention to the way the shop as a whole reacts to/rights the "wrongs"- please be kind/patient with whoever you are dealing with at the shop.

    As a manager and a former technician (one who's training was actually for high-end restoration/custom fab), I can understand your frustrations- but sometimes it is just completely out of our control- and at the end of the day we have to do what we need to do to keep our lights on and our doors open.

    One way to have prevented the majority of your frustrations would have been to have requested the vehicle not be cleaned and that you will clean it yourself (knowing you will get a filthy/messy/dusty vehicle back), and that you do not want them to do any polishing/paint correction and once again you will do that yourself. Just to reiterate- INSURANCE COMPANIES DO NOT PAY FOR EITHER OF THOSE THINGS! SO THE SHOP IS DOING BOTH THOSE THINGS ON THEIR OWN DIME AS A COMMON COURTESY FOR YOU!!!

  5. Thanks custmsprty, BillE thanked for this post
    Likes custmsprty, dlc95, BillE, TTQ B4U liked this post
  6. #4
    Super Member JKDesign's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Location
    Portland, ME
    Posts
    316
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: Back from the Bodyshop (swirls)

    I can also add that with all the airborne contamination (i.e. dust and other particulates) it is nearly impossible to get paint correction and washing results that you do at home or in a dedicated detail shop.

  7. Likes custmsprty liked this post
  8. #5
    Super Member dlc95's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Rochester Hills, Mi
    Posts
    6,011
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: Back from the Bodyshop (swirls)

    Once the job is done, I take care of the rest myself.

    We has some parking lot damage, where someone hit the bumper of the truck, and it gouged the steel into the rocker panel.

    They fixed it, but in the process, swirled the heck out of the truck. No problem for me to go over it with some polish and a sealant, and call it a day.

    The guys in the shop weren't there to fix the panel/paint, and leave a show car finish.

  9. #6
    Super Member MI Mike's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Mid-Michigan
    Posts
    478
    Post Thanks / Like

    Smile Re: Back from the Bodyshop (swirls)

    [QUOTE=JKDesign;1627921]Chiming in as a bodyshop manager here. Unfortunately most people do not understand the pressure that a shop is under or what they actually get paid to do by the insurance companies.

    Please realize that:

    -Your vehicle is not the one and only vehicle they are repairing.....

    (Reduced to save space)...

    I can feel for the truck owner. When we bring a vehicle in for repair/service we expect a certain level an quality of work. When you agree to do the job, what the insurance company pays does not matter. My vehicle is the most important to me.
    -
    I had this happen to my wife's vehicle. Even had the factory working with dealer. Finally ended taking case to court. With award monies had ind. paint shop complete work. Which they were glad to do. We can't or you do not know how, are excuses. There are other's who are glad to perform work to your satisfaction. FYI Dealership closed awhile ago. Putting alot of people out work.
    Mike !!!
    Mid-Michigan
    Tri-Cities

  10. Thanks 94BULLITT thanked for this post
    Likes Coopers ST liked this post
  11. #7
    Super Member UncleDavy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2017
    Location
    Taunton, MA
    Posts
    1,586
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: Back from the Bodyshop (swirls)

    You have to realize that body shop technicians are not detailers and detailers should not perform any body work. I had some body work done to my beloved truck last year and while they did a great job on the body panels, they made a mess of the clear coat. It was really noticeable in the morning sun and it bugged me for over a year. With the right pads, the right product and the right machine, I was able to do the correction myself and I loved every minute of it. My point is to be happy with the body work but don’t take it back to the body shop for detail work. Try to do the correction yourself. You may actually enjoy it.

  12. Likes PaulMys, TTQ B4U, JKDesign liked this post
  13. #8
    Super Member Farmallluvr's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2018
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    507
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: Back from the Bodyshop (swirls)

    Quote Originally Posted by JKDesign View Post
    Chiming in as a bodyshop manager here. Unfortunately most people do not understand the pressure that a shop is under or what they actually get paid to do by the insurance companies.

    Please realize that:

    -Your vehicle is not the one and only vehicle they are repairing
    -They do need to touch the vehicle in more than just the area that is damaged- many of the processes that have to take place- mainly masking to protect from over-spray from primer and paint may cause light scratching/love-marks
    -Most insurance companies DO NOT PAY to wet-sand and compound/polish
    -Mistakes happen
    -A shop could be under pressure due to absent employees/technicians due to illness/injury
    -A human being can never reproduce the exact results of a freshly stamped panel and a robotic paint machine
    -Most smaller shops on the east coast (even larger ones) are hurting for technicians- there are not enough new/young technicians coming into the field to replace the ones that are retiring/leaving/etc.
    -along with the point above- in the northeast at least- there is an extraordinarily high spike in volume of accidents due to the weather we have had this winter and we simply cannot keep-up!!!
    -I have been through a couple different shops- and there are just some vehicles that you repair that you can never get right/make a customer happy and you need to cut the cord and send the customer to another shop- no matter what shop I have been at we have experienced both ends of this phenomenon.
    -Insurance companies DO NOT PAY to wrap up a vehicle like a precious gem to protect it through the entire repair process- and sometimes doing so will impede access to/get in the way of the repair
    -So the above statement means once again that the vehicle must be touched outside of the repair area and be cleaned/washed to a degree
    -the shops suppliers may not be able to provide the shop with all the wonderful things that Autogeek may have to offer.

    --------Above all else- please pay attention to the way the shop as a whole reacts to/rights the "wrongs"- please be kind/patient with whoever you are dealing with at the shop.

    As a manager and a former technician (one who's training was actually for high-end restoration/custom fab), I can understand your frustrations- but sometimes it is just completely out of our control- and at the end of the day we have to do what we need to do to keep our lights on and our doors open.

    One way to have prevented the majority of your frustrations would have been to have requested the vehicle not be cleaned and that you will clean it yourself (knowing you will get a filthy/messy/dusty vehicle back), and that you do not want them to do any polishing/paint correction and once again you will do that yourself. Just to reiterate- INSURANCE COMPANIES DO NOT PAY FOR EITHER OF THOSE THINGS! SO THE SHOP IS DOING BOTH THOSE THINGS ON THEIR OWN DIME AS A COMMON COURTESY FOR YOU!!!
    It's not just the east coast but everywhere,,,The insurance companies have absolutely ruined the Autobody repair industry and nobody wants to work in a dirty low paying pressure ridden industry,,,or any other blue collar industry it seems
    I also echo everything else you said here too
    “I have trouble with names and faces, but I never forget a car.”

  14. Thanks JKDesign thanked for this post
    Likes JKDesign liked this post
  15. #9
    Super Member joleyred's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Nunica, Mi
    Posts
    270
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: Back from the Bodyshop (swirls)

    This is a really good topic with good comments from both perspectives. I recently had tires put on my truck. I went to the Chevy dealer in Grand Rapids that I have had good luck with. While I was waiting, the service manager came to talk to me. He took me in an office and closed the door, said they had scratched one of the wheels and that luckily they had a new one in their warehouse. The poor guy was almost in tears, I felt bad for him because you could tell he had a lot of weight on his shoulders. I was thankful they didn't just try to cover it up and that's the reason I went there anyway. They lost money on those tires for sure. I don't condone poor work or sloppy, lazy attitudes but I'll bet these places just cringe when someone like us come in because they know there is going to be issues. I'm sure insurance has done to the auto industry that it has done to health care.

    Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

  16. Likes TTQ B4U, 94BULLITT liked this post
  17. #10
    Super Member TTQ B4U's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Central Ohio
    Posts
    5,437
    Post Thanks / Like

    Re: Back from the Bodyshop (swirls)

    Quote Originally Posted by UncleDavy View Post
    You have to realize that body shop technicians are not detailers and detailers should not perform any body work. I had some body work done to my beloved truck last year and while they did a great job on the body panels, they made a mess of the clear coat. It was really noticeable in the morning sun and it bugged me for over a year. With the right pads, the right product and the right machine, I was able to do the correction myself and I loved every minute of it. My point is to be happy with the body work but don’t take it back to the body shop for detail work. Try to do the correction yourself. You may actually enjoy it.
    ^^ this and JKDesign's are comments of the year making this thread golden. Summed up very nicely.

    I agree with them 100% and IMO what's happened here for the OP'er is you have the opportunity to easily correct what you've shown us and likely make that truck look as good if not better than new. I had some paint work done on my last car, and Audi S4, and the same thing happened. I knew it was coming too. The car was 100% flawless but upon getting it back, I first corrected the panels that were sprayed. Of course from the body shop I was initially in horror thinking OMG it's never going to look good but I had faith and sure enough it turned out better than new when I was done. Took about 4-5hrs of my day to completely bring her back to perfection again which kinda stunk but hey, it's life....

    Good luck man!
    2019 Pearl White Accord 2.0T Touring (mine)
    2023
    Snowflake Pearl White CX-30 Turbo Premium Plus(wife)
    2010 Urban Platinum Metallic CRV EX-L & 2014 Mica Black Metallic Toyota Corolla S (kids)

  18. Thanks JKDesign thanked for this post
    Likes UncleDavy, 94BULLITT, JKDesign liked this post
    Dislikes 94BULLITT disliked this post
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. black 2012 kia, back at it again stopping swirls.
    By ascarbo27 in forum Show N' Shine
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 05-01-2016, 07:46 AM
  2. @#$%! All my swirls back in one wipe-down!
    By Emile in forum Auto Detailing 101
    Replies: 38
    Last Post: 08-10-2009, 10:54 PM
  3. JUST got back from the bodyshop!! Need advice...
    By Ohio Detailing in forum Auto Detailing 101
    Replies: 20
    Last Post: 06-08-2008, 11:49 PM
  4. Swirls are back : (
    By pampos in forum Auto Detailing 101
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 03-22-2008, 08:42 PM
  5. Truck Back From Bodyshop
    By trhland in forum Auto Detailing 101
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: 09-09-2007, 05:26 AM

Members who have read this thread: 0

There are no members to list at the moment.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

» March 2024

S M T W T F S
2526272829 1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31 123456