Body shop dilemma

Cdnone1 · 08-19-2010, 01:10 PM

I'm looking for opinions here or maybe someone has had some experience with this.
Lets say that your Porsche is damaged in an accident that is not your fault. The other party pays for the repair work and you are covered for a rental car while the shop has your car.
You take the car to a very well respected shop that gives a life time warranty on their work. You did not haggle with the shop on the time it would take and the insurance company paid what they asked.
You are not completely thrilled with the work when you pick up the car but you need it back and it's good enough.
The owner of the shop states when you point some things out that "you didn't pay for a concours paint job" even though you just drove the car in and asked that it be repaired.
Now there is one thing that is driving you crazy and want it fixed.
If the shop owner agrees to fix it (and this has not been discussed yet) who covers the rental car?
Should you have to pay out of your pocket for an additional cost that you would not have incurred if the job was done correctly?
Should the shop agree to expedite the work or at least not take the car and leave it in the shop for days before they start it?
It seems odd that you would have to pay for a rental car, plus be out the use of your car and have to wait when the cause is the fault of the shop not preforming the job correctly the first time.
Thanks
Steve

Oh Haha · 04:04 PM

Tough call, for sure.I hit a deer with the 911 a couple of months ago so this is very timely.

IMO,
Once you took possession and signed off on the work after the initial accident, THAT claim is done. You should have said something at that time and refused to accept the car until it was fixed correctly.

If you cannot work something out with the shop to repair the flaw I would contact your insurance agent. He/she MAY be able to get them to do it.

If you have rental coverage you should be able to get a loaner FOC with the "new" claim.

You may even want to contact your state's insurance regulatory division and ask what you can/should do.

bell · bell's Garage

In ohio when my 911 was smashed I had a rental, the repair extended past 2 months, after the first 6 weeks I was told I had to turn in the rental, after some discussion as to the legnth of time for the repair it came down to "if" the car is not finished being repaired then they will pay, but needs to be "filed" by the repair facility......basically the shop needs to contact whoever is paying and tell them it's not done and get your rental period extended.....however he will get charged for it in most cases, cutting into his profit.
if you didn't sign off on your car then technically it's not done.......
Personally I would try to leave the shop out of it, and deal directly with the insurance company.....this is all based on what exactly wasn't done correctly or as the insurance companies call it "pre-accident condition".......

Jagshund · 08-19-2010, 03:59 PM

I agree with Wayne. Once you picked up the car, you were saying that the deal was done. Asking them to fix something that's bothering you after the fact shouldn't cost them extra- they would probably have extended the rental had you mentioned it during the final inspection, though.

911Freak · 08-19-2010, 04:07 PM

My experience with the same exact situation happened like this:

I called the insurance company, told them the work was sub-par and I needed to return the car to the body shop. They looked at my coverage and because I had not met or exceeded my rental car coverage they simply re-opened the claim and when i returned the car to the shop I picked up my rental car. The shop resolved the issue and in about a week had my car back.

The Ins guy told me this is happening a lot, he mentioned the newer water based paints being the main culprit...

Hope it works out for you Steve!

Zeke · 08-19-2010, 05:15 PM

This isn't your father's world. Be happy to get half of what you want w/o a major fight. Got my car back a month ago. It was so dirty inside and out and in the engine bay that I cleaned part of the mess and put it away so as to not have to look at it.

I blame the at fault driver's ins co (Allstate) for all of this. They pay very little no matter where you take your car. I half expected the shop to say come get it, we can't work for that money. Instead, they just whipped it out (after it sat for a week and a half) and rolled it filthy to the parking lot.

"Come get it."

KevinP73 · 08-19-2010, 05:43 PM

I think I'd discuss it with the shop owner before posting something on a public forum. Especially if there is a chance the shop owner might see the thread.
(with that being said) Perhaps you have business out of town and the car can be repaired while you're away. Or how about an upcomming vacation where you're gone for a couple days. If all else fails Jason's solution is not at all uncommon and probably a very good non-confrontational approach.
Good Luck whatever you decide. Don't be afraid to call me at the shop if there is anytyhing I can do to help.

Cdnone1 · 08-20-2010, 11:00 AM

Thanks Jason
We met at the engine drop for FXEditor didn't we?
I didn't need to run it through my insurance at all. The guy that hit me handled it and there is no way I am going to open up that can of worms again.
I was just wondering if anyone has ever had a shop pick up the cost of the second rental car to make the first work right
Steve

911Freak · 08-20-2010, 11:12 AM

Yeah that was me at Michaels engine drop.

Maybe check with Kevin for insight into working with the shop owner?

Best of luck with this Steve, I know how frustrating these situations can be, I still have a similar situation unresolved with a dealership and the wife's car.

Jason

john70t · 08-20-2010, 11:14 AM

In today's world, the employee could sit atop and dump on it....as long as the shop and the insurance company are in agreement: "We decided to repaint it in the cheaper water-based brown colors."

Zeke · 08-20-2010, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by john70t

In today's world, the employee could sit atop and dump on it....as long as the shop and the insurance company are in agreement: "We decided to repaint it in the cheaper water-based brown colors."

Maybe you don't understand that Euro spec solvent base coat is outlawed in CA. The clear coat has been water borne for a long time now. No way is a vintage car originally painted in synthetic single stage enamel going to ever look right to those in the know here in CA.

Mismatches and a completely different look to the new paint is the norm here now. I can see 2-stage from 100 feet.