Getting my car from the paint shop !

steven polaski · steven polaski's Garage

I've been patient I've been firm I've been screaming mad ! But the company painting my car drags there feet ( 11 months and counting ) they have finally painted the body but not the hood. doors, bumpers . etc.. I want to drive my car ( it was a complete strip down ) now it sits there for the last month waiting for some one to wet sand and buff the body so I can start on putting the interior back together. I am at the point were I think I should just pull the car out and have someone else finish the project. It probably has only two days of work to paint and assemble the doors and such but every time I go in to the shop they are working on something else . I am sure they are just bringing in new money from new work and I have paid all but $ 750 dollars of a ten thousand dollar rebuild. I don't even care if I pay more. I brought a guy from another garage over as a "friend " he said that there so close if he was to pick it up and finish it he would charge me a $ 1,000 dollars, does this sound the route I should take ? Has anybody been in the same boat ? Please advise.

Thanks

Steven

lateapex911 · 04-16-2006, 02:03 PM

I hope it's not metallic. I'd be worried about a match on panels painted so far apart.

Well, thats under the bridge now, regardless.

Sounds like you paid a very respectable sum, if not top dollar for the job, depending on the scope, and that you are certainly ahead on the payments. Maybe that's the reason they are unmotivated? Who knows....

In any case, I would want someone who was motivated, and who cares, finishing it up.

Seems like a lot of work to go. If you have someone you trust who can do it for a thou, and you "owe" 750, thats only 250 diff...well worth it for peace of mind.

If it's metallic, then I might think twice...it's a gamble that teh new guy will match it...but then it could be a gamble that the current shop can, or cares to as well! If the new guy is confident, and has experience and a good reputation, I might take the chance.

Enough is enough, and daylight is burning.

Might just say that when you go to pick it all up, LOL

steven polaski · steven polaski's Garage

The car is black basf grasuirt or something like that ( very pricey ) and since I paid for the paint I would take it with me. They did a great job so far they just lose intrest so easy I am going there on Monday and just tell them two weeks complete or I will take the car and file a better business complaint. I hate just being a jerk to people even under such circumstances but this kills me when I see the cars coming out with the weather

Emission · Emission's Garage

I don't see how a place can make money keeping one car in their shop for eleven months... you'd think they'd want it out. NOW.

blucille · 04-16-2006, 03:56 PM

wow, now that is the balckest black I've seen...money well spent!

sorry.

the files are too large.

that being said, I'm sure that by taking the job to another shop, you will lose time, money and quality. Why not find a way to inspire these guys to finish the work. Some folks are motivated by money, beer, donuts or additional work. Find out what makes them tick. You'd be much better off paying these guys a bonus if they finish by May 15 than if you pack it up and take it to another shop....or maybe they just want some beer.

-Lewis

lateapex911 · 04-16-2006, 03:56 PM

I can see why you want your car outa there...

Looks like they can't afford to keep the lights on..

gestalt1 · 04-16-2006, 04:04 PM

it amazes me how every bodyshop suffers from the same lack of business sence. my car also has been at the shop for about 8 months. i provided a disassembled shell that was media blasted. there was some rust repair and added reinforcments to add but there were months that went by with nothing going on. i chose this body shop because they weren't as busy as others and seemed to be able to get right on it. i just don't get it, i also don't know what to do.

lateapex911 · 04-16-2006, 04:08 PM

I beg to differ on the donuts and beer method. I would hate to "suck up" like that at this point. Bringing perks along the way is fine, but at this point the shop is just way outa line.

IF the deal going in was a "when we can get to it" kinda thing, fine. And if they needed to replace every panel on the car, AND the parts were backordered for 6 months, then maaaybe.

But I can't imagine going in they told him to come back in a year!

At this point I'd be pissed. I doubt that donuts and beer will do much to get the shop owner motivated, although it will make the help fatter!

But thats just me............

ted · ted's Garage

Most paint/body shops take on full restos to fill in between the bread and butter accident repair.

That said if it's been too long I would gladly deny them my business and pull the car immediately.
You should not feel a hostage to those you employee.
It sounds like you have not overpaid so doing so will not hurt you too much.

Pull it if your buddy will do it for just $250 more.
It will be a good story to share about how you kept control of the project.

Hey when you go to pull it maybe the body shop will feel your concern and get it done.

Brian 162 · 04-16-2006, 05:30 PM

Steven I feel your pain. I took my SC in for a re-paint and colour change in Nov. 2004. A friend of mine owns the shop so I am getting a good price on the job. His insurance work does come first. Things got moving last spring, but a little slow. By November 2005 all the body panels were stripped off the car. I was there last week and was told the roof will be primered and all that is left is to strip the paint from the front trunk area. Hopefully I will get the car back this summer. DE withdrawl is killing me. If I were you I would leave your car where it is main reason being there may be an issue with re-assembly ( if applicable). Here is a recent picture of my car.

Brian

Brian 162 · 04-16-2006, 05:31 PM

I guess I have to figure out how to reduce picture size.

porschenut · 04-16-2006, 08:14 PM

I don't understand this! Why should it take so many months just to do a damn respray?? 11 months and all they've done is paint the chassis? 8 months for another poster?

That is ridiculous. If I brought my car to a shop to be stripped, repainted and reassembled, I would give them 8 weeks and that's being generous. I expect them to make my car a priority and not try to do 5 projects at once. Shop can't accomodate my demands? Find another shop. And if I were running a shop like that, that's how I'd treat my customers. People don't buy cars to have them sit collecting dust and have the seals/gaskets dry out in the corner of somebody's shop who thinks cars that came in after yours take priority.

Bobboloo · Bobboloo's Garage

Steven,

I don't think pulling the car out of there is such a good idea because should a problem arise down the road like paint lifting or whatever you'll find yourself in a situation where the two parties who worked on the car will be pointing fingers at each other with you having no way to pin either party down.

I know this is a tough spot to be in but I would just pester the shop that has your car on a regular basis. You need to become a thorn in their side. Just do it politely as possible so you don't piss them off. Call and ask for progress reports. Ask them what you can do to help. (aside from any extra money)

Good Luck.

Ron.G · 04-17-2006, 05:19 AM

I'd just let them know you are ready to pull it out of there and see if that motivates them.
If not just get it out of there and use the guy who is interested.

I had a similar situation with a engine rebuild. It was not getting done, just sitting around his shop. I took it out of there in boxes and found another rebuilder who was all over it the day I dropped it off.

Good luck!

Ron.G

78-911SC · 04-17-2006, 06:04 AM

For those of us who will get there cars painted can you ask for a contract with a time frame? Not sure if paint shops do that..

nikita76 · 04-17-2006, 06:48 AM

Steve, I agree w/bobboloo. Most good paint/body guys warranty their work. If you pull it to have someone else finish it you have no recourse if something goes wrong with the paint job down the road. The first guy will say...its the way the second guy finished the car. The second guy will say...its the way the car was prepped.
Good luck,
Nikita

steven polaski · steven polaski's Garage

I thank everybody for the input , I am just nuts about this. Being self employed I work my tail off because time is money. I guess that some people don't see it that way.

lateapex911 · 04-17-2006, 08:13 AM

I disagree with the "warrany" aspect.

If shop number 1 takes a year to do something they are being paid handsomely for, how much incentive and time would they need to do "Warranty work"?? I doubt they would "get aroud to it" in a reasonable period of time, and the actual work would likely be rushed.

Second, they have finished up to a certain point. The work can be documented in pictures at the shop, so there is no "He said she said" BS.

Unless these guys are so methodical and sand everything by hand and it's one guy, this shouldn't have taken nearly as long. Enough is enough. Fair is fair.

At best, I would give them a warning: 1 week, everything done. Or it gets pulled at noon on X day in whatever state it's in and the account is closed as it stands now.

Or just yank it now.

Ron.G · 04-17-2006, 08:50 AM

What he said.
If you do develope a paint problem later I dought they would stand behind it anyway. If they did I would plan on not having the car for another 11 months.

You have been MORE than patient with these people.
have they given any reason as to why it has taken this long?

I see a flat bed in your future...

Long Nose · 04-17-2006, 09:19 AM

I just went through the same thing on a house addition - contractor dragging his heels, not getting it done, etc. It is an awful position to be in.

However, I finally made the decision to fire the contractor and get a new one in. I took all the right steps, photo documentation, lawyer discussions, conversation records etc, to make sure I was covered. It was painful at first, what with the confrontation with the old contractor. But now that it's over I know I did the right thing.

I got a new contractor who knew what he was doing. He pointed out and fixed all of the old contractors problems, and the new contractor warrantied all the old contractors work because he went through it and fixed what was wrong. Now I am busy moving into my new house addition that looks great. I would still be pissing and moaning if I kept the old contractor.

Like Dr. Phil says - The best way to predict future behaviour is previous behaviour. If these guys have dicked you around for a year, they will still keep dicking you around, nothing will change, except that you will be loosing valuable time that you could be driving your car. Do it now - get it over with.

Just make sure the guy you hire to fix your problems will fix your problems - don't make the same mistake twice. Pay more, get it done right.