length of time your car was at the body shop?

[bob tilton]

i am looking to find the average time a car spends in the body shop. i need to plan ahead and figure out a timeline. so:

1. time spent at the body shop?
2. what work was completed?
3. how much you did yourself (disassemble, re-assemble)?

thanks for your feedback.
bob
68L

[widebody911]

My 911 spent 3 weeks @ Thom's Body and Paint.

• A weekend for dismemberment
• A week for bodywork and prep
• A weekend for paint - the body on Saturday,bumpers, mirrors, tail, etc on Sunday
• A week for color-sanding
• A weekend for assembly
• Off to the track on Tuesday to put rock chips in it (seriously!)

[kumma]

car was at shop for 11 months for complete strip of the 7 layers of paint and respray in dodge prowler yellow

i completley dismembered the car, it went to the shop with body and suspension and little pieces of front wirning harness. one mistake i didnt have blasted and then resprayed the trunks and the interior.

starting to reassemble 1 year later, been quite busy since then.'
craig

[Joeaksa]

Full respray and color change plus body damage on the right side on my 85 Targa. Was told that it would take one to two months. I had to be out of the country on business for at least three months so it was not a problem.

Returned home for a visit after 5 months and the car was still not completed. The paint had been done but none of the detail work nor reassembly started. Had a "come to Jesus" talk with him and he assured me that it would be done when I came back for good in a month.

Went back to the shop a month later and he wanted me to get a rental car for a week on my nickle to let him finish putting all the bits on the car... he had not touched the car while I had been gone! Told him that I would be back with a tow truck and a sheriff in 24 hours. It was done the next day.... Turns out that he had a substance abuse problem and would not get anything pushed out the door unless he needed money or was pushed into a corner.

Joe

[cstreit]

Full strip and repaint. 3-4 months.

The "insiders" rule of thumb:

Take whatever time estimate the painters give you and triple it. Take the cost estimate and double it.

[pbs911]

6 months for a stip and paint. I was quoted 4-6 weeks. After the 6th month the car was completely painted but not put back together. I did not want to wait any longer. I brought a tow truck and picked up the car and put it back together myself.

[john walker's workshop]

you have to visit them every few days. this keeps them moving. trust me, if you wait for them to call, it's going to take a long time. and don't give them any money up front. that destroys incentive.

[RANDY P]

2 weeks for headlight trim rings.

but then again, it was the dreaded "buddy deal" Never again.

Dent in my door, respray front bumper, fender and hood realign, 7 days. About what I was told. I was happy. But yes, usually you can count on them to be AT LEAST 3 - 5 days behind their guess. And it's just that, a guess.

Judging on what it takes for a repaint, might as well find a new car.

[nick-moss]

My body has been at the bodyshop for 13 months. I completely stripped it, including most of the underseal. It required major rust work at the front end, rockers and various other places.

I am having turbo arches, welded in cage, front bumper mounted oil cooler (require body mods) and GRP front and rear bumpers fitted. Yes a lot of work to do, but welding work is still going on today, even though he promised paint would go on this week.

I visit every couple of days to keep up the pressure.

[widebody911]

Actually, take the time you think it will take, double it, then change to the next greater unit.

ie:

1 weeks -> 2 weeks -> 2 months

For project cost, double it, and add a zero.

[john_colasante]

Never, ever say anything like "No rush, I'm not in a big hurry". That is an instant order to the body shop to turn your car into a planter.

[ZAMIRZ]

Originally posted by cstreit
Full strip and repaint. 3-4 months.

The "insiders" rule of thumb:

Take whatever time estimate the painters give you and triple it. Take the cost estimate and double it.

As a matter of fact, do that for all major work done to your car. Nearly the same thing has happened with my engine rebuild (estimate didn't quite double but the time MORE THAN TRIPLED). 'tis all merry though, she's on a transporter on her way home today from my wrenches in Fontana and I just finished up my last final today (macro-econ's a cool subject, any econ majors with advice on what to do after getting a bachelor's degree PM me) so it's gonna be a fantastic weekend, a merry X-mas and a VERY happy New Year.

later,

amir

[gregk1]

I just traded A 477 inch chevy Big Bock that I had laying around For a complete re paint on my 76S, The guy took alot of the paint off, Did a little fill work hear and there, Then epoxe primerd the whole car,gide coated it,blocked it,and base coat, clear coat, Black about 3-4 weeks I had to take it apart and put it back together, Best part is that I only had about $800 in the motor

[Jgordon]

I got rear-ended in the spring. Had to take off the rear bumper, respray, and replace the bumper guards. In and out in a week. James Auto Works, in Port Jefferson, Long Island. Can't speak highly enough of the work they do. They are the body shop for the only factory authorized Ferrari dealer in Long Island. While my car was there, they were putting back together the F360 Challenge car that seized the engine and went into a wall on speedvision.

Jared

[bob tilton]

thanks for the feedback everyone. it is much appreciated. in my case, i need to have the f/r bumpers and and hood re-sprayed. the po installed some after market bumpers and the hood has a quarter size ding. i may just have the whole car re-sprayed without stripping to bare metal. the paint is decent but the car has some cosmetic blemishes here and there. plus i have some concerns about maching silver. part of what i do for a living is perceive color and it would bug me to have mismatching panels. i'd rather have a all matching low end paint job vs a high end partial matching paint job.

anyway, for those who waited "forever" for the return of your car - was it at an "independant" shop vs a "insurance claims only" shop?

bob

[nick-moss]

My "forever" is an independent, perhaps even "back street" Porsche specialist.