Ever have issues with body shop/mechanic?

BordeauxComet · #1 10-12-2006, 09:23 PM

I imagine most of you have had a problem like this at one point or another.

The short story is my SVX was in the shop getting fixed and repainted, and when I got it back, various electrical things were not working properly or at all. I take it back to have a couple other parts put on and tell him he needs to fix the electrical stuff and I shouldn’t have to pay for it. He says he won’t take responsibility for them.

So they were working before I brought it in, and not working when I got it back. And he says he’s not responsible for fixing them!?

Unfortunately there was no checklist filled out before on what did/didn’t work. I have no physical evidence that they worked before. So now it’s just my word against his. Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do in a situation like this?

Manarius · #2 10-12-2006, 10:27 PM

Small Claims?

DarknessofDeath · #3 10-13-2006, 07:24 AM

kill them all?

PDSides · #4 10-13-2006, 07:53 AM

Nope. You couldn't win in small claims court because you don't have any evidence to show what WAS and what WAS NOT working before the paint shop did their thing. I'd suggest you get a good wiring diagram and set out to rectify the problems yourself. Those you can't solve you need to take to a specialist. Sorry.
Preston

Hocrest · #5 10-13-2006, 08:16 AM

What work was done at the shop, and what isn't working now.

Go back and try to reason with them, mention the fact that if the problems aren't corrected you plan to discuss the matter with the local chamber of commerce/Better Business Bureau. Also that you will be telling this story to all of your friends, and anyone else that ever asks you about a local bodyshop.

If that doesn't work... Brake fluid on all the newly finished cars that come out of his shop for a week or so...

Archer999 · #6 10-13-2006, 09:30 AM

I just put four new tires on and when I went to pick it up, they hand me my keys and a jacked up lug nut. The threads on the stud look a little gummed up to. I feel as though they should have to change that.

So now I have one tire with just 4 lugs on it

Earthworm · #7 10-13-2006, 10:14 AM

I have NEVER had a good experience with a body shop...EVER!

There's always something wrong afterward.

DarknessofDeath · #8 10-13-2006, 10:40 AM

actually i bring my car to mechanics that dont specialize on subarus but generally anything. i watch and/or work on the car as well. because i dont trust them totally - i have to diagnose my car's problems before i bring it in. it's not bad when you can watch what they are doing - i mean to the point that you are right beside them while they work.

as for subaru...i would like to take my car to subaru but all i've heard about subaru mechanics is when an SVX is brought in,"ok, who's turn is it to work on the SVX?" " i did it last time!"
they dont want to work on the car.
***this is NOT all subaru's but i know that this is actually from one, my brother's friend worked at** unfortunately he's gone home to cuba to work for family business....otherwise i think i would have had a hook up. it would have been free labour. which would always be nice.

and the last time i brought my car in to subaru for an alignment, i want to start bringing my car to subaru for mechanical work.
i waited over three hours for my car...about 2 hours in... i walked over to the bay door (the subaru dealership brings cars that need alignment or emissions to a little garage beside the dealership)and watched nobody work on my car which was on the hoist, for 10 minutes, while four guys were looking into the engine of a neon or tercel....something like that...

and the end result was - they couldn't do the alignment

BordeauxComet · #9 10-13-2006, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hocrest

What work was done at the shop, and what isn't working now.

My car was there to get the rear end fixed and have the entire car repainted.
This is the stuff not working after I got it back:
1) Dome light can but turned on/off manually, but doesn’t go off automatically when the doors are shut
2) The drivers side foot-light stays on ALL THE TIME
3) The pass. side foot-light is physically missing
4) The sunroof controls don’t light up
5) Also the pass. Side mirror wasn’t working, but I guess they fixed that because now it is.

I had another place do a diagnosis, and they said I need a new interior light module and some bulbs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archer999

I just put four new tires on and when I went to pick it up, they hand me my keys and a jacked up lug nut. The threads on the stud look a little gummed up to. I feel as though they should have to change that.

So now I have one tire with just 4 lugs on it

Last time I got an alignment, they broke a stud. They fixed the stud, but gave it back to me with only 4 lug nuts. They didn’t pay for a new lug nut either.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Earthworm

I have NEVER had a good experience with a body shop...EVER!
There's always something wrong afterward.

Exactly! Needless to say, I won’t ever go back there. And from now on, if it’s physically possible for me, I will do all the repairs myself.

BordeauxComet · #10 10-13-2006, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarknessofDeath

as for subaru...i would like to take my car to subaru but all i've heard about subaru mechanics is when an SVX is brought in,"ok, who's turn is it to work on the SVX?" " i did it last time!"
they dont want to work on the car.

Last time I brought my car to Subaru, they lady working there asked me if it was some sort of Legacy, because she couldn't find it in the computer. I left soon after...

NikFu S. · #11 10-13-2006, 03:26 PM

I would not use a body shop unless they have a knack for restoring cars and entering them into shows.
Winning is a plus.

When I get repainted and un-dinged the X is going to a customizing shop that specializes in restoration. It would probably even be much cheaper than the $7000 estimate I got from the collision shop I went to to get my rear fixed.

It's Just Eric · #12 10-13-2006, 06:19 PM

Kinda makes me feel good about the one I work at.

If they messed up your electrical stuff that bad (Which theres basicly no way in hell they could have done that if they had a grade schol education) I could only imagine the monstrosity of a crapbox they made of the body work....
And here I ***** that my place does stuff wrong when we use dupont clear instead of glasurit....

SubaRyu · #13 10-13-2006, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BordeauxComet

Last time I brought my car to Subaru, they lady working there asked me if it was some sort of Legacy, because she couldn't find it in the computer. I left soon after...

That's the thing... you have to explain what car it is...at subaru dealership. When I bought mine I had to explain about the SVX to the sales guy...

DarknessofDeath · #14 10-14-2006, 03:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SubaRyu

That's the thing... you have to explain what car it is...at subaru dealership. When I bought mine I had to explain about the SVX to the sales guy...

that reminds me of when i was looking for an svx ...actually both times when i bought one. the first time i bought it at a subaru dealership - i was telling the sales rep the things about the car - he knew nothing, used to work at a toyota dealership...???
the second time i had to test a lot of cars before i picked one up.....even now...over a year i'm still trying to fix the mechanical issues with it...

but...i still had to be give information about the car that they were trying to sell me..
i actually went out to check out a teal after i bought this car - for the hell of it - and i think it was a 94 teal...the guy was telling me that in 94 they had the "better/upgraded" engines. i told him it was the tranny. //correct me if i'm wrong though - i've never heard about any kind of upgraded or better engine on the svx

SubaRyu · #15 10-14-2006, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarknessofDeath

that reminds me of when i was looking for an svx ...actually both times when i bought one. the first time i bought it at a subaru dealership - i was telling the sales rep the things about the car - he knew nothing, used to work at a toyota dealership...???
the second time i had to test a lot of cars before i picked one up.....even now...over a year i'm still trying to fix the mechanical issues with it...

but...i still had to be give information about the car that they were trying to sell me..
i actually went out to check out a teal after i bought this car - for the hell of it - and i think it was a 94 teal...the guy was telling me that in 94 they had the "better/upgraded" engines. i told him it was the tranny. //correct me if i'm wrong though - i've never heard about any kind of upgraded or better engine on the svx

And I always correct people who says it's got V6 engine...