I`ve had my GTO in the body shop now for like over 6 months. It was supposed to be a quick scuff and squirt, but turned into a complete restoration. The problem comes in when the body shop just leaves the car sit untouched for weeks at a time. I know there is alot of work to be done, but it`s never going to get done if no-one works on it. He just keeps moving other projects in front of mine. I`ve tried to be patient, I`ve tried to be polite, I`ve even gone up there and done some of the work myself just to get some more done on it. But whenever I leave, the car sits again. If I push him too hard, he just says come get the car, he don`t care....but it`s in a million pieces. I`ve told him plenty of times that I have the money to pay him when the job is done, but it makes no difference. Now the jacka** is telling me he needs an additional 2 grand for paint and primer....wtf?? 2 grand for paint?? was I born yesterday?? does it say idiot on my forehead?? (don`t answer that!) After the body shop it still needs to go to an upholstery shop for the vinyl top and headliner. How the heck can I motivate him to get the job done so I might be able to enjoy my goat yet this summer??
Do you have a statement of work or a quote for what he's supposed to be doing?
If you have anything in writing with a company logo or company header on it, you can get a demand letter noterized stating he must comply with his commitment as stated on the quote or you will be forced to forefit and press charges for personal agony, property damage, breach of contract if one was signed or commited to, prolonged inconvenience. I'm sure there is a better list for you to screw him on.
If you don't have any commitment in writing and it's been that long. Call another body shop, have them go with you to pick it up the car and "all the peices". Then tell him you're going to report him to the Better Business bureau and post **** on public forums demeaning his business practices.
Also if you have paid him anything at all, tell him you want a refund or you're going to press charges against him for the inconveniences above. Just be sure when you go pick up your stuff that you photograph the outside of the shop, the shop logo included, then you take photo's of you car in or at the shop. Keep any paperwork you had. You need to have proof that your car was in shop or on the business lot. Also, get the body work assesed and put in writing with a quote of how much it costs to fix and how much time it would take to get it done. This will give you credibility to press charges for prolonged inconvenience.
If you make it perfectly clear to him that you have enough evidence and you know what your doing and how to screw him, he'll get you out of his hair and just fix your car.
sorry to say, this guy read you like a 2nd grade reading book, and is playing you for a sucker. He's just sitting on your car until you're so frustrated that you'll just pay up anything to get it overwith.
Don't pay him an extra dime. ALWAYS GET IT IN WRITING!!!
I have nothing in writing and I have paid him no monies so far. But I have bought and paid for all the repair panels and hood and the sand he used to sandblast. While he was doing the sandblasting he tagged the dash, the inner trim under the rear side window, and the headliner, so now those need to be redone too. I was originally quoted 2 grand to scuff and squirt. I totally realize that it`s turned into more then that. Whoever painted my car white, really wanted it white. They removed everything, even all the windows including the back window and white is everywhere. So to put it back to it`s original blue charcoal everything that was white needs to be redone. He has now just quoted me $4,200.00 to repaint. Which I`d have no problem with, if the job is done correct and the paint is flawless. At the end of this week he`s supposed to call and I`m to take him the 2 grand for paint and primmer. At that time I was thinking I`d pay with a personal check, ask for a written quote at the 42 hundred price and get a reciete of the 2 grand with his bussness letterhead.
I would get receipts for everything. If you give him 2K and he defaults you have no proof and could be out of that money. From reading your post I get you are having serious doubts about this guy. I'd be real leery of giving this guy cash cart blanc without some kind of evidence of work done you paid for. If for any reason it comes down to it with out proof of paid compensation he could stiff you and you are out. Furthermore before going any further I would want a price to complete the job in writing. He could keep upping the price on you, and being the car is in a million pieces, you have no choice but to play ball with him.
IMO with out the body shop guy's knowledge, I would seek some kind of legal advice and keep an atty apprised of the progress of your car with receipts etc. Let him advise you. You could end up being held hostage to your own car the way this is going.
i realise i'm a newby here but i'm also a bondo guy, shopowner,painter,estimator yadayada and all i can add is get together and get where the car is going firmed up and everybody on the same page,if the guy doesn't look you strait in the eye and `handle it' so it can go forward then demand the car back at a definate time and price for tear down and `what's been done'and find somebody that WANTS the job,i'd go back to base one with the guy and go from there,,here's a shortlist on prices of primo paint on a `60 el camino i'm doing for a guy=gallon of TechBase=556.00 per gallon,gallon of the `new' clear with hardener/reducer=320.00,,,,2 grand for the ~topline materials ~from bare metal up with undercoat seam sealer etch primer metal prep etc etc etc,,yeah!,,2 grand is a real price,,building on top of an existing finish should be quite a bit less and all the paint man. have two systems,one for late models the other for `complete's',,,,,,,,,,i can go on and will help if i can but i'd get down there and get the stress level dropping soon there must be some issue that's keeping the car from going forward,,,i apologize if i've come on to strong once again being a new turd but i feel for people who have cars taken `prisoner' by shops there's no reason for it,i've witnessed it it's BS!
my header=`where's this job AT' meaning schedulwise on your shop owners schedule as far as work completed and end time,,,,,,,,,,,,,this thread has already ocupied a small empty(there are many) corner of my head,,all i had to do was go to work and see my GTO under the tarp this morning and i uh,,hey gotta run!! ,,lots to do out there!,,but hey!,keep a smile on,be cordial to the feller and make your move on him to get an answer,,PM me if you'd like and i'll BS about paint products,,,,dennis
This job has disaster written all over it. Go get your car, pack everything up and get it the hell out of there now. I'm telling you, if you let your car stay there, the guy's going to ruin it with a half assed paint job.
There are two types of people in this world. Professionals and amateurs. Pros quote prices in writing, issue production schedules, do everything possible to avoid mistakes, then own up and do the right thing when something happens.
What do amateurs do? Read your first post.
Get your car out of there now and find a professional shop to do the work.
Even though i'd be a pain in the ass to do, i'd gather up all your parts and move on to another body shop. One that appriciates your business.
Quote:
Originally Posted by b_a_betterperson
This job has disaster written all over it. Go get your car, pack everything up and get it the hell out of there now. I'm telling you, if you let your car stay there, the guy's going to ruin it with a half assed paint job.
There are two types of people in this world. Professionals and amateurs. Pros quote prices in writing, issue production schedules, do everything possible to avoid mistakes, then own up and do the right thing when something happens.
What do amateurs do? Read your first post.
Get your car out of there now and find a professional shop to do the work.
Go and get your car, if he wanted your business you would have seen a "good faith" effort on his part.
Now the guy will not return my phone calls. I`ve been calling for three weeks, I`ve left messages everyday for the last week now saying I`m coming up this saturday to pick it up. I`ve also called his local county sheriff department and told them about the ordeal and I`m going to be up there on saturday to retrieve the car. I plan on taking the digital camera in case there is any more damage done to the car I can document it before we load it up. I`ve lined up a local shop to do the paint and he`s thinking 2-3 weeks to get it done.
If a friend of a friend offers to paint your car, be sure to get something in writing!
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He just keeps moving other projects in front of mine. I`ve tried to be patient, I`ve tried to be polite, I`ve even gone up there and done some of the work myself just to get some more done on it. But whenever I leave, the car sits again. If I push him too hard, he just says come get the car, he don`t care....but it`s in a million pieces. I`ve told him plenty of times that I have the money to pay him when the job is done, but it makes no difference. Now the jacka** is telling me he needs an additional 2 grand for paint and primer....wtf?? 2 grand for paint?? was I born yesterday?? does it say idiot on my forehead?? (don`t answer that!) After the body shop it still needs to go to an upholstery shop for the vinyl top and headliner. How the heck can I motivate him to get the job done so I might be able to enjoy my goat yet this summer??
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,,lots to do out there!,,but hey!,keep a smile on,be cordial to the feller and make your move on him to get an answer,,PM me if you'd like and i'll BS about paint products,,,,dennis
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