THIS SUCKS! Need opinions, please.

[Black Sun 5.0]

OK, I have to get the pics up, but I just got my '90 GT back from the body shop. Stalker front, Cobra rear, body work, full black paint job. Totally mint, I have to say. So the shop warns me the alternator may have a problem, the battery light is staying on, but the car starts and runs. Start driving home, stop for gas, car won't restart. Call AAA, they talk me into bringing it to their shop, they claim Mustang experience. Get banged on the alternator job, start driving home, the car is starting to run hot. They somehow managed to fry my DCC, but that's the least of my concerns. The real problem: THEY PUT A 4-INCH GOUGE IN THE FRONT OF MY HOOD! I mean, well into the primer, totally ripped the paint. So I call the shop, he says he'll ask the tech about it, who happened to have already left for the day. You know, like the guy is gonna be like, "I DID IT!" So I've been playing phone tag since and have to bring the car back into the body shop for an estimate. How would anyone else out there handle this? Thanks.

 

[Boss 351]

oh ****... I'd burn down the shop that did that (if they deny it).

Get an estimate done and contact the owner of the shop in question to get him to pay for the fix job. Accidents happen

This is why I do all my own work...

 

[Black Sun 5.0]

Well, I'm not a paint guy. Reassembled the car with a friend before letting the body shop do the finishing work , didn't put a single nick in the paint. I won't do paint. So far the repair shop doesn't quite sound so forthcoming about rectifying the matter. They are a AAA shop, should I call AAA before anything else? Not sure if they can do anything.

 

[Boss 351]

yeah maybe that can help, AAA is pretty huge. I hope this gets taken care of man! I know how mad you must feel.

 

[Black Sun 5.0]

You don't even know. Even when the car was stuck, I didn't care. Just sat there looking at the finished product and was totally impressed with how the car came out. Only to have someone rain on my parade a few hours later. They also banged me so hard on the alternator install I could have done myself with no problem.

 

[Hickfied]

Personally, I'd get an estimate, call AAA, and then talk to the shop.

If you can't get it worked out that way, be aggressive (not too aggressive). If that doesn't work, get a lawyer, and take it to small claims court (you may not even need a lawyer for this).

 

[Black Sun 5.0]

No lawyer for small claims, work should be under a grand. It's just the hood, but it's a big gouge.

 

[Black Sun 5.0]

Heh, repair shop guy called me back. Said his guys didn't do it, but said he'd split the repair bill if it's reasonable. Oh boy.

 

[88-378]

did you pay with a credit card? If so, STOP PAYMENT. You'll get their attention and hopefully work it out.

 

[Black Sun 5.0]

I don't think that would be fair, he did finish the work that he was paid for. It's the damage to the paint that's a whole other thing.

 

[Daggar]

LOL @ Finished work.

I don't think so. They damaged the car and are refusing to acknowledge their mistake. Stop payment.

 

[blackened88lx]

LOL @ Finished work.

I don't think so. They damaged the car and are refusing to acknowledge their mistake. Stop payment.

Yep. That sucks ass. Don't take this pay half bs. They damaged the car, they pay, period.

 

[87_stang]

If he came right out and said they will split the costs, he knows he did it. Make them pay. Threaten to take them to court if not. And if they still don't pay you need to take them to court.

 

[glowstang93]

If they did it, make them pay. If they are subcontracted through AAA, contact AAA and see what they are going to do about it. Do not let them get away with only paying 1/2, that is admitting guilt. Any small claims judge will tell you that ( at least thats what People's Court sais, lol).

Don't let them screw you over twice.

 

[1991vert]

take him to judge judy

 

[stykthyn]

Judge Marilyn is so much hotter than judge judy

 

[bloopbloob]

judge judy is evil! she terrifies me! imagine what life was like for her kids!!!!!

 

[Black Sun 5.0]

Well, I ended up contacting AAA and they took a serious interest in my problem, to the point of sounding sympathetic to the issue. The fact that the shop owner offered 50% of the repair up front didn't really help him. This may very well be resolved by week's end, it sounds like the shop may have to bite the bullet. I spoke with my regular mechanic a little while ago, he said he'd just pay up and be done with it. Accidents happen. Keeping my fingers crossed here.

 

[nisreo]

The sqeeky wheel always gets the most grease.. If they guve you any lip, ask for their bosses number... keep working up the ladder until you get what you want. It works.

 

[25thmustang]

Definately don't let it go... I had a similar thing only not as bad as you and I did what I did out of spite for the loser that owned the place.

I took the car in for emissions. The guy had to back the car up onto the machine and he had some issues. I know he had the door open to look, but being on the passenger side of the car and about 50' away I wasn't able to see him actually do what he did. I leave after the test is done and get to a friends shop. Looking out at the car I see a nice dent on the back edge of the door as if it was opened up into something like a table top. The dent had some nice bright blue in the middle as well. I head back there and go in nicely (I wasn't angry, just was going to see what the owner said). I go to the owner and said that I was here about an hour ago and went to a friends where I noticed there was a new dent on my door with some blue paint, and couldn't help but notice some blue machines in his shop. He looks at me and goes, we didnt do it, get the f*** off my property. Needless to say I didn't leave, he called the cops, and I was nice, polite and calm. The owner was yelling about my car being a piece of **** and who cares if its dented. They then had the shop employee recreate the incident by backing the car onto the machine. Well the first try he backed up so far away from the drivers side, he nearly backed it off the side of the machine. The cops didn't let that fly. The next time he drove right by the blue parts washer I knew he hit, and then the owner tried saying, look it doesnt hit anything sitting here, tell this kid to leave. I had the cop open and hold the door and walk with the car as he pulled off slowely, and sure enough right as it got to the washer, the dent lined up with the edge of it, and there was even white paint on the washer (this is where the cop goes... "look a that, he did hit the door on the parts washer, LOL")... The owner started swearing and yelling how this is dumb, and he will give me $50 to buy the Piece of **** car off me. One of the cops took the owner off and told him if he doesn't stop he is going for a ride in the back of the cruiser. The owner stormed inside and the police wrote the report, and told me to have a nice day.

I didn't do anything as I ended up painting the car, but it felt great making the Dbag look like a moron!