Body Shop Pickle

[1976CamaroGuy]

Local body shop has had my car since last October (six months) and hasn't made any progress on it. I'm unsure if I need to keep waiting or pull the car.

10/9/14

The body shop I had look at my 1971 camaro in the summer called me and said they had room in the shop now. I actually forgot about them and wrote them off. They are about a mile and half from my house so it was pretty convenient. All of the major repair (rust and dents) have been pulled, replaced, or fixed. Body stripped and coat of epoxy primer so they were starting with a clean slate. They quoted me $4500 to block, prep and paint the car cranberry red and black stripes using the stencil kit I provided. The car has been removed of all trim and parts, all they have to do is paint it and give it back to me to reassemble.

10/17/14

Finally found a flat bed to tow my car and I dropped it off at the body shop (tomorrow will be 6 months ago) to get the car blocked, leveled and painted.


12/16/14

Left them alone during the months of October, November, and on the 16th of December (two months later) wife stopped by and they hadn't done anything to it

1/8/15

I called and they said they were blocking it and I went in to check it and they did a little blocking on the hood and told me it needed to be replaced. I got a new hood to them. But they hadn't done anything to the car.

2/12/15

Three weeks after dropping off the new hood, they still hadn't done anything with the car. My wife actually checked on it and they said that they will be starting on it soon, they had two other vehicles to finish.

2/25/15

I stopped in today and no progress. They did look like they cleaned up around the car. I told the guy I was getting ready for it soon and if I needed to pay anything to get started let me know. He said that wasn't needed yet. Up to this point I haven't paid anything.

He assured me he will be getting on it soon, but they told us the Friday a week ago they would be into it hot and heavy by now...hence the reason I stopped in was to see if they were working on it. Not the case.

3/11/15

well...it was a nice day yesterday and wife decided to stop in and check on the car since they had the bay doors up. It's been two weeks since the last time I checked on it.

Not good...The hadn't done anything yet. Wife asked him what was the hold up, and he said the two spate snow and ice storms we had in the last few weeks messed everything up. Got them behind.

Which we get that, the roads were not drivable a few days during those times and I wouldn't expect anyone to drive on that crap to work....I didn't.

He told her they were finishing those two cars and will start on mine next week, and assured her that the week after they will be hot and heavy into the car. Which would put it next week 3/23 - 3/27.... But he told us this a month ago.

I'm not really sure what to do, I feel like I need to go get my car and bring it home. But part of me wants this done. But I also know that if they haven't started on it yet then they may not anytime soon.


Am I being unreasonable with it being six months??


I want to show patience, but how much time should I allow? At what point do I need to tell myself that it might be a bad idea dealing with this shop, get my car and move on? Should I give them a chance and just check the progress the week after?

I want to stop by after work today and see what's going on. I don't really expect anything to be done. But I feel like I need to wait until this Friday to check on it and give them more time to start working on it.

And if they haven't started on it this Friday, go ahead and pick it up next week and tell them thanks but no thanks, I'll find another shop.

Just in a dilemma right now, I just want my car painted lol

But to pull it I have to get a trailer or call the flat bed wrecker again. It's not as easy as it seems. That's why I wanted to wait until next week because I'm not going to be working then.



Pretty sure I know what to do (pull my car) but I need some inspiration or suggestions how to do this tactfully or with less aggravation as possible.

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

bust in there and get it out!

[dhutton]

Take your car back and find another shop. Been there, done that, it will be there another year at least...

Don

[Interceptor5588]

Just show up IN PERSON with a deck or trailer, and triple check to make sure you pick up every last piece. If he wants any $$ have a look at any time sheets for proof of hours before paying a dime. Be nice but firm, and pretend you have somewhere else to take it even if you don't.

[sjaroslo]

Get it out of there. Depressing, yes, but ultimately you will be better off.

[1976CamaroGuy]

Thanks guys for the input...


Ok, stopped by there a second ago. He said he would be starting on it this week. I asked him how long will it take them to finish and he said three weeks. I brought up that the car as already been here six months and if he thinks there is any chance that they won't be able to start on it to let me know because I have been going back and forth whether to pull it and find someone else.

He said he totally understands and said that they have been busy since I dropped it off. I said I get that but this is business and I won't be mad if he tells me they don't have time to work on it...but they need to let me know.

The guy does good work, it's just getting him on it. I said my piece and clarified my intentions with him. I guess the cars not doing me any good even if I pulled it and brought it home. But I will be stopping in next week to check progress, this is the last time. If nothing has been done to it I'm calling the tow truck to get it.

[TheJDMan]

It is sad that this storyline keeps coming up time and time again. I wish I had a good answer. I don't have a problem with a shop taking a long time on a job provided they are straight up with me and don't make bogus excuses. I don't think I would wait much longer to pull it.

[1976CamaroGuy]

Yeah I was pretty firm and told him that I'm good with next week and will pull it if there's no real progress from this point on. I've also took a mental picture of what they are currently working on and whats sitting out front too.

[1976CamaroGuy]

Bad thing is I have new everything to put this car back together scattered in several rooms waiting to be installed. I'll be a kid in a candy store because everything was bought and paid for over the course of several years. Just gotta get the car home to do it lol

[TheJDMan]

It might help to take pictures of the car and make sure he knows you are documenting the progress.

[1976CamaroGuy]

definitely, I wanted to take pics for my car show album anyways. He painted my corvette at another shop back in 2005 and I dropped in and took pics along the way. Took him only a month to do that one.

[minendrews68]

Dennis,
If you decide to go get your car don't pay another hauler bill, give me a call and we'll load it on my flat bed trailer. I've used it to haul my Camaro, besides its free.

[Auto Rod Technologies]

I try to stay out of these conversations because I have a shop, but I don't understand why a shop would want it taking up space if they have no intention to work on it.

[1976CamaroGuy]

Dennis,
If you decide to go get your car don't pay another hauler bill, give me a call and we'll load it on my flat bed trailer. I've used it to haul my Camaro, besides its free.

Hey Carl,

Thanks for the offer, I'll def keep that in mind.

[1976CamaroGuy]

I try to stay out of these conversations because I have a shop, but I don't understand why a shop would want it taking up space if they have no intention to work on it.

Not sure,

I really think that they got in over their head on jobs. But from I have seen sitting on their lot it looks like they are doing repairs for a car lot somewhere. That's what it looks like. I think at the time they may not have had anything going on when they called me.

[dhutton]

You have now set the stage for him to put in a few days on your car to get you pregnant. Then he will push your car to the side and it will sit for months. Been there, done that....

Don

[KWIKND]

Get your car and run.
They are taking advantage of you.
Remember they called you.
Four years later I got sub-par work from a builder who had the same excuses as you are getting I just wanted it to be over.
Good luck
Dan

[1965gp]

Your in a bad spot because now if they do work on it and you are not happy they are going to claim you 'rushed them'

I had to do this with my friends shop once- I just said that I needed a realistic timeline of when they thought they could do the work. I told them I was willing to let them make the schedule but I needed them to stick to it. The car they have now I told them in December I would like it to be painted by April. Looks like they are on track to hit that goal.

I think you are in for a disappointment. Like others said- a lot of shops will take the car apart and now you 'owe' them for labor or you let them finish. I understand it is hard for a mainstream shop to make $$ on classic cars but they called you to use the car for fill in work. Some collision work that paid better came in and they pushed you to the side.

If it were me I would sit down with them and ask them to put together a schedule, then confirm it in an e-mail to them (per our conversation I just want to confirm our schedule...) so you have a record of that. Remind them that you admired their work and were willing to pay their asking price 6 months ago. If the price changes walk immediately. If they can't put together a schedule walk as well. Sometimes these shops operate on a loudest customer first basis and that may be the issue

[Motown 454]

Sometimes these shops operate on a loudest customer first basis and that may be the issue

This last sentence is oh so true!

[BMR Sales]

Welcome to Paint Prison!

I've been down this road a few times (there is a Thread I did on this subject about a year ago). The last time it took the guy 8 Months to do a job that he quoted me 6 weeks. He had painted other cars for me on time. The cars came out Great. The Painter before that had a car of mine 3 & 1/2 Years when I was quoted 6 months - granted I knew he could never do it in 36 months and then he had a Heart Attack. In the end, the car was beautiful. Another Painter had a car for 3 Years before I bailed on the entire project.

This is how I see your situation. He called you and told you he had a spot. That does not mean he was going to start right away, but he was storing the car for you until he got ready. Next, you haven't given him a Deposit - I don't know any shop that is going to start on a car without one. The other thing that concerns me (& maybe your painter) is that someone did the work on this previously. Painters don't like do go over somebody else's work because in the end they own the Paint Job. He has painted another car for you (at another shop) that you were happy with - does he own the new shop? I might give a little more time, but if the effort isn't there, pull it. If you decide to pull it, the cost to get a flat bed or trailer rental is the least of your worries