Quote from: RAT900 on January 26, 2013, 12:17:33 PM
Your CarFax report is going to suck in perpetuity

unless you plan to drive the thing into the ground over the years

and park it at a junkyard when it gives up the ghost

We are going to try to sue the owner of the van who hit my car. Not sure how you can calculate a depreciation value for this. My wife is an attorney. She has some friends who deal with these kinds of cases so its no going to cost me much to try. Turned out the van was insured after all.
I was planning on driving it into the ground. I drive 30k + a year at a minimum so I was hoping to get 5 years out of it. Its not going to be worth much in 3 years anyway but life changes and what if I wanted or needed something different.

Quote from: mookieo2 on January 26, 2013, 01:09:10 PM
We are going to try to sue the owner of the van who hit my car. Not sure how you can calculate a depreciation value for this. My wife is an attorney. She has some friends who deal with these kinds of cases so its no going to cost me much to try. Turned out the van was insured after all.
I was planning on driving it into the ground. I drive 30k + a year at a minimum so I was hoping to get 5 years out of it. Its not going to be worth much in 3 years anyway but life changes and what if I wanted or needed something different.

Keep me posted on this.  I ain't no lawyer (paging ducatiz), but I think what you are looking for is collecting would be called "diminished value", the value lost no matter how good the repair is.  This could be quite a precedent.

Quote from: mookieo2 on January 26, 2013, 07:17:56 AM
Well I just went to pick up my car finally. Needless to say I didn't take it home. As soon as I walked in I saw a small dent in the quarter above the tail light and could see sanding marks in it. So they have to repaint it. Overall the major part of the body work looks good they just missed that small one. I'm not sure how as I saw it as soon as I walked in. I didn't get to see the car in the sunlight because it was inside the garage but to me it looks like the base coat has more of a texture to it than the factory paint. I can tell the difference. The shop told me that it'll never be like factory and theirs looks better because the clear is smoother. Shouldn't they try to match the factory orange peel then?

I have had three cars repaired by the shop by me and every time we picked it up the car was looking better than when we bought it new. I am not a painter but I'm thinking if they color sand it it would look closer to factory.

You can't sand base coat and then clear. You'd have to apply more color then clear. Base coat is typically applied smooth without texture. Sometimes, with difficult to match metallics you might need to apply color a little dry to change the metallic presence.

Did they blend into adjacent panels to match the color/appearance of the factory job?

As far as matching orange peel...that can be tough. There are techniques to deal with that though.

[Rant] Went back to the shop today to check on the car because I was told it was finished. At first look I see scratches in the trunk. The guy decided to paint the trunk because I told him he should blend it in better. I was Irate. Then I notice how the paint by the wheel arch is thicker and the paint looks flatter. I walk into the shop and tell the owner what a poor job they did and how it is unacceptable especially being the second time I have been there to see a finished product. I then see and find out that they don't even have a paint booth. I mentioned it to the owner and he got very angry with me. His main guy says to see if they can compound the scratches out. You can clearly see that its in the base coat due to poor prep work. Again he also told me that the factory paint is not that good and it will never match up. I told them not to touch anything and I am going to come with the insurance inspector to go over the car. I asked if I could just pay them for the work they did minus the paintwork so I could bring it somewhere to get done properly. The owner yells at me and says he's been in business for 30 years.

How can you not have a paint booth in this day and age?
How can you expect to do quality work sanding and painting in the same area?


Knowing that they didn't change the quarter panel but are still charging the $2000 for parts and labor I was thinking about hanging it over his head and threatening him with insurance fraud So that I can get the car painted by a competent shop. I do not trust them nor believe that it is possible for them to complete the job required.

Does that seem like a wise move?

I have had a few cars with major damage repaired by my local shop and all times the car was given back to us better than new. Detailed in and out like you wouldn't believe. I told the shop owner that is what I am accustomed to and that is what I expect or he is not getting a dime.

[/end rant]

Is this shop an 'approved shop' on your companies list?

When the Accident happened and I called them to get it towed. I asked if they have any recommended shops to bring it to. They told me no I just have to pick a place. Now when i called and told them the situation they told me their not one of the preferred shops, they already issued payment, and there is nothing they can do. I asked if they can send the adjuster back to go over everything and they gave me the same answer.

I think I just have to try to get this guy to release me the car for partial payment and bring it somewhere competent. I think the only thing I have is to be able to threaten him with insurance fraud.

If NY has an insurance commission you might get them involved, both with your company and the shop. If you asked about approved/preferred shops and weren't informed about the consequences of your choice the commission might be able to help you.

Give me a call.

Quote from: howie on February 02, 2013, 11:21:40 AM
Give me a call.

Pm me your # Howie.

Hopefully some good news. My wife had to call the insurance company because I got nowhere with them. Lucky for me she is an attorney. She played the lawyer card and within 5 minutes got them to agree to tow the car at their cost to one of their pro shops and cover any other repairs. They will be handling what is going to be paid to the current shop.

Its pays to have a good women by your side.

Nice...

I dislike insurance companies.

Quote from: ducpainter on February 02, 2013, 04:40:21 PM
Nice...

I dislike insurance companies.

I don't blame you. I think they are only paying $45 an hour for labor. I couldn't believe they were paying that little. For a good shop that is probably half the going rate if not more.

Quote from: mookieo2 on February 02, 2013, 04:59:39 PM
I don't blame you. I think they are only paying $45 an hour for labor. I couldn't believe they were paying that little. For a good shop that is probably half the going rate if not more.

That's pretty standard industry wide.

It makes the shops steal in order to stay in business.

They are one of the many reasons I got out of the auto body business.

Quote from: mookieo2 on February 02, 2013, 04:31:43 PM
Hopefully some good news. My wife had to call the insurance company because I got nowhere with them. Lucky for me she is an attorney. She played the lawyer card and within 5 minutes got them to agree to tow the car at their cost to one of their pro shops and cover any other repairs. They will be handling what is going to be paid to the current shop.

Its pays to have a good women by your side.

Who is the insurance company?

Quote from: mookieo2 on February 02, 2013, 04:31:43 PM
~~~SNIP~~~

Its pays to have a good lawyer in your pocket.

Fixed it for ya.