A general discussion, paint and body jail/prison.

[roadman5312]

Well first off, like many of you, I don't paint or do body work. We have to rely on a professional , check references, come to a price, make a deposit and hope for the best. Well, I, like many of you did that. And 6 months later it still is not painted. Now there has been one escuse after another    can't get good help, have to do these dealer cars to pay the rent     It seems to be a pattern with these body shops.  So it puts you between a rock and hard place, you get mad , go and give an ultimatim, everybody gets pissed, he already spent your money, now what happens     I am really beside myself on this. I recommended this shop after the first shop failed and I paid all that money back to the car owner, now I in the same boat again.
Rant over, just had to vent.  Very frustrating.  Have a great weekend. 

[blown motor]

Dealer cars to pay the rent? Doesn't the money you give him pay the rent also. Have you asked him if he's ever heard of the Better Business Bureau?   

[js29no]

dealer work are you kidding me! i could under insurance work. faster easier and by the book, restoration work is more involved things you don't  expect. i use them for fill in jobs, if this guy is living on dealer work i don't think i would trust a shop that specializes in stuff and buffs.  some kind of bondo expert. 

[BIGSHCLUNK]

I know plenty of dealers (my BIGest customers are car lots) generally speaking they are the cheapest bastards of them all. Sounds like the needle on the crappolla meter is rising to me. 

[Finoke]

I learned my lesson. The last car I had painted went to MAACO. They did an incredible base coat clear coat in a week. I had everything primed and blocked. All chrome and bumpers and such removed. Much cheaper than a resto shop and almost as nice for about a third of the price. 

Maybe I got lucky with my local MAACO? 

Body shop drama takes the fun out of the hobby 

[1 Wild R/T]

Body shop drama takes the fun out of the hobby 

Amen.... As much as I like my old cars I hate dealing with bodyshops.... And unfortunately I kinda particular about body & paint.... I've got two cars with finished body work that I've been trying to get paint on for years... But every painter I've talked with seems to have watched so much unreality TV that they think pulling a car into their booth that needs only to be sprayed must be worth 5K+ & thats with me supplying the materials.....   Typically body shop rate here in my area.. $72 pr hr.... So pulling the trigger takes 70ish hours?    Then why have I never seen a car spend more than two days in the booth & usually it's more like 5-6 hours...   Crooks..

[RusTy/SE]

Well first off, like many of you, I don't paint or do body work. We have to rely on a professional , check references, come to a price, make a deposit and hope for the best. Well, I, like many of you did that.

And 6 months later it still is not painted. Now there has been one excuse after another    can't get good help, have to do these dealer cars to pay the rent     It seems to be a pattern with these body shops.  So it puts you between a rock and hard place, you get mad , go and give an ultimatum, everybody gets pissed, he already spent your money, now what happens    

I am really beside myself on this. I recommended this shop after the first shop failed and I paid all that money back to the car owner, now I in the same boat again.
Rant over, just had to vent.  Very frustrating.  Have a great weekend. 

roadman5312, Is this your car or a customer's car?

[anlauto]

As many know I out-source body and paint as well. My primary shop has painted 16 cars for me over the past 18 years or so with most of them in the last five-six years. They are a high-end collision shop with over 35 employees and have turned out as many as 75 cars a month...
They only take my classic cars as filler work....Mine can sit for weeks, even months with nothing happening, then they could have six guys on it for two days....who knows....
I never ask a time frame, nor do I ever bug them...I work around their time frame. I've had some cars there, in and out in 11 weeks and some 11 months....Most average 3-4 months. Price has gone up over the years but a complete body/paint job with NO metal work cost $12K on average.

I have another shop to use if you want over-the-top show quality, but their prices start at $15K, again NO metal work.

In this area  of Ontario, paint and body work is very expensive.

[Bullitt-]

CRAP like this is exactly why mine will sit till I have time to do it myself... MONEY up front is BS..no business worth is salt would require that IMO.

Are you familiar with member here wagesofsin? He's in the Tampa area & does body work & I believe it's his son that runs a body shop that sprays for him.
Might get his take on your situation .. I see he has an email here still  http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?action=profile;u=20258

Pictures of a rust bucket he did http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=93662.msg922425#msg922425

[750-h2]

Lately I have found that " over the top" body job prices have significantly increased in price. My recent findings show that "high end Resto shops" with NO to minimal metal work, to make a car "laser" straight with perfect body gaps everywhere, undercarriage painted gray with body color blow in, car then disassembled again to paint and then reassembled, then heavily wet sanded and buffed, will cost between $35,000 to $50,000+.  Keep in mind these prices are quoted if you bring them a stripped out body shell, a complete car will be significantly more.. I know it sounds crazy but that is what these shops are charging in Ontario and they have a a waiting list to get in. 

[anlauto]

Yup...I definitely agree with you, and I think I know the restoration shops in Ontario you're referring to...

[roadman5312]

Do these high dollar shops get the car finished in a timely fashion. ?  That is our problem, 6 months. We did not argue on price, had seen previous work, all looked good. Then it goes in, some gets done, then we see him working like crazy on other cars.    Its like some shops do just enough each week to make it look like something has been accomplished. But what happens is many shops won't turn down the $100 to $500 quick jobs. They know they got you on the hook and there is really nothing you can do.   

[anlauto]

Yup....That's how it works....I would never pay up front.

I would give them a car, at the end of every two weeks, they prove what they've done and they get paid that amount....Don't buy into this "money for supplies" BS either...if they can't afford to front the money for sand paper...move on...

[roadman5312]

Yup....That's how it works....I would never pay up front.

I would give them a car, at the end of every two weeks, they prove what they've done and they get paid that amount....Don't buy into this "money for supplies" BS either...if they can't afford to front the money for sand paper...move on...

                          No, don't get me wrong, we did not pay up front. We paid a deposit (normal business procedure), then things got moving, paid some more, maybe a little to much. But he is nowhere fully paid. After the color was approved we paid for the supplies ( sealer, primer and paint) and that stuff is not cheap. Then its one excuse after another. I know it's going to get done eventually, and it's going to be beautiful. I mean he does good work. Just a bad business man. On a brighter note the Tim shipped the Hemi today  and the dash is due in soon so I'm gearing up to get some work done.     Thanks for your input guys, very frustrating. 

[blown motor]

Sounds like you need to use some anti-frustrating fluid.