Another quick bodyshop question..LOTUS AUTOBODY.

[Mkhun]

I'm currently having issues with settling a deal with a bodyshop and stuck on negotiating, so hopefully I can get some bright ideas/answers from RS.

I've got a referral from a friend of mine and I didn't want to expose this but the shop owner is literally denying/not guaranteeing his work.
This shop was already mentioned on this forum before by another user.
Unfortunately, my car was already in that shop, getting works done while I was reading his thread and I was extremely worried about my car.



I've dropped off my car at 'Lotus Auto' back in November, 2012 and got it back on April 2013.

I've told the new owner(Andrew) to take enough time since I wanted to get the job done properly as i was paying $$$ + I've had another winter beater to get me around.
(wasn't gonna insure my accord till April anyways and he was cool with storing it for me till then.)



Initial deal was:

- I pay 2 ICBC Hit and Run Claim deductables
- and $2000 Cash on top

for the followings:

- HFP Kits molding (front and back)
- Rear Conversion which involves new tail lights, wires, Trunk, Bumper, and HFP Lip
- Rear wing spoiler delete and deck lid spoiler installation.
- Whole Car Re-paint, except engine bay and hood



Fast forward the time, I've picked the car up on April 2nd, 2013.

I gave a full inspection and walk-around numerous of times even before the day when i picked up the key for my car, and on the day, too.
Installation seemed okay, conversion was done properly, and everything else seemed okay except 1 minor gap near the edge of my rear bumper on passenger side.
This gap is still existing, but as i've bought the bumper from NAPA, Not Honda, so i've decided to just deal with it.



The major problem/disagreement between me and Andrew goes here.

I have million rock chips including a penny sized ones showing white primer underneath on my front bumper now.
I started to notice rock chips around 2 weeks after picking up my car.
I've visited Andrew 7 times so far and never hesitated to complain about this, however, it seems like he's not willing to take responsibility for his work.



What He says:

- Brand new paint needs to be properly dried and give it about 90 days.
- Even if i wanted to get 3M clear bra, it needs to be done after 90 days since it's a brand new paint, otherwise it'll bubble. (so, i pick up my car and store it until it all dries out properly for next 3 months or so?)
- Maybe because i'm on highway often (not true)
- Maybe because i drive it everyday (hey, car is meant to be driven)
- Maybe because my car is too low, all the road debris are hitting my front bumper (There're lots of lower cars, being low always doesnt mean to have rock chips all over)
- It's unavoidable (wt....)

at the end, when i last visited him, he said he'll re-paint my front bumper for CHEAP Price.



What i really don't understand is,
My 8 year old hood with stock paint is far better condition than 1.5 months old front bumper with a brand new paint.
It clearly seems like front bumper is literally "chipped out" easily compared to my 8 old beaten up stock hood.
He said it's common for lower cars and i should see more chips on my front headlights/fender areas but I've got 0 chips or dings on those areas so far.



Not to mention, to make things worse;

- There're couple chips on the corner edge of trunk lid,
- top edge of rear HFP lip where it's molded onto bumper,
- little white line crack about 3cm long on front HFP lip corner too.



He explains :

- There may had been something between trunk and bumper where they meet, that's why there's a chip and scratch.
- When bodykit is molded, weather it's factory or not, it has tendency to show cracks when heat or shock is applied.





At this point, I've only paid $600 of ICBC Deductibles and still haven't paid him the rest by giving him complains/excuses about the throughout paint job infractions that I'm not happy about.

He doesn't guarantees his work, nor he's willing to fix this problem properly and to me, it just seems like he's looking for a way out, giving me bunch of lame excuses.

When he asked me to bring the car back on September after my front end is beaten up so that he can repaint my front end for CHEAP $, I've decided not to let this go easy, but kinda stuck on ideas how to resolve this problem.



Any input/ideas/solutions/regal advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for reading a long story

-M

[JordanLee]

Was this one of those shady hit and run claims or are they two legit claims + cash on your end? If its a legit ICBC claim you can complain about the repair and get things sorted out. If you're trying to pull a fast one. You're in quite a pickle.

[bcrdukes]

Thread title does not deliver. Question requires long and convoluted thought.

F-

[Limitless]

Sigh, his excuses sounds pretty similar to the bs he told me as well. I'm not too knowledgeable in paint but I've had my new front bumper painted for about a month or so now and I have 0 rock chips, and my car is lowered quite a bit and I drive on the hwy almost every single day to work. So his excuses are obviously bs... Sorry I don't know how to help you op, but I hope you get things sorted out

[Yodamaster]

Were there rock chips before those two weeks had passed?

[monkeywrench]

I didn't even bother reading the thread when I saw Lotus Autobody in the thread title. I don't think any body shop has lasted too long with the name Andrew following the company name.

Not to bash people, but if ICBC is covering the costs with your deductible, why bother bringing your vehicle to a shady shop like this? Still puzzles me.

[VR6GTI]

Bad prep work
You haven't paid the shop the extra $2000 for the work they have done? This just baffles me, who lets a $2000 debt sit for so long. They had your car for 5 months? That's insane aswell.

[smoothie.]

Sucks man sorry. Bring it out tonight stock n noob meet so we can see?
Posted via RS Mobile

[fsy82]

just be glad you havent lost any money..why not just take it somewhere else and get it fixed. its obvious this Andrew is not willing to cooperate with you. Leave the stress and go to a recommended shop by the RS crew

[VR6GTI]

lol

The best customer service in Greater Vancouver. Lotus Autobody Richmond!

Lotus Autobody would like to tell you we are perfect, but we are not, we are human but don't you worry. In those rare instances where our humanness comes out and we make a mistake we fix it promptly and for free. We Guarantee It

[BEEB]

I had my cars painted by Andrew before and never had a problem like that. Let's bring out the common sense, if Andrew told you it's new paint and it takes time to dry out, and you choose to drive it behind millions of rocks, you know fair well what the outcome would be. However, I won't rule out poor prep work right away.

[AVS_Racing]

there will always be a risk when you mold lip + bumper together. I don't see how its the shops fault for rock chips. like you said, you walked around the car numerous times when you picked it up and you didn't notice the millions of rock chips.

[westopher]

Well, I'm sure they didn't just appear, as they are probably from rocks, however, it could still be a body shop issue from improper prep work if every little thing that touches the bumper destroys it. He's not arguing that they gave him a damaged bumper, he's saying that the paint isn't holding up as quality paint should.

[ali36]

I've had lots of work done by andrew on several of the cars me and my family has owned. Everything was perfect and the prices were fair. I haven't had any issues with the work. Been going to him for a while now and his work is still holding up good. He even offered to drive me to where I needed to go when I took my car in for some work as he didn't have any courtesy cars. I did however follow everything he said to make sure I wouldnt damage the paint.

Work done: front bumper on my moms car and several pieces on my own car including the hood and body kit pieces.

[Qiii]

Hey Mkhun.
For a proper paint job, the paint ain't suppost to be chipped of that easily.
i work in a bodyshop as a bodyman, and i know quit a few things about refinishing, and i can tell you that the only reason the paint is chipping off like crazy is because their painter didn't sand the bumper piror to primer or paint for proper adhesion.
Go back and tell them this.

[Exc3L]

I can't believe I found this thread so late. A friend suggested to go there for a minor touch up, since my bumper was showing signs of wear and tear for a older car. After a few days, the paint was starting to chip and I rarely go on any highways.