Am I unlucky with a smart repair ?
Discussion
I know these things are good as the operator , but I had a kid ride his bike into my Skoda and his mum said she would pay for the repair. I got some quotes from body shops for a scraped bumper, dent and scratched wing and his brake lever ( unused before impact !) did 2 scratches in the bonnet. All the body shops said to paint all 3 panels , which varied from £450 to £1200 . Got to love main dealer body shops ! . So, she says to get a Chip removal ;-) company to do the work as about £50 cheaper than the 2 body shop quotes. Yes, maybe hindsight is a great thing and maybe I should have taken her money and paid the rest at a body shop. But with 'glowing' reviews , I thought I would let her deal with it her way.
The first repair was done in freezing, pouring rain , under a tent in my drive. It was rubbish and being a metallic black car , the scratch was still visible , the lacquer went white and had contamination in it. I did complain to him a few weeks later , as being mid winter and dark, I wanted to see it in sunlight properly. He came back a couple of weeks ago, said it needed cutting in and then said he has to redo the lacquer.
So, this Saturday just gone, he was back, armed with his flock of heat lamps, in the rain with an umbrella. The small scratch that was there , is slowly pushing the repair further away from the original repair. The panel is scratched, flat, contaminated ( was really windy !) and you can see the lacquer is white again, flat and no metallic finish and round the edges and looks totally poor. Pretty dismayed with this now as dont really want him to carry on screwing up more of the bonnet
I obviously havent paid for this originally , so where do I go from here ? Being a franchise and allegedly he has been doing this for 30 years ! I was hoping this would show an experience in what he is doing. Can I complain to the head office or worryingly complain to him again to want to do more rubbish work ? I did offer him a warm workshop to do it during the week at work before he did both 'repairs' but he said it wasnt needed.
Any help from you guys on this please ?
The first repair was done in freezing, pouring rain , under a tent in my drive. It was rubbish and being a metallic black car , the scratch was still visible , the lacquer went white and had contamination in it. I did complain to him a few weeks later , as being mid winter and dark, I wanted to see it in sunlight properly. He came back a couple of weeks ago, said it needed cutting in and then said he has to redo the lacquer.
So, this Saturday just gone, he was back, armed with his flock of heat lamps, in the rain with an umbrella. The small scratch that was there , is slowly pushing the repair further away from the original repair. The panel is scratched, flat, contaminated ( was really windy !) and you can see the lacquer is white again, flat and no metallic finish and round the edges and looks totally poor. Pretty dismayed with this now as dont really want him to carry on screwing up more of the bonnet
I obviously havent paid for this originally , so where do I go from here ? Being a franchise and allegedly he has been doing this for 30 years ! I was hoping this would show an experience in what he is doing. Can I complain to the head office or worryingly complain to him again to want to do more rubbish work ? I did offer him a warm workshop to do it during the week at work before he did both 'repairs' but he said it wasnt needed.
Any help from you guys on this please ?
sounds like you need the whole panels painted indoors at a body shop that know what theyre doing
i think smart repairs can just about be acceptable on bumper corners etc , not the middle of a bonnet , ask him if the edge where he finished will pick up /get worse if you buffer the car once in a while (it will)
i think smart repairs can just about be acceptable on bumper corners etc , not the middle of a bonnet , ask him if the edge where he finished will pick up /get worse if you buffer the car once in a while (it will)
That looks atrocious!
If this person has been doing Smart repairs for as long as you say - then:
1) The finish should be 100 times better!
2) He should know that you can't really Smart (patch) repair an area of a bonnet (or any other large flat surface) without it showing - more especially a black.
The reason for (2) being - unless the bonnet has a strong/sharp swage line to work up to then usually the whole bonnet will need to be re-lacquered, otherwise walking around the car - from some angle or another - the transition from new to old lacquer will show (and this becomes more apparent on a black).
I'm afraid to say it looks like the bloke doesn't know or understand how to spray or what the limitations of Smart Repairs are.
In my opinion I would complain - fight to get my money back (as it's a job that didn't have a chance of being Smart Repaired undetectably) and (as any Smart Repairer worth his salt should have advised, without taking the job on) take it to a bodyshop where it can be done as it should be done.
If this person has been doing Smart repairs for as long as you say - then:
1) The finish should be 100 times better!
2) He should know that you can't really Smart (patch) repair an area of a bonnet (or any other large flat surface) without it showing - more especially a black.
The reason for (2) being - unless the bonnet has a strong/sharp swage line to work up to then usually the whole bonnet will need to be re-lacquered, otherwise walking around the car - from some angle or another - the transition from new to old lacquer will show (and this becomes more apparent on a black).
I'm afraid to say it looks like the bloke doesn't know or understand how to spray or what the limitations of Smart Repairs are.
In my opinion I would complain - fight to get my money back (as it's a job that didn't have a chance of being Smart Repaired undetectably) and (as any Smart Repairer worth his salt should have advised, without taking the job on) take it to a bodyshop where it can be done as it should be done.
Cheers for the responses. I havent paid for this work, but the kids mum. I did text the chips man at lunchtime and said I wasnt happy and not sure where we go with this repair.
He has 'just' responded and basically said he is covering the area and a long trek to keep coming out ( costs for transport and time) . He said he could refund the woman for the bonnet repairs and to take it to a bodyshop , but doesnt think thats fair on me ! . He is going to come back to me in a couple of days with a solution.
At least in a way he is admitting its crap. Its rubbish . I can't paint for toffee and admit that , but I could do a much better job than that. I will see if my local paint guy is still doing stuff and ask a cost. Then perhaps ask him to contribute towards it.
Fingers burnt and all. My boss has just sorted an account for the works vans with the same people. Think he's a but dubious after I showed him the pictures today.
He has 'just' responded and basically said he is covering the area and a long trek to keep coming out ( costs for transport and time) . He said he could refund the woman for the bonnet repairs and to take it to a bodyshop , but doesnt think thats fair on me ! . He is going to come back to me in a couple of days with a solution.
At least in a way he is admitting its crap. Its rubbish . I can't paint for toffee and admit that , but I could do a much better job than that. I will see if my local paint guy is still doing stuff and ask a cost. Then perhaps ask him to contribute towards it.
Fingers burnt and all. My boss has just sorted an account for the works vans with the same people. Think he's a but dubious after I showed him the pictures today.
Well, just to keep people in the loop on this. I have not heard back from the operator, so emailed a complaint to the company who he franchises for, this morning, after being sent an email address contact. Sent photos of various works done and explained the situation of being much worse off that having just a few scratches in the first instance and how they wish to find a suitable solution to the poor workmanship. The contact is away until next week, which is how it fired back at me, but will see what happens after that. As a whole they have glowing reviews, from what I read , so they should take this problem on board and hopefully make the repairs in line with the rest of the car , as was my 'dubious' expectations and their website shows.
designforlife said:
What doesn't help is that a lot of those "glowing" reviews will be from car owners that probably have no idea what a good paint job/repair actually is.
Correct ....plus at the time of the repair it may look ok but come back in a month and the gloss will have gone and the edge of the blend will have appeared.Take a panel that looks mint outside and take it inside under fluorescent lights and it can look horrendous
They might want another franchisee to have a look/have another go.(
)
Or tell you to take it to a bodyshop & send them the bill - which they would pay.
Both of which would be passed by them to the original franchisee for him to pay them.
If it's who I think it might be.
)Or tell you to take it to a bodyshop & send them the bill - which they would pay.
Both of which would be passed by them to the original franchisee for him to pay them.
If it's who I think it might be.
Edited by paintman on Monday 15th April 18:04
paintman said:
They might want another franchisee to have a look/have another go.()
Or tell you to take it to a bodyshop & send them the bill - which they would pay.
Both of which would be passed by them to the original franchisee for him to pay them.
If it's who I think it might be.
They called while I was at lunch ............... damn............ called them back and got a ladies voicemail. So, they seem to be doing something. As to what, who knows but I do have a quote from a reputable paint shop to repaint the 3 panels. Hopefully these will work as you all like photos)Or tell you to take it to a bodyshop & send them the bill - which they would pay.
Both of which would be passed by them to the original franchisee for him to pay them.
If it's who I think it might be.
Edited by paintman on Monday 15th April 18:04
https://ibb.co/fnXL3Dg
https://ibb.co/HD5mrvN
Edited by Justin S on Monday 15th April 19:42
Edited by Justin S on Monday 15th April 19:43
Edited by Justin S on Monday 15th April 19:45
Well, just had the 'company' call me about the car. Its is going to their body shop in Reading . Taking it in next week to assess, but he is going to strip back the wing, bonnet and bumper and repaint the lot, as wont paint on top of 'whatever' has been done . Also I get a courtesy car thrown in and a bill of Zero ! . They then invoice the guy who did the original works. Apparently he is used by Aston Martin and Range Rover just round the corner and seems dismayed with the photos he has seen so far.
Have a car park dink in the door, so will get him to sort while in , so we will be back to 100% again soon . Will let you know how I get on, although like anything good, you have to wait a few weeks to get a spot to book in. Watch this space.
Have a car park dink in the door, so will get him to sort while in , so we will be back to 100% again soon . Will let you know how I get on, although like anything good, you have to wait a few weeks to get a spot to book in. Watch this space.
Going on your description I think it's another one of their franchisees, just with fixed premises instead of mobile.
Be using the same paint/proprietary lacquer etc as the first one - if he's following their rules.
Hope they do a better job than the first one.
Be using the same paint/proprietary lacquer etc as the first one - if he's following their rules.
Hope they do a better job than the first one.
Edited by paintman on Friday 19th April 18:41
A lot of head shaking this morning after seeing the car in the flesh 
Said there is a kink in the wing too, which the the other chap hadnt seen. Impact from the wing going backwards and the wing has a cut out in the arch to fold in an accident. This needs addressing. Also to remove the bonnet, strip out the repairs ( scratch is visible still as filler had sunk in the wing and bonnet ) and repaint the bonnet. Remove the bumper and strip. Remove previous repairs and paint runs ! flat out and repaint up to the centre on the bumper and blend. Strip front wing, remove kink, remove filler and repaint .
Cost for the work is £670 plus vat . Its going back to head office to be OK'd and then being sorted middle of next month as he is very busy.
Good progress this morning and was pretty dismayed with the quality ( if thats the right word, which I doubt) of the repairs done.
Smart repairs have a place , but not on my cars , even if someone else is paying for it in the first instance.
Said there is a kink in the wing too, which the the other chap hadnt seen. Impact from the wing going backwards and the wing has a cut out in the arch to fold in an accident. This needs addressing. Also to remove the bonnet, strip out the repairs ( scratch is visible still as filler had sunk in the wing and bonnet ) and repaint the bonnet. Remove the bumper and strip. Remove previous repairs and paint runs ! flat out and repaint up to the centre on the bumper and blend. Strip front wing, remove kink, remove filler and repaint . Cost for the work is £670 plus vat . Its going back to head office to be OK'd and then being sorted middle of next month as he is very busy.
Good progress this morning and was pretty dismayed with the quality ( if thats the right word, which I doubt) of the repairs done.
Smart repairs have a place , but not on my cars , even if someone else is paying for it in the first instance.
Smart repairs have a place but bonnets aren't one of them.
I'm inclined to think that franchisees will take on stuff that they shouldn't simply in order to be able to pay the monthly franchise fees which they are liable for whether they've had a good month or a bad one. Plus the lease cost of the vehicle if they are man-in-a-van. All on top of what they've had to pay to buy into the franchise in the first place which was almost certainly financed by a bank loan.
This does not help good decision making when choosing what work should be done.
My accountants advice for anyone considering buying any franchise is 'Don't'.
I'm inclined to think that franchisees will take on stuff that they shouldn't simply in order to be able to pay the monthly franchise fees which they are liable for whether they've had a good month or a bad one. Plus the lease cost of the vehicle if they are man-in-a-van. All on top of what they've had to pay to buy into the franchise in the first place which was almost certainly financed by a bank loan.
This does not help good decision making when choosing what work should be done.
My accountants advice for anyone considering buying any franchise is 'Don't'.
"armed with his flock of heat lamps, in the rain"
I had this once. I cringed and that was only a tiny repair.
Especially in wind any sane person would say no sorry can't do. In this country that'd mean all the time so he knows he's not doing the best possible job.
Id refuse go pay. Full stop.
I had this once. I cringed and that was only a tiny repair.
Especially in wind any sane person would say no sorry can't do. In this country that'd mean all the time so he knows he's not doing the best possible job.
Id refuse go pay. Full stop.
The repairs were very poor. The guy that carried out these repairs must of been desperate or stupid. Paintman’s post sounded pretty spot on. I have admittedly churned out some jobs that should of been bodyshop. Traders and Dealerships are the worst culprits, in my experience, when it comes to trying to save a few quid and pushing the boundaries of smart repairs. That is the car trade. But to turn up to a private customer and make a mess like that. I wouldn’t let that guy paint my fence, let alone a car. This, unfortunately happens all too often tarnishing the reputation of decent, honest smart repairers in the trade. I am pleased you got it sorted out.
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