How to deal with body shop customer service

[blackntan]

Hey guys,



About a year or so ago, I had the car repainted as part of an insurance claim for vandalism.



The body shop did a great job, except for one thing:



The nose of my car keeps chipping like there`s no tomorrow..



I`ve already had the nose repainted twice, and it keeps on doing it. It`s been ~6 months since the last repaint, and theirs already about 100+ little tiny chips in the nose of the car.



The customer service guy is an absolute gem to work with, and has always been more than happy to help me out. He`s been so helpful, in fact, that I feel like a tool to keep complaining and going back to have him redo the work. I almost feel like i`m doing something to cause this, but I know i`m not.



So here`s what I need from him:



Nose repainted

Under warranty

by saturday the 24th.

confirm use of flex additive





How do I approach him in a professional manner to get this done? I almost wanna pay him or something, he`s been so good to me..



Oh, and I need to get some paint charts to start planning the painting of my newly acquired 74 MGB... Would this be a good time to do this as well?



Thanks!

[jfelbab]

I bet you do a lot of freeway driving. I used to get a lot of that from small gravel and salt in the winter.



Also I understand that paint formulations have changed under EPA regulation that result in more brittle paint. If you do a lot of bumper-to-bumper freeway driving you might need to consider a bra. There are some clear bras out now that fit like a second skin. They are nearly invisible.

[tom p.]

the problem you describe is characteristic of re-painted panels.



I had the plastic F/R valences painted on one of my cars about 1.5 years ago. The body shop guy used a new product he described as an adhesive primer. I have had no chipping. Whatever the stuff is it has been great against the endless chips, etc.

[blackntan]

Thanks guys,



I`ve considered the clear bra, but don`t have the ~$600 I was quoted to have it put on.



The thing that gets me is that my driving habits haven`t changed in the 4 years i`ve had the car, and before the accident, I had little or no chips. Now i`m getting the nose repainted every 6 mos. cuz ALL of the paint is chipping off...



I guess it`s just odd to me that we can come up with a material that will let spaceships re-enter the earths atmosphere without burning up, but can`t come up with a paint that will last through stone chips...

[membim]

Thank the leftwings for the EPA regulations that make paint more brittle.

[03WRXMA]

Adhesion promoter and flex agent should BOTH be used.



Bulldog makes a great promoter, most all good shops should use something like it.