"Professionals" rubbing dirt in to my panel

I

imported_Reflections

New member
I had a guy in a van back in to me yesterday. I took my car to a nice body shop, but I can't get it in until Thursday, so I made an appointment. I then went to a not-so-nice body shop to get an immediate estimate. The bumper and hood will need to be replaced, but the fender is untouched. To make sure, the guy ran his hand over it several times to make sure it was still straight, and boy did I cringe. I just finished polishing, sealing, and waxing that panel last week. It snowed yesterday, and it is now covered with dirt and grit. And this guy is just rubbing the panel with his dry dirty hand! Gah!!@$ Was that necesary?? I'm probably over-reacting but couldn't he grab some QD, wipe it, put on a glove, and THEN have a good feel? What do you think?
 
In my experience, 99% of body shop employees have no clue about paint or paint care.



I had one clean my rear rocker with glass cleaner and a paper towel.
 
That's what they all do, in my experience.

Any little dents can be felt by touch, so I guess you should've QD'd the panel first. :p



Seriously, you'd best keep an eye on your car. Once the repair is complete, give it a good inspection and make sure they haven't put in any damage of their own and that the quality of their work is satisfactory. Best to sort anything out before you drive out of there.
 
If this panel is near the damaged area it will likely be repainted anyway to blend the paint. Any reputable shop will blend the paint to hide the repaint. So you'll likely have new paint there anyway. :getdown
 
ya... their "buffing" left rotary holograms and some pretty bad swirling on my dad's car when someone ran into his back bumper at a stoplight and he had to have it repainted.
 
vwgti16vjettak2 said:
you better tell him not to "buff" your car i know of most body shops "buff" off overspray
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Really sad too, since properly taping off the car will prevent the overspray in the first place.
 
Like 99% of people even though the fact he works in a bodyshop, he wont be Autopian, in the same token he wont have a clue how well you like to look after you car and will think you just care for it like most other people. Like ZaneO I have seen bodyshops wipe over paint with horribel dirty rags etc.



I find the best way to prevent things like this is always to make sure the panels are clean for them already.



Did you say anything to the guy at the time? I would have done, he would then be prepared for fact if they are going to work on your car they better be ready to do a proper job.
 
Mikeyc said:
If this panel is near the damaged area it will likely be repainted anyway to blend the paint. Any reputable shop will blend the paint to hide the repaint. So you'll likely have new paint there anyway. :getdown
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Yeah, but since the clear typically extends past the area that gets basecoat, you'd still have to worry about marring getting covered with clear. Makes for an imperfection that can't be polished out.



I always talk with shops before I let them touch (or even inspect) my cars. I give them my "no touching the paint" lecture and if they don't like it I just go elsewhere. The shop I use these days doesn't do perfect work, but they don't mess up the rest of the vehicle and they do what I tell them to do. We joke about how I'm telling them how to do their jobs, but they're OK with it and they recognize that my cars are "different" from those of their other clients (including the concours guys ;) ). It's an imperfect situation, but the best I've been able to come up with.
 
Even "nice" ones don't know any better. A good body shop across the street started doing details :scared: ... I saw the guy out there with a towel I wouldn't put on my engine wiping a tire (that was obviously dressed), then drag it back up on to the paint :soscared: I wanted to go out there and teach them a thing or two, but resisted :sadpace:
 
Mad iX said:
That's what they all do, in my experience.
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I agree. All the body shops I've been to have done this exact same thing when going for estimates. However, some of the areas they touched needed to be repaired/re-painted anyhow.



Reflections, I doubt you will ever see someone from a body shop use a QD to clean a dirty area before rubbing their hand across someone's paint. If you do, this is the body shop to go with.
 
well let me tell you some stories, i work at a body shop and man the guys i work with dont know anything about paint care. first, we use the dirtiest water, dawn soap, dirtiest mitts and dirty chamois to wash and dry the cars. after the car is finished, they buff the car with a wool pad and then wash the car with the same dirty products/process. after the car is dryed, we glaze the area and wipe off with paper towels. at first i wanted it to be perfect but i realized nothing i can do or say will change their minds on the process so i gave up, it kills me to do it but its my job and thats the way they want it done. i have even offered to polish cars with my pc but they just laugh and say its fine this way
 
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