[pugslyx234]

Please tell me if i,m out of line but this guy is puttin my car on the back burner and every time i set a time to look at it he is busy, most recent was i just showed up and he studdered and said i am just leaving ,he called me later that day to set up a time on friday than called me to tell me he is to busy now and hel,ll be there on saturday so i said is this for sure or something else gonna come up. I have lost my confidence in him cause i think he is a bull****ter just my feel, he also told me he just hired a painter that taught him to paint i am gettin tired of excuses. Am I out of line, he told me it would be 8-10 weeks but now its gonna on 12+ weeks, I paid a third down but i think he spent it and has to keep movin in others to stay floating it makes me nervous, the only thing done is its stripped to metal and thats another thing i am almost sure he rippled the hood on passanger side when him or his helper d/a it cause origional i stripped that hood and almost positive it wasnt there . I HATE lettin others work on my car but i just couldnt get them quarters good enough. Sorry just venting, Woody.

[chris66]

I would take my car out of that shop.......

[Txbobcat]

Move it now. No excuses. However it seems like most every body shop plays these games.

[ITSBACK]

Show up first thing in the morning when he has no excuse that he is leaving.

[Mr Twister]

Unfortuneatly, That seems like the beginning of quite a few of the bodyshop stories I hear and read about. If you have a bad feeling about the situation square up and bail out now. A lot of these guys are using your money to finish the car before yours and need new suckers to get money to do yours. I have a car that went to a couple of these shops and it still is not completed. I bought it unfinished from a disgruntled owner who started it in the 90s.

[Singleton]

I would take the car elsewhere, and find a better shop. However, even the good shops will feed you a line of bull when comes to the time frame. Expect your car to be in the shop at least 3 times longer than what they tell you.

[zephyrracer]

Take it some where else even if you have paid money and will never see it, I have learned that if I have to pay up front I leave, I have a machine shop that is very busy but when I walk in the door it's like I am the only customer they have, there is also 2 body shops that I use same deal, get your car then go to small claims court, just a thought with this shop god forbid you have warranty problems.

Good Luck Gregg

[pfilean]

Show up with a car trailer. If this guy gives you an excuse like this (

he also told me he just hired a painter that taught him to paint

) he must think you are dumber than he is. There must be someone in your area better than that.

[gtome]

A good bodyshop will know the time it takes to do things right. And they will also do what it takes to make you a happy customer.
Just last Friday my boss asked (and gave a hefty incentive) for me to take a 66 GTO we had from first prime to painted by Monday morning. We finished blocking it out Friday by lunch time, I final primed it, came in saturday to sand it, wet sand it with 400 then 600, then washed the car very well and blow it all out. Came back in Sunday, wiped it down, and masked it off/prped it out. Then came back in Sunday night and had it in paint by 2am. It was an exhausting process, but I got it done ahead of schedual, the customer is happy, and likely will get repeat buisness from him now. Promise kept.

[carcrazy]

I've been down this road and it didn't turn out well. In my case, the owner could really talk a good game but it turned out he had a coke problem. After putting pressure on him a little would get done and then valuable parts for the car started missing and in the end the whole car disappeared (never to be found-low mileage all original 76 455 Trans Am ). The body shop owner also left. If things don't feel right-they aren't so DON'T WAIT! GET IT OUT NOW!!!

[PMD1969]

Originally Posted by gtome

A good bodyshop will know the time it takes to do things right. And they will also do what it takes to make you a happy customer.
Just last Friday my boss asked (and gave a hefty incentive) for me to take a 66 GTO we had from first prime to painted by Monday morning. We finished blocking it out Friday by lunch time, I final primed it, came in saturday to sand it, wet sand it with 400 then 600, then washed the car very well and blow it all out. Came back in Sunday, wiped it down, and masked it off/prped it out. Then came back in Sunday night and had it in paint by 2am. It was an exhausting process, but I got it done ahead of schedual, the customer is happy, and likely will get repeat buisness from him now. Promise kept.

WOW! I wish you were in our area.

[iceman411]

You are not out of line. As soon as someone says 'body shop' I cringe. I don't hear of a specialty(restoration) shop doing this type of stuff nearly as often as a body shop. Sounds like 'all systems normal' in body shop land. Sure, there are a few good one's out there but way too many who practice this type of procedure than you'd think. Body shop's are happy to take your $$ and do a little, then push your car into the corner for other collision work since the season of hitting dear and weather related accidents are rising. Fat chance a 'body shop' will come close to getting you car done on time, let alone the quality you were hoping to have. I feel for ya and will predict it'll be a down ward spiral from here. When you do get a chance to finally meet the guy happy to rob you, he'll claim he's outta $$ for your project and you'll need to cough up more. I'd pull it being in your shoes.
I happily give my clients weekly updates with pictures and suggestions if needed. They are always welcome to stop buy and I encourage it often so we are always on the same page because things get added or we find something we both were not aware of until the old finish comes down to the birthday suit. I do run my shop different in the ways of $$ though. I like 30% up front and the $$ for any panels we know of that'll need replacing. I also offer the option of bi-weekly or monthly billing cycles to keep the finances caught up so it's not one big bill the client may not be able to make and I'm stuck with a car and no $$ to pay my bills. This way we both are protected. If you're halfway through a project and the client goes thru a personal financial crisis and not telling you anything, I'm not left high and dry and then I'll lose everything over a liar. I currently do this as a side gig and it took me 7 mos to complete a frame off job on a '70 442 W30 car in which every panel got a patch welded on, new outter wheel houses and rear quarters, on the rotisserie(I have two) and finished out in his elected time frame. Needless to say, he's beyond happy and It's gotten me more business from people who've saw the car and from his recommendation. I work alone too and that's at my preference. Reputation is EVERYTHING!! What does the shop owner drive and what's the shop hourly rate? Nice truck or high end car? Live a bit too 'high on the hill'? If so you know where your $$ went... Mike

[Chris65LeMans]

Originally Posted by pugslyx234

he also told me he just hired a painter that taught him to paint

I'd consider yourself lucky that he didn't unleash that guy on your car for his "first job."

As has already been said in this thread - body shops don't like old cars because they take too long. they'll always push your car aside for a newer car that they can turn around in a week.

Finding a good restoration shop was hard for me - but I finally did.

[cuz68]

Chris have thay started any work on your 65 yet?

[GREATGTO]

I work restoring cars down here in Fl, 99% of what we do is purely restoration work.

The problems we run into with customers is when they are quoted 50$ an hr labor they usually say no problem, then as the project progresses they start trying to nickel and dime you to death.

We turn down quite a bit of work simply because cars are too rough and we know customers will get cold feet when the cost go through the roof. Many times we turn them away and tell them to bring us a better car because it does not make sense to put 200 hrs into a car for metal work alone when you can get a better car to start with from the beginning a save a lot of money.

Yet we have people who insist on restoring a particular car because they have history with it,emotionally attached customers usually never end up happy because sooner or later during the restoration logic strikes them and they realize they are losing their ass on the car.
We tried to tell them in the beginning to find a better car to start with but they refused,now they expect us to cut cost or even do things for free, how do you cut cost on labor? Well you have to cut corners, and we do not do that, so we end up losing our ass along with the customer. So now no one is happy.

This is why a lot of shops refuse to do restoration work

[pugslyx234]

Thanks all for your support my son and I went to his shop and popped in and he was working on my car he said he skim coated the fenders and was working on the drivers door. He did try to hit me up for some more $ but I told him that wasnt our agreement "in writing" and he whinned about bills thats not my issue and he would receive more $ when my car was in primer and guide coated ready for paint and my wife/I agree on that work . Never again this is too much a pain in the a$$. I will do it my self. thanks to all Woody.

[Chris65LeMans]

Originally Posted by cuz68

Chris have they started any work on your 65 yet?

Yep - We've got all new front/rear control arms in, new steering, and are waiting on them finishing up the rear end. (Going with a 12 bolt.) Once we can drive it around, we'll start on the body.

[geeteeohguy]

Never, never, ever pay up front. Negotiate to pay for the job when it is completed to your satisfaction. Pre-payment of services to be rendered is rarely successful. The money gets spent on other things, and your job becomes a zero priority to complete, since there is no longer any incentive to work on your car. I know this from long experience, and sadly, it's very often the case. Get a refund on payments made to date, and get your car the heck out of there.

[400 4spd.]

Originally Posted by geeteeohguy

Never, never, ever pay up front. Negotiate to pay for the job when it is completed to your satisfaction. Pre-payment of services to be rendered is rarely successful. The money gets spent on other things, and your job becomes a zero priority to complete, since there is no longer any incentive to work on your car. I know this from long experience, and sadly, it's very often the case. Get a refund on payments made to date, and get your car the heck out of there.

Better yet, don't hire crooks.
However;

1. Only deal with shops or owners that have good reputations. Get references of prior customers and contact them. Look at past work if possible.
2. Go ahead and ask about that dusty car in the corner. It might be dusty because it belongs to the shop owner and he can't get time to work on his own car. Or it might belong to that customer who keeps lying about when he will pay for past work that is completed.
3. When you find that perfect shop, expect to pay a fair, negotiable portion in advance. Or instead offer to pay for his shop rent and help, your parts and supplies, and any other expenses while he works on your car for free for a few weeks or months.
4. Be sure you communicate exactly what your goals are with the vehicle. Driver? Show car? Factory correct? A good shop owner will sit down with you and talk about your car and the possibilities, going over any obvious weak points or concerns. The more you expect, the more it will cost, and the longer it may take.
5. Be honest about your budget. If you have a maximum dollar figure in mind, honestly discuss that with the shop owner so that he can give you the best results for your dollars. Or he may advise you that it's not possible to restore that particular car to his standards within the budget you have in mind.

Contrary to what I read so often on here, not all shop owners are out to take advantage of people. Find someone you can trust. Be decent and honest with them and you should get the same in return.

[pugslyx234]

I visited my car today and I think this guy finally got it thru his thick head that I want my car done cause he has been workin on it, the quarters are metal worked and the hood ,fenders ,trunk lid are done and ready for primer. The drivers side quarter is skim coated but the pass side is ready ready for skim, I know he is trying now but its his fault that he waited and made me climb on his a$$ to get this done wow what a road will take some pics on tuesday and post .Woody