Body Shop Guys - Need Your Advice

[Sizzle Chest]

Swan, I'm with you. I still have my 'Q' ship, 1997 Infiniti QX-4. A ton of miles on her, she leaks oil, and has a few other problems...

But it is worth more to me as she sits than having to sell it and then get another car. I know the complete history of this ride and it has been an outstanding vehicle.!

Keep us posted...

 

[Angus]

Sorry I missed this until now - if you ever need future work done Brandywine Coachworks in West Chester is EXCELLENT. 2yrs ago they replaced my E93's driver side door (big nasty dent) and I couldn't be happier with the results. Their BSM paint job is factory perfect - you'd never know work was done.

 

[swanicyouth]

So, I promised everyone I'd follow up on this thread - as well as I'm do for a review for the free pot of Synergy I won - once I get this vehicle back.

The original repair was supposed to take 5-7 days. Having dealt with body shops in the past my mind thinks "Body Shop Time" (BST). Which means to me: any estimate a body shop gives you on how long it takes to complete a repair - you need to multiply that number by a factor of 3 or 4 to figure out when you will actually see your car again. This has just been my experience when working with body shops. I was hoping this was going to be different - but I'm always stuck in BST limbo when a body shop has my car.

They usually say it's the adjusters fault, they are waiting on "approval", waiting on parts, or waiting on a check from the insurance company to move further, etc... But this is a cash job, that is basically all labor & fabrication - no parts... So, none of these excuses apply.

So, I had not heard anything about my vehicle (dropped it off 6/4). I decided to drop by the body shop and was ready to blast them for turning this 1 week repair into a month long repair.

But, once I got down there - the shop owner was with another customer. He said your car is in the shop - go take a look. So, I went to take a look, and saw new panel parts the shop had fabricated (rusted areas) perfectly welded in and blended in. They were primered - not painted yet. But, the work looked so perfect and seamless it took all the wind out of my sails to lay these dues out.

Then he told me they are doing some "test panels" to match my paint perfectly (he knows I am picky) - as any 13 yo paint has some UV color fade regardless of how well it's taken care of. He said car will be ready middle of next week, they just need to get the color perfect (to match my older paint), then paint and blend it.

So, all and all we are looking at a month for a 1 week repair. But, if it turns out like it looks like it's turning out - it's hard to be mad. As my most important concern is quality of the job and how the paint matches.

Will follow up once vehicle is returned.

 

[BillE]

That sounds like a "straight up" shop for sure!

Bill

 

[swanicyouth]

Finally got the vehicle back. I'm pretty impressed with the work the shop did - looks good to me. Paint looks good and didn't come back all swirled up.

So here is before passenger side:

With flare removed:

P/s repaired:

Here is where the fabricated panel ends (rocker panel) and the factory panel starts:

Driver's side before:

With flare removed:

D/s repaired:

Just need to re-detail it now.

 

[Wes Bremec]

Looks great! Congratulations

 

[swanicyouth]

Oh crap.... The rust beast has revealed itself again - this time on a front fender. Back to the body shop in the spring.

Lotta salt in PA.

 

[builthatch]

Oh crap.... The rust beast has revealed itself again - this time on a front fender. Back to the body shop in the spring.

Lotta salt in PA.

haha, yeah, they all rust in the same spots. i think i posted before in this thread when you originally made it. my '99.5 has it SO bad in almost all the same spots, particularly the spots in front of the front flares. it's been so bad for so long that the holes for the bumper clips are gone lol. this truck didn't get a break though - years in a shore town coupled with the same road treatments your truck sees. still runs like a champ though. i love this truck and will get another just like it when it dies.

 

[KMdef9]

Ever think about getting the panels treated?

 

[swanicyouth]

Ever think about getting the panels treated?

Treated? Not sure what you mean. The fender wells are under coated underneath. The vehicle is just old and lives outside in the PA winter. I'll likely just keep fixing it though. I've grown sentimental for the old Pathfinder. The new ones don't seem as comfy.

 

[KMdef9]

Some companies around here spray addition coating on the underbody and a different chemical in doors, rocker panels, fenders, etc.

 

[RottenII]

Here in WNY there are a few places that offer an "oil" rust proofing. Kind of a sticky oil that then spray on the under carriage and inside all of the body panels through the drain holes. I have my '06 Jeep done every year and this past summer was the first time I've had any rust issues and that was where the plastic rocker trim wraps around the bottom of the front fender and becomes a moisture trap for everything coming off the front wheels. It was a minor fix. My doors and lift gate are still like new (underneath the rubber weather strip in the door seams where most doors start rusting first). Under carriage still looks pretty darned good for having 8 hard winters on it. Certainly worth it if you keep your cars a long time and drive them in the harsh winter conditions we have.

 

[KMdef9]

Here in WNY there are a few places that offer an "oil" rust proofing. Kind of a sticky oil that then spray on the under carriage and inside all of the body panels through the drain holes. I have my '06 Jeep done every year and this past summer was the first time I've had any rust issues and that was where the plastic rocker trim wraps around the bottom of the front fender and becomes a moisture trap for everything coming off the front wheels. It was a minor fix. My doors and lift gate are still like new (underneath the rubber weather strip in the door seams where most doors start rusting first). Under carriage still looks pretty darned good for having 8 hard winters on it. Certainly worth it if you keep your cars a long time and drive them in the harsh winter conditions we have.

That's what they use for my body panels as well. My undercarriage is sprayed with undercarriage spray, the stuff Larry uses here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcMJcBpVYBI


There simply some design flaws with some vehicles where water gets trapped and rust forms alot faster (especially since you can't clean away the salt away).

 

[swanicyouth]

Got the latest round of rust on the PF fixed. Once again, repair looks seamless.

Before:

After (lighting is different / match looks perfect in person):

Cost was $700 if I recall. There was actually a hole in the sheet metal below the plastic fender liner they patched. Other than $50 for a coil, this the rust is the only repair this vehicle has needed in 2 years or so.

 

[StuDLei]

Hmm.

I have an '04 350z that I have daily driven for what will be 10 years in September. In the Midwest, no less. Years ago I started getting a little rust where the roof meets the windshield (which was replaced in 2007). It wasn't actually rust that you could see, but it started bubbling a little bit. Each year it gets worse. My windshield cracked right below where this spot is, about a month or so ago. I did take it to a body shop, but you just never know what you're going to find once they take the windshield out. He said worse case scenario they'd replace the whole roof which would be around $2500 if I remember right. That's a lot of money for a car that's 10 years old. It's been burning oil for about three years too...about a quart every 1200 miles. My driver's side window motor is gone too ($500). I've been driving without a power window for about two years now I think. Anyways, I don't know what to do. I finally graduated school and got a real job a few months ago. The idea of dropping $3k on this thing and then having then engine go on me is not appealing; I really don't know what to do. At this point, I'm just going to drive it and if the windshield shatters or cracks really bad I'll have to get it fixed. Maybe I'll feel different next year once we have some more money saved up. IDK. Cars suck sometimes.

And I feel you on the "not being motivated to detail it." But I still do for some reason. This might be the last sports car I have for a long long time, so it's whatever. My car has its share of blemishes, but people still think it looks new (most of it does, lol).

Anyways, I feel your pain. I'm glad you're happy with your decision. That is a lot of money to drop and risk on such an old car with rust though.

 

[builthatch]

Other than $50 for a coil, this the rust is the only repair this vehicle has needed in 2 years or so.

yeah, i believe it. i've had mine for a couple years now too and i can't believe how reliable it has been. and it's still SO smooth. my rust is definitely getting worse but i'm just going to leave it at this point. i have a little over 185k now - it made it flawlessly through another winter and is back hauling things, especially my dog to the beach lol. and my newborn too - we use a seat system that clicks into the stroller and into a base, so, we have a base for Pathy and my wife's Audi too.

 

[Don M]

I feel the same way you do. The rest of the car works and functions perfectly, you LIKE the car and you hate car payments. It makes perfect sense to put a few dollars (even a couple grand) into something you already have and know the history of, than it does to buy a used car for the same amount of money when there's no guarantee that the "new" car isn't worse than what you have.

I always try to make the 'preemptive strike' when it comes to my cars. Rust proofing (I know & used to work for the owner of the shop), higher quality fluids, having wearable parts replaced in a timely manner etc.

IMO, you couldn't have caught the rust any earlier because there were no signs until it came out from under the fender flares.

Congrats on finding a competent body shop that delivered on it's promises (even if it took them a bit longer).