Bodyshop advice...

G

GoodnClean

New member
I came out to the car tonight to find some dumbass had backed into the rear bumper. No metal, just the bumper, and the cover isnt damaged just the paint. I was parked out in the middle of nowhere too...



I'm heartbroken....



Now, what do I do? This color is so dark, and its a "pearl" color, how do I make sure I get the bodywork done right? I want it to look just like it did before the repair.



What kinds of things do I specify when I have the estimate done? Is there any atvantage at all to having it done at a Lexus dealership? Would they have more experience with the color? Will they remove the bumper cover to paint it, and then re-install it afterwards? Should I specify that I would prefer this done?



Should I ask shops for references, whats should I look for in a reference.



Does any Autopian have experience with a bodyshop somewhere around the Washington D.C. metro area?
 
Hey Steve,

Sorry to hear that, really sucks.

Lexus doesn't have a body shop but can recommend who they use. I would tell you to check the places out yourself. What I mean is the shop should be clean enough to eat off the floor. The cleaner the better.



You may want to express to them that you have concern of the paint matching/ pearlecent reflection not being even etc.... Might also want to be sure the rest of the vehicle is clean so they can see how you maintain the vehicle.



Or, you could just flat out tell them you will not accept the work if it's got an orange peel finish, fish eye's, or dirt, etc.....



I've got an LS and am concerned about getting the windshield replaced, the car has no rattles at all and is 10 years old. No exaggeration at all.
 
GoodnClean- Yikes, sorry to hear about your car's damage. Yes, the car should be spotlessly clean, for a number of reasons. Yes, you should insist that if the job's not done to your satisfaction, you won't be paying. Pearls are VERY hard to match, especially when you're redoing plastic, so be forewarned.



On rare occasions, dealership paintshops do great work, perhaps because they work with the paints in question (here, pearls) a lot. My Porsche/Audi dealer does great work, but THIS IS THE EXCEPTION TO THE RULE. MOST dealership paint/body shops are mediocre at best.



Yes, the cover should certainly be painted OFF the car (I've had a LOT of them reshot- again, lots of reasons why). If they do NOT plan to do this, go elsewhere, it can be a "competency test".



Be EVER SO CAREFUL when inspecting the work after it's done. Car should be clean, dry and you should insist that they show you the work WITHOUT any glaze on the new paint (yes, glaze it later, but you want to inspect the work without any "make-up"). Look at it in good lighting. Delay the inspection, if you have to, until the conditions are perfect because once you pay and take the car it's tough to go back and get satisfaction later.



SO many people are disappointed in paint work a little while AFTER they accept the car back, usually the first or second time they detail the car (when they suddenly notice that the work is awful).



cnacne- Again BE CAREFUL! If they cut through the paint when cutting out the old glass you're looking at future rust-out (been there...). Talk to the shop about this. If possible, watch them do the work (a refusal to let you do this is a "clue"/warning sign).
 
Thanks guys, and everyone please keep the info coming...



I've been to two dealer bodyshops for Lexus in the area getting estimates for my dad on bodywork. One, in Alexandria did a fantastic job at first, however now a couple years later the paint has flaked slightly around the lower valance, not enough flex additive I'm sure, so no more for them.



The second one was in Gaithersburg and I only got an estimate from them, but they seemed competent. I'm going to get an estimate from them.



I have a list of almost 10 body shops in the area that have done award winning work, one that is also a customiser (this sounded interesting, as they do custom work (have won awards) and work with these hard paints). I'm taking the day off today to drive around and get estimates.



I find I'm having trouble remembering that its worth it to drive around with that eyesore to make sure someone does the work right...



Thank you guys!
 
Okay, I went and got the estimates.



I visited a lot of shops. One that was impressive and huge, but they were cold and impersonal and I was afraid that they were more concerned with speed then quality.



I have narrowed it down to two.



One is real small, but they seem to do good work. They will take the bumper off and sand it down, then they want to color coat the area and spread it through the panel blending it to the remaining paint, then clear the whole thing. That way I wouldnt have any paint lines or discoloration. They want $270.



The next place is bigger, but I have a reference and they do a LOT of high priced cars. There were a couple ES's like mine, 2 or 3 S Class Benz, and LX470, an E Class and an ML class. There was also a Rolls, but I'm not sure if it wasn't just parked there. He wants to color coat the whole bumper, and use a computer tinting program to match the paint perfectly. He said he doesn't do any blending because the finished product looks much better if the paint is uniform and simply matched to the paint on the car, including age changes etc. They seem to do great work, the shop is nice and clean, he was very friendly and informative. He wants between $400-$500 which makes sense to me as he'll use more paint, and they do higher end cars (have a higher hourly wage) and use the computer paint matching system, which nobody else had. He was also the only guy who noticed that the paint was a pearl coat (everyone else says "yeah it'll match") and he said again, it'll look more uniform and perfect if he just completely refinished the whole bumper (off the car)



I'm leaning towards guy #2 whats everyone think?
 
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