Auto shop horror stories from around the web

[ZiGeNX77]

You're doing it wrong!

I just read about some guy on another forum that decided to vinyl wrap his car from a virtual unknown. Painful to read that he forked up money on a job that seemed way too good to be true. I've never thought about doing vinyl, nor do I think it is a good idea, but hearing anyone get ripped off makes me angry.

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Huy (the victim):

From this thread, I hope to create awareness of how the results of a vehicle vinyl wrapping should not be.

  

My experience begins with contacting Prestige Vinyl Wraps, located in  Corona, CA which is owned by Joe (father: xxx-xxx-xxxx) and Brandon  (son: xxx-xxx-xxxx).

 

  

the pictures of the bmw’s made me think that they did quality work, but  in reality,I found out that the matte white bmw was done by  stickercity.com, while the matte black bmw was done by Vinyl Styles in  California;

  

February 15th, 2012: I brought the car in. From their website design, it  was easy to be misled from the banner photos and linked videos (more on  this fraud will be discussed later in this thread). I remember seeing  most of the photos of “their” work around the internet. They looked  clean, and I thought I could trust them. I dropped the car off, helped  take off the sideskirts, and discussed the specifics on how the job  would be completed. I provided a 45’x5’ roll of Matte White of 3M 1080  series for the body ($390) and a sheet of Matte Black for the roof ($60)  and was quoted $500 for labor, which was the main reason I chose them  in the first place. My biggest concerns were the door handles and the  bumpers. I specifically asked if they were going to do each panel using  one sheet rather than more than one sheet pieced together. They even  reassured me that they would take the door handles off and told me they  would take care of me. I left the place (a small garage of a house)  feeling pretty assured and was guaranteed my car to be finished by  Friday, February 17th, 2012.

  

Throughout the vinyl process, they noted to me that they did not  want to take off the door handles because they did not want to mess with  the locking mechanism. Fair enough. I was hoping it would at least be  clean. I was sent photos throughout the process; however, by Friday, the  car was only half way finished. I was later notified that I was short  on vinyl, so they had bought a sheet of 10’x5’ to finish up the rest of  the car in matte white. Apparently, they had bought the sheet for $350  (What? Seriously?), and only asked me to pay for the labor, which was  $150. I agreed, having faith that the job would still be clean and it  would be worth it. The vehicle was scheduled to be picked up Saturday  night. I waited, and decided that I would pick the vehicle up on Sunday  morning, asking them to take their time and make sure they looked over  everything again.

February 21st, 2012: I picked up the vehicle Sunday morning, and to my  dismay, it was a horrible, half-assed job. I put the side skirts on by  myself while Joe was getting ready for church and Brandon was sleeping.

  

After a week, here are some photos of the vehicle as it stands.

•    As you can see, the front bumper was completed with 4 sheets, all with cuts that were not clean at all.

 

  

YIKES!!!!

Additional pictures and the rest of post on forum: my8thgen.com Vinyl Wraps

 

[ZiGeNX77]

Another one about someone getting a lip kit for his 350Z. I mean I've seen bad work, but this is terrible!

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Very bad review coming...

So, after talking with Mike and hearing the good(and bad) things about him, I decided to give him a shot.

I picked up a Urethane lip kit for my 350z.

Without it even being test fitted, Mike had already quoted me at $250.

That included all prep, installation, and paint.

I dropped off the car and lip kit at Mike's shop on September 15,  2008(Monday) and was told it would be ready for pick-up on the  17th(Wednesday).

The following day, I was told via AIM that fitment on the sideskirts was  off and needed to be trimmed. Without my approval, he had already  trimmed the sideskirts.

Rather than asking me if I wanted to just return the kit and buy another  one, he took it upon himself to trim it and make it fit.

He showed me how the fitment WAS, then showed me how it fits now.(No approval on my end)

Then, he reassured me he'd make it fit/mold it, etc.

He then made a new invoice which was now at $730.69. A $480 price hike from the original quote.

The invoice included:

"Front lip brackets for stability.

Rear lip brackets for stability.

Sideskirts, cut, fiberglass, and re-shape - 3 hours each.

4040 epoxy will be used to stabilize the sideskirt to vehicle.

Sideskirt may be removed if needed.

Work completed will not affect the fitment of OEM sideskirt."

I agreed, trusting him with my Z, that he would do his best possible work.

Wednesday comes, my car isn't ready.

He said he had food poisoning.

People get sick, that's life. I understood, and was told my car would be ready by Friday/Saturday 9/19 - 9/20.

Thursday, he told me via AIM he was stuck doing homework.

Still reassured my car would be ready by Friday/Saturday.

Again, start playing the waiting game.

I never rushed him. If anything, I thought if it took him a few more  days to complete my car, it would give him a chance to do even better  work. Great opportunity to take his time and make sure everything is  good to go.

Friday comes, my car isn't ready.

Mike tells me I can come by and check out the progress.

I head over on Saturday 9/20 expecting my car to be in the final stages nearing completion.

When I arrive(around noon), my car was the same as when I saw it on Tuesday 9/18.

The sideskirts were still black, not prepped.

Nothing else had been done to my car.

I could tell the rear hadn't even been fitted on because my stock  mud-guarts/valances were still in place. These NEED to be removed in  order to install the rear lip.

The sideskirt had been dremmeled where it meets the door jamb, thus scratching the paint off at the corner.

Also, Mike attended a track event that same Saturday. He never once mentioned this to me.

What's he doing at a track event when my car needs to be completed? I am paying for this after all, aren't I?

Mad at the fact that my car wasn't even near completion, I play the waiting game once again.

On Monday, I ask him if I ever needed to go back to stock, if there would be any problems.

<dialogue removed>

My friend gives me a ride to his shop on Friday 9/26 at 8:30pm.

Mike's shop is closed up, and he's no where to be found.

My car was also locked inside, so I couldn't even see what had been done.

After several phone calls, it turns out he's at the airport picking somebody up.

Mike let me know he would be leaving from the airport around 10pm and will be there as soon as he possibly can.

A few phone calls later, it turns out it hadn't even been sprayed yet.

Did I hear correctly?

I've been waiting 1 week, 4 days, and it's not even sprayed yet?

GREAT.

I'm seriously pissed at this point.

He tells me he'll be at the shop by midnight and to come check out the car if i'd like.

I stay up until midnight, drive over...again...he's not there.

Speak with him over the phone one more time, he tells me the car will be ready for pick up before 10am.

I call him on Saturday 9/27 at 9am, my car isn't ready.

Apparently, he was just about to clear it and let it sit under the heat  lamps to speed up the curing process. "Come by and pick it up later  tonight around 7-8pm" is what I'm told.

My friend gives me a ride over to FINALLY pick up my car from his shop.

Still thinking, "It took him 12 days to complete this, maybe it's  because he took his time on it to make sure everything was just right."

So totally wrong.

My car was filthy. Not to mention it was completely covered in overspray  even though I was told the kit would be painted OFF the car.

The first thing I noticed, orange peel, and lots of it.

Second thing, wasn't I told there would be brackets made for stability?

The entire kit was drilled onto the car using wood/sheet metal screws  and double sided tape(that was already included when I first purchased  the kit.

After the car was rolled out of the shop, he pressure washed it.

Rotten orange peel and wood!

HORRIBLE body shop experience

[Clix]

Goodness, I remember the 350z. That is by far one of the worst hackjob installations I've seen.

A guy here in Oklahoma took his newly swapped rebuilt H22 prelude to a shop and told them specific instructions to be careful with it because the car wasn't tuned yet. After the service the technician pulled it out of the bay, did a burnout in 1st, slammed it into 2nd then proceeded into a parking spot while the owner was watching. When the owner confronted the tech, he denied it as well as the other employees. He had to take it to corporate to get an answer.

[Guest johnhk79]

350z looks a lot better now. Went to one of the best body shops and had everything fixed.

[Guest ktopia]

Those have got to be the worst jobs I've ever seen in my life.  Feel bad for the owners, I would be devastated if my baby had to go through any of this.