Body Shop Blues - Car Jail Plus Other Issues

[jlukas]

I would get my car out of there ASAP. I would then politely tell him you need the car finished sooner and ask for a refund of the $2800. How did you pay him? If you paid by credit card and the services aren't rendered it as simple as disputing the charges with your credit card company. If you paid by cash or check and he won't refund it then you are into the legal system and some basic research will determine what your options are for your area. I wouldn't just walk away from y the $2800!

 

[Runner 68]

First mistake, paying up front.... it's the best clue that the guy is shaky at best.
Secondly, get your car the hell out of there as quick as you can. He has done some work on it so it's not like you're out the whole $2,800.
Go man Go! Time is wasting.

- - - Updated - - -

I would get my car out of there ASAP. I would then politely tell him you need the car finished sooner and ask for a refund of the $2800. How did you pay him? If you paid by credit card and the services aren't rendered it as simple as disputing the charges with your credit card company. If you paid by cash or check and he won't refund it then you are into the legal system and some basic research will determine what your options are for your area. I wouldn't just walk away from y the $2800!

Probably cost at least $2000 to litigate it.

 

[Durandal25]

I would talk to a lawyer.

.........empty threat, and the retainer alone would be more than the car.

 

[tracy]

i have the same problem. my 68 coronet has been in body shop since last july. he hasnt even started on it yet and i too had paid 2500 bucks up front. he tells me just been so busy with insurance work since we have had so much snow this winter

 

[67GTX440]

Update. Stopped by the shop today and the shop was dark. Nobody working at all. I ran into the owner's mother who told me he was in the hospital and scheduled for bypass surgery. Do not know if that means a stent (a week down) or open heart (4 to 8 weeks down). I would feel bad for him if it wasn't for the fact he should have had my car done six months ago. Two cars lined up prepped and taped off to go into the paint booth and he is the painter. Since he is the owner, I am sure that two of his guys will not show up without assurance of being paid. I will work with his shop manager/body man to see if I can get him to finish the body work. My money may look good to him if the owner is unable to pay him. If I can get the body work I have paid for finished up, I have options to take it elsewhere for paint. I can always take the owner to small claims court for the $2,800 paid to him for work not done. I can do it myself in small claims court up to 5K. No reason to need an attorney. I have used small claims court before to get a back rent judgment and it was easy and cheap. Only problem is getting wages to attach once you get a settlement since he is self employed. Could probably file a property lien if necessary.

I think I can pretty much contact the city and get his business shut down for zoning violations if he does not finish my car, so I have some leverage. I hate to have to go this way, but it may come to that.

 

[Runner 68]

You're letting your heart get in the way.
Collect your car and split. Good intentions only go so far.

 

[Moparsr2fast]

About 20 years ago, I put up $3500 for my 69 Coronet RT to get painted. Every other week, the guy would come to my house asking for money. After another grand, he filed bankruptcy and shut the business down. For my $4600, I got a total of 1 trunk floor welded into place... period. Take your car, and get it home asap.

 

[1969superbee]

The body work and paint is definitely the dentist office visit of a restoration. It took me two body shops, five years, and 14,000.00 dollars to get mine done. Mine sat in the last body shop for two years and all of the sudden within two weeks it was done. I can't tell you how many times I was on the verge of bringing it home unfinished. With that said you will feel a lot better with it at home finished or unfinished.

 

[67GTX440]

I called the Jacksonville stolen car unit to ask about the police officers checking VINS and was told this was a random monthly check of a body shops for business license and stolen vehicles. The police say the place was clean.

I think my wife would rather have the car in the body shop than at the house, so that is another factor for consideration. LOL

 

[Dennis H]

Just wanted to plug my body guy - Shelly's Auto Body Danielsville, Pennsylvania SCUM Sucking thief held my Coronet for over a year then screwed it up.

 

[kevin403]

Wow! I also could have written a very similar story. My car sat in a body shop for 4.5 years. Seems this situation is all too common. I would cut my losses and take it out of there. Like has been said already, it's not worth losing your car. The guys that had mine ended up going bankrupt less than 6 months after I got my car out. All of the cars were seized and it was a real pain for anybody to get their car out of there afterwards.
I have since met several people who got screwed by the same guys at different places and times, for a lot more $ than I lost too.
Whatever you decide to do, good luck.

Which guy and shop was this?

 

[aldal]

In Minnesota you can go to the County Courthouse and do a search on him and his business and that will tell you what leans or Judgements are out there against him & doesn't cost anything (in Minnesota anyway). Also if it was my car I would get it out of there and then when he is back to work you could deal with the shop to get the final result you wish, ether a refund or get the work completed. Good luck

 

[superbird77]

Seems like there are stories like this all over. I understand the stress it causes, my car has been in the shop since last August and the bodywork hasn't been completed. Now that's nothing like two years but for a full time restoration shop i feel its well behind schedule. The entire car was supposed to be completed by this July, i just cant see that happening now. Its not currently a rolling chassis so getting it outta there isn't so easy either. Ugh!

 

[440beep]

Which have you had longer, the car or the wife?

I think my wife would rather have the car in the body shop than at the house, so that is another factor for consideration. LOL

 

[eagleone1983]

I feel so proud to be part of this club. Two body shops, four years, and around $16k to get mine bailed out and I brought it to them completely disassembled and assembled it myself. Since then my wife and I have only fought about who gets the remote. However, now that she is finished the memories my family has made since then have more than faded away the bad ones.

 

[aldal]

67GTX440, I was thinking about your situation this morning and was wondering if your have a (hopefully good news) update.

 

[bigmanjbmopar]

Oh man what a pickle to be in, hope I don't go through that when the time comes. Sounds like you really want someone to do your car and the manager dude maybe the guy if you can get him on the side. Paint at another place but if the manager guy is willing and will work for progression payments I would say it has to be done in 2 months or get the car outta of there.

If your guts is telling you there is a risk of loss here it's probably right they put your car off for the for sure thing insurance work that to me is insulting and would have had my car removed after week 2 of no progress.

Good luck keep us posted that car is one of my favorites models would be a shame to not see it on the road.

 

[moparmusclecars]

If you weren't so far away, i'd tell you to go grab it and let me finish it for you. I have had to do several cars that were pulled out of nightmare shops. I prefer to be paid on them as i go, instead of half up front. When you do half up front, it's too easy for the shop to sit on it. Agree that monthly i will get so much work done and bill you. I tell my customer's I need a check at least once a month for the work I have done. If at any point you are not happy with the work or time frame, you can than pull the car from my shop. Doing it this way makes the customer feel happy, I am not asking for half down, and I get a semi weekly or monthly check on a restoration job so I am motivated.

 

[HYRDGOON]

I really hope this story has a happy ending and soon! I feel for ya brother!

 

[6speedGTX]

Which guy and shop was this?

It was a place called D&M Autobody East of town. Two guys ran the shop, IIRC they were Dale and Steve.