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Repair Quality Reality Check

Boxerrider

Boxerrider

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I had some fairly severe hail damage repaired, hood and roof, and had my black topper painted silver to match at the same time. I haven't had any real professional auto body repairs done in 15-20 years. Things change, and I am particular about stuff, so I'm asking for a reality-check before I take this back to the shop and complain.
First issue; wind noise - sounds like it's coming from the front of the roof.
The windshield molding is dented and has gaps on both sides. The clearance lights don't look like they have been reinstalled well, some have visible gaps under the gaskets. The roof molding isn't seated well on the passenger side.

Windshield Molding D-1 - Copy.jpeg Windshield Molding D-2 - Copy.jpeg Windshield Molding P - Copy.jpeg Windshield Molding dents - Copy.jpeg

Clearance Lights 1 - Copy.jpeg Clearance Lights 2 - Copy.jpeg Clearance Lights 3 - Copy.jpeg
 
Second issue: new body scratches. Both front fenders have fine scratches - probably from leaning against them while working on the hood. They are a little tough to get pictures of, but pretty easy to see in person.

Fender Scratches - Copy.jpeg Fender Scratches 1 - Copy.jpeg Fender Scratches 2 - Copy.jpeg
 
Third issue: Camper paint flaws. I bought this camper used. It had some small chips in the corners, and some circular sanding scratches and other gel coat flaws that were probably original. Most of the chipped areas and the sand scratches were repaired. There is a 3/4" paint flaw under one of the windows, hair or lint, and one corner shows small holes - either in the original gel coat or repair. If I had paid $1000 for this, then I would shrug it off and move on up the road. At $3500 my expectations were a little higher.

Camper Paint 1 - Copy.jpeg Camper Paint 2 - Copy.jpeg Camper Paint 3 - Copy.jpeg
 
Fourth issue: Dinged/scratched interior plastic. I am assuming they replaced the center section of the roof. I'm sure that required some of the interior trim to be removed, although I don't know the extent. The driver's side end of the dash and the passenger grab handle look like they were pried with a screwdriver. While annoying, I can smooth these out. The passenger side dash has some deeper scratches.

Dash Dings - Copy.jpeg Grab Handle P - Copy.jpeg Dash Scratches - Copy.jpeg
 
I agree. Take it back. We are all paying big money for insurance (that I’m sure covered the damage) and it should be right. The clearance lights and/or that windshield molding could leak water so repair sooner than later.


Sent from me
 
Fifth issue: General filthiness - the dash and door panels are clean, and the seats and carpet have been mostly vacuumed. Most of the rest of the interior has a layer of gritty dust. I store a bunch of stuff under the rear seat. Some of it had been pulled out and then piled up, and is also coated with grit. Would removing the rear seat have been part of the repair process. The bed has trash and grit in it. While this wouldn't be a big deal on its own, it does add to my dissatisfaction.

Dirty Interior - Copy.jpeg Dirty Bed - Copy.jpeg
 
The hail damage repair was covered by my insurance. Dear Sweet Wife has the paperwork with the cost - I haven't studied it yet. We paid an additional $3500 to have the topper painted.

This is why I don't like other people working on my stuff. While I didn't expect it to come back perfect, I did expect better than this. I appreciate opinions from y'all about just how close to perfect I should expect it to be. Most of this I could deal with on my own, but I will probably complain to the shop about all of it.

Thanks!
Jeff
 
Wow, that is some shoddy work. I would be beyond pissed. Now you have to spend more of your valuable time playing phone tag, potentially have to be an azz-hole (which is sad, but if these guys don't realize how chitty their work is, sometimes you have to), and probably lose your truck for a while again to the same idiots that screwed you the first time. Did your insurance company recommend them? You may be able to go straight to your insurance company and make them deal with it.
 
I would definitely take it back. That is terrible work. Did you go to a body shop that your insurance suggested?
 
whitexc said it first, those clearance lights have to be addressed and straightened out way sooner than later they are leaks just waiting to happen . Then the headliner and the center overhead console gets trashed. I have to look at the edge windshield molding on mine to see if there off like yours I know some moldings are on other vehicles.
 
I would make a list of all the damage, with photos, then prioritize the fixes and go back to the repair shop. Obviously, the clearance lights and windshield trim would be the first fixes. Unfortunately, some of the lower priority scratches/interior would be last and probably not get fixed. However, I would also send that list to the insurance company to make them aware of the poor quality of the repairs. Maybe you'd get some reimbursement for the unrepaired damage and the now diminished value of your truck. I feel for ya, good luck.
 
When I make mistakes I appreciate the opportunity to make things right, and I strive to extend that to others. That said, I do have concerns about having poor work redone at the same shop.
Geico insurance, and they didn't have any recommendations in our area. It's rural Texas, and that's not unusual here. Every shop I looked at had mostly good reviews along with a poor one or two. The first shop I visited wasn't willing to touch the fiberglass topper. I picked one that was willing to do the work and looked like it did enough volume to be reliable.
Yes, $3500 for the topper was about 2 1/2 times what I expected and crushed my used budget-buy. When I was originally shopping new ones were in that price range, required several weeks for delivery, and I read a lot poor reviews on the finish quality of them too.
The roof and windshield moldings, and the clearance lights are must-fix items. I would like to get a partial refund on the camper paint as well. If I can get that, then I'm willing to deal with the other stuff myself.
Thanks, everyone. I'll let you know how things progress.
 
dmhines said:
You had no option for paintless dent removal? that is the best way to go for hail damage ...
Click to expand...
I was told no on the aluminum hood, and strongly discouraged on the roof too. Lots of dents, and most were pretty deep.
 
Did they hammer out the dents then? Or just fill them with bondo?
Hood probably should have just been replaced.

Had door damage on a car once. They tried filling it with bondo and I caught it. They never could get it straight and finally caved in and replaced the door skin.
 
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Boxerrider said:
I was told no on the aluminum hood, and strongly discouraged on the roof too. Lots of dents, and most were pretty deep.
Click to expand...
That surprises me. My truck was hit so hard by hail it broke the windshield. The hood looked like moon craters. Our PDR guy did a flawless job on the hood and roof. The hail even broke the 3500 hood emblems and a taillight.

The hood did need repainting because it cracked the paint in a number of places. The work on your truck is terrible. I wouldn't go back to that shop. I'd call your insurance and have the adjuster come out and take a look. They won't be happy either.
 
Crusty old shellback said:
Did they hammer out the dents then? Or just fill them with condoms?
Hood probably should have just been replaced.

Had door damage on a car once. They tried filling it with bondo and I caught it. They never could get it straight and finally caved in and replaced the door skin.
Click to expand...
The hood and roof were replaced. They did PDR some rear fender dings. I didn't push them one way or the other. I'm reasonably sure this would have been a mess no matter which method of repair they utilized.
 
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