My Camaro got hit, got it repaired, still not happy.. Need suggestions/advice.

[FRSTR90]

Hey guys,

To make the story of the accident short.. I was in angled parking lot and I started to back out.. Moments later a guy in a Ford Expedition starts to back up. As he starts to get close to my car, as I have my windows down, I began to yell "HEY!, HEY!, HEY!" Guy gets out of his vehicle apologizes, says he heard me screaming right before he hit me... Cop shows up asks the guy that hit me what had happened and completely blows me off... I basically got all of that resolved. My insurance, State Farm, is going to fight it for me because they believe I am not liable.

Anyhow.. Below are pics of the damage..




Here is a picture of the rear quarter.


It was straightened out... Of course they had to use some filler. The problem is and I don't know if it can be seen in the picture, but the body lines aren't perfect. At first glance you cannot notice it, but when you study it, you can see it. The lip doesn't have that perfect circle shape with a consistent crisp line in the wheel opening. Also, right about the "fins" to the wheel opening, their is a natural line that separates the top half from the bottom half. The line was almost non-existent until I took the car back and complained. The picture is after I took the car back to the body shop. It's still not perfect.

From the beginning, I told the guy who did the estimate that it looks like I am going to need a new rear quarter. He assured me that they can straighten it out and you wouldn't be able to tell. I asked him if it would look perfect, and he assured me it would. When I wasn't happy the first time, I went back and asked if they can get it perfect or if the rear quarter will need to be replaced. The project manager told me that his guys will just have to do some more work to it, but they can get it right.

I picked the car up today, and the lines aren't right. I am PO'd, and I don't know what to do. I called the body shop again, but the project manager wasn't there. They want me to come back Monday to show them what's wrong. The guy said that they may have to work on it some more.

I don't have any confidence that they will get it right...

They charged $2700 for the first repair, and they budgeted 15 hours to correct the first repair.

Any advice would greatly be appreciated!

[scandata]

I'd contact your insurance company, tell them the situation, and see if they'll let you take it to a different body shop.

[Ron71]

I can see what you are talking about. The outline around the wheel arch is not really crisp, and instead, the edge appears to have been slightly rounded over. You can see the mid body line until it reaches just over the gills at which time it disappears.

[Phenix]

It seems you are using your insurance company's approved or recommended body shop. If so you NEED to be going through your insurance company with these complaints. The body shop will be much more eager to please them since they don't want to lose their contract. I had a similar situation a few years ago. The first body shop never got it right so the insurance company had me take it to another body shop, then forced the first shop to pay the bill...

[FRSTR90]

Thank you for the replies.

I chose a body shop that was approved/recommended by my insurance, but its also a shop that I've been to in the past. I feel like it is hard to find a decent body shop in my area. I will talk to the shop and see what they have to say. If no luck, I will talk to my insurance company.

[FRSTR90]

Update:
I talked to the body shop... They said that the next step would be to replace the rear quarter panel. Please share your thoughts.. Should this be something to consider?

[Phenix]

They would most likely get a patch panel since replacing the entire quarter panel would mean they'd also be replacing the roof arch since it's one piece. A patch is preferred as it would keep the repair area small. They could make a patch out of an OEM replacement panel (doubtful since it would be really expensive and they'd scrap most of it) or an aftermarket part. You say the body shop does good work so they probably have a good source for stampings. Almost every state requires insurance companies to have body shops use OEM or equivalent materials, thickness, etc. Replacement panels and patches are the usual way to fix panels that can't be properly straightened or have torn. I think if you are not happy with the way it looks you should have them do the replacement since the body lines will be properly stamped into the panel and they won't have to try to recreate them again, which is what they didn't get right in the first place...



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[JimE]

Not much for "you" to consider. If you aren't satisfied, then let them make it right. As for as what needs to be done to make it right, that is between your insurance and the body shop.

[rotwiler]

I feel your pain, almost exact same thing happened to me, but whoever hit me left the scene. I had just made a claim a month before and got a zl1 front end to replace my custom front, so I paid out of pocket for my repair and results were like yours, not perfect body lines. Since you went through insurance I would contact them, it should be guaranteed.