What Should I Do?

[SSFury]

I'll try to make this really quick. A building next to where I work was getting their roof spray painted.. unbeknownst to the people who were parking nearby. They got overspray on a few cars. My 2011 Camaro was one of them. We contacted the company, got it all worked out for them to pay to have our cars detailed, to remove the paint overspray.

I have never had a car detailed before, so I wasn't really sure what to expect, and I didn't pick the guy doing the work, the company paying for it did.

I dropped it off today, he did step 1.. he did the buffing. I have to bring it back tomorrow for him to do the polishing.

The work he has done looks really good.. EXCEPT... that I found 2 spots on the rear bumper that are damaged that weren't there before dropping the car off. We were doing a walk around of the car, and he pointed out a few chips in the front of the car.. rock chips.. and I was like "They were there before, no worries." I showed him a spot on my passenger side rear splash guard that I knew had a chip in it.. no big deal. (thats why I always wash my own car by hand.. I know EVERY inch of it!!) Then we get to the rear bumper.. and the first thing I say was: "They werent there before." He starts explaining how he didnt get to that section yet.. running his hand along it, saying "You see how that section isn't smooth yet? I havent been through there yet". He was then pretty quick to add that "If I wasn't happy with the service, he'd have to take a loss, and repaint the whole bumper."

1 Spot is right above the license plate, the other is right between the tail lights.

I thought he was pretty quick to throw out the repainting option, I didn't really say much.

So my question to the C5 community, as a person who has never detailed their car, or even seen it done before, if a buffer heavy enough, and is the potential there that he could have in fact done it and is just trying to hide it so that he wont have to pay? I have to drop it back off in the morning, and want to know how I should go forward with this.

My fear in making him repaint it is.. him getting cheap paint.. wrong color paint, bad paint job.. making sure he uses clear, does a good job on the clear.. I'm afraid of going forward with anything out of fear of the situation getting worse.

What do you all think?

[angie7]

That looks like the guy ran the edge of the buffer into ur paint. From the pics that doesnt look like overspray and no way in hell would I let him touch my car again let alone paint it.

[simonmcnasty]

Does not look like buffer damage to me

[toesuf94]

That looks like it was hit by high pressure water and it somehow made the paint peel. Ouch. They would have to wash the car prior to buffing. Looks like high pressure water did the damage.

[Caspers2SSRS]

Yeap................Ever who pressure cleaned it...................appears to have gotten a bit to close with the water being ejected from the spray tip..........High Pressure washers come with an assortment of tips with varying widths and angular washing/cutting capabilities. The orrifices of some of these tips are very restrictive ( in thousands of an inch) inorder they increase the pressure of the given volume of water being discharged. Yes water coming out at the extreme forces of pressure ( hence........ pressure washing at 2500-6000 lbs per sq inch) is capable of cutting plastics as soft as those used on our cars, among other things............paint, rubber gaskets, door and trunk seals, ie. It appears someone was being in a bit of a hurry...................and this opinion is based off of nearly forty years of proffesional experience with pressure washing equipment both sales and field contracting use................mostly good, a few not so good lessons learned. As well super heated boiling water is often used in a varity of high pressure washers used in the automotive fields.........................if held incorrectly in one position too long either cold or hot systems can cause serious damages.

[Camaro54]

I don't know if they washed it first. If they didn't wash the whole car first then look to see if there is a film of old dirt on the paint/chips. You will be able to drag your finger across to move the dirt. If there is a film of dirt on the chip that is not from the shop then the chip was probably already there. Slim chance this will help you. That did happen to me once with a black Linclon. Scratches on the passenger door. My car went in to the shop dirty which I knew. I ddn't remember the scratches but when they showed me the dirt was on top of the scratches that was enough proof for me. Later I remembered how the car got scratched months before. I just hadn't been driving the car much. Now back to your car. I would have them repaint the rear. They can go back to the paint company or their insurance co. and get extra $$ if needed. If they don't do a good job then insist to take it to another body shop. The painter is the first who is responsible and then the body shop next then the insurance co if there is one. Good luck and stay with it.

[SSFury]

I had just washed the whole car really well this past Sunday, so there was very little dirt on the car to begin with, he probably wouldn't have had to wash it first. He DID however have to clean the car off before I came to pick it up, because he knew I was driving it home tonight, and bringing it back in the morning to finish the process.

the damage above the plate looks kind of like something was dropped on it. The damage is circular, and I can see where the paint has been "Pushed" down, probably disbonded from the bumper. The damage between the tail lights, is a circular spot of missing paint, no sharp edges, no visual indicators of an impact, or anything catching it. High powered water may have in fact caused this spot..

The next question, if it was high pressure water (which I would never use, or condone the use of on my car to begin with, which is why I always hand wash it..) how do I get the guy to admit to it? And like i said.. what then? Just accept it, and take the car as-is, or try to get him to repaint it.. and take my chances on it becoming much worse??

[Supercamaro64]

I would try to get him to pay to have it repainted, but i wouldnt want him to do it.

[trganey]

I would probably get a police report filled out on the whole episode and involve my insurance company and demand that "I choose" the repair place to have it fixed. You'll probably end up in small claims court before it's all over with but in the end it may be worth it. I hate it when this kind of crap happens.

A few years ago I was on the other end of the stick. I was the one who damaged a co-workers brand new truck. I offered to just buy his truck for what he payed for it and let him start from scratch. He wouldn't do it so I ended up having his truck fixed at the repair shop of his choice and told him to carefully inspect it and not accept it until he was completely satisfied. As far as I know he's happy with it and still driving it. Mistakes happen but the folks spraying that paint knew that there would be over spray and should have taken steps to make sure no one elses property was damaged.

[HDDAN]

First, I would have insisted in choosing my own detailer. It probably would have been my dealer so that I could have some recourse if dissatisfied, which you are. If he had an inexpirienced guy on the pressure washer, when they stopped squeezing the spray trigger, the washer wants to jump fprward. If that happens and the nozzle hits the paint, you get chips. I would insist that they pay for you to get it repaired at your dealership or you can bring them to small claims court. Maybe you can collect off of your insurance's comprehensive section. Call your agent. This would be the best bet if you can because they will recover the money from the people that did the damage.

[IrocJack]

Yes you should have asked for your own detailer. Sorry for the troubles with all this though.

[calbert1999]

I think you should have called insurance company and had them sort it out for you, and then chose who you wanted to detail.

[Caspers2SSRS]

Originally Posted by SSFury

I had just washed the whole car really well this past Sunday, so there was very little dirt on the car to begin with, he probably wouldn't have had to wash it first. He DID however have to clean the car off before I came to pick it up, because he knew I was driving it home tonight, and bringing it back in the morning to finish the process.

the damage above the plate looks kind of like something was dropped on it. The damage is circular, and I can see where the paint has been "Pushed" down, probably disbonded from the bumper. The damage between the tail lights, is a circular spot of missing paint, no sharp edges, no visual indicators of an impact, or anything catching it. High powered water may have in fact caused this spot..

The next question, if it was high pressure water (which I would never use, or condone the use of on my car to begin with, which is why I always hand wash it..) how do I get the guy to admit to it? And like i said.. what then? Just accept it, and take the car as-is, or try to get him to repaint it.. and take my chances on it becoming much worse??

Firstly............no respectable autoshop or detailer would begin the over spray paint removal process with-out first washing the car. Even if they had witnessed you doing it yourself seconds before they took possession of your ride. It would be like you preparing yourself and the tools for a open heart surgerical operation, and then later trying to hold the doctor or hospital responsible for your getting an infection from bacteria because the skin around the opening and the tools were contaminated forehand.

Can you imagine having to handle a customers complaint whose already irrate and nervous having foregin paint on their ride, now further upset over high speed swirl marks caused by even the slightest bits of dust or grim.....yikes

In as much getting him to admit it, whether that be he is actually the root cause of the damage or its him being held liable because a helper did it unbeknowst to him....... thats a tough one. Fact is you may make the claim against him by simply and calmly demanding that his insurance take up the matter......if he refuses, get your insurance company involved. That in itself might be enough motivation that he cough up the good will to have the issues resolved to your satisfaction. Fact is you've got the insurance company of the paint contractor on the hook for any additional damages to your car until it is returned to you 100%, even if the detailers insurance company is not involved. All will be well no matter.........

[Brutal SS]

This isn't even my car and it makes me absolutely !!! I'm very sorry this happened to you!