Body Shop (archive)

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i was washing my car about 6:00 this morning and this girl comes out of her apartment looking over my '73 '02 and she asked if i had it repainted and wanted to know who repainted it.

i was hesitant to tell her as i wasn't happy, satisfied, etc. with the body shop i had my '02 done at. there was so many things wrong with my car when it came out, from the little things to the big things. here's a SMALL list:

1) dried up paint drip on the left front fender
2) brake lights didn't work
3) back up lights didn't work
4) when they replaced the passenger door i presume they didn't sand down the door enough cuz a small crack on in front of the side view mirror reveals that the door is off a RED '02
5) primer on my custom rear deck speakers
6) the steering column is missing some screws
7) front bmw badge on rear and vice versa
8) small paint splatters on 6 month old rims
9) didn't replace the side markers - european look now
10) missing screws, only 2, on grilles
11) missing knurling nut that holds the grilles from inside engine compartment

and the list goes on. some were major some weren't. but i figure if you're going to fork over some obscene amount of cash well......no wonder they have a "lifetime warranty" on their workmanship.

i'm not sure whether to say the name of the shop but if anyone wants to know, i suppose, you can email me. i'm a consumer just like everyone else and i don't like other people experiencing what i go through. the only reason why i took it to this body shop is that he knows '02s, he works on other cars, and he's very active in the bmw circle as he's also a driving instructor. oh. by the way, i was recommended to this body shop from someone on this message board. don't know if that person actually had experience with the mechanic but it's coolio.

anyway, back to the original thought. the girl asks where my body shop was. her car's a late model volvo and the damage, i estimate, shouldn't cost her a little more than a G. nothing bondo can't fix. plus she's leasing the thing anyway.

so.....can anyone recommend a R-E-S-P-E-C-T-A-B-L-E body shop in the w. LA area that won't give anyone a hard time. i plan on having another '02 painted so this is killing two birds with one stone.

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