Another Paint Question

[jr.parrish]

I am going to be a senior in high school this year. Last November I walked outside at the end of school to where I used to park.

 

I used to park away from everybody, but that was a mistake because the cameras couldnt see as far as where I parked.

So anyways, I was walking with a friend of mine to my truck when my mouth dropped and I started cussing out everything.

 

Someone had hit my driver side front door and smashed the whole thing in!!!!!!!!!!  I had parked on the right side of the street like every other day, but the configuration of the street allows people to park perpendicular to the curb on the left side (a small parking area). I am 100% positive that someone had simply backed up way to far an took off, and of course there was no note. So anyway I call the police and file a report. Later that night I go back to the area where it happened. I had parked far enough away from the school that I was next to some condos. In the condo parking lot, there was a white ford taurus with a screwed up back bumper and my paint on it. Called the cops, they said it was all circumstancal and the guy had to admit it to do anything about it and he didn;t. I am also 100% positive that that was the car too. I didnt realize it at the time but there were some vice grips left on my back bumper, the bastard actually got stuck on my nerf bars and had to pry himself off!!!!!!!

 

 

So anyway I payed to have the door replaced and painted.

 

My concern is that the paintjob looks rippled, sort of wavy, anybody know what this is? Someone told me that the door was sanded prep wrong. Is this something that a body shop should cover in there warrenty, because to me it really doesnt seem like quality work. And to make matters worse my truck is black!!!!!!!!!!

 

Thanks for any input,

 

Justin

[Tucson_02Silverado]

In either case of insurance paying or you are paying, if the finish does not match the rest of the truck it should be redone without cost regardless of warranty, the original product is defective.  If you get hassled then you are definitely dealing with a questionable shop, even if it is a dealership.  Now with that said, does the paint and the look of it match the rest of that side of the truck.  For example if the lower half from front to rear had orange peel and the painter matched the door panel to the others in look then it isn't really a faulty job.

 

The ripples, can you visually see it as paint runs or does it look like say something like a sheet of aluminium foil that has been slightly crumpled and someone tried to flatten it back out? That would be a bad panel replacement or you were cheated and they flatten and bondo'd your old one (use a magnet).  If the magnet checks okay then it could be bad lay down of color and/or the clear coat, or the color sanding (blending/matching) between coats was not done.

 

Without looking in person (pictures usually lie) it would be hard to accurately say what the problem is.

 

I just saw where you say this was over 8 months ago.  You can always complain, but they'll be quick to claim what's different from 8 months ago when you ACCEPTED the work.

 

You may have to chalk it up to a life lesson (and there will be many, trust me).  This particular lesson is never pay in full up front for any job that requires labor or parts have to be ordered.  10-50% first to cover materials and the balance when you accept the final work or an agreed upon graduated performance payment schedule ie. 10% work done and accepted 10% payment etc. till 100%.  The other part is always LOOK at what you are accepting/signing for.  Most times there are no changes after you leave the window (I had to thrown in a betting lesson).

[jr.parrish]

Well,

 

When looking at my truck directly from the side your can't tell anything happened. Yet had an angle you can see the ripples. Mostly they are noticeable when reflecting light when moving. If you where to walk the length of my truck looking at the door the whole time then you would be able to see them.

 

It does actually resemble a sheet of crushed aluminium foil flatened. It feels smooth however.

 

Back in April I had a small case of vandalism and took it back to the same body shop. I brought the door to his attention and he said it should not be like that and they would do someting with it. I don't know exactly what they did, but they made the ripples a little less noticable, as they were really noticable before.

 

I am confident that they didnt bondo it because you can tell where the door skin what sealed on the inside of the door.

 

Is the paint problem something a quality shop should fix.

 

Thanks,

Justin

[Tucson_02Silverado]

If the paint job is indeed the problem, it should be taken care of by the shop without charge.  A quality shop would use a paint system similar to what was used on your year of truck for the best possible match.  These systems now have all kinds of mixing charts to take in account the environment it is being shot in (mostly humidty).  It isn't just shaken a can and spraying it anymore, but it brain surgery either.  The only time a different paint system would be used is if you were doing a complete repaint and not just a panel.

 

Again without actually seeing it in person, your description sounds like too much hardner was mixed into the color and the gun wasn't stroked even across the panel.  Can be sanded to even out, but much faster to strip and repaint.