Try to keep this as concise and F-bomb free as possible. ****!

I got my new wheels in yesterday morning (Roderick RW5's) and I was eager to get them put on so I brought them to the new automotive garage down the street where I got my wife's winters installed.

Everything seemed fine until I woke up this morning and noticed a huge mark on my rear quarter panel. My best description is that someone threw a sand covered pickle at my car and it stuck to it. Then they tried to remove it by dragged it a little bit instead of picking it clean off.

There were some brown little streaks as well and the only thing I could think of is that it happened at the shop. My car is always clean and this is something I would have noticed before I dropped it off. The garage is 1/2 mile from my house and I came straight home and parked the car for the night.

So either someone through a rock covered banana at my car or the **** head at the garage did it. Either way, I know I'm going to have to take this right up the a$$ because they will deny it and that's as far as it will go.

My car is at the shop getting an oil change and computer recall done so I don't have pictures but I will tomorrow afternoon.

I had the dealer give me an estimate and it's $1300 after tax to fix a little rash. Is that not crazy!!!

Here's my question..

Lets forget about the tire shop because nothing will happen in regards to compensation there and I rather not debate this as it will just anger me more.

I can probably find somewhere to do it for $500-$600 but should I use a cheaper "body shop"?

My other thought is... I don't like the colour of my car and I can wrap the whole thing for $2500-$3000 and get a custom colour that I want. The damage will still be there but I can fix that up before I sell it a few years down the road.

The pic below is not my car it's carbonissimo's I just did a little graphic of what I'm talking about.

 

Forget using the dealer, they just farm it out. Find a good body shop and get them to fix it!

 

Similar things have happened to me on more than one occasion. So much So that I do a walk around when dropping my car off and another when picking it up. I get dirty looks sometimes but just covering my basis.

 

Like C4S, I always do a walk-around before and after. I don't drive anything with marks and abrasions so my suggestion is to fix it properly and - if you still don't like the color - then wrap it. Otherwise, if you're like me, every time you walk past the car you'll look right at where the damage is.

 

I will be doing this from now on. Crappy lesson to learn.

That's right... the dealer does farm it out. I will have to see what I can get it painted for.

I just bought a used Techart 1 Wing and cost to prep and paint is $100 so I will see the quality they do and get an estimate on the panel.

 

Ask the dealer which body shop they use and you can go direct. Unless the dealer has their own body shop they usually do it as a courtesy, but have a quality body shop. After you get it done, go to small claims court, cost is minimal and you probably have a 70% chance of getting your money back.

 

Unless he has proof or evidence that it occurred at the tire shop, by the tire shop, he has no court case. Additionally, he already said he doesn't want to discuss it with them. Without discussing it with them and some proof/evidence that it happened at the shop he would be saying "A week ago I came in and you damaged my car, but I didn't notice it until the next day and I didn't come to you for X days." I wouldn't work as the damage, from the perspective of the shop, could have happened anywhere, at anytime, after it left their shop.

 

I use the walk around and my car is always clean when I drop it off.

 

I have had my 996TT wrapped matt white for about year now and if I had to do it all over again I wouldn't.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure you can't wrap over a scratch or when you remove the wrap it could pull the paint up with it.

 

i dont go to shops that i haven't used. when you have a nice car, it makes sense to stick to a regular shop you trust.

get it fixed and move on. it's a few hundred to repaint. not a big deal.

 

This totally sucks hairy *****.

The problem as I see it is, you really don't know who threw the sandy pickle at your car. They could have parked it in the lot after doing the wheel swap before you picked it up. Some turkey in pickle mobile could have pulled up next to it, opened their door and bam... sandy pickle marks. Not saying it's right, it just sucks you don't know who did it.

I'd play it cool with the tire shop. The old get more flies with honey than shiz. Tell them about the ding, don't mention the price, and see how the play it.

 

Ditto - in fact I make the service advisor walk with me and I always put a sign on the dash to not wash - too often, even though noted on the service order, they forget. Last time SA thanked me for putting the sign on the dash.

 

I have used this place before and they seemed great. How hard is it to change 4 wheels without dropping a tire on a car?

I was there when they took it off the hoist and drove it straight home.

Here's what the painter said...

"Yes the entire quarter panel requires refinishing to keep it the same as originally produced, plus to try and match the colour perfectly and edge the panel to ensure paint material adherence so that the repaired section will last as long as the original finish."

There are no dings or dents just paint chips and scratches. I will have some pictures up later today.

 

This sucks.

I also have started doing a walk around before dropping my car off anywhere. Most good shops do one on their own.

I had the BMW dealer curb a wheel on my E92 M3 I allowed them to fix it as opposed to replace it. Then on my next visit they dropped something on my full leather center console tearing a hole in it. They fought me saying that it was already there. The service manager did everything but call me a liar to my face. They finally agreed to replace it ($900 dealer cost) but told me that they wouldn't be responsible for any more damage to my car again.

Fun times.