Nick

My dealer Atkins in Taunton, who damaged my car, have now verbally offered to fit a brand new bumper "sprayed by Subaru".

I'm a little unsure of this & only met with irritation at Atkins when I questioned whether Subaru have a paint shop.

My feelings are that Subaru UK would supply a rear bumper unpainted & then the dealer would spray it. Any comments please?

Nick

Thanks very much Paul.

I will now write to Atkins (again) & enquire where the bumper will be painted. Atkins are very reticent about writing back though.

Nick

Thanks Paul

I think that there is a company called Subaru UK? However, I believe that this is just a subsidary of IM.

I am sure that Atkins would just buy in a plain unpainted bumper & then have it painted by someone - as you also believe.

Paul Wilson

Nick, just spoken to Deer Leap in Aylesbury(my local dealer) and bumpers definately come unpainted in a "whitey sort of primer"
Hope this helps
Paul

Paul Wilson

Sounds like you have got it right to me, I can't comment on bumpers, but my new grill came unpainted (primered), the odds on IM carrying stock of bumpers in all the paint colours available are very slim indeed, especially as after a few years they would be useless as your car will not be the same coulour as the paintcode.

OR you could really annoy them by demonstrating your knowledge of how they operate
ask "Which Subaru are you talking about? Fuji Heavy Industries in Japan who build the car, International Motors who imort the car into the UK, or a paint shop at a Subaru dealer?" That'll get 'em thinking
In this country there is no such company as Subaru, only dealers and the importer neither of which are owned or run by Subaru(FHI) in Japan.

If I were you I would walk in very nicely with a smile on your face and say "thanks very much for the offer of a new bumper, could you deliver it to _________ (I believe in an earlier post you found a paint shop you trusted) and they will send you the invoice for the spraying" I find the best way to get what you want is to keep smiling, be nice to subordinates and never take no for an answer, just keep talking, eventually they will agree just to get rid of you

[This message has been edited by Paul Wilson (edited 18-12-1999).]

Nick

Today my rear bumper has been replaced with a brand new DBM bumper pinched off a Sport in the showroom.

I've yet to check it in sunlight, but it should be fine. I even checked the paint code on the Sport.

Nick

I know - they should check their bumper carefully. Mind you, I've talked to some paint sprayers & there's a good chance that a few SIDC members' cars were resprayed before they got them.

Paul Wilson

Well done
Pity the poor bloke/blokette who buys the Sport though eh?