Garage damaged bumper when servicing
 

So the car was in the dealers for it's 30k. They smacked something into it, or it into something else. Bumper doesn't seem to be damaged, but the paint is rubbed away in places and big cracks.

They have said they'll repair it etc. Fine.

My problem, having just spoke to them, is that they're not gonna paint the whole of the bumper, but blend it in.

Will i be able to see it's been repaired this way? They said "probably not" :(
Can i insist the whole thing to be painted?

What's the best way forward?

I don't know, i just want it back to how it was. Muppets! :mad:

thats how the sprayer in work does it, just masks the whole bumper off preps and sprays the damage and blends the rest in and then laquers the whole thing after.
obviously not as perfect as spraying the whole bumber but it works well and cant really be seen unless you know what you are looking for and in certain lights.
my 2sense:thumb:

I would let them do it but if you can see where its been repaired insist they do it again and again until you are happy.
Their fault so its down to them to put it right to your satisfaction.
Nik.

That's what i am worried about, when i come to sell it, something will notice and think there's been more damage than there is etc.

I think i'll just let them go ahead, with the caveat that if i can see it's been repaired, i'm not accepting it.

Costs me £20 in fuel to get there and back too, maybe they should sort that out too.

Take a pic if you can?

I had to replace the bumper on my classic after the H&S exhaust I had on it moved and melted a huge hole in it. I replaced it but took pics of both to show future buyers why the bumper was changed.

You broke it, you bought it ! NEW BUMPER PLEASE !

I would accept nothing less. I had two new bumpers on my old honda from minor non fault collisions. I insisted I wanted like for like mint bumper for mint bumper. It wasn't broke before so why should you suffer a repaired one, not to mention they will probably butcher the rest of the bumper paint with a dodgy buffer trail or two if dealer paint correction is anything to go by !

Totally agree with Stu if they broke it then i'd not want it fixed i'd want it replaced with a brand new one.

It was'nt broken when it went in then to have it repaired with the chance that the paint may not match would p1ss me right off. Brand new one and nothing else IMO

if it was me i'd take it to a spray shop of your choice and they pick up the bill. i did this with my old scooby on the bonnet.

to be fair the dealer was good as gold, did have to have a meeting with the owner but i said i wasn't happy with the paint shop they use so we came to a compromise.

worth a try as it seems they're taking a very cheap option to fix their error.

I'd be happy the way they repair it as long as it looked ok when they are finished. I'd be looking at a hefty discount for the next service. To be fair they did admit reliability, a lot of garages would have told you to do one.

They'll repaint the damaged area (blow in) and laquer (sp) the whole bumper. It should be perfect, Tell them you expect it to be perfect, if they can't do it tell them to take it to someone that can! as you will not accept it otherwise. its all down to the paintshop staff, the job will only be as good as them or their foreman allows.

This type of repair - a SMART repair, is what I do for a living, and you will never, ever know it has been done if their painter is worth his wages.
I would bet my house that nearly everyones car on this forum has had a SMART repair done to it at some point, as it is common practice in every dealership. I have even done minor repairs on brand new cars in certain dealerships that have been damaged in transit.
Thats my 2p's worth :)

lovley car you have there id expect a propper job

If that was me i wouldn`t accept anything less than a brand new car, just tell them that you will be left with the mental scars after knowing your bumper has been repaired or replaced at some point and it won`t feel like the same car ever again.

Don`t let them palm you off with the new Sti or WRX though as thats just taking the p1ss, tell them you want a new type 25 or WR1 as a replacement.

Drunk Aberdeen Fan At Parkhead

No this is not how they'll spray your bumper, but SERIOUSLY, do make sure you write a letter immediately and send it recorded delivery. I have done a draft for you:


Dear Sirs

WITHOUT PREJUDICE

REFERENCE: CAR REG

When I came to collect my car from your garage following a service on DATE, you advised me that the car had been damaged whilst in your care thus necessitating repair.

Please be advised that I am unhappy with your proposal to effect only a partial respray of the rear bumper.

Therefore I reserve the right to inspect the repair and, if it is not completed to my full satisaction, I will remove the car to a paintshop of my choice where all costs to complete a satisfactory repair will be to your account.

You may therefore wish to reconsider and respray the whole bumper to ensure my complete satisfaction.

Yours faithfully

Nice one :thumb:

Would be suprised if you managed to get a new bumper, but a full respray is reasonable IMO :)

Smart repairs are anything but smart...

They are a quick fix, to look good for a certain period of time, ie, for a car salesman to offload the car, and will over a period of time, become noticable...

I'd name and shame them, I dont want to take my car to a dealer that cant be trusted with it !!

If they damaged the bits you can see, what about the bits you cant !!

Name for sure if you like, but shame? Not unless their work is not upto scratch. They have admitted it after all. Most garages would say it was there before etc etc. So, they're already ahead of the game in my books.

Quite right and the reason is that the paint is not baked.

I paid a lot for my car and look after it. I also pay a lot for services and expect top quality people !

They damaged the car... accidents happen but only when mistakes are made !

I wouldnt go to them now... I knew who they where :)

I work in a VW main dealer, yes you pay a lot for service but with that number of cars passing through a workshop accidents do occasionally happen.

The dealer has admitted blame but are just trying to do cheapest repair for them to get away with. Personally i would insist on a new bumper, they will give in, threaten to contact subaru customer services if you have trouble then they will get pressure from the brand.

Have seen some on site small repairs at other dealers i've worked at done outside by a mobile repair van in december!!! Spray gun in one hand.... Hot air gun in the other.... then just flat off and buff to make it look ok while sales get car out!!

New bumper defo.

We all make mistakes, but as has been pointed out elsewhere, the garage has owned up promptly and offered to fix it. Some think they should have told the guy before he went to pick it up but in the circumstances I would rather let the customer see the damage without telling him over the telephone beforehand so he doesn't drive over thinking the worst.:freak3:

Many years ago, a Range Rover dealer's mechanic dinged my bonnet so I do know what I am talking about in receiving bad news! Ding got knocked out, whole bonnet resprayed and a couple of other marks blown in for free while they were at it plus a full valet = happy customer.:lol1:

The only point of dispute here is whether the bumper gets a partial or full respray and I think my letter above might achieve the latter.:rolleyes:

But as for taking your business elsewhere . . . if you have never ever damaged a car yourself then fine, go elsewhere but remember that there is probably no garage in the country that hasn't at some time or other dinged a customer's car!:wonder:

And you say you have had good service there in the past so isn't that cutting off your nose to spite your face? It wasn't even your car that was damaged!:cool:

Reading some of the replies on here I expect someone to suggest the OP should claim for whiplash :rolleyes:

The garage has admitted liability for their actions and they've offered a repair. Let them carry on with the repair and if you're not happy with the results then take it further. To suggest a new bumper is needed for what's being posted is ridiculous unless the bumper itself has been damaged in some way.

Let them do the repair their way and get a discount for your next service. Unless the garage in question are complete muppets (and what I've read so far says they aren't).

I've had garages do far worse than this and they've denied everything. Let's be honest about this, they could have told you to F off and where would you be then?

TBH, i don't think the bumper is actually damaged, or damaged enough that it would need a new one. But yeah, i thought a respray of the bumper would be minimum.

Thanks for the all the comments guys.

Think i'll cut n' paste that letter posted above. :thumb: With Borat's added caveat.

I'll see if i can get some pics tomorrow.

I wont be naming and shaming, because, as said, mistakes do happen.

I've been happy with them previously and will continue to use them, unless they kick up a fuss and fart me around.

Thinking about it. A full bumper respray is the least i will take. Plus the bloody fuel getting there and back (or free interim service).

Hastle i could do with out :mad:

Yeah good comprimise, Think that's fair for you and dealer. keep us up to date as to what's happening.:)

Insist on a new bumper or complete respray in a booth.

As mentioned some idiot with a cheap spray gun out the back of his van will be doing the cheap £30 repair outside in the cold, not good at all, it will stick out like a d#ck in a blizzard.

I have a SAAB and my dealer agreed to have to front lip painted under warranty (Stone Chips) Chips Away arrive and well and truly f#ck it up after they insisted before hand it would be done in a booth and baked.

The quality was shocking it cost another full day of me in a courtesy car and the car to go into a proper body shop.

A blended in job will fade within 3 months and appear cloudy in comparison to the rest of the bumper.

:lol:
My d#ck doesn't stick out in a blizzard, far too cold. I keep it snuggly tucked away in my sock :D

Anyway, back on topic, let the dealer have a go at a full bumper respray and if it's bad go back and insist on them doing it right.

Well......we've been missing each others calls and what with christmas, i've only got round to sorting this now.

The actual guy seemed a bit of 'tard. I was questioning again whether it would be a smart repair or not.

He was saying, no, not a smart repair, it will be blended in well. :wonder: At which point i was saying it's not a full respray, so it will be a partial (smart) repair.

He came back saying cars get dinged all the time and there's never any problems with the repairs.

So....i've decided to send a letter, similar to the one above, just outlining what happened, the repair suggested and comments about not being happy with the repair if not being done properly.