What to do? Bodywork damage
 

Today I was working from home and carrying on life as normal and next door were having a new carpet fitted. No worries there and it didn't bother me and although their van was across my drive I didn't let it bother me :)

However... This afternoon I walked outside after the carpet fitters had left to get the bin in, it's bin day and with their van across my drive it wasn't easy so I left it. When I pulled the bin past my car I was shocked by what I saw! It looked like the offside front of my car had been through a hedge!!! :eek: The car was fine when I parked it up 2 hours earlier!

I spoke to my neighbour and asked her who did the work because they had damaged my car and she gave me the company name and I called them, the guv wasn't aware of anything understandably and called the guys that worked next door. An hour later the doorbell rang and it was one of the fitters and he confirmed that the carpet hit my car but he thought it was fluffy side first but nobody thought to check for damage or knock my door :( He said they would come back with "compound" and get the scratches out but to be honest there are so many scratches it'd be a huge job and they aren't trained!

I don't want an untrained monkey playing with the paint on my car and it'd take me a while to correct it myself to be honest and even then it'd thin my paint so my question is what can/do I do? :wonder: I'm not one to take the p!ss and I just want my car back to where it was before they damaged it so how do I get there?

Photos

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d3...e/Img_6039.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d3...e/Img_6038.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d3...e/Img_6037.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d3...e/Img_6036.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d3...e/Img_6035.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d3...e/Img_6034.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d3...e/Img_6033.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d3...e/Img_6032.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d3...e/Img_6031.jpg

Thanks,

Paul :)

depends on the scratches i guess,are they surface ones that a normal coloured polish would get them out ?

It looks like the front corner has been through a hedge, it's a blue car (my 555) and the scratches are white and it's done the wing and bonnet.

No way on earth I'd use a coloured polish on my car to be honest mate!

flat out deny them access to ur car and ask them to pay for a respray, theyve basically already admitted repsonsiblity. If they refuse just mention a local paper, seems to work a whole lot better than small claims court in my experience ( if they a seriuos trader that is )

Thing is I don't really want it painted either so I'm between a rock and a hard place :lol1: If it's painted it's got to be done right because they are rare cars and although I can't change things I'd rather they hadn't done it :(

My thoughts are to take detailed photos and get quotes to get it repaired, my problem is they have only admitted it verbally :(

alot of companies deny it right off the bat, so you have a fighting chance at least, get a few quotes and tell them its a rare car and needs proper attention, either way make sure u have the local paper name to hand, its amazing how fast a simple name drop sorts things out

Put some pics up Paul. Worst case scenario is, it would need a respray, but you are not wanting that. Second thing would be to replace the damaged panels off a similar car but that can also be rare to come accross. Lastly if its just surface marks on the paint then you could possibly wet sand it & use some rubbing compound & buff it out using a buffer.

Paint on sccobs is notoriously poor and easily damages. With that in mind get you car to a body-shop and get a quote to have it done properly/professionally and not by a well meaning carpet fitter. The will/should have liability insurance to cover this sort of issue.

I managed to drag some carpet up against my Honda when removing it from the garage - it damaged the paint on this and can imagine how yours looks.

Keep it friendly and civil but be firm on what you want the happen.

They have insurance for sure, got to have by law. So get three quote to repair damage and go to the company with that. I would also give your ins. a buzz because I am hoping you have legal cover, so it it does go all wrong your ins. Already has a heads up.
Best of luck getting it sorted mate.

Take it to a detailer and see if they think it will polish out they are the pros at paint correction and will have a good idea by looking at it if it needs a buff or a spray job..

Do not let carpet fitters try to paint correct your car stuff that! they can't even fit carpets without knackering your car so why would they be any good at buffing out scratches? Or maybe they do this all the time and they are good at buffing out scratches..

Good luck anyway mate

agreed :)

They should be insured so I'd push for a respray, get some professional quotes to show them!

Why do people jump straight on the make them pay for a respray etc, ask them if they know what they are doing with the compound. The fact they said we will come back with compound says they may know more than you think. As most people would say il get the T-Cut. They may be into cars and know enough to do the job right. Give them a chance but make it clear that if it isn't right then you will require them to pay for it putting right. Can't say fairer than that

Fair one I suppose!

Oh crap....get some pics up

I just look if it was me in there shoes, firstly I wouldn't rub a carpet down the car but after that I look at it this way, I paint for a livin and know what to do with buffing and paint correction. So if I was told you can't do this repair I want you to pay £200-£300 for a repaint of the wing blown into the door etc. I'd be pretty unhappy if I knew I could do the job for cost of a few materials of around £10 to buff and polish. That's the point I'm trying to make. Remember they had been and admitted it. Most would have just said nothing to do with us. And if they had said that then you would have had nothing to argue

Oh and finally if they do turn up with the dreaded T-Cut then don't let them near it lol.

Agreed that's a fair point, but if that is the case and they are into cars and know what they are doing why would they not have checked the car for damage, or thought hey we are going to be tight getting past that nice clean car without scratching it with the carpet how about we ask the owner to move it before we damage it ?

Just my thoughts on the matter.

You could be right one of there guys might be a ex valeter or the likes and is good with a buff, but if they are not would you risk them damaging your car even more ? I know I would not...

Hence asking them if they are experienced with buffing and G3/G6. On old hardened paint it would take a retard to make it worse. Easy to burn fresh paint but not years old paint. It may be past buffing anyway and even pics wouldn't allow me to give a answer.

If buffing will do it, it needs flatting with 2000 possibly depending on scratches, buffing back up but you also need to make sure it's polished back up preferably with a polish and sealer one that infills inperfections not removes more product

Mate I am not being funny here but they are carpet fitters not detailers or pro valeters so if it was my car they won't be getting near it that's my opinion on the matter.

I don't care if they can do it or not it's not my car that's damaged, the fact that they are not qualified professionals that would put me off letting them do it that's all..

I kinda agree just think too many people are in a claim culture these days. And the way people are telling the op to action this is the main reason why most people would just deny doing it then you are up **** creek without a paddle. That's all I'm saying

Oh and in know a guy who delivers fridges and cookers for a living. You should see his show an shine trophies. I'd challenge anybody to detail better than him. We don't know these carpet fitters don't have a detailer amonst them

Sorry for not replying sooner, it's been one of those mornings at work http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/sr...ilies/nono.gif Thanks for the replies, I don't want to be an arse with the company but I do want my car as it was :( I'll get photos up very soon.

I think this is the best option, I didn't want to contact my insurance in case they register it as a claim :( There is certainly no way I want them playing with the paint on my car because they have no expert knowledge and could cause more damage than harm :(

Thanks :thumb:

Early classic paint especially 53c from experience needs experienced handling :)
I am sure mine is single stage paint :) if it's scratched to the white it would need a fine touchup and polishing.

paul when im back at work ill have a work with one of the painters for you and see if they can do a quick favour but you will have to bring it in

we also have a VERY good scratch guy at my place too so even if you just need a insurance estimate ect give me a shout

:lol: yea you never know maybe the boss of the firms a car fanatic and is a closet detailer :lol1:

It's not easy to take photos of the scratches because the camera always makes cars look better than they do in the flesh ;) Photos added to post one :(

Have you given it a polish yourself?

I may be able to help there mate, this happen to mine after parking too close to a hedge

before
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...9/DSC00258.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...9/DSC00259.jpg

after some tlc with a pc
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...9/DSC00261.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...9/DSC00267.jpg

No because I don't have any compound. The car was detailed by a valeter a year ago not me.