Aquaman
Banned Permanently By MC Mustang
+1000
issue with painter
- Thread starter AZIROC
- Start date
I would definately drop by unannounced to see progess for yourself. For all you know he hasn't didn't even start when he said he did. If nothing else you can shoot some photos of your work in progress. Have him point out the "problems" they are working on. Yes ask for a discount after job is completed.
+1 on checking up on him. Like said Keep cool Make sure if the stuff he has told you is true(repainting to match up lines etc...) explain how this has cost you a major inconvenience with the powder coater and so forth. It's understandable that things can come up,BUT TIME AFTER TIME AFTER TIME? Again Keep cool cause you do want him to do a good job!
Good Luck!
Good Luck!
You have to keep cool with these guys. I had my bike custom painted in Oct., and found a couple of runs when putting it back together. I wanted to get it in his shop to be repainted before the bash, but it doesn't look like that will happen. When I go to get it repainted, I will expect a partial refund for my time and work quality.
ALLshow.NOgo
Registered
Bro same thing happend to me. was suppose to take a week or two, turned into 1.5 months maybe 2
I have to say I've been on the other end of this. I'm not saying don't ask for a discount but here is something that happen to me once.
Guy comes into my shop and wants his whole car painted from stock gray to black and has seen my work from a friends car. Now you may think that oh just a black paint job no big deal but he wanted a show finish on it and wanted it to look like a piece of glass that someone painted the back side of black like his friends car. No big deal thats what I do (at the time). So a BASF rep. talks me into using this new black paint that they only could do in black and tells me all about how this stuff drys so hard it doesnt scratch and this and that. I get a sample try it out and wow this stuff is hard and looks better than any other black I've ever shot. I do his car and tell the guy for that kind of finish it will be about a month. I do the car up and the paint will not set up it just will not dry it seems. They send a rep out take a sample of it and take it for testing mean while the month is up and I'm still waiting for BASF to get back to me. After 2 months BASF gets back to me and tells me they hadn't tested it being put over this factory color type paint and they are so sorry (I had asked before ordering it if it was ok) BASF pays me for a spray job and refunds the cost of the paint and says thats all they can do. I spend a solid week wiping the whole car down with thinner to get the paint that won't dry back off since I can't even sand it off since it just gums up the the sand paper. For the total man hours put into the job this would have cost about $9 to $10k (lost my ars!!!)the bill was for $3,800. The guy comes in when its all done yelling he wants half off that it tok almost 3 months (keep in mind I called this person ever few days to update him) He knew the time put into the car and that BASF had paid me only $1700 for the mistake. I said no way he paid and ended up sueing me. The judge said no way soon as told him everything and the guy even said he ageed that it wasn't my fault but that he felt someone owed him for the delays...judge made him pay me $500 for my time in court.
Point is stuff happens in paint as it does in other things and there may be a good reason for the delay, then again there may not be. You may end up asking for a discount on a job that may have been done 2 or 3 times over because something happen and the guy is already losing his ars on it is something you need to find out about. This guy should be calling you and letting you know whats going on though.
Guy comes into my shop and wants his whole car painted from stock gray to black and has seen my work from a friends car. Now you may think that oh just a black paint job no big deal but he wanted a show finish on it and wanted it to look like a piece of glass that someone painted the back side of black like his friends car. No big deal thats what I do (at the time). So a BASF rep. talks me into using this new black paint that they only could do in black and tells me all about how this stuff drys so hard it doesnt scratch and this and that. I get a sample try it out and wow this stuff is hard and looks better than any other black I've ever shot. I do his car and tell the guy for that kind of finish it will be about a month. I do the car up and the paint will not set up it just will not dry it seems. They send a rep out take a sample of it and take it for testing mean while the month is up and I'm still waiting for BASF to get back to me. After 2 months BASF gets back to me and tells me they hadn't tested it being put over this factory color type paint and they are so sorry (I had asked before ordering it if it was ok) BASF pays me for a spray job and refunds the cost of the paint and says thats all they can do. I spend a solid week wiping the whole car down with thinner to get the paint that won't dry back off since I can't even sand it off since it just gums up the the sand paper. For the total man hours put into the job this would have cost about $9 to $10k (lost my ars!!!)the bill was for $3,800. The guy comes in when its all done yelling he wants half off that it tok almost 3 months (keep in mind I called this person ever few days to update him) He knew the time put into the car and that BASF had paid me only $1700 for the mistake. I said no way he paid and ended up sueing me. The judge said no way soon as told him everything and the guy even said he ageed that it wasn't my fault but that he felt someone owed him for the delays...judge made him pay me $500 for my time in court.
Point is stuff happens in paint as it does in other things and there may be a good reason for the delay, then again there may not be. You may end up asking for a discount on a job that may have been done 2 or 3 times over because something happen and the guy is already losing his ars on it is something you need to find out about. This guy should be calling you and letting you know whats going on though.
suzuki4life
Banned
custom anything here was charged by the hour. If you wanted to call thrity times a day, fine. I am being paid to talk to you and your bike is now secondary focus. Very rare anything for a private owner got a deadline...you got an "about" date. I have a friend doing a 60's jag for a guy. Guy was quoted 8 months. Owner then made the stipulation that he only wanted factory parts used. 4 1/2 years later and the car still is not done. You have any clue how hard and the delays associated with minor stipulations on customs builds? My point: you chose a shop because you felt you could trust them. Yes there is a delay but is hasn't been "excessive" quite yet. There is still communication and a good relationship. I personally would take the asking of a discount on custom work like not getting a tip as a waiter. Sometimes things are just not in their control.
johndoe
Registered
You went to the wrong painter that is not used to high volume output. I worked a Ford dealership for 14 years and have seen some good painters and some bad painters. The bad painters don't last too long unless the shop is keeping him for low wages. Good painters cost money for their quality and the ability to keep up with a high volume dealership. In custom work, things take longer but they should honor their promised timeline but a week or two over is not out of line. Sometimes a high priority job will bump yours. Like the shop owners car being crashed will definitely put yours on the back burner. Patience grasshopper.
I know I'm not making any friends by saying this and I'm probably gonna get ripped for speaking up but if the guy gave his word on a deadline and reasonable delays have been tolerated then it's time for the next step. 4 1-2 years from a quote of 8 months for me probably means some shop just bought a new jaguar. I don't understand how that's not excessive. Also I personally would never go to a shop that charged by the hour unless they could quote me approx how many hours it would take to do it. There's no way I would take my bike/car to get something done with absolutely no clue how much the final bill would be. That's not smart.
I assume this isn't the first custom job he's done so he knows how long it might take. No need to give the kid false hopes. Just tell the truth.
I agree with you. Yes, I do understand delays may happen. However, delaying several times is a pain in the a$$. If he didn't know when it would be done, then he should say so. He should not keep repeating himself about needing a couple more days.PM -->
BA BUSA @ Apr. 03 2008 said:1361428[/ATTACH] PM]
ditto (on that previous post)
I know I'm not making any friends by saying this and I'm probably gonna get ripped for speaking up but if the guy gave his word on a deadline and reasonable delays have been tolerated then it's time for the next step. 4 1-2 years from a quote of 8 months for me probably means some shop just bought a new jaguar. I don't understand how that's not excessive. Also I personally would never go to a shop that charged by the hour unless they could quote me approx how many hours it would take to do it. There's no way I would take my bike/car to get something done with absolutely no clue how much the final bill would be. That's not smart.
I assume this isn't the first custom job he's done so he knows how long it might take. No need to give the kid false hopes. Just tell the truth.
suzuki4life
Banned
special items take extra time. Get into full restore of cars that will cost in excess of $100k when completed and you will understand why patience is crucial to a job being done correctly ESPECIALLy when parts needed have to be sought after and are no longer produced.PM -->
BA BUSA @ Apr. 03 2008 said:1361668[/ATTACH] PM]
ditto (on that previous post)
I know I'm not making any friends by saying this and I'm probably gonna get ripped for speaking up but if the guy gave his word on a deadline and reasonable delays have been tolerated then it's time for the next step. 4 1-2 years from a quote of 8 months for me probably means some shop just bought a new jaguar. I don't understand how that's not excessive. Also I personally would never go to a shop that charged by the hour unless they could quote me approx how many hours it would take to do it. There's no way I would take my bike/car to get something done with absolutely no clue how much the final bill would be. That's not smart.
I assume this isn't the first custom job he's done so he knows how long it might take. No need to give the kid false hopes. Just tell the truth.
Yeah, I wanna know too!
Sorry for not updating. I have the box checked on here to send me a reply to threads via email..but i never get the email, so i forget about a post for a few days. short version...not done yet. long version, see below... sorry for long post early.
i dont remember what the last "update" was, so ill start from the weekend. Friday (4th) i call and its not done. i was going to go down there, but thought if it was done, he would call, plus i was pretty busy and didnt have time to go down there. well i called and of course, not done, but hes been on it the past day and is going to be on it fri and sat, so hes hoping sat it will be finished. monday (7th) i was going to call, but decided it would be best i just go down there to physically see the bike, so i did. I get there about 330pm. When i walked in, u hear the buzzer in the back go off (letting them know there is someone up front/in the lobby if they r in the back). I wait a few mins and as i look over the counter looking at some of the stuff, i noticed my headlight and seat were right where i left them 2 weeks ago (I got them to put the halos in and reaploster the seat). talk about a "damn it" feeling. cause i knew then the bike was no where near done. after waiting a few mins and no one came 2 c me, i decided to just go around back. as im getting back there i hear someone talking pretty loudly (more like yelling). and as i walk into the back i see some guy (mid-late 50s) yelling at the painter/owner (same guy doing my bike). I guess he was told 3 weeks to get his HHR painted and he drove 45 miles to come get it because he was told it would b done today... that and after talking to the HHR owner, there is some HHR rally/car show in So Cal this week and he was leaving late that night (monday night) and wanted to take his HHR with him and enter it in the show. The HHR wasnt done, but it was WAY further along then my bike *more on this later*. The HHR was actually pretty much completed. It was painted and wetsanded.. just needed the bumpers put back on and buffed/polished... so prob just 1/2 days worth of work at most. plus there was 3 guys working on it already (2 just getting done with the wetsanding and starting to polish and 1 guy finishing the bumpers and by the time i left, was mounting the rear bumper). Well this guy u could tell was PISSED and the owner (guy painting my bike) was apologizing. i was prob about 30-35 feet away and trying to be somewhat polite and just "looking" around the shop. The HHR owner gets on his cell phone and thats when the painter came by me and said hello and whatnot. and i just told him i was there to check the status of the bike. he told me he was working on it earlier today and it was in the corner booth and to go ahead and check it out. so i did. the bike looks amazing, but id say its only about 15% is done. the base coat is on, the front fender is done, and the side fairings have paint on them, but its more of the "base" and nothen really detailed/airbrushed yet (but even this looked beyong amazing and could prob be considered "finished" if i didnt care about detail). You could tell how it was going to look if u used ur imagination because he had everything outlined or examples hanging next to where he was painting on how he was going to do certain things... just not there yet though. well i took a few pics of everything just for my records. Then 1 of the other painters came in and was getting some of his airbrushes together so i bs'd with him for a bit. i guess some local restrant (forget the name right now) wants him to do 30 tables of their logo, and will let this place put their logo on it. so trying to be alittle sneaky, i asked if he was doing it or the owner (whos doing my bike) and he said the restraunt met with the owner, but hes doing it bacause the owner has been working on the bike. so that was kind of good to hear. by now i had been in there for prob 10-15 mins and was pretty much done looking at it. So i go back out there and the HHR guy and the painter are talking again, this time the HHR guy is calm. so i just wonder around the shop for a few more mins (wanted to talk to the painter b 4 i left). well the painter goes inside his office for a few mins and the owner of the HHR comes over by me and starts to bs w/ me.. asking what i thought about his paintjob. it was a really glossy black base, and..the best way i can describe the rest is... that TRUE flame, paint job.. but done in different shades of blue, and not the normal red/orange/yellows. now, im not a HUGE fan of the flame paintjobs, but as far as detailing goes, OMG, it was beyong amazing. like i wouldnt wanna drive it cause id know a rock chip would make me cry, and its not even my car. well the painter comes back out and talks to this guy (im still next to him) and nothen really is said thats important.. kinda bsing, kinda seeing when it will b done and the painter said it would b finished by tomorrow (and again, it prob only needed 1/2 day more of work and it was finished). So that guy leaves and i talk to the painter. he asks how im doing all that fun stuff. i just told him i wanted 2 check out the bike since he said it would b done today. thats when he tells me how the side fairings he got done with so far and hes been on it since fri and sat but how people kept coming in asking for qoutes or meeting with businesses who wanted him to do billboards/signs/restraunt table tops/ect for him all last week and then how sat his good friend was on a ride and his harley broke (go fig) and had to go back home to get his truck/trailor and how it basically killed his saturday. I wasnt really caring about his "excuse" but not showing it. Then i just told him how its been a month, and was told 2 weeks, and its been 4 now. plus i made up some stuff about the camaro being in the shop and how i had to rent a car, plus how the bike has an appointment next wed to get engine work done and i cant miss that appointment cause then ill have to prob wait another month to get in (which he inturpeted and said "oh it will be way done before then". he assured me the bike would be done this week and how hes pulled 1 of his painters off and has him doing qoutes and talking to people so he doesnt get interupted and how this guys HHR and my bike was the only 2 things being done in the whole shop. now, as far as 1 of his guys doing something..idk about that cause no 1 answered the door when i came in, but his shop did look like nothen beens done except these 2 things (had 2 cars and 4 bikes, but nothen taken off/torn down). so i asked him when he believes it will be 100% done and he said at the end of the week. so i asked if he was sure and he said yes and then reinstated how now the HHR is almost done, my bike is the only thing that will b worked on. i said ok and since i had been there for prob a good 40-45 mins by now, i just left for home.
so yea, thats where its at now. ill prob call thursday and see whats up, and if not called before then, ill be stopping by friday afternoon to see whats up.
i dont remember what the last "update" was, so ill start from the weekend. Friday (4th) i call and its not done. i was going to go down there, but thought if it was done, he would call, plus i was pretty busy and didnt have time to go down there. well i called and of course, not done, but hes been on it the past day and is going to be on it fri and sat, so hes hoping sat it will be finished. monday (7th) i was going to call, but decided it would be best i just go down there to physically see the bike, so i did. I get there about 330pm. When i walked in, u hear the buzzer in the back go off (letting them know there is someone up front/in the lobby if they r in the back). I wait a few mins and as i look over the counter looking at some of the stuff, i noticed my headlight and seat were right where i left them 2 weeks ago (I got them to put the halos in and reaploster the seat). talk about a "damn it" feeling. cause i knew then the bike was no where near done. after waiting a few mins and no one came 2 c me, i decided to just go around back. as im getting back there i hear someone talking pretty loudly (more like yelling). and as i walk into the back i see some guy (mid-late 50s) yelling at the painter/owner (same guy doing my bike). I guess he was told 3 weeks to get his HHR painted and he drove 45 miles to come get it because he was told it would b done today... that and after talking to the HHR owner, there is some HHR rally/car show in So Cal this week and he was leaving late that night (monday night) and wanted to take his HHR with him and enter it in the show. The HHR wasnt done, but it was WAY further along then my bike *more on this later*. The HHR was actually pretty much completed. It was painted and wetsanded.. just needed the bumpers put back on and buffed/polished... so prob just 1/2 days worth of work at most. plus there was 3 guys working on it already (2 just getting done with the wetsanding and starting to polish and 1 guy finishing the bumpers and by the time i left, was mounting the rear bumper). Well this guy u could tell was PISSED and the owner (guy painting my bike) was apologizing. i was prob about 30-35 feet away and trying to be somewhat polite and just "looking" around the shop. The HHR owner gets on his cell phone and thats when the painter came by me and said hello and whatnot. and i just told him i was there to check the status of the bike. he told me he was working on it earlier today and it was in the corner booth and to go ahead and check it out. so i did. the bike looks amazing, but id say its only about 15% is done. the base coat is on, the front fender is done, and the side fairings have paint on them, but its more of the "base" and nothen really detailed/airbrushed yet (but even this looked beyong amazing and could prob be considered "finished" if i didnt care about detail). You could tell how it was going to look if u used ur imagination because he had everything outlined or examples hanging next to where he was painting on how he was going to do certain things... just not there yet though. well i took a few pics of everything just for my records. Then 1 of the other painters came in and was getting some of his airbrushes together so i bs'd with him for a bit. i guess some local restrant (forget the name right now) wants him to do 30 tables of their logo, and will let this place put their logo on it. so trying to be alittle sneaky, i asked if he was doing it or the owner (whos doing my bike) and he said the restraunt met with the owner, but hes doing it bacause the owner has been working on the bike. so that was kind of good to hear. by now i had been in there for prob 10-15 mins and was pretty much done looking at it. So i go back out there and the HHR guy and the painter are talking again, this time the HHR guy is calm. so i just wonder around the shop for a few more mins (wanted to talk to the painter b 4 i left). well the painter goes inside his office for a few mins and the owner of the HHR comes over by me and starts to bs w/ me.. asking what i thought about his paintjob. it was a really glossy black base, and..the best way i can describe the rest is... that TRUE flame, paint job.. but done in different shades of blue, and not the normal red/orange/yellows. now, im not a HUGE fan of the flame paintjobs, but as far as detailing goes, OMG, it was beyong amazing. like i wouldnt wanna drive it cause id know a rock chip would make me cry, and its not even my car. well the painter comes back out and talks to this guy (im still next to him) and nothen really is said thats important.. kinda bsing, kinda seeing when it will b done and the painter said it would b finished by tomorrow (and again, it prob only needed 1/2 day more of work and it was finished). So that guy leaves and i talk to the painter. he asks how im doing all that fun stuff. i just told him i wanted 2 check out the bike since he said it would b done today. thats when he tells me how the side fairings he got done with so far and hes been on it since fri and sat but how people kept coming in asking for qoutes or meeting with businesses who wanted him to do billboards/signs/restraunt table tops/ect for him all last week and then how sat his good friend was on a ride and his harley broke (go fig) and had to go back home to get his truck/trailor and how it basically killed his saturday. I wasnt really caring about his "excuse" but not showing it. Then i just told him how its been a month, and was told 2 weeks, and its been 4 now. plus i made up some stuff about the camaro being in the shop and how i had to rent a car, plus how the bike has an appointment next wed to get engine work done and i cant miss that appointment cause then ill have to prob wait another month to get in (which he inturpeted and said "oh it will be way done before then". he assured me the bike would be done this week and how hes pulled 1 of his painters off and has him doing qoutes and talking to people so he doesnt get interupted and how this guys HHR and my bike was the only 2 things being done in the whole shop. now, as far as 1 of his guys doing something..idk about that cause no 1 answered the door when i came in, but his shop did look like nothen beens done except these 2 things (had 2 cars and 4 bikes, but nothen taken off/torn down). so i asked him when he believes it will be 100% done and he said at the end of the week. so i asked if he was sure and he said yes and then reinstated how now the HHR is almost done, my bike is the only thing that will b worked on. i said ok and since i had been there for prob a good 40-45 mins by now, i just left for home.
so yea, thats where its at now. ill prob call thursday and see whats up, and if not called before then, ill be stopping by friday afternoon to see whats up.
pimpin420
Registered
I feel for you bro. I just went through this myself. Painter said 2 weeks, when I got the parts back 8 weeks later...yes i said 8.... with no graphics(which we had agreed on), he had the nerve to expect full payment still. I, like you, wanted to avoid confrontation, didn't call him everyday, only called him on the days that he said it would be done, then it was just one excuse after the other. It finally came to a point where I told him to stop work and bring me my parts back finsihed or not. then all of a sudden they are done, but with blems here and there, and now I am gonna have to go to someone else to finsih what he couldn't.
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