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Car in the shop forever
DiscoZombie
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So my car has been in the body shop for going on 2 months. It's getting ridiculous. Allegedly it just needs some paint at this point, but there are 11 cars in line in front of mine apparently. Are they allowed to take as long as they want to fix a car? Could they take 2 years if they wanted to? Seems sort of messed up that they can take 2 months. I would have thought there'd be a law where they can take a max of a month or something.
My real worry is the rental car. I've only had it for a month so far, because I didn't take one at first since I thought it would be a quick repair. Now, the body shop said they'd pay for the rental car. They told me this and they told my insurance this. They said it many times. Would they be able to go back on that promise? or is it, like, a verbal contract? I'm covered for a month's worth of rental car under my insurance, so if the body shop suddenly decides to say they're not going to pay for the rental, there's that. But if there's any chance I'm going to get stuck paying for some of the rental, I'm returning it. Of course if I do that, I don't know how I'm getting to work -_-
Honestly, I just can't figure out the body shop's angle. What are they getting out of taking forever with my car? If they're honestly paying for the rental, they're surely starting to lose money. Are they just godawful at what they do and it seriously takes them 2 months to fix a car?
My real worry is the rental car. I've only had it for a month so far, because I didn't take one at first since I thought it would be a quick repair. Now, the body shop said they'd pay for the rental car. They told me this and they told my insurance this. They said it many times. Would they be able to go back on that promise? or is it, like, a verbal contract? I'm covered for a month's worth of rental car under my insurance, so if the body shop suddenly decides to say they're not going to pay for the rental, there's that. But if there's any chance I'm going to get stuck paying for some of the rental, I'm returning it. Of course if I do that, I don't know how I'm getting to work -_-
Honestly, I just can't figure out the body shop's angle. What are they getting out of taking forever with my car? If they're honestly paying for the rental, they're surely starting to lose money. Are they just godawful at what they do and it seriously takes them 2 months to fix a car?
DiscoZombie on
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Does your contract have include a time estimate for the repairs? I'd put in a call to the insurance company to be sure and explain the situation, then I'd call the mechanic and explain that if they're going to cover a rental car, that you need a contract or written agreement, and a car since you're insurance provided car is going to expire. Or argue with the insurance company and insist that they continue to cover your rental car. I think the latter is the first option I'd try.
Sometimes parts can take over a month to arrive, especially if they're not commonly used and have to be ordered from the manufacturer. Paint can take weeks for certain finishes. Sometimes electronic systems have to be reset by the manufacturer and it only becomes obvious that they need totally replaced when this is done (which is usually at or near the end of a job). Time on a body jig can take a hell of a long time, too. Sometimes all of these things happen in sequence.
They should have given you an estimated completion date when they started though, and be able to tell you what it is that's causing any slippage of that date.
If they're saying they'll cover the cost of the rental car then get that in writing.
You wouldn't be doing either. They're professionals, and professionals understand contracts. Just ask.
If they have a problem with writing it out, they're being sketchy.
That should be passive-aggressive enough for you.
How bad was the damage to the car to begin with, and how old is it, and is the shop a "preferred site" for your insurance provider?
About a year ago I slid my Civic into a curb on ice. No apparent body damage but I bent basically everything important on the right front. Getting an entire suspension assembly gathered took them about two weeks and then several days to put in, at which point they discovered MORE things that were bent and had to order more parts. Ultimately I got it back five and a half weeks later.
In comparison, the time I hit a deer it only took two weeks because nothing was damaged that is actually mechanically involved in making the car move. Insurance guy said I came closer to totaling the car with the ice than with the deer.
One thing I'd like to add: If you have any amount of attachment to your car go over it with a fine toothed comb and if anything is not up to your standards don't take it. I learnt the hard way because I was so excited to finally have my car back after a similar wait, but now I'm stuck with a car that if you look hard you can kinda tell that it was in an accident and approximately where. Also, the bodyshop missed a couple trim pieces, and after calling them numerous times and having been promised they'd order them it's now 2 or 3 years later and they've never gotten them.
If your insurance policy has rental car coverage in it, go read the policy if you need to set your mind at ease. Verbal agreements are still agreements, and if they try something, you can probably take them to small claims if you like and try to convince the judge that they had made that agreement. It won't come to that, though. If they hold a car for five weeks and have to do extensive body work, they're making more than enough money that they won't think twice about the rental, especially if you got it from a place that they sent you to (preferential rates, dude).
CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
As some suggested, I got it in writing that they're paying for the rental and will continue to pay for the rental, which eases my mind a bit. I still cannot for the life of me figure out what their angle is, though. If they're paying for the rental, how are they making a profit? There's nothing I can do about my situation, either, I don't think. They're not beholden to my insurance company, and I can't take the car elsewhere unless I want to pay for 3 months of car rental. Honestly, they can take all year to fix my car if they want, as long as they keep paying for the rental, but it's so damn fishy. Are they using my car to run drugs? are they stripping it of all its new parts and swapping in old parts? Are they renting it out to other people? Are they collecting people's cars and skipping town with them? They wouldn't show it to me when I stopped by to get it in writing that they're paying for the rental. They said it would violate their insurance policy or something to take me to the workshop. Funny - when I brought the car in, they were all too eager to take me back to the workshop to show me their facilities.
My insurance company contact says this place is always real slow with repairs. He said he was able to get in and see the car last week, and it seemed to be almost done, and it was supposed to be done by last Saturday (which of course it wasn't; that's what they say every week).
I feel like my hands are tied. Is there anything I can do? They already have a better business bureau rating of F so they're obviously not scared of the BBB or getting a bad reputation. Today, the rental company said they have to exchange my rental for another, because the one I'm driving is a "penalty car" or something, whatever that means. I'm seeing him in an hour so hopefully I can get clarification then. You know you're in a shitty situation when you've had a rental car for so long it needs to be exchanged. It probably needs an oil change by now, even.
That's all I got for you. Either wait, or get a legal opinion. I'd strongly advise against taking any course of action here that isn't "get used to driving rental cars" without one.
On the upshot, you've gone four months without putting ANY mileage on your car, right?
CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
How would I go about finding a lawyer? with my luck, I'd find one just as shady as this repair shop. Would the lawyer's fees be higher than the cost of the rental? Maybe that's what the body shop is counting on in scamming me? that I wouldn't bother fighting it?
Edit: If push comes to shove, have Avis contact this shop directly. Let the companies feud it out.
Seriously go get your car, like now.
I mean, even on the face of it: you're claiming that there was an agreement that they'd be responsible for providing you a rental while they worked on your car. The fact that they paid for the first portion supports this. What would their counter argument be? That you agreed they'd only pay for the first 30 days and then you'd pay for as long as they took?
Who's going to believe anyone would sign up for that? Especially with your version in writing?
You need a lawyer to ensure you don't get hung out on a technicality but your story seems pretty fucking plausible. A good lawyer will include damages in the suit and you'll get enough on top of what you're owed to pay your legal fees.
CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
The body shop didn't pay for the first 30 days, his insurance company did.
CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
In a lot of cases your insurance coverage includes legal representation.
At this point this might be an extremely likely scenario. I know over when i lived in Van i knew of multiple repair "body shops" that were in fact actually chop shops. I didn't own a car at the time, but i knew about them simply because i hung around a couple less-than reputable people during that time of my life.
It is not unheard of, especially since they wont let you see your car and are constantly missing due dates and not even paying the rental company. An F rating on BBB is also a good indicator. If you get your car back it would be very good to go get it checked at another place to see if they stripped your good parts and replaced them with shitty look-alikes that were worth a lot less.
What kind of car do you have and whats the mileage? The less milage and the more commonly used car types (Civics, Corola's, Ford Focus, Tercels, Sunfires, ect.) are the most likely to have this done to them. I've even seen a Sunfire have its engine taken out and replaced with one that was in far less condition and had way more miles on it and then handed back to the owner while his better engine was sold off for more.
Though them taking this long is also weird, i mean chopping usually takes a lot less time than this, but then again they may not be losing money since the insurance is paying for it and this shop obviously is not paying for the rental cars, despite them saying they are. I'd demand to see the car and maybe even bring in a friend who knows a bit about mechanics or something to take a look-see.
My claims rep said he saw the car last week and it did look almost done, but for all I know, he might be in on whatever scheme this is. He doesn't seem to have any ideas on how to get me my car any faster.
I actually have an uncle who's a big-shot lawyer. I may have dinner with him later this week and ask his advice. I hate milking relatives for advice or help, especially since I don't see him often and he's super rich and this is so far beneath him, but what can you do.
I think the thing is, the shop gave my insurance company a quote, and the insurance company either paid the quoted amount or is on the hook for the quoted amount, so they're not getting ripped off... unless my car really did get stolen or chopped or otherwise abused by the shop, in which case I don't know who's liable (besides the shop)...