Door Skin Replaced: What To Look For

[Anonymous]

Dear Peeps,

I'm picking my car up tomorrow from a body shop after having one of its door skins replaced.

I don't want to drive my 2 out of their pound until I'm satisified that they've not botched the job! Can anyone make any suggestions about things to look out for that indicate they've done a bad/good job?

All suggestions greatly appreciated as ever. Thank you all.

[Slacey]

From the front and rear of the car, look along the side of the car, this will show up any imperfections, dents or ripples on the metal. A close inspection of the paintwork will show how good the job is, and make sure you check all this in outside daylight - this will also show up a bad paint match too.

Finally, ensure the door opens and closes properly without binding or rubbing on anything.

[GSB]

Look for even gaps around the edge of the door. The gap between the front of the door and the front wing should be the same from top to bottom, and the same size as the one from the rear of the door to the rear wing.

Look at the finish of the new skin where it folds over the frame at the edges of the door, it should be neat and you should be able to see seam sealer under the fresh paint.

Look out for any overspray.

Make sure when you shut the door that nothing rattles, window up or down.

Check that the window sits in the rubber seal on the hood properly, get them to run a hose over the car to check this for leaks before you drive away...

[Anonymous]

When they painted my rear wing, they blended it into my door.. check that they haven't painted the door handle too.. mine was orange-peel city Arizona! And they argued that they hadn't touched it!   s:roll: :roll: s:roll:  

Good luck, I think orange peel is the most common careless mistake they make.. some people might not be fussy about it, but it really affects the shine if you don't get them to cut it properly!

Tim

[Anonymous]

Many thanks to all of you who replied to my post. I printed off your posts and used them as a check list when inspecting the work done. I am pleased to say that that repairers made a good job of the exterior of the car insofar as the door skin was well fitted and painted.

However, imagine my surprise to find that they've arsed up the interior of my 2. I was so busy inspecting the exterior that I didn't notice the deep puckering and scuff marks they'd left in the leather door inserts around the door latch. They also managed to scratch up a treat the 'plastic-supposed-to look-like-chrome-but-doesn't-really' door handle and the black plastic around the window, and the interior window sill seal isn't fitted flush.

I can only think that this damage has been caused them having to take off some the bits off the interior of the door. Is this necessary when replacing the door skin?

When I take my car to the body shop I expect it to look better than before and to have damage repaired. I'm not inspecting damage to be inflicted to a part of my car that was previously in pristine condition and then having it look worse than before!

Any thoughts on this? I'm going to write to the body shop and the insurance company to see if anything can be done about it...

[Slacey]

They would need to strip the door down to replace the skin; it appears that they didn't have much of a clue as to how the inside door panel comes off  s:? :? s:?  

A definate complaint if you ask me.

[Anonymous]

Hi Andrew.

I wouldn't bother writing back to the body shop or your insurers, just turn up there and ask to speak to the manager - show them the damage and I'm sure they'll just book you back in for it to be fixed with a courtesy car at their expense.

I had to take mine back a few times before they got it right - and the last time they tried to make me pay my own insurance for the courtesy car - no way!!

Good luck, yet another sorry tale of a totally useless bodyshop doing a rush job without any care for someone else's property. Sigh.   s:roll: :roll: s:roll:  

Tim

[Anonymous]

Presumably they didn't make a dog's dinner of the interior of your 2 as well Tim?

Mine was also a Direct Line claim, I guess I should have heeded your warnings and cancelled the repair as soon as I read your post!

I can't see why they needed to rush the job either, they had a full 5 working days on it and charged well over £700 for it.

I can only think the damage has been caused by impatient wrenching and prizing with sharp metal tools.

In future I will only have damage repaired at a Toyota garage that has a body shop on site, that way I can reasonably sure of hiring people that know how the 2 fits together. It seems with some body shops that if you give them anything more exotic than a Vauxhall Vectra to work on,  they can't handle it, and end up pulling the thing apart anyway they can!   s:evil: :evil: s:evil:

[Anonymous]

I have just been through the same situation with my 'other car' which I managed to prang in Spain, over the CXhristmas hols.

Although an insurance job, and using their reccomended repairer, it has taken the bodyshop three attempts to get the job sorted to my satisfaction.

Scratches to the inside  of rear passenger door, damaged window seal to same door......both denied initially!

Overspray on the black sills, and black plastic 'bumper'

Non working rear screen washer.

What happened to good old quality control checks?

I could justa bout accept one return to base for remedial work but to need two trips is simply appalling.   Letter off to the insurers to complain me thinks!



My advise would always be to get back to the shop and complain until they get it all right, and then complain to your insurers.


Andrew

[Anonymous]

Presumably they didn't make a dog's dinner of the interior of your 2 as well Tim?

No, thankfully... I guess I should be grateful that the interior wasn't ruined like yours,  they were too lazy to take the door apart to get the handle off, so they just painted it anyway!

It would be nice to hear a heart-warming story of a bodyshop taking pride in their work for a change.. anyone?!   s:D s:D  

Tim

[markiii]

I know of only one, unfortunately I don't live even close these days.

[aaronjb]

I know of a good one in Newcastle.. Only by reputation though, as I've never used him myself..

I do know one guy who actually drove from Kent to Newcastle to have a full respray done though!