This is why mechanics get a bad rep.

[LaserSVT]

Customer brings in a 2006 Chevrolet HHR to have me work on the AC saying the truck was just in an accident and she just got it out of the body shop for front end work. I did notice this as the hood and nose was a different shade of blue. That and the fog lights were just dangling below the truck.

So I check the AC and see it has a new condenser as would be expected with front end damage. Everything else I saw that they charged her for is just ridiculous.
She was charged for a new radiator and control arms and wiper arms. None of which was done. Instead this was the repairs:

First was the hood latch smashed into the new condenser and rubbing a hole through it:




I then see the upper tabs on the radiator broke off and instead of replacing the radiator they just used some bailing wire and bent the brackets down to hold it.




And the windshield wiper repair:





To top it all off they gave it back as a death trap. Charge for new control arms? Do these appear new to any of you?




And yes, I do say "Okey dokey"

[Torinoman]

Jeez. Thats real shitty. Tell that lady to sue the fuck outta that shop.... and give you a cut.

[Rreemo]

Her insurance company needs to get involved in that deal...

[Ruffdaddy]

Let me guess...they paid her deductible?

[LaserSVT]

Waiting for her to get back so I can get some more details. Like what shop.

[Scott Mc]

This is why you take it to a certified collision center.

[orphan Shelby]

Lower bushings make enough noise when just a little worn on those. Can only imagine all the racket that was making. What a hack job

[LaserSVT]

When I pulled it in they clanked so loud it freaked me out and I jammed on the brakes. That's when my tech said the wheel moved back 6" in the opening.

I let her know about all this but she wanted me to fix the AC first anyway. So I made sure to document everything and told her if I don't replace the arms she needs a tow truck to come get it.

[shumpertdavid]

I hate becoming the middle man on stuff like that. And her response to you goes back to confirm that people don't care as long as the ac is cold lol. I've repaired several newer ac complaints by resolving the misfire that the ecm saw and disabled the ac as a result of.

I repaired a 09 civic yesterday, the lady had neglected to have the av repaired for 2 years because she feared a huge expense. The compressor relay was bad. I verified the correct ac charge through a recovery/refill, replaced the defective relay and sent her down the road happy for $61.21.

[BP]

Her insurance company needs to get involved in that deal...

They probably would have totaled it, or may actually have.

[prostock1]

Been there....

Jeez. Thats real shitty. Tell that lady to sue the fuck outta that shop.... and give you a cut.

I worked as a mechanic at one the large chain body shops, and I thought I'd working at a car dealer was rough.

Body shops fuck both the employees and the customers.

Everyone of the estimators would undercut the labor, then just tell me "that" was included in the repair.

I would rather my car be totaled, than take it to a body shop.

[samuel642000]

I worked as a mechanic at one the large chain body shops, and I thought I'd working at a car dealer was rough.

Body shops fuck both the employees and the customers.

Everyone of the estimators would undercut the labor, then just tell me "that" was included in the repair.

I would rather my car be totaled, than take it to a body shop.

I used to be an estimator and couldn't do it anymore. The place I worked at was pretty big and used to preach about painting whole panels and not just touching up.

Then one day I get a car back and am delivering it and low and behold the whole panel wasnt resprayed, you could see the color change in the light. Made me look really bad, but I was just a remote and only saw the cars after the were delivered back to the dealership.

[JC316]

Wow. I have done some shady crap that would make Roadkill proud, but I have never done anything that sketchy. Not even on the worst POS that I have ever sold has anything been that bad.

[Captain Crawfish]

Get what you pay for

[LaserSVT]

Colby Automotive did it. All under her insurance policy. Guess the LCAs were not part of it because they were determined to be worn before the accident. She is supposed to come back next week to let me replace them.