Re: Maaco paint ?'s (long, venting reply)

[Jake Kooser <jake_k@ibm.net>]

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE READ THIS!!! IF THIS IS THE ONLY POST YOU READ
THIS YEAR, TAKE HEED AND LEARN FROM SOMEONE ELSE'S EXPERIENCE BEFORE YOU
GET TAKEN FOR A RIDE!!!!!!!!!!

I'm not sure about Maaco, but I would wait and get a recommendation from
a previous customer before I took my car anywhere.  Those of you with
calendars may remember (it was so long ago) that I took my car to a shop
to have the rust repaired and a fresh paint job last year.  Yesterday I
had the (dis)pleasure of getting the car back - UNFINISHED after 11
months!  When I first moved to Miami, the moving company had damaged the
back of the car, ripping the rear bumper off and destroying a 3-month
old N.O.S. exhaust.  I found a place in the yellow pages - not knowing
anyone to ask for a recommendation, and took the car in.  I decided to
have the paint shop (sic) repaint the whole car after the moving company
refused to pay the damages.  What ensued was a circus act that would
make Ringling Bros. & Barnum & Bailey cry.  Every time I stopped in to
check on progress, I'd see the car untouched and get a B.S. excuse for
why nothing had been done.  In fact, I haven't seen good bullshit like
that since I was drinking all the time and making excuses for my
behavior.  It seems that I picked (at random) the ONE body shop out of
the 200+ in the Miami phone book that had an imbecile for an owner - who
later ran the shop bankrupt, changed shop names at least once, and ended
up having to sell the whole operation.  The car was supposed to be
delivered last monday, but some (in a long line of) delay came up, so it
got pushed back to Wednesday - when I was gone to Texas.  I went down to
the shop yesterday to make towing arrangements, and the car was still in
pieces, obviously NOT ready at all.  I ranted and raved at the new owner
- who pointed out that it wasn't him (sorry about that, Danny) who was
to be yelled at, and pointed out 4 other cars that were left stranded by
the former shop owner.  I didn't see the original owner, and it's a good
thing because I was furious by the time Danny arrived to open the shop.
Danny, the new owner had the car delivered to my house within 3 hours,
like he said he would.  That's the good news, the bad news is the car is
NOT FINISHED, the hood and decklid were slapped on, the doors tossed
inside the car and the car sent out like that.  It's in the garage,
where I smoke my cigarettes (non-smoking roommates), and every time I go
out there I find something else that's not done or done poorly.  Just
high (or low-) lights, the rear fender that I crunched one rainy night
in the fog doesn't match up to the rear apron (because it wasn't
straightened); the paint inboard of the taillights looks like overspray;
the large mounting tab for the driver's headlight has been torn off and
not repaired; driver's front fender has more waves in it than the lake
in the back yard; the rear apron that was torn when the bumper was
damaged looks like sh*t; and interestingly enough - the drivers rear
fender has 3 chrome holes, the passenger fender has 4 (here's a hint,
they both had 6 when I took the car in).  I took photos, but don't have
time to get them up right now.


Now the really bad news and the lesson to be learned - since this was my
first car that I've ever had painted, I paid in full before the work was
done (ouch!) and now that the shop no longer exists as when I first took
it in, I'm stranded.  I've talked to a lawyer about the situation and he
said I could have the car finished and sue the moron for the difference,
but that the guy probably doesn't have anything so I'd never get any
money back.  I've got a recommended shop now (too late, but...) so I'll
probably have them sort it out later and pursue the legal action.  I
sure as hell won't give them any money until I see results though.
Okay, I'm done for now.  I hope this can save someone else some
heartache.

Jake Kooser