For some context, I have used this shop before and was not impressed. I was forced to use it again and was more disappointed.
In 2017 I had some road debris hit my 2017 Ford Mustang, I was assured they could "buff it out" and if they couldn't, parts would be replaced and "made right". The repair was completed. I went to pick up the vehicle and was shown that they burned through the paint in three spots. The "shop foreman/estimator" let me know that the "painter should have caught that" which I agreed. It looked like a drunk third grader repaired my car. A drunk third grader. I was forced to take the car back because they were a "preferred vendor" with my insurance company (USAA) and they repainted a part and installed it, which did not match. I was told "that color is impossible to match" because it was a "pearl" white, which is somewhat true and a sorry excuse, even for a drunk third grader. Rental car both ways and much annoyance. Any painter worth his wage matches paint, the car was a year old. Light reflects and refracts, so tricking the eyes are the issue. My eyes were not tricked. I learned this when I was 15. I drove my "new" car away from the shop, with both her colors.
Fast forward to 2021, same insurance, same body shop. I was skeptical to say the least. 2020 F-150, plain White paint, no pearl. My insurance company refers me to the same shop. They have the same weird parrot in the lobby, same "shop foreman/estimator". Waited for a while to get parts from Ford.
I dropped the vehicle off and waited a few days, got the call to pick it up. I had some custom work completed at the same time. Went to pick the vehicle up and let the "shop foreman" know I was unhappy with the work. There were "runs" in the paint (caused from bad technique) , "fisheyes" (caused from chemical contamination) and the color was off "drunk third grader". The "shop foreman" let me know "the painter should have caught this" which he was correct, but what do yo do with a third grader. Painter (super tall for his age) came out and said that he could "sand and buff the run" which he did. The shop foreman said they would "blend a bit more" which the "painter" looked at him oddly. I immediately lowered my expectations. I got called three days later and the run was buffed out, color is the same, fisheyes remain, there were "dust" fingerprints on the weather-strips, seat looked like someone rolled on the floor and then sat in my vehicle. Two shitty air fresheners stunk up my new car smell, I regained possession of my 12,500 mile vehicle. I normally wouldn't have an issue but the vehicle was wrecked at 5,000 miles, repaired at 12,500. It looked like shit, smelled like bad air fresheners and farts. The whole transaction makes me sad.
My conclusion is that the original "Bill Mathews" would never employ their flunkee painter, not their flunkee estimator. I'm sure Bill has been dead for a while and someone inherited his business. I am confident they will ride his name until they wring the last drop of profit from it. I have no doubt if they continue to produce work like they delivered to me the business will fail.
Whatever wage the painter gets is too high. Any wage the "shop foreman/estimator" gets is too high. At this point their incompetence causes me to take more days out of my schedule in order to find different shop to correct this shops mistakes, so it is as if I am starting over. If I had another choice, literally any other choice to not use this garbage shop, I would choose that shop.
I found the front office reception very welcoming (she looked very similar to Bill Mathews and his Wife as pictured off the wall) and the guys doing the work make me want to throw up. read more