It's long, but if you just want the summary of my experience - look at the end.
My Altima suffered hail damage during the hail storm on April 12, 2016. I was lucky and was able to get an appointment at a body shop. Even though it was across town from me I decided to use their shop.
I took my car to their shop on April 22, 2016 and left it for repair. It took a week or so for the insurance company to issue the estimate with the supplemental repairs that were submitted by Bracken. I expected that. No problem.
After weeks of very POOR communication - only communication I got was when I was able to call them and check up on the status, and even then I always got the same basic answer: It's "in line" or that there are "a lot of cars" waiting, etc. - I was finally able to pick up my car on June 20, 2016. The rear window tint was not done (the insurance covered it, it should have been done by the shop) when I came to pick it up. I was told they weren't able to get their "glass guy" there to do the work. I agreed to get the tinting done on my own after the service advisor assured me that I could get it done for the $45 the insurance had allotted me for it. I questioned being able to get it done that cheap, but he assured me it wouldn't be a problem.
On July 8, 2016 we called the shop to ask about some wires we noticed hanging out of the back window that had not been connected. They said that they were not hooked up because the glass guy would have done that when the tint was done. That there was no point in connecting them - he would just have to unhook them to put on the tint. Not knowing any better, I said okay. We also asked them about the (approximately) 12 inch strip of paint on the trunk lid that was not repaired. We were told that they had noticed that but not until after the estimate was done on the car. They said that the insurance wouldn't cover it. In fact, I was told they had talked to the insurance and that is why they knew it wouldn't be covered.
When I had picked up the car on June 20, I was told they would give me their glass guy's number and I could set up the tint appointment with him. They never gave me the number. I had to call them and get it. He did not want to do the job for $45. He said that price was really low, but that since I was referred to him by the shop he would do it. He was not happy about it, but I was able to talk him into it. When he came to do the tint on July 11, 2016, we asked him about the wires hanging out of the window thinking he would be connecting them since that is what the shop told us. He had no idea what they were and told us we would have to get with the body shop. He wasn't sure why they told us that he should hook them up.
So, the next day, July 12, 2016, my husband took the car back to the body shop to ask about getting the wires installed like they should have been. He also asked about the trunk lid repair and why it wasn't done. Again, he was told that the insurance wouldn't cover it. I called the insurance company and asked them why the repair was not covered. They said that my call was the first time they had heard about the trunk lid damage and that the shop would have to call them to schedule a follow up appraisal for the official answer. So, a couple days later on July 14, 2016, we took the car back to the shop and left it so the insurance could come do the appraisal.
Long story short, they approved the repair. Had the shop called the insurance company while they had the car there the first time, this could have already been taken care of. But, whatever. Moving on.
Today, Aug 16, 2016, I called the shop to check on the status of this repair and see when my car would be ready. I was told that someone had called me early last week and "left a voicemail" for me. I never had a voicemail from them. Neither did my husband. And, I don't get many voicemails so I would have noticed. I'm not sure who they called, but it wasn't us. And, the man that I spoke to today didn't seem to care that I didn't know my car had been ready for a week. Kind of made me feel like he thought it was my problem that I didn't know.
I NEVER heard from the shop at ALL while my car was there. The only information I received was when I called them. With the exception of when it was ready in June...they did call me then when it was done.
In summary: Overall it was a horrible experience. I will never use this shop again nor will I recommend it to anyone. They took their sweet time doing the work and when I got the car back, it wasn't even complete. I had to get the tint done. I had to ask them to call the insurance to complete the repair on the trunk lid. And, VERY poor communication. I never knew the status of my car. If it hadn't been for my insurance company posting my approved estimates on my online account then I wouldn't have even known the repairs were approved for the trunk. read more