2011 Malibu GM Body Shop repair poor quality

Bumblebee2012 · 06-21-2012, 06:13 PM

My wife has a 2011 Malibu 1LT that a deer jumped out in front of her. She swerved and missed the deer, but lightly rubbed the guard rail.

So, the damage was very light along the passenger side, more paint repair than sheet metal work, and I assumed that this would be an easy fix at the Chevy dealer.

I went to pick up her car last Thursday and the quality of craftsmanship was much lower than expected. I verbalized my dissatisfaction for the resulting work and the shop manager asked me to leave the car for another week. Today we go to get my wife's Malibu (Great car! We love it!) And they have done much better, but all is not well yet.

At the center door edges, there are pores or bubbles that have broken the surface of the clear coat. There are still some runs in the side of the front bumper.

The runs bother me less than the porosity in the clear coat (that is designed to provide the environmental barrier to the atmospheric elements). I don't feel that this paint application will meet that task over the long term.

Now, i'm feeling as if I'm a nit picking jerk. Please tell me if I need to shut up and say thank you, or push back against work that is lower quality than I had anticipated from a GM dealership body Shop.

Door edges with bubbles that are open to the surface on the rear of the front door and the front of the rear door.

And this is the right side of the front bumper, wheel well arch in front if the front tire.

I know that my car has 30,000 miles, and it's almost 2 years old, but I wax it and keep the paint washed, sealed with glaze and waxed with Carnuba regularly.... And even if it's not a new Cadillac, it's the best I can do!

Am I being unreasonable? How about one of you GM customer service reps that float around on here, what is your opinion?

Car is being worked at by Wright Chevrolet in Ambridge, Pennsylvania.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

Jamie Mac · 06-21-2012, 09:41 PM

I would not accept it in that condition. I'd discuss it with your insurance adjuster and see about taking it elsewhere to be corrected. The runs could have easily been taken care of during sanding.

Bumblebee2012 · 06-21-2012, 09:45 PM

This is after the corrections. This is what they present to a customer that has already displayed attention to detail and the unwillingness to accept poor craftsmanship. I fear that this, in the eyes of them, is as good as it gets.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

demonspeed · 06-21-2012, 10:17 PM

I believe most insurance companies guarantee the work. I presume this is because of the relationships most body shops have the the companies. In my opinion, you are entitled to 100% satisfaction as anything less would be unreasonable.

If it were me, I would speak with the body shop manager about it yet again, as diplomatic as possible. A chain as large as Wright will have many levels of management to escalate this to if you need to; however, one should not have to jump through hoops to receive satisfactory work.

tkjohn25 · 06-21-2012, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamie Mac

I would not accept it in that condition. I'd discuss it with your insurance adjuster and see about taking it elsewhere to be corrected. The runs could have easily been taken care of during sanding.

What he said! That is not acceptable.

Supermaro585HP · 06-21-2012, 11:06 PM

Hell no!!!!! That is half ass work. 2 year old car or 5 year old car. Make them fix it right or don't pay them. I learned to have the insurance company make the check out to me and I will pay the shop. I had somebody hit my Tahoe from behind and almost got screwed over this kind of bullshit. I had a lady back into my Camaro about 2 months ago and had their insurance company make the check out to me. If job is done half ass they would get no money until it is right.. Good kuck man..

IROCanSS · 06-22-2012, 10:39 AM

I've experience the same (sort of) with my Camaro. It needed a factory defect repaired (paint only) and since my dealer has an in house body shop they HAD to do it. It came back covered in overspray and a nick in the bumper that I just touched up.

Dealerships sell cars, other than that... take it to the pros. I would demand a better repair on that... from an actual autobody.

SSBUSDRVR · 06-22-2012, 11:57 AM

No unacceptable. It could only get worse overtime.

Trav2SS · 06-22-2012, 01:25 PM

From all the half ass painting I have done in my day, looks like they spray was held over the spot a hair to long and figured it would cure itself out or something. Not good tho.. id complain

06-21-2012, 06:13 PM	#1
Bumblebee2012 Drives: 2012 2SS TF3, 1971 Chevelle Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa Posts: 840	2011 Malibu GM Body Shop repair poor quality My wife has a 2011 Malibu 1LT that a deer jumped out in front of her. She swerved and missed the deer, but lightly rubbed the guard rail. So, the damage was very light along the passenger side, more paint repair than sheet metal work, and I assumed that this would be an easy fix at the Chevy dealer. I went to pick up her car last Thursday and the quality of craftsmanship was much lower than expected. I verbalized my dissatisfaction for the resulting work and the shop manager asked me to leave the car for another week. Today we go to get my wife's Malibu (Great car! We love it!) And they have done much better, but all is not well yet. At the center door edges, there are pores or bubbles that have broken the surface of the clear coat. There are still some runs in the side of the front bumper. The runs bother me less than the porosity in the clear coat (that is designed to provide the environmental barrier to the atmospheric elements). I don't feel that this paint application will meet that task over the long term. Now, i'm feeling as if I'm a nit picking jerk. Please tell me if I need to shut up and say thank you, or push back against work that is lower quality than I had anticipated from a GM dealership body Shop. Door edges with bubbles that are open to the surface on the rear of the front door and the front of the rear door. And this is the right side of the front bumper, wheel well arch in front if the front tire. I know that my car has 30,000 miles, and it's almost 2 years old, but I wax it and keep the paint washed, sealed with glaze and waxed with Carnuba regularly.... And even if it's not a new Cadillac, it's the best I can do! Am I being unreasonable? How about one of you GM customer service reps that float around on here, what is your opinion? Car is being worked at by Wright Chevrolet in Ambridge, Pennsylvania. Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

06-21-2012, 09:41 PM	#2
Jamie Mac NCM-WINR Drives: 2010 SS/RS IOM 2014 2LT Stingray Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 2,324	I would not accept it in that condition. I'd discuss it with your insurance adjuster and see about taking it elsewhere to be corrected. The runs could have easily been taken care of during sanding. __________________ also drives a heavily modified Jeep Wrangler. It has LED headlights and wheel weights blacked out with Plasti Dip. It's Baller.

06-21-2012, 10:17 PM	#4
demonspeed not afraid of the wall Drives: Camaros Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 2,148	I believe most insurance companies guarantee the work. I presume this is because of the relationships most body shops have the the companies. In my opinion, you are entitled to 100% satisfaction as anything less would be unreasonable. If it were me, I would speak with the body shop manager about it yet again, as diplomatic as possible. A chain as large as Wright will have many levels of management to escalate this to if you need to; however, one should not have to jump through hoops to receive satisfactory work. __________________ 2023 1LE 1SS BCD GCF JF5 MN6 SIA SLN UQT 10/13/22: 1100 Past Camaros: 13 1LE\|02 SS\|01 Z28\|00 SS\|91 1LE\|91 Z28\|89 IROC-Z

06-22-2012, 11:57 AM	#8
SSBUSDRVR Drives: '11 2SS/RS IBM/BLK M6 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Central FL Posts: 3,746 View My Garage	No unacceptable. It could only get worse overtime. __________________ '11 IBM 2SS/RS Built and Tuned by Vengeance Racing Vengeance PCM Vengeance Racing Mast Black Label LS7 Headed 416 ProCharger Stage II D1X Race ,Monster Triple,Alky Control Meth Inj, Forgestar F14 Drag Version and a bunch of other blah blah blah.838/688 at 12lbs Street Friendly

06-22-2012, 01:25 PM	#9
Trav2SS MTMTEYE Drives: 2010 Camaro 2SS Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 637	From all the half ass painting I have done in my day, looks like they spray was held over the spot a hair to long and figured it would cure itself out or something. Not good tho.. id complain __________________ MTMTEYE 2010 2SS/RS M6 Aftermarket bolt on parts and tune.. 434hp/395tq Daily Driver.

06-21-2012, 09:45 PM	#3
Bumblebee2012 Drives: 2012 2SS TF3, 1971 Chevelle Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa Posts: 840	This is after the corrections. This is what they present to a customer that has already displayed attention to detail and the unwillingness to accept poor craftsmanship. I fear that this, in the eyes of them, is as good as it gets. Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

06-21-2012, 11:06 PM	#6
Supermaro585HP Account Suspended Drives: 2011 Camaro SS RS Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 1,186 View My Garage	Hell no!!!!! That is half ass work. 2 year old car or 5 year old car. Make them fix it right or don't pay them. I learned to have the insurance company make the check out to me and I will pay the shop. I had somebody hit my Tahoe from behind and almost got screwed over this kind of bullshit. I had a lady back into my Camaro about 2 months ago and had their insurance company make the check out to me. If job is done half ass they would get no money until it is right.. Good kuck man..

06-22-2012, 10:39 AM	#7
IROCanSS Account Suspended Drives: 89 IROC 350 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Back roads, southern Ohio Posts: 12,504 View My Garage	I've experience the same (sort of) with my Camaro. It needed a factory defect repaired (paint only) and since my dealer has an in house body shop they HAD to do it. It came back covered in overspray and a nick in the bumper that I just touched up. Dealerships sell cars, other than that... take it to the pros. I would demand a better repair on that... from an actual autobody.