Not sure where I stand here.

After a small carpark bump, I booked the car in with a body repair shop last month, the appointment being yesterday – we agreed that I’d buy/supply the replacement primed bumper, grille and headlight.

Dropped car off yesterday morning 9am. Hadn’t heard anything by about 4pm so called up for an update that went unanswered. Went along to the shop – shutters pulled down with no-one around, car still sat outside untouched. (Luckily I’ve got a second key so I can still get to work this morning!)

The car is booked in for it’s first MOT next week, and the headlight mounts being broken will likely mean a test failure.

The knock on effects caused by the body shops failure to carry out the work agreed could mean I am left with an unusable car next week – and due to living rural and needing a car for work, this could throw up some implications.

Obviously I’ll be calling him again first thing this morning to see what he is playing at, but a bit of advice from yourselves to know where I stand would be appreciated.

Sounds like more than a ‘small’ bump if it’s broken headlamp mounts, although maybe it’s a French car made out of tin foil? 😉

Anyway, as to your question, my immediate thought was to ascertain politely why they were unable to do the agreed work yesterday. It may be that there had been a family trauma, a close relative taken ill, dead, involved in an accident, or eaten by a crocodile, mauled by a bear kinda thing. So perhaps tread carefully before going in all guns blazing.

OTOH, they may have been partying really hard since last Thursday night, in which case and as we all know, the best weekends like that don’t finish until Tuesday, or until all the drugs run out ( in which case, if that’s before Tuesday someone will know someone else and more drugs n booze will be acquired to take everyone through to Tuesday). In which case, don’t bother to call them until tomorrow and go easy cos they’ll be on the come down and likely to ask you to take your damaged car somewhere else.

Alternatively, they forgot all about you and decided to make the most of an impromptu sunny weekend.

HTH

Chances are by about 9.30 am they’ll have reported your car nicked anyway.

Yesterday they painted the new bumper. Waiting for it to dry and today they came in to fit it and some buggers stolen the car.

Yesterday they painted the new bumper. Waiting for it to dry and today they came in to fit it and some buggers stolen the car.

This 👍

seems logical.

If the car is in such a state that you know it would fail an MOT test, why are you driving it to work?

rachel

Sounds like more than a ‘small’ bump

Hard solid thing vs soft plastic mounts/fixings, hard thing wins every time 😉

As you say, life happens – happy to give the benefit of the doubt and the chance to rectify. Just unsure as to where I stand if he starts messing about and I’m left high & dry. The guy in the unit next door said he was at the shop most of the day though.

Yesterday they painted the new bumper.

Unfortunately the bumper is in the back of the car where I left it.

If the car is in such a state that you know it would fail an MOT test, why are you driving it to work?

Had it checked over by my mechanic – cracked plastic headlight mount wasn’t deemed dangerous, just that the alignment will be thrown outwith the mot parameters 👌🏼

Glue to fix headlight mount. MOT at the weekend. Then find reliable place to paint/fit bumper.

Sounds the best plan, hope you didn’t pay anything upfront to other body shop.

For fun, just wait until they ring you to tell you to tell you your car has been stolen 👍

Get in touch with Kryton – he has a small body shop at the end of his drive. 😉

Did they say they would do the work in a day? Unlikely it would be done that quickly given work involved. I suspect they thought you were dropping off that day for them to sort and let you know when done.

You went through your insurance, right? I’d hope so on a 3 year old car. Get them to sort it while you swan around in the courtesy car.

If you”re asking from a ‘can I get some form of compensation’ due to inconvenience then no, you can’t. Sometimes jobs just don’t happen on time in whatever industry.

I am however surprised that the body shop was going to spray and fit the bumper in the same day.

Looks like a bit of miscommunication / misunderstanding.

You think it’s a one day job.  He thinks you’re dropping it off for a few days.  His previous work’s overrun a little so he’s not started it when he thought or he’s had another look and realised he needs another part and then you’ve taken the car away.  Wonder what he’s going to do today if he hasn’t got your car to work on?

Going to be an interesting phone call this morning.

senor j
Subscriber
Get in touch with Kryton – he has a small body shop at the end of his drive. 

😂👌

Has Kryton fixed it yet?

Good luck with the MOT.  Do let us know how you got it to pass.

The OP was never seen again….