Hi guys. I have a question that I have been pondering over for a while since I had some minor body work done on the right front of my '02 Scab Lariat. Why is it, when such care is put toward a good repaint (color match, smoothness, run-free, no orange peel) that when you get it back, the new finish is all screwed up with those ugly swirl marks? The question doesn't concern WHAT causes them, I KNOW what causes them....power buffers....in the hands of a non-caring individual. The question is.....WHY?????? I know there are good body shops that warranty against swirl marks. I had work done at a dealer. There were swirl marks all over the fender and what looks like dried wax or rubbing compound on the inner edges of the fender and hood (that they never bothered to remove). The swirl marks show up as you all know when the sun hits it just right. And the color of my truck is bright red.
Why can't we get a good re-paint without any swirl marks?
They even said to bring it in after 2 weeks and they would wax and detail it for me. No way, because they would power buff the wax off and the entire truck would be covered with swirl marks. Does anybody have any thoughts on this, and no, I'm not whining, just frustrated.

 

I wouldn't go to the dealer for bodywork if I could help it. I know this is difficult when it comes to warranty work, but then again I hear so many complaints about the crappy jobs dealerships do.

The best thing - go to a reputable stand-alone shop. It's tough to know who is good and who isn't. Here are a few tips:

First, if you know many people who've been to a particular shop and give good reviews, definately consider them. Lots of positive reviews are a very good thing.

Second, if you get several estimates remember that you get what you pay for, so don't spring on the cheapest until you've thought it over.

Third, I'd avoid the largest shops with owner's Viper and Hummer and Porsche parked in the showroom. These guys are too much like a dealership. They don't make their money fixing cars, they make their money ripping you off (or maybe fronting for the mafia or selling drugs.)

Go for the mid-range guy. He's knows where his bread and butter comes from and he knows his reputation is on the line. He should invest his money back in the business for modern equipment, computers, and quality repair men. If you want to investigate, find out if and where they are certified, if they send their employees to seminars/schools, and if they participate in any local or national body shop associations. These are indicators that they take their business seriously.

Lastly, make your wishes and/or your displeasure known. As you said - they take a lot of time to make sure that paint matches just right, let them know when you don't think the quality is up to snuff. Demand that they redo it the right way, or let them know you're not bringing it back to them for future business without some kind of compensation.

 

In my opinion, the use of a buffer (hence, buffer swirls and compound in the cracks and seams) is a sign that somebody couldn't paint well in the first place. (Hint: Do you think your truck was buffed at the factory? Answer: No, unless there was a problem.) I look for a shop that can paint well enough to not need a buffer.

When I needed some minor work on my '97, I went to a local shop with a very good reputation. I told them that my expectation was that they paint the fender so that it exactly matched (color, texture, etc.) the factory paint job. The owner said "Even the orange peel?" and I said yes. To do that, they had to shoot the paint perfectly the first time and avoid all overspray. They did it perfectly! So, carefully defining your expectations is just as important as picking your shop carefully. Boy, did I find a good one!