Oxnard Montalvo Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 My 38 Buick Coupe went in a well-respected local shop for a paint job a year ago. No price was given, the work was to be at an hourly rate. Little body work was needed, and the car only had one repaint over the original finish. Periodically over the ensuing months I paid the shop owner for the work done. I found a thirty-eight paint chart and picked Gainsborough Blue (Navy) for the color. Last week the owner called me to say he had a perfect match from Dupont and that the body would be painted by friday. He wanted me to come see it on Monday and said I should bring a check. Monday I went to the shop and was surprised with a beautifully painted Blue car. A Botticelli (sky) Blue car. The paint chart has an arrow pointing to Gainsborough blue. And a circle around the number for Botticelli Blue. The color requested was Gainsborough, there is no doubt and the owner did not disagree. I can live with the color but my "Better Half" is off the wall. The fenders, hood, etc., must still be painted, and the job is getting awfully expensive.. It will probably come in at 50% over my "educated estimate". This cost overrun for a car that is painted the wrong color is causing a little disharmony at home. I can't and won't ask for or pursue a repaint. I can live with the color. I just want the car done.What redress should I have with the owner? Should it cost me another grand to have my car finished? Should he eat it for painting the wrong color?"I'M SO ConFused"(Vinnie Barbarrino). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R W Burgess Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 Vinnie, 50% over cost is hard to shallow, I know. The antique car hobby can be expensive. I won't go into what you need to do here. Other than to say you and the body shop should get together and make a reasonable compromise. Everybody concerned will have to lose a little to make everyone happy. I'll just say that in the future, always get any prospective paint "shot" on a metal plate to double check the match. Buying a quart of the wrong color is better than having to do the whole job over again. I'm sure there are more responses on the way. Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 Paint it right for the full price or leave it wrong [his fault] for less.If it were me, I would insist it be done as ordered.hvs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oxnard Montalvo Posted March 3, 2004 Author Share Posted March 3, 2004 The more I think about it the more cornered I feel. If I sue and all that stuff everybody loses. If I pay what he wants to finish the car I lose. If I let him finish then refuse to pay he may keep the car hostage. If I demand it finished for monies already forked over he may sit on the car. I have to hammer out a compromise for sure, but what leverage do I have? Everybody gets funny when it comes to money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizzyDale Posted March 4, 2004 Share Posted March 4, 2004 Dearest Oxnard,EVERYTIME you go out to your garage you WILL be reminded of this sad tale AND have to look at your pride and joy finished in the WRONG shade.Get it fixed NOW,whatever method you choose AL the ARMBREAKER or Dewey Dickem and Howe,your choice.diz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Hoover Posted March 4, 2004 Share Posted March 4, 2004 I'm sure you won't like this, but I feel you're both at fault here. First, that shop owner should have insisted you come see that match before he ever poured it into a gun. You as the customer and spending this type of serious money, should have stayed on top of that job and requested to see that match. A compromise of some sort is in order and I believe the both of you can come up with something before any legal talk is needed. If the car were mine, I'd have it painted the way you first requested. You have to live with the car, not that shop owner and this will always haunt you later on. But the most important reason is your wife. If she's that upset and you leave this mistake alone, I'll bet you hear about it from her 10 years from now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Bamford Posted March 4, 2004 Share Posted March 4, 2004 Suppose you had chosen a particular colour, the body shop matched it perfectly, and then, upon seeing the painted car, you realized you'ld picked the wrong shade. It was your mistake, you knew it, and so did the body shop 'cause you told them so.How much sympathy would the body shop owner have for you? More to the point, would he even consider correcting your mistake out of his pocket?I agree with HVS on this. Businesses (employees, actually) make mistakes and errors in judgement on a regular basis. Responsible businesses stand behind their work, and their committments to the customer. When they make a mistake they apologize and correct it. They should repaint in the correct colour, at their own expense. They are in the business, and it is really not a big deal for them - and all the prep work is done.As far as the 50% overbudget thing, there must be a lot more involved than just a partial repaint. After all, there are still a bunch of loose pieces that can be painted the proper colour right from the start. The right colour is very important. Every time you set eyes on the darn thing, you'll either get a little thrill about how great it looks, or get one of those "dammit, I shouldn't have let him bulldoze me out of what I really wanted" twinges of regret.Stick to your guns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jw24spec6 Posted March 4, 2004 Share Posted March 4, 2004 I own a body shop. What did the shop have dupont match? my guess was that the owner didnt send the chip to them he called in the wrong number. then the color was never checked to the chip untill after the painter shot the car. i would talk to the owner and explain that your wife dosent care for the color. you shouldnt have to pay for this mistake. he wont like it but he cant be suprized by that response. if you picked red and the car was pink, how could you be at fault? as far as the bill ask for a list of work done for the money. how much are we talking $5000. and up or less. if it were me i would not accept the wrong color period unless he made quite the concession. my 50 cents worth jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted March 4, 2004 Share Posted March 4, 2004 Is the body just painted,or has it been wet sanded and buffed? If it is just painted all it needs is a light sanding and a reshot of the color you want. In the 14 years that I was painting cars we always shot a 12x12 test panel to show the customer what the paint looked like before doing the job. You'll never enjoy washing and waxing the car if it is the wrong color. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Green Posted March 4, 2004 Share Posted March 4, 2004 You did not get the color of paint that you contracted the shop for, period. This happen to me in 1991 when I had my Corvette repainted. I wanted it the same color white. Went through the test sprays, color samples, etc. When I went to see it the shade was off by one number (ordered wrong) and I could tell. The painter was 3 months late already along with other issues I had with him like sanding the car with the top off ruining the interior. I accepted the wrong color / shade and am reminded every time I look at the car. Make him do it right at no charge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Indiana_Truck Posted March 4, 2004 Share Posted March 4, 2004 I totally agree with the comments so far that you should make the shop fix the mistake now while it will be easy to fix. I have painted cars for years and will stand behind any job I do 100%. If I painted the car I would have asked you what you want me to do and then do it at no extra charge to you. Paint costs money but a bad rep. costs more. If I get a car back that has a problem with body filler moving or if one ever came back with a paint chip due to poor prep work in that area I will fix it. I have never had this problem with a car but I know it may happen no matter how good I am. I expect my work to last at least 10 years even if the car sits out in the hot sun all the time and a lot longer if it's taken care of. You will look at this car for 10 or 20 years and wish it had been done right so make them fix it now! This is not your mistake and they know it and you have paid them well so they should kiss your feet and feed you grapes from here on. You just want your car done right. Nothing wrong with that.Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Skyking Posted March 4, 2004 Share Posted March 4, 2004 Somewhere along the line, you should have OK'd the color. Remember, this is your car and alot of money is at stake. At least you could have dabbed some paint on a stick and put it to the chart before the car was even painted. This would have given you a pretty good idea what the color would have looked like.But all is not a total loss.....paint the other parts to your correct color, have him scuff the body and reshoot it. There may be a time you'll regret not fixing it now........good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oxnard Montalvo Posted March 4, 2004 Author Share Posted March 4, 2004 Thanks to everyone for the comments. The bodyshop owner called me today and said he would cut the price by $500 and paint the car the proper color if that's what I want. Either way he's going to cut the $500 because the labor has gotten so high. He explained that the hand stripping in the beginning is what did me in, but said it was the only way to go. I'm going to look at it again tomorrow and decide. Now that I have a choice I won't kick myself later if I decide to leave it the way it is. It's my decision. Because I've never seen the color I chose except for on a chip, I wonder if that old adage about a bush in the hand and two birds and all that stuff may apply here? Both colors are proper for the car/year, maybe sky blue is better than midnight blue. It pays to deal with reputable people. The best thing about the new developments is that the "Minister of Finance" aka my lovely spouse is now smiling again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6219_Rules Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 Good for you, Oxnard. Keeping a cool head, being adult and being able to work out a solution.I have been looking into the painting my '47 and I think my son and I will do it ourselves. At least the stripping and body work. One way or another it will get done and probably for a lot of money but it is worth it. Now I only have to find a place to keep the car to protect it from the sun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 A thought. Have the shop paint one of the unpainted panels the color you first chose. That will give you a big enough sample to see what the color really looks like on a part of the car. If you like the sky blue better, then you can always repaint that one panel. For my money, the darker color would look best on a '38 Buick. Cars in that era tended toward the darker colors. My father had two '37 Buicks back in '37, one very dark green and one black. Beautiful cars.hvs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearchoclatetown Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 If you have been paying all along you should be pretty flush with him. I would pay off what I owed right now and take the car elsewhere to be painted the right color. If he knocks off $500, you are still going to pay, because he's going to have to cut corners and hurry to make it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 I tend to disagree. There are still some people of character out there who will do the right thing because it is right, and not try to cheat a little in doing it. If Hoover painted a car the wrong shade and it was his mistake, I certainly know it would be made right, period.If you take it to someone else and there are problems later, you can bet they will be passed off as the result of "work done by whoever worked on this car before I got it." As the virus said while moving from the lymph system to the blood stream, "It may not be wise to change streams in the middle of the horse." hvs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 GREAT point! The frist corner to be cut will be fit of fenders, hood and doors. Was this a paint job or restoraton? Body shop or restoration shop? If your working with a $500.00 correction my guess is that you're at a bodyshop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_56BuickSuper Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 Consider Two Tone. Sky blue body and dark blue fenders, the contrast might look great.Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 But is it authentic? If someone goes to the trouble of picking an authentic color, why would they go to a non authentic paint job? hvs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centurion Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 Oxnard, one of the fellows in my local Buick Club owns a Gainsborough Blue '38 Century coupe. The car was professionally restored a few years back. This color is absolutely stunning on a '38 Buick. It's a matter of personal taste, but I think that your first instinct on the color was the right one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Hoover Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 Doug, I disagree with Oxnard removing his car into another shop at this stage. This would end up being a huge financial mistake for him. He stated he went to a well respected shop and I feel there was a honest mistake or misunderstanding made here. Either way, what's done is done and I'd now concentrate on his working with this shop owner to get the car finished like he wants. If the quality of the work is satisfactory with Oxnard up to this point, why not stay with this shop? I'm a firm believer that a car owner should stay involved regularly with a shop when going through a restoration or having major work done on their vehicle. And a shop owner should insist that the owner does so, just so things like this don't happen. A wise man once shared with me something he told a friend of his. His friend was going through a restoration and I couldn't agree more. "It's your money, go visit it!" Very sound advice! Good luck Oxnard and please keep us posted. Oh, and Howard. I would???? Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 Yes, Rick, you would!HV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oxnard Montalvo Posted March 6, 2004 Author Share Posted March 6, 2004 Thanks again for the input. I went up to the restoration shop today and looked at the color again. It's not the color I picked, but it is a really sharp color, so I decided to go with it. The decision was actually easy once I saw the car again (and the initial shock wore off). He's done a beautiful job.The owner (who is also married) was extremely accommodating, "whatever you want" was his mantra. This attitude took all the pressure off. His obvious integrity, pride in his work and ability to take responsibility for mistakes showed me that the man has character and backs his work. Dealing with such people is a pleasant experience even when things go awry. So I just picked the "new" color and life is good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearchoclatetown Posted March 6, 2004 Share Posted March 6, 2004 Oxnard, as long as you are happy that's all that matters, well and the wife, too. I own something that was painted the wrong color, that's why I feel the way I do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
48LCCOUPE Posted March 7, 2004 Share Posted March 7, 2004 hope you got the chance to look at the color on the metal outside in natural light. I was going to say sunlight but I catch a lot of flack here sometimes for bringing that subject up. (it's that bright orb in the sky you sometimes see up north in the summer time) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R W Burgess Posted March 7, 2004 Share Posted March 7, 2004 Dave, When are you going to put some clothes on that picture of you beside your name. You're scaring my kids. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
48LCCOUPE Posted March 10, 2004 Share Posted March 10, 2004 this better or worse? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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