ComplaintsforMaaco Collision Repair and Auto Painting

• Initial Complaint

  07/19/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I dropped my truck off with ***** on 01May. So far I have paid 765.10 of 7,979.78 as a parts deposit. *** ****, the owner agreed to a complete body and paint restoration and my invoice number is *** is now claiming that some work was not included in the work order such as removing and replacing customer provided weather stripping, sill/scuff plates, lights, and trim. This truck is a 1 of 1 production from Ford and he understood I wanted the best of the best for this truck. He promised a lifetime warranty which he still exclaims will be in effect, but his invoice says that all trim, lights must be removed before paint to warrant a lifetime warranty. The rocker panels/scuff/sill areas and interior of the gas caps are left unpainted and the underside of the hood was only sprayed with no prep work. On top of all of this missed work, the deadline promised was three weeks (23May). I let him know that this project was for my wedding (11June) and I absolutely needed the truck by 10June. I allowed over double his timeline and was let down. He has now had my truck for nearly three months! I went to see the truck yesterday because he hasn't responded to my emails in over a week and a half. He exclaimed, "It will be done when I get it done". There is so much damage to the truck and it looks awful. I can attach pictures if requested. I am emotionally beat down and depressed over the whole process and I am ready to cut ties. I would like to get a quote from another shop to have the damages repaired and have that deducted from my invoice with Maaco. This is my first step to resolution before contacting the states ******** ******* or hiring a lawyer. Please, any advise you have for me to resolve this would be greatly appreciated This was the truck that my father and I were working on before he passed last year. and I wanted so badly to have it in our wedding photos. I was sad and disappointed that the deadline wasn't met, but I was reasonable. Now I am livid from his excuses

  Business response

  08/08/2022

  Tell usI will address ******** written complaint line by line.
  
  “I dropped my truck off with ***** on 01May. So far I have paid 765.10 of 7,979.78 as a parts deposit. *** ****, the owner agreed to a complete body and paint restoration and my invoice number is (sic)”
  We agreed to a specific scope of work. This is completely documented in the original and subsequent revisions of the work order. “Complete body and paint restoration” is not specified nor is this a defined term, unless you are referring to a million dollar, no expense spared, ****** ***** ***** ***********. This job is not that. ****** is either incorrect in his memory or deliberately fabricating this statement.
  
  **** is now claiming that some work was not included in the work order such as removing and replacing customer provided weather stripping, sill/scuff plates, lights, and trim.”
  This is entirely correct. A reading of the work order shows exactly what items are included. Anything not specified is not included.
  
  “This truck is a 1 of 1 production from Ford and he understood I wanted the best of the best for this truck.
  ****** had another, considerably higher bid from another shop. He chose the cheaper bid.
  
  He promised a lifetime warranty which he still exclaims will be in effect, but his invoice says that all trim, lights must be removed before paint to warrant a lifetime warranty.”
  ****** specified the basecoat/Clearcoat package. This is a five year prorated warranty and specifically states this in the work order. ****** is either incorrect in his memory or deliberately misinterpreting this statement on the declaimer, which is referring to spot/collision work and not overall paint. The five year warranty, however, will remain in place upon payment in full for the work done.
  
  The rocker panels/scuff/sill areas and interior of the gas caps are left unpainted and the underside of the hood was only sprayed with no prep work.
  These areas are known as “jambs.” Jambs are not specified on the original work order and were not charged for. We did a courtesy coat on the underside of the customer-provided hood as a courtesy only.
  
  On top of all of this missed work, the deadline promised was three weeks (23May). I let him know that this project was for my wedding (11June) and I absolutely needed the truck by 10June.
  ****** was made aware on May 13th that we found rusted core support brackets that he did not include with the parts he provided. He was subsequently made aware that these parts were obsolete and discontinued by Ford, and two attempts at a national parts search turned up no inventory. ****** was given the choice to re-use his existing, rusted parts and press forward hoping to have the vehicle done for his wedding or have me search for new ones. ****** chose for us to source new ones. ****** repeatedly fails to acknowledge that his choice to have us search for these parts- which took several weeks of uncompensated admin time- is why the “deadline” was missed.   
  
  I allowed over double his timeline and was let down. He has now had my truck for nearly three months! I went to see the truck yesterday because he hasn't responded to my emails in over a week and a half. He exclaimed, "It will be done when I get it done".
  Repairs on a 25+ year old vehicle are unpredictable, and timelines fluctuate as new obstacles are found and overcome during the process. As explained to ****** repeatedly, it is not like baking a cake- put it in for a specific time and it is done. It is a fluid process that can and will change daily. In fact, I recommended to ****** that he should not undertake another project like this is the future, because he apparently lacks the patience and understanding necessary to deal with the inherent uncertainty involved in older vehicle work.
  
    There is so much damage to the truck and it looks awful. I can attach pictures if requested.
  ****** took pictures of an unfinished project – which he acknowledged was unfinished – and published them on social media, portraying them as finished work. ****** defamed both me personally as well as my business with this libelous behavior. These are the same pictures he provided here. I have included pictures of the finished work.
  
  As far as ******’s list of specific complaints in the pictures:
  
  Mirror mounts and bolts- these were customer provided parts. ****** bought this kit and provided the used mirrors and bolts. That is how they fit. That is the paint condition when provided.
  Paint chip at mirror bracket. This was a picture ****** took of unfinished work, libelously called a finished product. This has been corrected in the final product. Picture attached.
  Right rear wheel arch. This was a picture ****** took of unfinished work, libelously called a finished product. This has been corrected in the final product. Picture attached.
  Filler necks not installed. This was a picture ****** took of unfinished work, libelously called a finished product. This has been corrected for the front filler in the final product. The rear filler can not be attached because ****** supplied an incorrect filler/hose combination which is too short. Picture attached.
  Filler doors not painted. This was not included in the original agreed-upon scope of work.
  Hood gap. Customer provided the hood, which we repaired as well as possible in the allotted time. It has a bit of a bow to it. It needs replacement. We partially corrected by replacing the bent hood hinges; however, that is how the part ****** brought us fits.
  Bedside dents. This was a picture ****** took of unfinished work, libelously called a finished product. This has been corrected in the final product. Picture attached.
  Headlight bezels. ****** claims we either lost his parts (we didn’t) or painted over the old chrome ones (we didn’t). We sourced new parts when the parts ****** claimed were in the truck, were not found in the truck. Picture of the removed old chrome bezels attached.
  Wheel arch left rear. This was a picture ****** took of unfinished work, libelously called a finished product. This has been corrected in the final product. Picture attached.
  Fender dent. This was a dent that was found in a fender ****** provided when it was unpackaged. We repaired as a courtesy. This was a picture ****** took of unfinished work, libelously called a finished product. This has been corrected in the final product. Picture attached.
  

• Initial Complaint

  10/28/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Around 5-15-2021 I paid Maaco $3271.54 to paint my truck and that I needed a good job. I received my truck well after the time that they said it would be completed. Very poor paint job extra dents, over spray covering the interior, and damaged parts. Told the owner, (***), that I needed everything taken care of and he pretty told me where to go and hung up the phone.

  Business response

  11/09/2021

  Mr. **** dropped his truck off for a complete paint job. It was completed in two weeks. Mr **** then returned the truck with a punch list of things. We completed the punch list and Mr **** again picked up his vehicle. Mr **** then insisted that we preform work he had not paid for at no charge (color sand and polish). As this costs 1500-2500 to do, we declined to provide this service for free.

  This was four months ago. Our written warranty states:

  "With respect to the warranties covering workmanship, Maaco requires you note any dissatisfaction at the time you pick
  up your completed vehicle. If you accept your completed vehicle in conditions that don’t allow for making an adequate
  inspection,such as bad weather, or inadequate lighting, you may take your car home and bring it back, preferably the next
  business day, to note any dissatisfaction with the services we performed. If you cannot return the next business day, you may
  telephone to make an appointment for a re-inspection, to take place within the next (5) business days. If such arrangements are
  not made, we will assume the repairs received were satisfactory and only the specific workmanship and material warranties listed
  below are acceptable"

  We performed everything Mr **** chose in his original scope of work and completed his punch list. As we are far beyond the five-day period noted and have already declined providing free services, we will be unable to offer Mr **** any further discount.

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