TheSamba.com :: View topic

Sun Jun 08, 2003 6:34 pm

I have a 74 thing that needed some body work and paint...I was referd by someone go see "El Mago" "he can do anything"... everthing was going fine with the body work,,until they started painting it..they did the doors and the fenders off of the car. God only knows if they sanded and tack ragged them ..El Mago calls me to pick up the parts that he has just painted...I get over there and I can see major paint runs on all the doors and fenders..the paint was thicker in some areas and thinner in others.....It was the worst paint job I had ever seen....I said to El Mago, "what's up with all the runs and dripping paint? he says "no problemo I'l fix them later"..so then says come back tomorrow and pick up the rest of the body parts...I go home and take a better look at the parts that he has painted. I get really up set..I wanted to puke.....I couldn't make it over his shop the next day to pick up the hood, window frame,left fender and left front door....So I go over there today just to see if someone was there..nope it's Sunday, Through the fence I see my freshly painted hood , door and what not outside with beads of water on them..YEA!it's been raining since yesterday afternoon..Oh My God?...are they going to be ruined?..What should I do about this situation?...El Mogo hasn't painted the main body and the inside of my Thing yet. Should I go over there first thing in the morning and raise hell or should I just be nice and say I don't think this is going to working out for me..pay him for the work he has done and get my Thing and don't look back.....I am sick that I may have Killed my Thing...

Sun Jun 08, 2003 6:48 pm

I would tell him you are not happy with his work and he must fix it. If he won't or can't bring it up to at least average, you shouldn't pay him. If he won't give you your stuff, threaten to sue or call the cops. One look at a horrible paint job and the cops will take your side. Last resort is small claims or my cousin Guido. Your choice but I would never let someone rip me off. Hope he was cheap.

Sun Jun 08, 2003 7:15 pm

You haven't killed it. Paint comes off. Is this guy's name El Mago or El Diablo? Don't turn into a hardass until you get all your stuff back. It'll cost way more to replace the stuff if El Asso Wipo gets mad and decides to keep your parts, which don't exactly grow on trees. "Keep Cool, Fool!" Contain the damage now and then worry about retribution later. It's tough to do but trust me on this. Look at the bright side- at least this is FIXABLE. Read the thread on "Clear Coat vs..."- Maybe you should consider doing this yourself?

Sun Jun 08, 2003 7:17 pm

Also, maybe this guy is one of these maniacs who lays paint on really thick and then wet sands and buffs the runs. Maybe you should take a chance and let him complete a fender. I've fixed some pretty awful mistakes that way myself. Just a thought...

Mon Jun 09, 2003 12:03 am

...thanks..I will let him know that I am not happy at this point,but keep my cool and I think I will at least give him a chance to fix what I thought was a disaster. we'l see...he did lay the paint on real thick in places. I am pretty sure he only used a airhose to blow the sanding dust off the surface and didn't use a tack rag. Will the paint stick to the suface? I guess I should have done it myself. I tusted this guy, because this is what he does for a living...oh he gave me a verbal quote of 700. to do the body work and paint job. I wasn't expecting to much to begin with but then again I wasn't expecting to see such a nasty job either.

Mon Jun 09, 2003 9:51 am

$700...wow, well you get what you paid for. I just spent $600 for my paint alone! No primer...no sand paper...no componds...no labor...just the paint. PPG BC-CC base was $225 and clear and harnder was $250 and reducer $60. So in retro spect $700 you did get what you paid for. He probably used EL CHEAPO Implement paint from the local farm supplier. That stuff is cheap and does stick to cars.

Good luck.

Wed Jun 11, 2003 1:05 am

that sounds like a real mess up...one of the reasons i am painting my car myself...atleast if i stuff it...i can only blame myself and learn..then move on...yeh i think letting him fix the mistakes would be a good idea...and aslong as that etch prime was put on properly (if u went to bare metal..) then the paint should hold...my bro was painting a car and he had a really bad day...wind..bugs...and he laid paint on... and i think the panels were cold aswell..cus there was runs galore...and i mean along the boot of the car...there was a horizontal line of runs...about 2 foot long...and then rolling down...once dried...cut back...buffed...peeeerrrrfect....so i think u'll be fine...cross the fingers... :)

jonno

Fri Jun 13, 2003 11:53 pm

thanks everyone,, they fixed'em, everthing worked out ok........

Sat Jun 14, 2003 11:27 am

Good for you!!! See? You moaned for nothing! GLAD it worked out for you.

Sat Jun 14, 2003 12:37 pm

not really..el Mago's body man replaced the wrong floor pan...He welded in the right side pan on the left. Yep No Shiat!I was bent out of shape for a whole day.(thank you ativan & zanax) I really can't see how they did that when the replacement pan had a sticker on it that said right rear, and the right rear battery area had a giant hole with a big freeking fat peice of metal on top of it..I guess he though that was "more better" and the other side needed repairing since it had a small hole the size of a dime in it...which I was going to repair the with a Por 15 product...I orderd a new right rear pan right away and had it shipped out super fast over night, because El Mago said he would be paiting it the next day. "no problemo"...I went over there today (three days later) and no work had been done on the floor or paint..so I wasted 60 frog skins for nothing...really this has been a big mess form the get go. should I have El Mago pay for the second floor pan plus the $60. in shipping? I didn't expect something great for 700. but this has been way out of hand...

Sat Jun 14, 2003 1:36 pm

Did you ever consider looking at similar jobs done by this painter before you dropped off your car? I hate to sound mean, but cheap paintjobs sometimes cost the vehicle its integrity, value and its life! I hate hearing about rare, desirable cars like Things and Ghias getting the shaft- an elcheapo job for the sake of saying "recent paintjob" once it's for sale on ebay with suspiciously poor quality pictures! I am a VW restorer and I always end up charging too little for my work. I keep going and get it done as best as I stated... It is my reputation and to me cars are not just dollar signs. Cars take years to professionally develop and market. VW's had it rough but stuck it out and now havea huge cult following! THEY DESERVE BETTER. Please, someday put $700 paintjobs on cars that will never achieve the desire Things have.