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bill iler
Samba Member
Joined: September 09, 2004
Posts: 101
Location: atlantic highlands, NJ 07716
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 Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2014 3:39 pm Post subject: Body Shop problem- Skyline Auto in Virginia |
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Hi
I sent my Ghia to be repaired at Skyline in Madison VA in fall 2012. Grant and Katie, the owners, are very pleasant and quoted a price of between 9 and 11K to essentially replace the nose of my (formerly mint) 70 Ghia. I expected top quality work based on the reviews here on theSamba.
Roll forward to spring 2014. Car is "not ready" and last stage of repair, after spending about $6500, was quoted at $12K additional. I almost passed out. Lukcily after a good bit of dialogue including help from a buddy of mine who is a former body man and now does antique auto estimates for a living for Esurance, I was able to get the final stage of work down to $6K- meaning a total of $12K for the car. That was March.
I have repeatedly called the shop in the past month trying to get a firm date for completion. They have been really sketchy and said they lost an employee a few months ago and really cannot promise anything, not even the end of july. I was promised pictures that would show progress beyond the rough primer I saw last fall...but so far, nothing definitive....
has anyone had any personal experience with this shop lately? Has the quality/customer service changed? I am REALLY worried that this shop is not up to par or somehow is shutting down and I will end up losing my car...Any one who knows them and can put in a good comment pro or con, I would appreciate the reviews......Again, seem like nice people but this is going well beyond even a very patient customer's tolerance...2 years without a promise date is scary....
Sorry for the long post, but I don't want to slam a body shop and am just trying to see if my misgivings are a false alarm...
Thanks in advance for any replies. |
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cseay1
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Joined: March 22, 2012
Posts: 1341
Location: Elkwood VA
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swhitcomb
Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2003
Posts: 5673
Location: Inwood WV
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| Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2014 4:53 pm Post subject: |
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I know Grant and Katie very well. Grant is a perfectionist. They do great work there. They do however, have a reputation for repairs going far beyond the original estimate.
Your car is in good hands. Stinks that it's taking so long I know, but it will be done. Also, keep the above story in mind. I'm sure they're all a little bit shaken by it.
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My 71 Ghia Been in my family since 1980
My Patina 66
My 74 Ghia
07 Boxster |
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bill iler
Samba Member
Joined: September 09, 2004
Posts: 101
Location: atlantic highlands, NJ 07716
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| Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2014 7:37 pm Post subject: |
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WOW- that is a tough situation......and to the shop's credit, they did not even hint at anything more than 'we lost an employee'.Thanks for the information.
I am glad the work is high quality and it seems like they are around to stay. I just wish they did a little better in the customer service end....I'll post any follow ups on my end, especially as to how the car finally turned out. I hate the idea of missing another summer without it...
If you happen to see an Albert Blau 1970 Ghia vert in there....covered in cobwebs...let me know <G> |
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CiderGuy
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Joined: December 23, 2013
Posts: 1351
Location: Bucks County, Pa
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2014 1:58 am Post subject: |
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| Two years and $12,000 sounds like a hell of a long time, and a lot of money for a front clip. I assume for that money they are going to repaint the entire car? |
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Karly
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Joined: August 01, 2002
Posts: 641
Location: Australia
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2014 3:58 am Post subject: |
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I'd be taking the car and going elsewhere.. not even getting a vague completion date? Sounds like they just have too much work there... sure all good body shops have waiting lists but to be 2 years + .. and be told that the quote was going to double? Unless you don't care when its finished but by the sound of your post you have been chasing it up a lot.
My ghia has been in the workshop for a year now (it had engine work/suspension, some paint repairs and now interior) but it's a different situation, every month I get an email with what's been done. Some months nothing got done as they had insurance work or something else there. I didn't have a time line as over time I've added a lot of work and I still have the bug to drive daily, because of that if the bug ever needs any mechanical work they rush it through as quick as they can so I'm not out of a car. |
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jpjohns
Samba Member
Joined: May 03, 2014
Posts: 882
Location: Harrisonburg, VA
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| Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2014 6:51 am Post subject: |
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Holy crap...talk about a disgruntled employee. Jeeze
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-Jared
"Scrapyards are for quitters" - Beetlenut (a Samba member) |
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bill iler
Samba Member
Joined: September 09, 2004
Posts: 101
Location: atlantic highlands, NJ 07716
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| Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2014 9:56 pm Post subject: Skyline Auto- finally got my Ghia back |
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This shop did great work, in my opinion. Not a concours restoration, (and I did not pay a concours price), but an excellent panel repair and great color match to the OG 1970 paint on this 78K mile Ghia.
The replacement front clip was expertly seamed in. All nut/bolt/wire etc items were replaced correctly-car looks as OG as it did before the nose crunch. My sole critique is the pass door alignment is a shim or two short of perfect-but to my eye, all other panels line up perfectly.
The rough patch in communication towards the end was probably due to the employee crisis they had, and the one stress point about a high-than-predicted final price, was worked out, fairly.
All in all, I would definitely recommend the shop to anyone and Katie and Grant were professional and ultimately very good to work with. (i"ll post pics when the weather lets me take the Ghia to the beach again...) |
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ivwshane
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Joined: May 19, 2011
Posts: 1920
Location: Sacramento ca
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| Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 12:12 am Post subject: |
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Do you have before and after pictures?
While I have zero experience with body work, $12k just for the nose seems high. Or was this a full restore?
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77 westy 2.0 FI
69 ghia coup 1600dp
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John Moxon 
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Joined: March 07, 2004
Posts: 13958
Location: Southampton U.K.
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bill iler
Samba Member
Joined: September 09, 2004
Posts: 101
Location: atlantic highlands, NJ 07716
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| Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 7:28 am Post subject: |
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| ivwshane wrote: |
Do you have before and after pictures?
While I have zero experience with body work, $12k just for the nose seems high. Or was this a full restore? |
-Pics coming soon.
-I would cal it major body work, I think the pics will tell more...I supplied a rust free 70 front clip (with a previous fender repair they had to re-work) and they re-attached using original seam/joint locations, etc, starting just forward of the windshield cowl/gas tank area. So all sheet metal is 'original' and it is hard to tell the work. You can definitely see a paint color change, slightly, but when I bought it it already had a minor nose repair resulting in a front -end repaint (original paint from door hinge sback).
Yes...the price was ...high..and I would have preferred they stick with the $(k top-end quote, for sure.
All in all, I feel grateful to have the car back- driving it 400 miles back home from Virginia was terrific- never thought I would be able to do that again. |
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NOVA Airhead
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Joined: July 20, 2005
Posts: 5221
Location: Richmond, VA
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| Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 8:00 am Post subject: |
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Glad to hear everything was resolved. Grant is a stand up guy. I have had work done by them in the past. Also the PO of my Thing had much of the restoration work done by them.
Their work is top notch although prices are a bit high. He has been around VWs his entire life and is active in the local VW community
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Karly
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Joined: August 01, 2002
Posts: 641
Location: Australia
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| Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 3:59 pm Post subject: |
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Glad it all ended up okay.. enjoy driving it 
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cpd419
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Joined: November 19, 2014
Posts: 83
Location: Williamsburg, Ky
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| Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 8:14 pm Post subject: |
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My 71 superbeetle had two creased rear fenders and at least 20 hail dings on the roof and hood and one guy completed it in 42 days. Not a cavalcade paint job but nice.
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John Moxon
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John Moxon
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c21darrel
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Joined: January 22, 2009
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Location: San Dimas
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bill iler
Samba Member
Joined: September 09, 2004
Posts: 101
Location: atlantic highlands, NJ 07716
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| Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 12:28 pm Post subject: |
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You bet I am. Never thought I would drive it again...it's as good as when I bought it...very grateful to Skyline folks.
As for 'ghia headlight' rings: not sure-- Are you asking they say Hella or VW on them? I have to take a look
BTW I'm not sure what was supposed to be on the 1970's, if you know for sure, I would like to know. I want it to have what it should have had from new. |
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-Zodiac-
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Joined: September 22, 2014
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Location: Pensacola/milton, florida
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| Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 12:55 pm Post subject: |
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Gorgeous! That's a really crazy before and after, the before pics hurt to look at.
As for the bezels/ rings one of mine has what looks to be painted- small white Vw logo, part number, and then hella logo. The other one has nothing, it's either worn of or repro I guess.
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1973 karmann ghia - current, not the last VW.
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1995 Ford F-150 - gone, hatred for it lives. |
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c21darrel
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