Body Shops - Car Crafters in Durham?

Frank Catena · **Joined:** Wed Aug 27, 2003 1:08 pm **Posts:** 418

Joan got bumped on the way to work the other day in the blue Miata. Rear bumper cover is scratched and chipped. Young woman who hit her has offered to pay for the damage w/o involving the insurance folks.

After looking in this forum for recommendations, I went to Colors on Parade - $ 390.

Tried True2Form In Raleigh for a second opinion - $490

The woman who hit Joan works for a Durham law firm. They use Car Crafters in Durham . I took the car there and they estimated $250 .

It seems the first two estimates involve removing and reinstalling the bumper cover. Car Crafters believes sanding/filling/painting the bumper cover is fine, hence the dollar savings.

Anyone here have any experience with Car Crafters? They're on S Hoover St near NC 98 in Durham.

Frank

RobLupella · **Posted:** Wed Jul 06, 2005 12:36 pm

I haven't had any experience with them, but IMHO if the other two want to replace and CarCrafters wants to repair, I would be leary.

Hell, you didn't report her, there really isn't much of a cost difference, if you reported her rates could go up 3 times the amount of the estimates, I would tell her you want to take it to wherever you choose.

.....she'll probably sue you for pain and suffering :wink:

BTW I am assuming Joan is OK

Wes Eargle · **Joined:** Mon Oct 27, 2003 9:47 am **Posts:** 3683

The woman who works for the law firm knows the law about not informing the police after an accident.

Colors on Parade rocks, I used them when a Nationwide insurance agent used my drivers' rear door as a brake. Not that he liked using a non-Nationwide approved place. The guy who runs it is not affiliated with any insurance agency, he looks out for the car owner instead. He gets enough business without having to cater to State Farm, etc. from what he told me. The number of cars in his shop proved that to me.

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Wed Jul 06, 2005 1:14 pm

Frank Catena wrote:

It seems the first two estimates involve removing and reinstalling the bumper cover. Car Crafters believes sanding/filling/painting the bumper cover is fine, hence the dollar savings.

Generally repairing a bumper cover isn't a good idea. Once the paint has been "flexed" it needs to be removed and repainted. I've been there, done that, on three bumper covers.

Get a new one and get it painted right. If not, look forward to the paint popping off VERY easy. Ask me how I know.

Frank Catena · **Joined:** Wed Aug 27, 2003 1:08 pm **Posts:** 418

Wes:
Actually the police were called ... they suggested not doing a report. The COP folks remember you ... in a good way.

Rob:

Miss Joan is fine, just shook up a bit the day of - Thanks for asking.
The woman who hit Joan is probably not making a ton of money, we're trying to be nice about this ...
None of the body shops want to replace the cover (its $330). But the two higher estimates repair and paint it off the car. The Car Crafters folks don't remove it. The COP guy considered an on car repair but felt that he couldn't adequately prep and paint the chip on the horizontal top surface of the cover.

Frank

Dustin Fredrickson · **Posted:** Wed Jul 06, 2005 1:22 pm

Vincent Keene wrote:

Frank Catena wrote:

It seems the first two estimates involve removing and reinstalling the bumper cover. Car Crafters believes sanding/filling/painting the bumper cover is fine, hence the dollar savings.

Generally repairing a bumper cover isn't a good idea. Once the paint has been "flexed" it needs to be removed and repainted. I've been there, done that, on three bumper covers.

Get a new one and get it painted right. If not, look forward to the paint popping off VERY easy. Ask me how I know.

And if there's any question on this, take a look under the front "bra" on my Miata. I don't take it off for a reason...

Wes Eargle · **Joined:** Mon Oct 27, 2003 9:47 am **Posts:** 3683

Frank Catena wrote:

Wes:
The COP folks remember you ... in a good way.

He's a good guy, I believe that Simon Wright and Aaron Buckley have been there too.

Frank Catena · **Joined:** Wed Aug 27, 2003 1:08 pm **Posts:** 418

Here's the deal on "flex" additives as told to me by the COP folks ....

"Flex", as you might guess, is added to paint that is to be applied to surfaces that are not rigid (like bumper covers). But here's the interesting part - The additive is only effective for 90 days or so - its designed to allow a bumper cover (or other flexible part) to be twisted as its placed in position on the car. It's not in the paint for long term protection - sorta like "assembly lube" when you're putting a motor together.

So its not surprising that a bumper will shed paint chips after being hit.

BTW - All three body shops are repainting the entire bumper.

Frank

Richard Casto · **Posted:** Wed Jul 06, 2005 6:38 pm

This reminds me of what my insurance agent told me....

If you hit someone, try to get them to consider not turning it in on your insurance. If you are hit, you should absolutely try to turn it in on their insurance.

Like a divorce, it might start out civil and then get ugly. This is for low bucks, so you might be lucky. I would do what is comfortable with you. I wouldn't sacrifice the quality of the repair to save the other person a few bucks. Especially if the amount is really pretty low to being with. She should consider herself lucky. You could have turned it in on her insurance, picked out a place that you like and let the bill turn out to whatever it ends up being. But you are trying to work with her, doing the legwork of getting estimates (how much is your time worth on this), etc.

If it was me, I would also wonder why the $250 vs. approx $400-$500 with the other places.

MikeWhitney · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:15 pm **Posts:** 4724

My opinion? If you're trying to be nice (golden rule is a good thing), take the cover off yourself and take it to Colors on Parade. Should cost less and sounds like you'll get good work done. Plus you'll look like a good guy to the person who hit Joan for, what, an extra few hours in the garage.

Plus it can't hurt to make friends with a lawyer.

Wes Eargle · **Joined:** Mon Oct 27, 2003 9:47 am **Posts:** 3683

Working in a law firm != a lawyer ...

The CoP guys do a great job of blending work in, and would probably like to have the rest of the car as a reference.

Frank Catena · **Joined:** Wed Aug 27, 2003 1:08 pm **Posts:** 418

Actually *not* a lawyer .... Joan believes she's probably an office assistance/receptionist/.

I'm thinking we'll probably use COP, but we'll ask her for less than their quote. Maybe the Car Crafters number ...

Thanks for all the feedback, I appreciate all the ideas ...

Frank

Todd Breakey · **Posted:** Thu Jul 07, 2005 6:21 pm

CoP did a great job on the Mustang after my runing with the illegals in a Corolla. Great guys to deal with also.

That is until I caught a bit of flying debris with the front bumper and lost some paint in the process.

Mark Vitacco · **Posted:** Wed Jul 13, 2005 2:43 pm

Frank:

Any bodyman (ok person) will tell you once those plastic bumper
covers get tweeked they get hairline cracks that will eventually
show through in time. If it just took a gouge/scratch or small localized
impact it could be repaired but if it flexed I would insist it be
replaced. FYI, it should be removed for painting anyway-so R&R
cost is the same, unless they are really going to cut corners and
try to paint it on the car....pass on that for sure.

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