Body Shop Horror Stories & The one to stay away from.

Stay away from Sonny Mac. Do not buy anything from him. Do not do business with him. Do not let him work on your car, truck or can opener.
An example of his work was a nose job on my F-100. He used a Pepsi can on the back side and bondo to fill the holes. I have more to this story but too long to tell all the things he did to fuck my truck up.
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Like I told the kid,"Your music's not too loud, it just sucks and so does OKC!"

 

cuero, texas stay away from mondo's body shop..my dad hired two body men full time to get his 65 nova ss to the point of having a perfect body..when he got it to that point took it to Mondo's and he left it sitting outside for 2 nights in the rain before painting it..now the car looks like bubbles coming up in the paint

 

No offense,but there's no defending a guy who does shitty business.The guy told quoted the customer a price for the work,the customer agreed,cut the person a check,the person started the work,then put the truck to the side as other projects came in.Now,it starts getting fishy.See,by all legality,the work was never completed,so the owner/person doing the work at said shady shop can not by any legal means charge storage fees for a paid for project he failed to deliver on.And by all legal means,the person who owns the shop/is doing the work can be sued for a full refund plus damages incurred and items lost due to the fact that the truck was in their possession,on their property,and were being paid to restore the vehicle as agreed per estimate of work and payment received.All in all,sounds like the kid with the shop doesn't give two shits about his word,or his shops rep.Since that was the first project in,and the estimate was agreed to and paid for,that truck should have been priority number one.I see no reason to defend someone who acts like a crook and tries to extort another $7 out of someone to finish a truck they agreed to do for $6K,and the truck is now in some cases in worse condition than when it was dropped off.Sometime Little Wing,you make no sense to me

 

I love how all the haters come out on threads like this. The restoration/finishing/painting craft is and always will be the least respected. We'll always hear "...why so long? why so much? so n so's says he can do it for..." and in the end many will walk off with terminal buyer's remorse until someone wants to suck em off at a big show cuz it looks so good. There's also ALWAYS 3 sides to every story, yours, theirs, and the truth. The last is the hardest part for some and the basis of every complaint/problem. Me, I throw it ALL out there. Time, money, quality, reasonable expectations of set backs (add or subtract a minimum of 25%) and NO DEADLINES UNLESS I SET THEM FOR MY CREW IN HOUSE. So far we have more than we can handle and I'm happy as are everyone in there. Did we do this overnight? No fuckin way. I have a lifetime invested in this craft. That's one major diference I see in the shop the original poster started on. New kid on the block that's sure to get his ass handed to him a dozen more times, his fault or not. It takes so much more than talent. I can't even describe here what it is as RYAN would toss me for excessive usage, but refer to "I have a lifetime in this craft" for some hints.

There's several successful finisher/customizer/restorers on this board that no doubt have stories that could make you want to fight, cry or laugh about. It never comes easy and if it was it wouldn't be so special, or so misunderstood and disrespected. I expect some to come back and say how much they respect the craft and I'd bet it was a lesson learned. Good luck with the new shop.

 

ok so... let me put it to u this way.....


ur doing this for a living....

u spent say 1 month on it, if ur lucky how u said spare time( u said 6 weeks part time, so we will say 1 month full time)...

u have shop rent, (small shop albeit, so its gunna be small amount, i bet these big shops have more overhead!!!! i know a guy who had a 12k rent a month and a shit ton of employees, so 3k paint jobs arent gunna pay the bills!!!).1-1.5k, electricity, insurance and a a bunch of other litle shit. say 4-500 bucks.

so th ere is 2k gone give or take more.

now materials. 300 bucks 1986, well real world that aint gunna cut ita anymore. were gunna say u used 1500 when its all said and dun. thats all paint, sand paper, primer, tape, masking paper, gun wash, buffing prodcuts, yadayada.

so now thats 4k.

u busted your fuckin ass for a month, worked 60 hours a week. and the total was 9k, u just made 5k. is 5k enuff for most of you? here in socal thats a somewhat decent living, maybe a small house,, this shit is hazardous to your health, id like to make decent money.

thats just a one man gig. figure in employee and what not, and now u have to have a bigger workload, and yup u guessed it.... work sits around while others get dun.

so a 9k paint job sounds like alot? think of the guy doing it.

 

Im not gonna pay anybody to do anything I can do myself.I only have to impress me.

 

are u a hobbyist? or do u do it for a living. if ur just a hobbyist, u probably could learn a thing or two.. cuz eventually if u were a badass at home, u would have people hitting u up wanting work... u would be cheap at first, then realize y am i soo cheap if my work is up to par... then next thing ur charging shop rate, ur booked, and u need a shop to do it, and wah la! ur in a shop charging 10k for a semi decent paint job.

 

I could tell you about a few guys who have stiffed me or been complete jackasses- some who lurk here but its wasted breath. I could show you emails and letters I have received after busting MY hump on a car only to hear " i cant pay you this week- my bonus from work didnt come in/washer needs replacing/im too sick to bring a check to you/Daughters wedding coming up faster than I realized'. Yada yada yada. I have gone without heat, gas in my tryck and supplies because of someone else. Luckily- the wife makes the food money or we would have starved some weeks too.

As long as you are a pro- someone is not going to like your work, Someone will give you a hard time and someone can alwaus think they can do better (and have no experience how to do it)

Its just the nature of the beast in this industry and you have to decide how much BS you are ok to put up with and how much you really need to weed the dreamers out.
Good luck to anyone who opens their own shop- Not sure if I would-if I had to do it all over again....

 

I was recently told that we do outstanding work but we take too long because I am too picky. TOO PICKY?? I think that 2 years for a full ground up restoration being done by 2 guys who farm out only chrome and engine/trans rebuilds and are also working on 3-4 other full restorations is a reasonable time frame. Thats MY bodywork and MY paint work out there for the whole world to see. How can I be TOO PICKY????

 

I`m glad to hear of ppl like you in paint/restoration industry, Good for you for being picky! Too bad more ppl dont have that kind of pride in their workmanship.

 

you arent too picky-they are just too irrational and cheap to wait for quality work.

Remember the saying in the wine commerical? 'we will sell no wine before its time' (Gallo maybe?)

well that applies to fabrication work too- good work takes time.

And if someone says that - you wouldnt want them as a customer anyway- theyd just bitch about something else they have NO CLUE on.

 

Yep, got two right now... as soon as they are paid up I'm pushing them out in the street. I have to much work to lose the shop space and deal with the headaches. I'm also getting ready to start requiring a deposit. Settling the bill the end of every month just isn't working out. It sucks. I pay my 3 employees right off the bat, then bills (rent, power, etc.), I would like there to be some leftover for me.

 

Dont Use Deans in Rockwall Texas on 276 !!!!! Pm me for details !

 

this entire thread is why im doing it all, myself.
yes i have had help from friends, and friends on this forum..but as far as the work goes, and the painting and body work..im doing it all myself, and learning it as i go, from guys that are willing to part with their knowledge (friends)
it just aint worth the hassel, i dont care if i fuck up a few times and learn something..thats how life is..but i would rather it be under my control than someone elses...
so im a contol freak?..fine..but my shit is here, where i can see the progress and not hear excuses , other than the ones i make up

i completely understand the "artist" approach, but this is just a Hot Rod to me..and its supposed to be fun..not a stress riser in my life, so rather than be dissapointed by someone elses time line and commitments..i only have my own to deal with..and its a good thing..
I aint out to win shows or trophys..im out to have fun

 

I believe that there are honest people in every trade including painting cars.

Just like anywhere else for every unsatisfied customer there is someone who got the screws put to em, and guess which one is going to be screaming the loudest?! That guy who got screwed.

I will say that if you open your eyes, state what expectations are, document those expectations in writing, sign on the dotted line, and most of all listen to your gut, eight out of ten times you'll come out alright.

In the case of my bud who got screwed out of 12K on a shit job, he walked right in, dropped trou, and gave the guy a wide open opportunity to take him for everything he was worth.

From the beginning most of those around him who knew what was going on told him to run like hell to a reputable shop, and after the transaction began and before work began (4 months) he was instructed to carry his ass down there and retrieve his car. But he believed that "it will be okay in the end"

I told him "yea so was Hiroshima."

 

Sorry. What more can I say.

 

hahaha, age means nothing...
NEVER do anything on a handshake, if you do, chances are 50/50 of a favorable outcome.... it is my opinion that there was never a "good ol days".... perhaps in rural parts of the country thats how it is/was, but in the city you dont handshake anything...

 

Yeah..but the difference between than and now is..than you could shoot em, and still be a free manlol

 

all these stories remind me of getting anything done on my house.........

at least I do all of the work on my cars myself

also, beware of upholsterers

 

Yeah, fuckin eh...beware of everyone. WTF. The problem is always multi-sided so accept it. In most cases it's because the parties involved don't have the balls to throw it all out there and work with it but they sure get tough telling the story. Are there rip-off hack shops out there? Of course there are. Are there customers that think one thing, say another, have unrealistic expectations and CAN'T be pleased no matter what? Of course to that too. To throw most shops that do specialty work under the bus because of such stories is pretty narrow-minded and in many ways founded on rumors and good old fashioned bullshit. I can claim 100% customer satisfaction. I know I'm not one of the shops/craftsmen being bitched about but some of this shit is takin a tone that speaks poorly of something that WE ALL NEED in any complete build.

To the original poster and the shop he was involved in, I hope both move forward in positive ways. The shop learned a lesson that money can't buy and so did he.

And for the record, my handshake is and always will be better than any paper you can imagine...so much for that thought too. Good luck and may the haters find that free "Riddler" winner some day.

 

I have watched this thread for a week or so, and have left my comments out of it any further. But a felt a need to chime back in. While Highlander I know there is two sides to every story I in no way embelished it to add sensationalism. The thought of even putting this in to a posted forum did not come easy. I had exhausted all of my legal, professional and local networks trying to get the right thing done by this shop. remember, I was trying to get a young gun's new business up a running by being his first customer. I had seen his work at the shop where I currently have my truck being painted, and it was exceptional.
This was not an expectation on my part that this would be completed overnight. But in no way was I prepared for 3 1/2 years worth or waiting and excuses.
The ultimate decision to do this posting, after I PM'd Ryan asking where this would fit, was to (1) Alert all of the fellow HAMB members of a business to avoid and (2) to put down a list of things to ask for or look for in a shop.
Being a individual who's business is and always be the automotive world, I am appalled that this this goes on. It gives all of us in this trade a bad rap and why people look at us with a certian degree of contempt.

Now, Highlander, I have moved on and will continue to let people know that I associate with that this shop is not one to trust. He has chosen not to change and continues to take in business and piss people off. I am truly sorry for him at his young age.

To the rest of you, I feel all of your pains. We have just got to band together and continue to keep the HAMB family informed with business and activities that do not promote our sense of fairness and honesty.

 

That's some funny shit there. I also have been through the mill with several body shops. I think most of these guys are brain damaged from all the paint fumes

 

For the record bro, I think you were more up front about the gig than my ire may seem. Like I said I hope the best for ya and also may the 'kid' actually learn from the mistake. Not common, I know. I'm more worn out by all the replies that wrap most shops into the hater's mentality. Trust me when I tell ya, it isn't just hot rod shops. Restoration shops are supposed to work for even money or even a loss to make sure peoples cars get done. I've actually had some assholes say as much to me and refer to what we do as "Evil" , making our living off of their hobby. Posts like yours are needed and I won't disput that. Taking you out of this comment, it does chap my ass to hear that we're all like that and can't be trusted. And you're also right about how difficult it can be to keep the "smell" off of what we do. I'm done, I'm over it, I hope ya didn't take me as saying YOU are wrong.

 

Highlander, Your comments are right on par! Well stated!

 

nuff said- we have all had our say and hopefully some of us feel better about the ranting or 'warning'.
Have a great weekend . Go hug your kids, kiss your wife , drive the sonofabitch like you stole it and remember you are still able to get up every morning and do all of the above. Life is too short to waste your energy on nasty and small minded people.
Go have FUN

 

I have read all 6 pages thus so far Highlander,Your comments and views are right on the money.Much respect here you show many years of experiance in your words.
I am a small one man show in buisness and I try to do everything except paint.When a job leaves my shop the body shop loves how little is left for them to do.I have done the paint end and i have to say it is the most under rated skill there is.To do it right it takes time period,and alot of it.
In todays times i find people are trying to get the most for there money,but to get skill and talent it comes at a price.

 

Are there any lawyers on the HAMB? I think there might be a market for a Standard Form of Contract for this sort of work, a comprehensive document set up in advance by a disinterested but knowledgeable third party, that outlines what happens when and how in the case of what, is known to be sound in law, and includes a Schedule of Variables that acts as a sort of check-list for all the things that the customer and professional have to agree and put down in writing.

It's not so much a case of anyone's handshake not being worth what it ought as something that would clear up any misunderstanding in advance, force both parties to think the details of the agreement through, and establish procedures for when things go wrong so you're acting in terms of the contract and not in terms of being severely pissed off at that moment.

 

I had issues with a guy in Indy years ago. I sued and all I got back was the truck since he filed bankruptcy.

 

I work by time and materials. I charge x amount an hour. No money up front. You pay me every two weeks. I tell my customers, "If you don't have the money to pay for this..don't start". They come check on their car, they pay me my hours. We continue. I do not give estimates on the cars I do. I pride myself on being able to bring rusted hulks back from the dead. Cars no one else wants to tackle. I do a car the way I would want it done if it was mine. I still enjoy doing what I do and work by myself. I make my customers happy and bust my butt till they are. I love what I do and will do it till I drop. Lippy

 

Let me start with this...
NEVER LET VERNON CLARK of CORVETTE CENTER INC. HONOLULU, HI. TOUCH YOUR VEHICLE!
With that said, here is my story...
I'm a trusting person by nature, and got screwed big time because of it. In June of 2006, I took my 67 Camaro to the Corvette Clinic in Honolulu Hawaii. The car had some problems, but as of that date I had already changed out the rear quarter panels, tail panel, panel between the rear window and trunk, and a few other small area's. I'm great at mechanic work, but no good with body stuff. Fast forward... Here I am 3 years 8 months and some odd days later. I should be happily cruising in my 1967 Camaro right? WRONG... My car is still not done!
Over the course of the time my car was in the corvette center, I was going down 2 - 3 times a week trying to light a fire under his butt to get my car done. All I ever heard were excuses... Having hind sight, I should have pulled the car years ago.
So one day, I go down to the shop to find that it's closed for business, he had been evicted. So after dealing with the property owners lawyer, I finally got my car back. Once I got it out of that dimly light shop, I could see what a bad job he did on the work that he did get done. I took my car to a friends shop and they showed me how he butchered my car. Basically all the work he had done had to be redone. Body filler everywhere, lines that were supposed to be there were gone. Panels he put on were done so incorrectly, etc... So lets tally the damage done to me... 4 years Gone, $5,000 cash Gone, $3,000 in paint (he used on other cars) gone, and now... an $18,000 estimate from my friends shop. Now this $18,000 is to make it a really nice car, better then a driver but not a show car. I don't feel that the $18,000 is unjustified, I believe it to be a fair price seeing all the work that has to be redone. Problem is... I don't have $18,000.
If I had back my $8,000 from this A-HOLE, I could come up with $10,000 in a few months, but $18,000? no way! So now, what am I to do? File a law suit you say? Maybe, but he would just file for bankruptcy I would guess. There are about 12 other cars in that shop that probably have the same story.
To all body shops on this forum, I'm not talking about you. I'm talking about one specific shop...
SOMEONE SHOOT ME!