This is also posted on corvette forums.

Unfortunately a couple of weeks ago a lady that wasn't paying attention merged into my corvette on the interstate, giving me a daytona racing stripe on the front left fender and bumper, as well as bending my rim. There was other damage as well (including a cracked fascia, knocked out of alignment, etc) I talked to her insurance company (Nationwide) and they informed me it would take them about a week to do their own investigation (even though the other driver was cited) to be able to cut a check. They came out to do a quick estimate on their car, and during such I decided to go through my insurance company (Geico) as I thought they would be quick to take care of me and to avoid all the head ache even though I'd have to pay the deductible. I have never been so poorly mistaken in my life. After dropping the car off to Wynne Body shop in Hampton on Aug 27th, I was told it would take 3 days, 4 days tops to get it finished.

The day after I dropped it off, I talked to the adjuster who's estimate was far below Nationwides (By over $1000). Turns out, the gouges and crack, in my polished lip motorsports rims, I was told by my adjuster was from curb rash. . . on the driver side. Nationwides adjuster even told me it wasn't curb rash and put a rim on their estimate. My adjuster told me I was wrong after I told him I had NO curb rash on the rim and citing it goes all the way around rim, not just into the lip, its not curb rash. I even showed him pictures from my camera showing her car and how it was from her rim going into mine. After him telling me for five minutes I was wrong, I finally gave up, left, and called his supervisor. He (the supervisor) went and looked at the car, agreed that it was damage from the accident, and told me he would have the rim replaced.

I waited patiently for two weeks until yesterday, where I called them to ask about the progress. They said it was done, just waiting to be washed, and they would call me to pick it up later that afternoon. Well later that afternoon I hadn't heard from them so I called. They (the body shop) said "we didn't feel the body panels were lining up, so were gonna take the bumper off and re-align everything back up. . . it will be done first thing tomorrow morning and we'll call you." Hadn't heard anything this morning from them, so I called around 4. Again, waiting to be cleaned, will be ready by 5. So 5 oclock, I show up.

Pulling into the parking lot, driving, w/o even getting out of my car I notice the paint doesn't match. I park, get out and walk over. Body lines not matching up, front bumper color is way off. I looked at the rim and thought you must be joking me. They took my polished lip motor sport rim, and instead of replacing it, they tried to repair it, then SPRAY PAINTED the lip. Overspray all over the place, both rim and tire. I was appalled. When I walked in, the manager eagerly asked me "So hows it look?" I bluntly told him "Its horrible, it looks like shit" We walked out, I pointed everything out. He told me "Of course the paint isn't going to match up, the rest of your cars paint is old, and this is new paint." The car was immaculate before the accident and all the paint matched. I believe if you can't get the bumper to match, then you're painting my entire car. Then I pointed out the rim and how they told me it was going to be replaced. He told me, "they were only going to repair it". . . of course by spray painting a polished lip.

I called Brian (Cobra4b) and using his advice, I told them I wasn't happy with the work performed, and I'm not signing off on it until it was done right. They told me I'd have to deal with my adjuster tomorrow, who has been nothing but demeaning and rude towards me. As lame as this sounds, I almost want to cry on how horrible of work they did to my car. It took me forever to find the corvette I wanted let alone get myself financially able. I refuse to sign off until the work has done properly and to my satisfaction, but everyone at the body shop, both Geico reps and shop managers, pretty much want me to piss off and want to ignore it. What should I do now? Should I just stick to my guns and make as much fuss as possible?


On another note, last week Nationwide called me and told me their investigation is over and that they would pay me out. Should I just grab the check from them and pay off the body shop and pocket the $1000?



So I went to talk to them, they're finally agreeing to replace the rim (I failed to get any really good photos of it) but they are telling me I'm screwed on the color mismatch. They are saying that because I have old paint, and because they are using new paint, they will never match no matter where I go. This is un-acceptable to me.

Pics; (click the picture to get the larger version)

Notice a LOT more blue. Bumper against head light door


Again, bumper vs fender;


Overspray that they are saying is not their fault. . . (its on both lenses) Mind you car has NEVER been painted before.


Their attempt at mimicking machine polished lip;

 

hell no then your cars still gonna look like ass..


Dont give into that crap. The car should come out of the shop like it was before the wreck.

 

Do you have something else to daily? If so, let them keep that shit untill it's perfect. You didn't buy the car wrecked and looking like ass. They're job is to fix it, so let them do it.

 

damn, thats shitty.

 

+1. That sounds like a really shitty, frustrating situation.

Good luck bud, I hope they do you right. It's gonna take some pushing on your part, don't give in.

 

Exactly.

The car should look just as before the wreck. The body shop must not be good at mixing paint. When I had my old car, I had Dreamworks respray the trunk, mirrors, and moldings on my car. 1993 Civic (obviously older paint, but in good condition) was matched perfectly, especially the trunk.

Sounds like they did some shit work for your insurance companies check. Bug the FUCK out of them until it gets done correctly. Call the big guns at Geico and tell them the situation and that you are extremely displeased with how your local inspector and supervisor treated you and the claim.

Demand proper work, don't settle for bullshit.

 

Wow. You should file a complaint with the VA Board of Insurance if your Geico rep won't help you. I got screwed by them, too. There was an old thread in Super Punchout about how they've screwed many. Good luck.

http://www.scc.virginia.gov/division...ecomplaint.htm

 

i would not accept it. they can color match and blend just about anything if they know what they are doing. if you have the estimate and it says to replace rim then i would not get the car till paint and rim are replace. my buddy just got hit by another driver and his insurance company (gieco) is giving them the run around. they even had the extra insurance to cover the mods done to the car. guess what they are getting paid for? a stock one. they put wheels on it 2 weeks ago and 2 of them got bent, they did not want to pay for them.

 

DAMN

 

get a shotgun and a 3 liter bottle with the cap open and held up to the end of the gun

should solve at least 1 problem..

haha....anyway, id be pretty fuckin pissed, dont settle for less than wut it was b4...GL with the situation bro