The shop already did the work, it's not good. I asked them to make it good, they refused. The guy that hit me....his insurance tells me it's between the shop and me. The shop manager say's 'it's perfect'....it's not. I still have the rental car, the shop still has my 4Runner and I've not paid them for it yet. Gonna go rounds with the insurance company tomorrow, if they can't do anything then I'm calling my attorney. I'd rather not do that but my options are running out. Any thoughts or advice about it.

Depending on how big the damage was it might not be worth it to go to court over it. Maybe just take your car to a good shop and and it done right and forget about it. However if we're talking about a lot of money you probably have a good case in court.

What damaged was caused? How is it not perfect? It might not be worth going to court, you might get nothing out of it.

I had a bad repair done in September 2007 that wasn't obvious until about two years later. By that time the "Certified Toyota Collision Center" had a new owner and neither they, nor the original Toyota dealer now located elsewhere, would do anything about the problem (nor would Toyota).

I've had additional repairs done out-of-pocket and my 4Runner now seems to eat tires faster than before (I think I've found an alignment shop to fix that - we'll see in a few thousand miles).

My advice, if the fault is not just a minor cosmetic issue, is to keep fighting while the shop has your car. The Better Business Bureau is usually a waste of time but you might want to consider filing a complaint with them.

Good luck - Ed

Oh, one other thing...did the other guy's insurance company require/recommend that you have the repairs done at that shop?

If the insurance company issued you a check for the damages, either via estimates you submitted or by their own adjuster, and you choose this shop on your own then yes, the issue is between you and the shop.

Based on your post:

It sounds like this is the case so you may need to fight this with the shop directly.

However, if you took your car to one of those insurance company “approved” shops and the insurance company is paying the shop directly then you will need to fight this through the insurance company.

My first question is what’s “not good”? If the paint does not match or fenders / doors are misaligned, hoods crocked then you should have a solid basis to fight the shop. Take photos and document all your conversations as this will help if you litigate. If you are talking about the fact that they used old parts, e.g. used tail lights or head lights that are fading, then you may not get anywhere trying to fight this sort of thing.

It’s good that you have not paid the shop yet as this gives you some leverage in getting the work done right.

HOWEVER be careful about this! Depending on the laws in your state, if you don’t pay for repairs in a given period of time, the shop might have the right to take possession of your vehicle and sell it at auction to recover their losses. I am not saying this to try and scare you or anything, just be aware that most states allow for this sort of thing so make sure you understand what rights you have in your state and what laws apply here.

If you are unable to come to an agreement with the shop that did the repairs, I would suggest that you call your insurance agent and discuss the issue with them. Depending on the situation, you might be able to submit a “no fault” claim with your own insurance company for the damages. Usually when this happens your insurance will try and recover their loses by going after the other drivers insurance. But it all depends on the situation so it’s best that you talk with your own insurance agent for advice.

also let the Better Business Bureau know

IMO

Repair shop insists the repair meets Toyota's specifications. Going to get it measured by a dealer shop, I expect they will support me. The insurance company advised they would consider this if I can get it documented from a dealer. If they don't make me whole, I've already discussed this with an attorney and will pursue a legal remedy if necessary.

show them whats up