Installer messed up--what is my recourse?

[genesis712]

Just got off the phone with the manager and he is cooperating.

He gave me 2 options to fix this:
1) Fill the hole with urethane and come up on the surface with metal paint and finish up with Line-X (these guys specialize in line-x installation). The only thing would be that I can see a small dot of line-x on the top of the truck under the mounting bracket.
2) He proposed to bring it in his body shop (same building) to fix it by the filling way. I asked for details and didn't seem like a reliable body shop. At this point, i asked him if he was willing to work with an external body shop - (like [MENTION=215569]WAT4R[/MENTION] suggested) he said he was open to it.

Folks around PDX area, any trusted body shop you guys know?
Also, I am thinking logistically how would this work? I get the quote from the body shop, take it to these guys and get the payment in full and then start work?

 

[1jzgte]

oh man theyre lucky that's a cheap easy fix dude..ask the external shop how they will repair that.. find a shop that'll weld that hole shut.. not simply fill w/ a polymer.. the roof takes a beating from the sun and there's a good possibility cheapy bondo or polymer will last... also the slightest flexing from the additional weight of the roof rack and cargo might cause a cheap fill to show itself again and possibility of a leaky roof years down the road.. so make sure a weld is in order..

sounds a bit paranoid but that's the angle i would play

 

[baldrik78]

Holy carp, that's quite the hatchet job there.

 

[ayeyothisiskyle]

Take it to a shop. Make sure it gets welded, ground down, painted. Get your bill and send it to the original body shop who hacked your roof. They should settle that bill. You can explain your situation to the body shop that will actually fix it so the invoice goes the to the correct person. If they dont want to do this, get it fixed, and go file small claims. Though that takes more of your time. Its a shitty situation, but thats what you can do.

Just got off the phone with the manager and he is cooperating.

He gave me 2 options to fix this:
1) Fill the hole with urethane and come up on the surface with metal paint and finish up with Line-X (these guys specialize in line-x installation). The only thing would be that I can see a small dot of line-x on the top of the truck under the mounting bracket.
2) He proposed to bring it in his body shop (same building) to fix it by the filling way. I asked for details and didn't seem like a reliable body shop. At this point, i asked him if he was willing to work with an external body shop - (like [MENTION=215569]WAT4R[/MENTION] suggested) he said he was open to it.

Folks around PDX area, any trusted body shop you guys know?
Also, I am thinking logistically how would this work? I get the quote from the body shop, take it to these guys and get the payment in full and then start work?

Just to add, you dont have to bring the quote to the original shop. They made the mistake and they should pay for it. It just depends on where you want to the your truck. Cost of repair should not be part of your decision. After all, youre not paying for it. Then you gotta think about the time spent for doing all of this. How much is your time worth?

 

[Snackie]

I'd go ballistic.....Not even close to a proper repair and their solutions are far from ideal. Several ways to go about it but that needs to be correctly,l filled and the entire roof painted.

 

[Jetboy]

I would also look for a professional body shop to do the repair. It's going to take a decent amount of labor because they'll need to remove the interior roof paneling. Weld a plug into the hole, then do the smoothing and paint work.

On the bright side - it's white and it's on the roof. So a blended paint job will both be invisible and also be in a spot that is rarely ever seen. Functionally - should be as good as new that way. Probably my biggest worry with a body shop would be that they remove and replace the interior panels properly so they don't rattle or have fitment issues.

I would not let them linex the roof.

I think it would be reasonable to have the body shop you are going to contact the owner of the shop paying for it. But make it very clear that you are the customer and you want the repair done properly by welding in replacement metal and finishing the repair both inside and outside.

Toyota certified body shops are a good bet. They are not permitted to cut corners or they will lose their certification from Toyota. Toyota's repair guidelines are pretty specific, although I don't know what they say for a repair like this. But they have details on what panels can be repaired, what panels may be blended and how, what filler rod to use on what panels, etc.

 

[97BlackAckCL]

That is good news that they're willing to cooperate with fixing it. I definitely would go to a trusty worthy body shop and have the work done right, welded shut, ground down and the roof painted for sure. Still can't believe that they put bolts in there and thought that was a fix

 

[trailstandardoffroad]

Wow I didn't realize it was literally the roof. I though it was the channel they are supposed to drill into.

Definitely have it repaired correctly. And kind of urethane/ body filler repair WILL fail. Needs to be welded shut.

 

[HerT4R]

Just got off the phone with the manager and he is cooperating.

He gave me 2 options to fix this:
1) Fill the hole with urethane and come up on the surface with metal paint and finish up with Line-X (these guys specialize in line-x installation). The only thing would be that I can see a small dot of line-x on the top of the truck under the mounting bracket.
2) He proposed to bring it in his body shop (same building) to fix it by the filling way. I asked for details and didn't seem like a reliable body shop. At this point, i asked him if he was willing to work with an external body shop - (like [MENTION=215569]WAT4R[/MENTION] suggested) he said he was open to it.

Folks around PDX area, any trusted body shop you guys know?
Also, I am thinking logistically how would this work? I get the quote from the body shop, take it to these guys and get the payment in full and then start work?

I dont really like his options personally, but unlike others here I would like to linex my roof. personally, paint takes a BEATING up there and linex will last forever. Theres a guy on instagram that got his roof linex'd and it looks great and is going to outlast the rest of the paint on that truck (read a few threads here about how fragile the paint is and maybe you would take linex).

The reason I dont like his option is because he wants to put a polymer plug in it. I would take nothing less than a welded plug under the linex. Polymer and metal will flex/expand/contract and different rates, leaving you open to issues in the future.

Best of luck and very very sorry this happened to you! :hippie:

 

[12Bravo4R]

Oh man, I would have went ballistic.

After seeing OP's pic, most definitely.

Id get a couple diff estimates from a reputable body shop, one that includes your local dealers shop, and present that to the vendor.

If they choose not to cover the costs to fix it the right way then Id be going downtown filing a claim in Small Claims Court.

 

[Guntherpdx]

Hey OP you live in Portland? Go to active auto body off 19th and couch st. I have done several pieces of body work and paint with them.


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[Thrasher_S]

Here you go. You can see the bolt below the actual mounting points.

That is not where I expected. I have to believe that is guaranteed to leak eventually.

 

[Heavy_GD]

Whats on the bottom of that bolt, did they pull the headliner to put a nut on it?

IMO, if someone isnt grinding, welding, and painting... then it isnt "fixed".

At this point you should get labor credited back to you for sure.... the next step is really up to you and how much time you want to invest in this.

Do NOT let them fill the hole.

 

[mtnbiker49]

If it were you that accidentally drilled in that spot, I'd say it really isn't a huge deal to have it plugged with a bolt and silicone. That will last 5+ years.

However, the shop screwed up and didn't contact you when they realized the mistake. Instead they sealed it up with a bolt. Go to a body shop, get the quote, and tell this shop that they must pay it.

 

[WhiteBoomer04]

No friggin way! The story you communicated didn't sound too bad and sounded like the repair could be effected with some time and negotiation...BUT...that is TOTALLY unacceptable.

Definitely demand steel plugs and weld and paint by another shop - no confidence in a company that does THAT to your vehicle. Wow!

 

[Titanpat57]

What a CF...they should have nooooooo wiggle room on that...that WILL leak eventually...and that's not what you paid for.

 

[genesis712]

They seemed to have great reviews and I ensured that I was watching every 30mins..they showed me after the dry fit and I thought it was ready to go

Anyhow, just keeping my calm before I can get my truck back to its original shape.

What kind of redneck shop did you take your truck to? Holy crap, man... that's the kind of fix you'd expect from Farmer Joe on his beat up 40 year old tractor, not from a "professional" shop. That looks like shit - total half-ass hillbilly work. Actually, I've seen hillbillys do better - I shouldn't have disrespected them like that!

I wouldn't be able to live with that in any way, shape or form. Heck, I'm getting all worked up about it and it isn't even my truck! Best of luck to you on this one!

Oh absolutely! I am thinking on the exact same lines

oh man theyre lucky that's a cheap easy fix dude..ask the external shop how they will repair that.. find a shop that'll weld that hole shut.. not simply fill w/ a polymer.. the roof takes a beating from the sun and there's a good possibility cheapy bondo or polymer will last... also the slightest flexing from the additional weight of the roof rack and cargo might cause a cheap fill to show itself again and possibility of a leaky roof years down the road.. so make sure a weld is in order..

sounds a bit paranoid but that's the angle i would play

 

[genesis712]

Good advice. I am scheduling appts for local body shops now.
Good pointer that I can ask the body shop to send the quotes directly to the installer!

Take it to a shop. Make sure it gets welded, ground down, painted. Get your bill and send it to the original body shop who hacked your roof. They should settle that bill. You can explain your situation to the body shop that will actually fix it so the invoice goes the to the correct person. If they dont want to do this, get it fixed, and go file small claims. Though that takes more of your time. Its a shitty situation, but thats what you can do.



Just to add, you dont have to bring the quote to the original shop. They made the mistake and they should pay for it. It just depends on where you want to the your truck. Cost of repair should not be part of your decision. After all, youre not paying for it. Then you gotta think about the time spent for doing all of this. How much is your time worth?

 

[genesis712]

Great pointers. I called the service center with their suggestion for body shop and I got their numbers. Trying to get a quote now.

I would also look for a professional body shop to do the repair. It's going to take a decent amount of labor because they'll need to remove the interior roof paneling. Weld a plug into the hole, then do the smoothing and paint work.

On the bright side - it's white and it's on the roof. So a blended paint job will both be invisible and also be in a spot that is rarely ever seen. Functionally - should be as good as new that way. Probably my biggest worry with a body shop would be that they remove and replace the interior panels properly so they don't rattle or have fitment issues.

I would not let them linex the roof.

I think it would be reasonable to have the body shop you are going to contact the owner of the shop paying for it. But make it very clear that you are the customer and you want the repair done properly by welding in replacement metal and finishing the repair both inside and outside.

Toyota certified body shops are a good bet. They are not permitted to cut corners or they will lose their certification from Toyota. Toyota's repair guidelines are pretty specific, although I don't know what they say for a repair like this. But they have details on what panels can be repaired, what panels may be blended and how, what filler rod to use on what panels, etc.

 

[genesis712]

Hey OP you live in Portland? Go to active auto body off 19th and couch st. I have done several pieces of body work and paint with them.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks! I will give them a call and find out details!