Need advice when picking up 4runner from auto body shop
- Thread starter linhsy
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sharp4runr
New member
Here is the thread if you need a reminder: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4816&highlight=accident
I've never had to pick up my rig from the body shop, so I don't have any real experience. I guess visually inspect the paint to make sure there isn't a pitting or high spots. Make sure all the lights and doohickies still work. Throw it into 4WD, lock the center differential and maybe throw it into 4LO.
Well good luck to you man and take some after pics.
I've never had to pick up my rig from the body shop, so I don't have any real experience. I guess visually inspect the paint to make sure there isn't a pitting or high spots. Make sure all the lights and doohickies still work. Throw it into 4WD, lock the center differential and maybe throw it into 4LO.
Well good luck to you man and take some after pics.
linhsy
New member
Hey July,
I have just returned from the body shop. The manager told me take it home and drive for 2-3 days, note anything unusual then let her know. I did test the 4WD mode in the short distance, the light came on but I didn't feel much of different as I did on the highway before. I will test again soon with other modes as well. As soon as I drove my rig away, I immediately felt the power of the 4runner again. I missed that feeling when I were driving the rental GM Grand Prix sedan. I will wash and clean it throughout today but not waxing or polish since they told me it will take 2 months before I can start waxing/polishing. It is rainning this morning so I can't tell detailly how the paint work is. However, it look fine overall. All the scatches/chips that I got before now are gone cause everything is brandnew replacement. After the trip back from the shop I could smell the burning tire which we used to get it when I we first had the test drive. Hopefully we are gonna have members meeting soon since I have seen several more VA members joining this board.
BTW, the cost is now $23,000.
I have just returned from the body shop. The manager told me take it home and drive for 2-3 days, note anything unusual then let her know. I did test the 4WD mode in the short distance, the light came on but I didn't feel much of different as I did on the highway before. I will test again soon with other modes as well. As soon as I drove my rig away, I immediately felt the power of the 4runner again. I missed that feeling when I were driving the rental GM Grand Prix sedan. I will wash and clean it throughout today but not waxing or polish since they told me it will take 2 months before I can start waxing/polishing. It is rainning this morning so I can't tell detailly how the paint work is. However, it look fine overall. All the scatches/chips that I got before now are gone cause everything is brandnew replacement. After the trip back from the shop I could smell the burning tire which we used to get it when I we first had the test drive. Hopefully we are gonna have members meeting soon since I have seen several more VA members joining this board.
BTW, the cost is now $23,000.
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Here is some hints to do with your inspection.
Sight down the side that has been repaired and look for ripples and crooked
lines. Then compare it to the part that has not been repaired. Check the gaps
in the fenders and hood edges the should be even from side to side. Do this
also to the doors. The doors should fit perfectly. Depending on where the damage
was, check under the hood and under the floor mats to be sure that the damaged
area was repainted. The bodies are dipped in rust-proofing when they are built
and then if they are repaired the rust-proofing is not replaced and body will rust
out in the repaired area.
Body shops are famous for returning cars dirty and full of sanding dust. They
are supposed to wipe all the surfaces on the inside of the doors and etc. before
returning your vehicle. Check the mats for grease stains and dirt.
Check the paint carefully, if the shop does not have good dust control you will see
small pock marks in the paint where the paint has covered a piece of dust. Be picky!!!
For $23,000 it should be perfect, they are looking at about $10,000 profit on that
type of job. They can afford to have the car detailed for you. Be sure to get in writing
the warranty that the body shop gives on their work and who pays for damaged
parts which show up at a later date.
I just had a small scratch repaired at the dealership where I bought my T4R and they
really did a poor job. Dirt in the paint and left grease spots on the mats and the T4R
was dirty, they tried to wash it with just water and just spread the dirt all over. The jerks
couldn't understand why I should complain, after all the paint matched. I couldn't yell too
loud because I didn't pay for it.
I will never take anything to that shop again.
Cliff s
Sight down the side that has been repaired and look for ripples and crooked
lines. Then compare it to the part that has not been repaired. Check the gaps
in the fenders and hood edges the should be even from side to side. Do this
also to the doors. The doors should fit perfectly. Depending on where the damage
was, check under the hood and under the floor mats to be sure that the damaged
area was repainted. The bodies are dipped in rust-proofing when they are built
and then if they are repaired the rust-proofing is not replaced and body will rust
out in the repaired area.
Body shops are famous for returning cars dirty and full of sanding dust. They
are supposed to wipe all the surfaces on the inside of the doors and etc. before
returning your vehicle. Check the mats for grease stains and dirt.
Check the paint carefully, if the shop does not have good dust control you will see
small pock marks in the paint where the paint has covered a piece of dust. Be picky!!!
For $23,000 it should be perfect, they are looking at about $10,000 profit on that
type of job. They can afford to have the car detailed for you. Be sure to get in writing
the warranty that the body shop gives on their work and who pays for damaged
parts which show up at a later date.
I just had a small scratch repaired at the dealership where I bought my T4R and they
really did a poor job. Dirt in the paint and left grease spots on the mats and the T4R
was dirty, they tried to wash it with just water and just spread the dirt all over. The jerks
couldn't understand why I should complain, after all the paint matched. I couldn't yell too
loud because I didn't pay for it.
I will never take anything to that shop again.
Cliff s
I don't know where you would find an inspector.
What surprises me is that your T4R wasn't totaled
with that high a damage claim. The bill is over 80%
of the value of the vehicle.
My worry would be future warranty claims, the dealership
could claim it was part of the accident and the body shop
deny the claim. This is why vehicles are frequently totaled.
Say, if the transmission should fail in the future the dealership
could claim it was damaged by the accident and deny your warranty,
the body shop has already been paid, so they won't want to do
anything and neither will the insurance company. Then the only way
you will be able to get a settlement is to go to court.
Cliff s
What surprises me is that your T4R wasn't totaled
with that high a damage claim. The bill is over 80%
of the value of the vehicle.
My worry would be future warranty claims, the dealership
could claim it was part of the accident and the body shop
deny the claim. This is why vehicles are frequently totaled.
Say, if the transmission should fail in the future the dealership
could claim it was damaged by the accident and deny your warranty,
the body shop has already been paid, so they won't want to do
anything and neither will the insurance company. Then the only way
you will be able to get a settlement is to go to court.
Cliff s
Mark86
Super Moderator
My advice to you is to drive it around and pay close attention to the way it drives. Make sure that it steers straight and drives the way it used to. I also recommend opening the hood and making sure everything looks normal under there since you had some damage there. Make sure the driver door closes without any gaps and the driver side of your truck is looks the same as the passenger side with the gaps. My parents once got rear-ended in an Avalon and those are the things that I think you should watch out for. Hope all goes well. Post some pictures of your repaired 4Runner.
Noloc
New member
If they had to paint around any of the windows make sure that they brought the clear coat all the way to the edge. Otherwise, what you will see in a matter of weeks is the clear coat peeling away. It happened to me when I had my Solara repainted due to some damage. I ended up going back to the dealer ( repair shop ) 5 times for them to fix it. Apparently they didn't remove the windows when they repainted the car as they should have. It was a cost savings to them. In the end they spent more money re-doing the job then I did for the bill.
