Substandard repair work after truck damage - advice/help?

[DriveHard]

Ok, many of you saw my post this previous summer when I had a pretty major tire blowout.

Thread 'Can you total a truck with a flat tire?'

Jul 28, 2024

First day of vacation…95 degree heat, 80 mph across Colorado. Tires were at 40 psi…started at 36, and was up to 40 due to heat and speed. They are 4 years old, no cracks. No warning, no vibration, just BOOM!!!!

Bed, bumper, cab, rear door, exhaust, all damaged.

• DriveHard
• Replies: 39
• Forum: Tires & Wheels

• 
• 

I finally got around to getting my truck "fixed". Yeah "fixed".

Little things...the bumper is still scratched to bare metal, the license plate light was left broken and dangling inside the bumper, the bumper trim was not replaced and won't snap into place, the reverse light is still broken on that side...and...

They used the fender off of a "normal" Colorado instead of a ZR2 fender. They claim the only difference are the holes that the side molding snaps into...that they used the new molding as a template to create holes. Well...the trim doesn't fit flush, which doesn't look OEM, and the fender doesn't appear to bulge out as far, so it doesn't cover the wheel fully now (illegal).

I can't find part numbers to compare the fenders dimensionally...does anybody have access to this type of information? It is visually obvious to me, but how do I prove this? They are going to have to replace the whole fender...which was nearly $10k total the first time. Oh, and the tailgate gap is off.

Am I expecting too much?

 

[tbm5690]

Am I expecting too much?

No. It should be as close to whole again as possible.

 

[TheOilWizard]

You pay for that high dollar insurance, deductible, hit on your claims history.. No, make them fix it right and don't settle.

 

[andrew_j]

I’d trade it off or sell to dealer before the accident gets reported onto CarFax.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Take it back.

As for drilling trim holes in a new fender, they likely just removed the factory rust proofing on the back side around that hole. The factory would have stamped them out then treated the metal. Expect it to rust at some point.

Did it happen to be a shop your insurance approved? If it did and they don't fix it to your satisfaction, you could get them involved.

 

[DriveHard]

Take it back.

As for drilling trim holes in a new fender, they likely just removed the factory rust proofing on the back side around that hole. The factory would have stamped them out then treated the metal. Expect it to rust at some point.

Did it happen to be a shop your insurance approved? If it did and they don't fix it to your satisfaction, you could get them involved.

Yes, it is a Progressive preferred shop.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Yes, it is a Progressive preferred shop.

Then just take it back. They will fix it. They would rather you had driven off never to be seen again, but if its insurance approved they likely have to make you happy before they get paid.

 

[DriveHard]

Then just take it back. They will fix it. They would rather you had driven off never to be seen again, but if its insurance approved they likely have to make you happy before they get paid.

It appears they already settled...but I have already taken it back for the little stuff. I have not said anything about the fender yet, as I just noticed it.

 

[AZjeff]

You should be able to measure from the inner wheel well surface out to the outer edge of the fender lip or trim piece on both sides and see if it measures different.

It should be as it was before the tire blew. Did they use an OEM bedside or aftermarket?

Just curious, if it was a Progressive shop how can it be dealership fraud as you titled this? It doesn't sound like fraud, just substandard work.

 

[Junk]

It does appear there is a box side listed as "pre drilled for fender mouldings", so my guess is that the fenders are different, but GM doesn't list it as ZR2 or not, just by RPO code. Only way to really know would be to look your fender up by the truck's VIN number and compare it to what got billed on your repair order, which isn't necessarily iron clad either, as they can put whatever they want or don't want on your receipt.

 

[eljefino]

Make them fix it.

 

[RhondaHonda]

It’s a bedside, not a fender, FYI. Point it all out to the shop and get a Progressive adjuster to meet you there when you do, if they aren’t already stuck sitting at a desk in the shop. Progressive probably provides them 30% of their business so they’ll make it right. The selling point of a direct repair shop is that the insurance company guarantees the repair.

 

[tedsweet]

here that would have been totalled

 

[daves87rs]

If it has already been paid out- the shop mostly likely will do nothing because they can.

If they did a “poop” job, they won’t to much better to fix it either….

 

[tedsweet]

never use a prefeered shop. they do it about 75 of actual

 

[RhondaHonda]

Just get Progressive involved.

 

[4WD]

Yes, it is a Progressive preferred shop.

Had Progressive for a long time … after a few bad experiences at a local “preferred” shop - all GM’s now get fixed and painted at the GM dealership …

 

[DriveHard]

Had Progressive for a long time … after a few bad experiences at a local “preferred” shop - all GM’s now get fixed and painted at the GM dealership …

This is the largest GM dealership in the state.

 

[4WD]

This is the largest GM dealership in the state.

Ours is likely one of the smallest … They are very good due to low turnover …

 

[DriveHard]

UPDATE:

Dealer called back and is ready to fix all the small stuff...good deal.
I took a tape measure to the truck, and to my surprise, the bedside that was replaced is the same distance from the frame on both sides...heck, it might even stick out 1/8" more on the p-side. So, I measured the wheels. My axle is shifted to the right, that is why it looks so odd. I'm guessing they had to drop the axle to put the exhaust on, and got it messed up when they put it back together. I have to say that should be easily fixed, and made me have a sigh of relief.