- Joined
- Nov 21, 2020
- Messages
- 140
Refreshing to read. Chasing hailstorms i have been in alot of body shops around the country, and it is frightening what some shops turn out. When i was a shop tech, as well as a manager, safety took precedence over all else. “Micky Mouse” seems to be the norm in most shops now days.I’m a body shop technician/foreman and the skill level of body techs has a HUGE spread. We have a full i-car certification but that doesn’t mean ****. I oversee all the repairs and I tell my techs this: “You’re messing with the safety of our clients by doing a substandard repair. If you can’t do it correctly you’ll be working elsewhere “.
That said, there are some aftermarket parts that are of decent quality. First you need to buy CAPA certified parts. Second, close inspection when you receive the part. Third, EVERYTHING is test fitted before paint work to ensure a quality fit and finish.
As for paint, it’s all in what you buy. I use PPG waterborne base with a high end clear coat. My paint looks nicer than factory and covers better. You’d be surprised at how little paint the factories put on. Some Honda’s and most GM cars in silver you can see through the color to the sealer at certain angles.
Lastly is proper corrosion protection application. Every quarter panel, door skin, or welded repair we do gets comprehensive rust preventative measures. Even new factory door shells get corrosion inhibitor regardless if the factory applied any. What we do is probably better than the factory in most cases but it’s necessary when a corrosion prone area is repaired.
My paint work is warranted as long as you own your car, and I give a five year corrosion warranty.
Speaking of GM finishes, do you remember when white diamond pearl first came out? Their mottling issues where out of control, and it all boiled down to them applying the material too thin. Back in the day, i ran into a brand new white diamond Escalade that made me second guess my career choice. Non blend able for sure. Had Dupont reps flying people in trying to help with color match. Even tried replicating the mottling in the finish to no avail. Ended up painting everything but the roof and the liftgate when it was all said and done. At the end of the day it looked like a show car! Lol