Moral of this story: stay out of Ford dealerships.

Larry
code5coupe

 

You are right Larry, but they had the Pontiac Bonneville SSEi (supercharged) that we bought.

 

OK guys, I just had athought. How do I tell if they use a NEW part as compared to the refurbished? If I am not there to see it come out of the package/crating, how can I tell? Just take their word for it?

 

Blow off steam? Man, it's a good thing you're a calm sort of guy. I'd be really, really upset about that one.

What to look for? Hmm, well it must've run right over the bumper and onto the hood, right? How about the headlights? Any impact/crushing of the radiator and shroud? Ck the metal lines to the a/c? Fenders ok, or are they crushed---doesn't sound like it if they only ordered the bumper. Ck out jet-jock's post on repainting his front bumper. It's an involved process that he used and he just posted it this past weekend.

Wow, that was really terrible. Glad no one was hurt tho.

 

No the hood, fenders and radiator were not hit, only the front bumper. See post #8 for pictures.

As far as no one being hurt....well physically I wasn't hurt, but da*n my heart broke when I got out and saw it. And being angry....it would not have made the situation any better. Oh, he knew I was pizzed. The guy is going to make it right, I just have the feeling that he will not let me down.

 

Update here, I take the Corvette in Monday to have it fixed. They supposedly got the NEW cover in Thursday. I'll update when they get it done. I hope they are prepared for a very particular PITA Corvette owner!

 

That sucks at lease it was not a hit and run,my advice is don't nick pick too much cause they may make it worst or screw something else up second time around You may want to reconsider letting a ford dealer touch your car if your picky

 

I wouldn't make a big deal out of getting new vs used panels that are properly prepped. This isn't a mechanical part. The used ones are guaranteed to fit.

 

Used wasn't as much an issue with me as "Reburbished". I was just concerned about getting something that wouldn't last.

 

I got the car in today, I actually feel pretty good about these guys working on it. I asked several questions, "How did the NEW part look?" He showed me the "new" GM cover and told me they ended up getting it for only about $20 more than the refurb. "Does it take a special kind of paint?" (knowing that the cover requires the flex agent). his answer "Oh it requires a flex agent in the paint. We use a special primer and then bake it for a while, not to totally cure it as it will need to be able to bond with the color. And then when that is done we'll bake it until she is cured." my next question was "Will you mount the bumper and then paint or paint it off the car first then mount?" "Oh, we will paint it off the car and then mount it we don't want to chance getting any overspray any where else." These answers were very acceptable to me and I feel that they will do the job right.

I stopped back in about 2 hours later and they had the cover off and the styrofoam "under bumper" showing. Where the receiver hitch hit, the styrofoam was "kinked". I asked the manager about what they do with that and he told me they will repair the "spot" with a special glue and by working out the kink. It made perfect sense to me. He then pointed out several spots on the bumper that had been "bumped" before, saying that the new bumper would be as good as new.

 

I agree. You asked the right questions, and they gave great answers. Sounds like a stand up shop

 

I don't like the situation. I would have gotten his insurance information. The only reason he is fixing it himself is because he has the means, and he doesn't want this filed on his insurance. I don't trust those guys. Besides, he SAYS you are getting a new bumper but how do you KNOW that it isn't the same refurbished bumper that he was trying to put on there? Oh well. Don't mean to sound paranoid, but I don't trust these dealership guys. Good luck!

B.

 

Well, I guess we'll see tomorrow how it goes. They said it would be done sometime tomorrow, and I'll go pick it up.

 

Refurbished and new are both better than used. Most insurance companies will insist on used after 3 years old. I have been down that road. You can yell till blue in the face, call a lawyer and the local news channel. In the end, used is usually as far as they will go. Then the shop gets shafted because they are not paid to fix flaws in the used.

 

Well I got a "new" bumper, I guess it pays to have been run in to by the owner of a dealership (who is fixing it out of his own pocket, at his dealership).