I'm just numb right about now. In the fixing of the Durango, I was just betrayed by a good friend and screwed in the process.
Estimates from body shops and from the insurance put painting and fixing the hood, fender, front bumper, grill, and core (lower radiator) support at around $2000. Insurance check was sent to my buddy who does body work, he refunded me the remainder to put toward my parts and the frame work done by another shop, etc. Well I didn't need the grill or core support painted, so subtract that from the $2000. While he was at it I had him paint a rear bumper cover also since mine had some dings.
Well after the fact he says it was a pain in the ass to refinish the used parts I gave him, even though the original estimate called for "RECYCLED PARTS". So he sends me a bill for the total work and it is $3200!!! Around $200 for the rear bumper cover, and $3000 for LESS OF A JOB than I was quoted $2000 for.
To top it off, the paint looks like shit, the entire thing is orange peel. Plus he got some dust in the clear on the hood, so I have to wet-sand and buff it out this summer when it gets nice (no garage). He also ruined my towing hitch-plug (a custom $35 one) when putting it onto his trailer. It took him 3 weeks to do the work, and I had to drive over 200 miles to pick it up.
This guy has been a good friend of ours for several years. Stood by us through all the bullshit lawsuit we had going on, etc. Also stood by his side when he was accused of theft from the school booster club. His wife did daycare for us, our kids are good friends, etc. I just wanted to give him a bit of work since I know they didn't have a good year on the farm last year.
But I could have taken the Durango 5 blocks from my current house, had it back in 5 days, and paid less than $2000 for a beautiful job on the paint.
FML
Estimates from body shops and from the insurance put painting and fixing the hood, fender, front bumper, grill, and core (lower radiator) support at around $2000. Insurance check was sent to my buddy who does body work, he refunded me the remainder to put toward my parts and the frame work done by another shop, etc. Well I didn't need the grill or core support painted, so subtract that from the $2000. While he was at it I had him paint a rear bumper cover also since mine had some dings.
Well after the fact he says it was a pain in the ass to refinish the used parts I gave him, even though the original estimate called for "RECYCLED PARTS". So he sends me a bill for the total work and it is $3200!!! Around $200 for the rear bumper cover, and $3000 for LESS OF A JOB than I was quoted $2000 for.
To top it off, the paint looks like shit, the entire thing is orange peel. Plus he got some dust in the clear on the hood, so I have to wet-sand and buff it out this summer when it gets nice (no garage). He also ruined my towing hitch-plug (a custom $35 one) when putting it onto his trailer. It took him 3 weeks to do the work, and I had to drive over 200 miles to pick it up.
This guy has been a good friend of ours for several years. Stood by us through all the bullshit lawsuit we had going on, etc. Also stood by his side when he was accused of theft from the school booster club. His wife did daycare for us, our kids are good friends, etc. I just wanted to give him a bit of work since I know they didn't have a good year on the farm last year.
But I could have taken the Durango 5 blocks from my current house, had it back in 5 days, and paid less than $2000 for a beautiful job on the paint.
FML
