Customer tried to haggle me down on a paint match because his "cousin's buddy" could do it cheaper

This guy rolls in with a 2015 Civic that had a dent the size of a dinner plate on the quarter panel. I quote him $650 for the repair and paint match and he just laughs at me. Says his cousin's buddy up in Springfield will do the whole job for $200 cash. I told him good luck and watched him leave. Three weeks later he comes back with the same dent still there plus a terrible rattle can job that looked like he used a brick. Did I charge him more the second time around? You bet I did. Anyone else get people who think body work is just slapping on some paint?

2 comments

2 Comments

riley587d ago

Did your estimate include all the materials and time for a proper repair?

river1837d ago

That "cousin's buddy" line always cracks me up. People don't realize body work is about more than just the paint - it's about making sure the metal is straight and prepped right so the paint doesn't peel off in a month. The rattle can job he came back with probably had runs in it and didn't even match the factory clearcoat. I had a guy try the same thing on a Ford Explorer hood once, came back two weeks later saying the paint was flaking off in sheets. Charged him $200 extra for the privilege of fixing his mess.