Body shop screwed me over?
 

I just recently got my front bumper repaired and repainted from having minor scratches from some local body shop in my area, and I'm wondering if the mistake was entirely my fault.

After I got the front bumper fixed and repainted, I was trying to check the fitment on my new HT Autos lip that I was planning to install by putting it firmly against the front bumper and then taping it to the front bumper to see how it would look...but after I finished and took everything down I noticed paint damage underneath my front bumper. :(

I didn't think I was applying that much pressure to the front bumper to cause this, but I guess I was wrong...But then I touched the scratches and saw that the paint was extremely thin, like paper thin, and really flaky. From what I remember the OEM paint was way thicker, almost chip like in thickness which made me think that maybe their paint job wasn't that good, that maybe it was too thin and fragile. Or maybe it was fine and I just screwed up? :iono: It's hard to tell in the photos...You'd definitely have to touch it to see.

What are your thoughts, and what would you do in this situation?

it is the underside of a cheap & low sports car, I wouldn't care.. if you're driving it, it ain't gonna be in show car condition. I have had many things fuck up my bumper...gallon jug on highway, random metal part from a car on the road, a bike spoke got me good once. just get some touch up paint and cover it with a lip or splitter?

Without touch up paint I would have so many black holes in my bumper

The bottom of the front bumper will ALWAYS get destroyed on these cars. It's one of the main reasons we all get lips. The factory paint is absolute garbage too. If you recently got it done however, it can't hurt to stop at the body shop and talk to them. Flaky isn't a term that should be ascribed to any paint job. If they're interested in their reputation, they may do it again and go a bit thicker just to get that shining review


I will say that until you have a lip, that underside will get absolutely demolished on a regular basis.

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That is cheap as-fuck paint job. They need to buff and prep it and use a special primer. Then paint, sand, paint, and clear. They didn't do that at all. I think for bumpers they even mix with a different hardner or something so paint is more flexible.

How are you able to tell? I just checked the other cars in my driveway that have some paint damage and looked at the edges and it seems relatively thin, the same as mine, so I think maybe I'm ok? :iono:

If it's under where you'll never see it unless it's on jack stands I would just grab some touch up paint and call it a day.

Not worth the hassle.

have you talked to the body shop?

When you call the shop, and you should, inquire as to whether or not they had used additives intended for painting flexible surfaces. Be nice about it. A good shop will own up and do it right for you if that was the problem. A bad shop won't no matter how nasty you get and it's not worth the blood pressure issues.

I had a replacement lower lip painted for our 560SL a while back, and they just used regular auto paint. It peeled off in sheets after a few weeks.. much, much worse than what you're showing. Took it to a different shop, they knew instantly what the problem was, painted it with the correct additives to the paint, and it's been great for years.