Shop payments?

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03JeepJeep

03JeepJeep

It's a hoot!
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Maybe this a dumb question but if I took my dart to a shop to get the body work and paint done could I do payments like a layaway sort of thing? Or how does it work?

I've never had to take anything to a body shop before and I have been curious.

Thanks
Tony
 
In my experience, working on restos and talking to others, you could pay upfront in chunks. Say 500 a month, they do the work until your money runs out for labor, and put it to the side until you pay next month.

Your results may vary. Be very picky about where you take it. Look at build times and try to talk to as many past customers as you can. There are a lot of scumbags out there. Don't ask me how I know.





Ok ok I used to work for one, once I figured out how much he was screwing people over I ran like my feet were on fire and my *** was catching.
 
You probably need to ask the shop you plan to use.
 
I'm not a bodyman but when work is done payment is due. Maybe you can work deal with a new business where they do work as you have money available. Otherwise save up then take it in.
 
It depends on what the shop owner is willing to do. Some let you pay as you go but you pay first.

Give them $1000 and they will work until the $1000 is used up, for example.
 
03JeepJeep said:
Maybe this a dumb question but if I took my dart to a shop to get the body work and paint done could I do payments like a layaway sort of thing? Or how does it work?

I've never had to take anything to a body shop before and I have been curious.

Thanks
Tony
Click to expand...

Probably a bad idea! It's not unusual for body shops to stroke us along on our classics as it is. Best way to deal with a body shop is an agreed price and time line. Then just know both will be double before you're finished if you're lucky.
 
Some places know if its gonna be a big bill offer a pay as you go set-up but keep in mind the car is taking up space in their shop, they are not in the business to store cars so they may want a time table arrangement.
 
Most of the time it is a recipe for a disaster and the car ends up being there for years. There has been plenty of the horror stories on this site. Save your money and have it available as work is done but still do a contract with a time line.
 
I'd rather put it on a credit card , it affords a lot more protection.

The faster you pay off the card the less interest you will pay , but the car will be back in your possession.

Things happen to a car when left at a body shop for to long, from employee joy riding to parts coming up missing
 
my cousin's 66 cuda has been in body shop jail for 4 years now he paid up and gets calls every time the owners hvac systems goes down at the shop or home ! and this is the recommended best shop in the wash dc area? only the inside and trunk have been painted at this point.
 
To try and get a fixed time frame to get it done couldn't you have a contract that says if not done by X date a penalty of X will be applied and if it's done early a bonus of X will be paid to entice the deal or am I just dreaming
 
I always get 1/2 the estimate as a down payment. If things get worse (unanticipated additional work) then I'll ask for more during the job, but normally it's only that 1/2 for my materials and parts down. The rest you DONT pay until the work is DONE. Otherwise you're asking to be the sugar daddy of that shop and you'll never get it out.
 
03JeepJeep said:
Thanks for all the info! Maybe best to just save up
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Tony, Not sure were in Indiana you are. I own a restoration/ hot rod/ fabrication shop in Indianapolis. I can tell you how we do it. We bill in cycles running from Wednesday to Wednesday. You will have an invoice Wednesday evening followed up with a courtesy call on Thursday to make sure you received your invoice and see if you had any questions. Your invoice will have the hours we worked on your car that week. weather it be 2 hours or 50 hours. In the past we have worked with customers on a fixed weekly budget. we would require a minimum of a 500 dollar budget a week. The would give us just under 8 hours of work on your car a week. Stop by the shop if for nothing else to take a look around. WE would be happy to give your a quote on your project.
Tim

A link to our facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Paradise-Road-Rod-Custom/163984078876
 
Oklacarcollecto said:
Most of the time it is a recipe for a disaster and the car ends up being there for years. There has been plenty of the horror stories on this site. Save your money and have it available as work is done but still do a contract with a time line.
Click to expand...
<- THIS IS DIAMOND PLATINUM valued advice!!!! YOU WILL GET RIPPED OFF.
 
moper said:
I always get 1/2 the estimate as a down payment. If things get worse (unanticipated additional work) then I'll ask for more during the job, but normally it's only that 1/2 for my materials and parts down. The rest you DONT pay until the work is DONE. Otherwise you're asking to be the sugar daddy of that shop and you'll never get it out.
Click to expand...
<-Again more golden treasure!

I would suggest a contract with a time frame-though I may be dreaming-It ain't just money that you can be ripped off-PAINT SHOP JAIL could waste your time.
 
Best way to do it is pay as work is done; come up with a plan of attack, a little at a time. Look at all the 'paint shop jail' posts, all of them had the same theme, they paid it all up front, workers got complacent, took forever to finish; pain, anguish, hatred in-sues... You get the picture.


barbee6043 said:
take your money and enroll in vo tec auto body school!???????????????????????????
Click to expand...


Best advice so far, teach a man to fish.
 
barbee6043 said:
take your money and enroll in vo tec auto body school!???????????????????????????
Click to expand...

X2 Learn how to do it yourself.
You can buy a welder, body tools, paint guns, air compressor and end up with a good job.
The tools will cost you way less than body shop labor.
It will take alot longer, but you have the pride of doing it yourself.
Do one panel at a time start to finish, that way you can see you progress.
 
I hear the paint jail stories all the time have several in my shop that have come from other shops. The biggest problem I see with these shops is they are production shops/collision repair they have no idea of how much work goes into doing a good paint job on an old car. They are in over there head before they start. Deal with a specialty shop like mine. or one of your choice. A time line is some what realistic if you have the funds set aside then a time frame of 8 weeks is reasonable. Depending on how much reassembly is required from the customer. more times than not it starts at paint and we end up finishing most if not all of the build. In turn throws the customers waiting to come in behind schedule.
 
If you take your car to an insurance/body shop, that's all your fault right there. Those type shops don't do restoration work and if they do, it is very slow. The unfortunate reality is that most body shops first line is insurance work. Find one whose specialty is restoration work and you will be much happier.
 
barbee6043 said:
take your money and enroll in vo tec auto body school!???????????????????????????
Click to expand...
Well that would be a nice thing to do (wish I had in the first place) but I recently finished up college and have accumulated a bit of student loans.

prrc said:
Tony, Not sure were in Indiana you are. I own a restoration/ hot rod/ fabrication shop in Indianapolis. I can tell you how we do it. We bill in cycles running from Wednesday to Wednesday. You will have an invoice Wednesday evening followed up with a courtesy call on Thursday to make sure you received your invoice and see if you had any questions. Your invoice will have the hours we worked on your car that week. weather it be 2 hours or 50 hours. In the past we have worked with customers on a fixed weekly budget. we would require a minimum of a 500 dollar budget a week. The would give us just under 8 hours of work on your car a week. Stop by the shop if for nothing else to take a look around. WE would be happy to give your a quote on your project.
Tim

A link to our facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Paradise-Road-Rod-Custom/163984078876
Click to expand...

Tim, I'm about 45 minutes north of you. I would love to come check out your shop! It looks like you guys do great work.
 
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