Dodgey Restorations Western Australia Warning!!

[Flogginit]

Hi All, A mate from the Charger club of WA sent me a link to this Video as a warning to anyone in WA looking to have a restoration done. Think twice and do your research before committing and or handing over any dollars.

[Yellow_Festiva]

After experiencing first hand the absolute rubbish work 'Tradespeople' can do I feel the whole industry needs a shakeup.

Hows this for an idea? All work over $X,XXX dollars needs to go through a process where 20% of the cost of work is held by a 3rd party (earning interest).

Work is done, customer is happy, signs off on work and tradie gets money in full and a little bit more from earnings.

Or..

Work is done, customer isn't happy and tries to sort it out with tradie. If no resolution an external inspector comes out and depending on outcome the party at fault pays.

Repairs are done or 20% is kept as compensation to go towards repairs with balance being paid back to original tradie if any.

The only people that need to worry are the ones that do rubbish work.

Don't see why it shouldn't work. Bit like how rental bonds are held by bond agency and the tribunal helps with disagreements regarding its return for a nominal fee.

[mike_nofx]

While the video is a good idea and I am interested to watch it, is there a cut down 2-3 minute video for someone like me who doesn't want to see 23 minutes of someone elses misfortune?

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

After experiencing first hand the absolute rubbish work 'Tradespeople' can do I feel the whole industry needs a shakeup.

Hows this for an idea? All work over $X,XXX dollars needs to go through a process where 20% of the cost of work is held by a 3rd party (earning interest).

Work is done, customer is happy, signs off on work and tradie gets money in full and a little bit more from earnings.

Or..

Work is done, customer isn't happy and tries to sort it out with tradie. If no resolution an external inspector comes out and depending on outcome the party at fault pays.

Repairs are done or 20% is kept as compensation to go towards repairs with balance being paid back to original tradie if any.

The only people that need to worry are the ones that do rubbish work.

Don't see why it shouldn't work. Bit like how rental bonds are held by bond agency and the tribunal helps with disagreements regarding its return for a nominal fee.

There is pretty much no regulation or standards in the auto repair industry, thats how a lot of these dodgy joins exist.

But customers don't help the situation either because they're always after work done yesterday and at the cheapest price.

[Trump]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

There is pretty much no regulation or standards in the auto repair industry, thats how a lot of these dodgy joins exist.

But customers don't help the situation either because they're always after work done yesterday and at the cheapest price.

And they want a top quality job using the best parts.

[Stefan]

Restoration of an old car is a minefield of disasters.

I've completed one and it was a headf&%$k from start to finish that I will never embark on again.

In defence of restorers. If you want a "full" restoration on car like above completed by others for you and you are not prepared to drop somewhere in the vicinity of $100K IMO you will have issues and compromises in the end product. A full restoration address every component of the car and that takes countless hours.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Flogginit

Hi All, A mate from the Charger club of WA sent me a link to this Video as a warning to anyone in WA looking to have a restoration done. Think twice and do your research before committing and or handing over any dollars.

Any idea on how much they paid?

[bangm001]

I agree Stefan, its when people DO drop the 100K (I have many family members who have) and the job is still average... Eg I have a rellie who has a original 71 challenger R/T. (original bblock car but it now has a 426 hemi!). Anyway after two workshops and more than 30K in paint/body alone its still average at best.

[blackf6]

Rock the originality. Save the pretty boy stuff for new cars. Keep your money.

[Chopped]

Damn, that poor lady got ripped off hard.

[Boosh Brus]

Originally Posted by GasOLane

Any idea on how much they paid?

She says in the first minute of the video. $37000 + messing around trying to find all the parts. Around $40,000 in the end.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by GasOLane

Any idea on how much they paid?

I think she says around $37k plus $2-3k in costs.

[NTF6]

What about striking a deal on progress payments. In order for the next step of the resto to proceed the existing costs are finalised and paid upon the owners satisfaction. I did that with a builder, paid for a certain amount of work, signed off on the work and made changes or rectification to mistakes/errors and then forked out more cash when I was happy with the work already done. 7 or 8 progress payments later job was done to perfection.

[STINKY NINJA]

Not surprising at all,i live in perth and you pay top dollar for average/crap work at best,you have to be in the know about where to go for decent/good work.
They expect you to pay for their stuff ups/mistakes too.
A lot of places will spend a lot of time perfecting big dollar cars they personally own to have as poster cars to suck people in and treat customers cars like crap and do rubbish work on them.
There is good places in perth I just don't know who they are?
I still say there should be a dedicated name and shame thread to save people from being screwed over!
Most people are too scared to open up about it which is not good for others that may get done over.

[mike_nofx]

Originally Posted by Loud_Noises

And they want a top quality job using the best parts.

Originally Posted by Big Damo

There is pretty much no regulation or standards in the auto repair industry, thats how a lot of these dodgy joins exist.

But customers don't help the situation either because they're always after work done yesterday and at the cheapest price.

In all fairness, who doesn't want a quality job for a good price, done asap?

And since there IS so many dodgy joints around how do you tell the good from the dodge as a first time customer? Hard to fork out top dollar on a workshop you can't be certain on quality of work.

Personally though, I do all the work on my own cars (and house) that way its a known quality. I kind of find it strange when people buy a car to restore but pay others to do it all, maybe that's just me?

[Silver Ghia]

A presentable restoration takes a long time and a lot of patience to accomplish, and I'm afraid $40,000 these days does not represent the work required to achieve that standard.

The only way to achieve the restoration to your high standards is do it yourself. That goes for body restoration and rust repairs, paint, trimming and upholstery, everything. And learn the skills if you don't know how.

It is a labour of love, and really only you will devote the required attention to detail and the time it takes to achieve a high standard of restoration.

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by bangm001

I agree Stefan, its when people DO drop the 100K (I have many family members who have) and the job is still average... Eg I have a rellie who has a original 71 challenger R/T. (original bblock car but it now has a 426 hemi!). Anyway after two workshops and more than 30K in paint/body alone its still average at best.

Agree 100% this is were the headf%&#k begins....paying top dollar and getting crap work. Doing things two or three times and getting excuses for poor work.

[The Yeti]

Originally Posted by mike_nofx

In all fairness, who doesn't want a quality job for a good price, done asap?

Everyone the difference is many are being unrealistic in their expectations

Eg a $100k resto for 30 and time frames inline with what they see on thse fox tell shows

Originally Posted by mike_nofx

And since there IS so many dodgy joints around how do you tell the good from the dodge as a first time customer? Hard to fork out top dollar on a workshop you can't be certain on quality of work.

Personally though, I do all the work on my own cars (and house) that way its a known quality. I kind of find it strange when people buy a car to restore but pay others to do it all, maybe that's just me?

There are a few I not know about a lot but shonky shops exist, the only way I know is to use word of mouth, I personally don't pay a lot of attention to magazine articles recommending bill bob & Ben the restoration men as I see these as little more than advertorials, and personal experience is the dodgiest work often comes out of the high profile shops.

[XB GS 351 Coupe]

If she only paid 37K and it was a full resto, she got a bargain IMO and quality seems to reflect the price.

These cars can easily eat up 40K just in body work.

[Tassie f100]

Originally Posted by XB GS 351 Coupe

If she only paid 37K and it was a full resto, she got a bargain IMO and quality seems to reflect the price.

These cars can easily eat up 40K just in body work.

That s really a crappy job for $37000.I reckon shonky around the corner would have done better job for $5000.They didn't even take fittings off before painting as can be seen with the overspray on the front indicator lights.Runs,dented trims,crap carpet,bits left off, the stuff ups go on and on.I'm sure the new apprentice would be fussier in the first month than these cowboys are. As she said some of the job is worse than before it was done

[XB GS 351 Coupe]

Originally Posted by Tassie f100

That s really a crappy job for $37000.I reckon shonky around the corner would have done better job for $5000.They didn't even take fittings off before painting as can be seen with the overspray on the front indicator lights.Runs,dented trims,crap carpet,bits left off, the stuff ups go on and on.I'm sure the new apprentice would be fussier in the first month than these cowboys are. As she said some of the job is worse than before it was done

You don't even cover materials with $5K

Labour is expensive and 37K does not buy a lot of panel work, it takes hours and hours to disassemble and re assemble a car, thats why restorations take years in many cases.

I completely disassembled my coupe and spend months stripping and cleaning and repairing the bare shell before handing to the panel guy with zero rust. And still cost me around 15K just for paint alone, then came months of re assembly, cleaning parts, paining parts etc etc. Restoring trims alone can eat up 2-3K, interior 5K, glass 2K etc etc

There is no way you can get a car restored back to bare metal drive in drive out for 37K, 100-120K would be a starting point then go from there.

Anyone that has done a nuts and bolts back to bare metal restoration would know what I am talking about.

[Tassie f100]

Originally Posted by XB GS 351 Coupe

You don't even cover materials with $5K

Labour is expensive and 37K does not buy a lot of panel work, it takes hours and hours to disassemble and re assemble a car, thats why restorations take years in many cases.

I completely disassembled my coupe and spend months stripping and cleaning and repairing the bare shell before handing to the panel guy with zero rust. And still cost me around 15K just for paint alone, then came months of re assembly, cleaning parts, paining parts etc etc. Restoring trims alone can eat up 2-3K, interior 5K, glass 2K etc etc

There is no way you can get a car restored back to bare metal drive in drive out for 37K, 100-120K would be a starting point then go from there.

Anyone that has done a nuts and bolts back to bare metal restoration would know what I am talking about.

So what would be the excuse for runs in the paint and bits not fitted at all.If you aren't good enough to do the job don't take it on.The$5000 was a number I plucked to suggest that shonky would do a better paint job than the one that was done

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by XB GS 351 Coupe

If she only paid 37K and it was a full resto, she got a bargain IMO and quality seems to reflect the price

Pigs bum.
Watch the video.

Personally, I think some of the trim gaps, MAY just be what you get on an Australian car built in the 60's or 70's.
But the other stuff...
$22k for a new paint job that is very poorly finished.
Trim pieces LOST or damaged.
$7k for an engine rebuild that was never done.

[mr smith]

She has a case. Thats bad on any level.

[XB GS 351 Coupe]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

Pigs bum.
Watch the video.

Personally, I think some of the trim gaps, MAY just be what you get on an Australian car built in the 60's or 70's.
But the other stuff...
$22k for a new paint job that is very poorly finished.
Trim pieces LOST or damaged.
$7k for an engine rebuild that was never done.

That is her version, wonder what the restorers/work shops version is??

37K does not buy a full drive in drive out restoration, no where near.

[Crazy Dazz]

And here's the thing. Ultimately there is NO excuse for doing a ****** job. NONE.
If its a $50k job, then quote $50k.
If the customer only has $40k, then AGREE on compromises or items that won't be touched.

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by XB GS 351 Coupe

That is her version, wonder what the restorers/work shops version is??

Really?
I'd love to hear your explanation for the ****** paint job?

[XB GS 351 Coupe]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

And here's the thing. Ultimately there is NO excuse for doing a ****** job. NONE.
If its a $50k job, then quote $50k.
If the customer only has $40k, then AGREE on compromises or items that won't be touched.

How do you know this is not what happened??

Full drive in drive out restorations run at around 100K plus, whats to say she did not run out of money and said just put it back together as cash has run out??

Who knows??

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

Really?
I'd love to hear your explanation for the ****** paint job?

$37K for full restoration should say it all, about 60-80K short of a mint job.

[Silver Ghia]

Originally Posted by Tassie f100

So what would be the excuse for runs in the paint and bits not fitted at all.If you aren't good enough to do the job don't take it on.The$5000 was a number I plucked to suggest that shonky would do a better paint job than the one that was done

They take the work on as they need the job to make a living. They don't have the love in that car that the owner has, so the owner is bound to be disappointed.

Been there myself, I had things like radiators and interior trim done by recommended specialists, only go back there, pay them to get the bits back then take them home to completely redo them myself. Learned that for the job to be done properly, I had to do it myself.

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

Personally, I think some of the trim gaps, MAY just be what you get on an Australian car built in the 60's or 70's.
But the other stuff...
$22k for a new paint job that is very poorly finished.
Trim pieces LOST or damaged.
$7k for an engine rebuild that was never done.

That already totals $29k, the remaining amount won't cover the rest of the work that had to be done, her story doesn't seem to add up. And the parts gone missing, well that happens at those places. Best to have all those parts safely stored away in your spare bedroom wardrobe, not at some 'restorers' workshop.

[pottery beige]

$37k on something as clean looking in the OP should get you some wheres and with something a little more presentable

old mate pumped a little bit through the pipe, rent, other debts, keno