MilwaukeeDave

iTrader: (3)

Car is back from the body shop finally. Here's the final tally: new hood, new grill, 2 new headlights, hood latch, and radiator support. Total of repairs was just north of 2500 with me only paying deductible. Here's how she looks:

dreem1er

iTrader: (2)

Maybe its the shadow but looks misaligned on passenger next to grill, if its not a shadow take it back

n1njai

iTrader: (3)

Your hood still looks like it's off? Just lookin at the corner of the grill where hood meets the bumper.

dreem1er

iTrader: (2)

beat you too it n1njai

MOBB

Paint also looks off on passenger fender vs hood??

CAB NY

most likely the lighting

02 TL

Looks good Dave. A lot better than broken grille and bent up hood that's for sure. I got the woodgrain steering wheel btw, adds life to the car. Got the matching shift knob too. Getting wood dash kit next. Thanks for the install steps/info. Back to body work, I need to do something about sun burn. All the edges seem burned, around the doors, trunk is real bad. Would I need to paint the whole car or is there something that can be done to make it shine again?

MilwaukeeDave

iTrader: (3)

Thanks everyone. It's just a bad picture. I took it more to show I got the car back than to show their work. I checked the gaps and everything is good. Color is definitely the same from good to fenders because it's all fresh paint from in front of the doors on up. It's just half in the sun half in the shade terribly lit pic. 02 I'm not real good w paint an body work but have you had it detailed recently? Maybe a good wax and buff would bring a lot of the shine back that you're looking for. I've been looking for the same thing to make the rest of my car shine like the front. I'm just scared the detailers will ignore me when I say don't touch the front of the car or it voids paint warranty. I'll most likely be waiting till fall when the paint is fully cured and get a nice wax job before the weather goes bad.

yungone501

iTrader: (4)

I think both the gap near the grille and the bumper as well as the mismatched paint are both optical illusions. However, there's no mistaking the gap on each side of the hood being off, that's for sure. Not trying to rag on your car by any means personally. I just feel like any place of business that refers to itself as "paint and/or body" should have enough skill to do their job correctly and if not, you as a customer should demand perfection if you received anything less. You know?

On the flip side, congrats on getting your car back!

My TL has been in only 2 accidents since I purchased it 4 years ago. Both of which when my girlfriend was driving the car. Come to think of it, once while she was driving...the other time she was literally parked and when she went to pull forward ran right into a yellow marker pole!

MilwaukeeDave

iTrader: (3)

I've owned over 10 cars an this was my first accident ever. The hood is aligned well. The first pic is just bad. Here's some pics from above with better view of the line.