NOT ALL BODY SHOPS ARE THE SAME

Not all body shops are the same! A customer bought a 2015 Lexus from a local dealer two months ago and was in a minor accident on the right rear. When we disassembled the vehicle upon our surprise, we found it was improperly repaired from a prior accident. 

As you can see in picture 1 & 2, another body shop filled it full of body filler about ½ ” thick instead of replacing the panels.

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Upon further inspection, we found a GAPING hole in the right rear outer wheelhouse behind the rear tire. (picture 3) This hole leads right inside the car. You can imagine all the water and road debris getting inside the vehicle.

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We informed the customer of our findings and let them know what it was going to cost to repair it properly.  The customer informed the local dealer and they did not want to pay to fix it properly. Instead, the local dealer wanted to take it to one of their preferred local body shops that does work for them.  We informed the customer that when they got their vehicle back, we would reinspect it for them.

Here are our findings:  

·       That body shop filled the improper repair back up with body filler (Picture 4&5) and welded the gaping hole shut and just put seam sealer over their welds (Picture 7) to try and hide it.

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·       Then on the inside (Picture 6 Before & 6a After) to hide the rust and the improper gaps they put more seam sealer on it.

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·       The rest of the previous damage (Picture 8) was never touched and still rusting.

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·       The sunroof drain grommet was put in backwards and the sunroof drain tube was never hooked back up and pushed back inside the car (Picture 9). So, when it rains now the sunroof drain tube will drain back inside the back-passenger area.

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We informed the customer of all the problems and the future problems they are going to have with the car. They requested the dealership find them another car.

 A REPAIR MIGHT LOOK GOOD ON THE OUTSIDE, BUT UNDERNEATH MIGHT BE A NIGHTMARE WAITING TO HAPPEN! Do you want untrained people working on your car? Be cautious where you take your vehicle to be repaired. NOT ALL BODY SHOPS ARE THE SAME.

At Paap Auto Body, we take pride in what we do and are consistently training and keeping up with the latest technology of tomorrows cars to keep your family and your car safe for years to come. Paap Auto Body repairs your vehicle to meet manufacturer specifications, not shortcuts for quick and unsafe repairs. If you ever need us to look at a car that you are thinking about purchasing, we are more than happy to look at it for you. Your safety is our top priority at Paap Auto Body.

Tim Paap Elected to IL Auto Body Association

Congratulations to our very own Tim Paap on being elected to the board of the Illinois Auto Body Association!

AASPI’s Annual Meeting will also include the election of officers and directors. Current President Bob Gottfred of Erie LaSalle Body Shops will be re-elected, as will Vice President Doug Fiala from Douglas Auto Body and Secretary/Treasurer Paul Mason of AutoNation. Mayers Collision Center’Joe Mayer will continue to serve as a director for the association alongside newly elected directors Tom Stiefbold of O’Hare Auto Body and Tim Paapfrom Paap Auto Body.

Read the rest of the article here.

Tim Paap

Your Toyota Factory Trained Collision Center

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At Paap Auto Body, your safety is our main concern. When you bring your vehicle to Paap Auto Body, you can be sure that we will repair your vehicle using the proper equipment and manufacturing guidelines.  We are a Certified Repair Center for all major manufacturers.  It takes a lot of training to maintain these certifications. 

Last week Tim and Zack attended Toyota Collision Training in California and have now added Toyota Scion to their list of manufacturers they are factory trained Collision Centers for.  We learned about all the hybrids – what to be aware of, how to repair them properly after a collision, the type of welding equipment needed and required procedures. As the only Toyota Factory-Trained Collision Repair Center in the area, Paap Auto Body now has all the proper equipment and Toyota training to get your vehicle back to like-new condition. 

If you are in the unfortunate situation of being in need of bodywork for your vehicle, please consider Paap Auto Body where you can be assured that when you get it back after the repairs, it will be in pre-accident condition.  Stop in today for a free estimate. 

Axalta Paint Training

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Our Paap Auto Body team just got back from Axalta paint training! With all the new colors and metallic colors coming out we stay up to date on the latest techniques and products to offer our customers. We got trained on all the new products and how to work the new paint camera from Axalta which is unbelievable!!!! It takes a picture of the paint and tells you what's in it and how to mix it for that perfect match. We are constantly investing in our team to bring our customers the latest and best possible product on the market.

Keeping You Safe on the Road

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At Paap Auto Body, we're constantly staying up to date on the newest repair procedures for your vehicle.  I just returned from a three day conference in Lumbard, IL, where we learned about Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) requirements and repairs for a safer vehicle.  Only about the top 10% of autobody shops in America that are concerned about consumer safety attended this training.  We make sure your car is properly repaired so it's safe for years to come.

Collision Repair Training

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We just returned from three days of training in Naperville at the Collision Hub Repair University "SPEC OPS" Course! We make it a priority at Paap Auto Body to stay up to date with proper repair procedures.  We learned about today's vehicles and the proper repair procedures from the original equipment manufacturer. What does that mean for our customers?  They will know that their vehicle was repaired properly the first time, the way the manufacturer intended it to be.

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Paap Auto Body Team Goes Through Specialized Welding Training

At Paap Auto Body we are dedicated to providing quality workmanship that ensures our customers safety after collision repairs are completed. Todays cars are being made with several types and strengths of steel. The newest material that manufactures are now using is aluminum. These materials all have specialized welding requirements. At Paap Auto Body we are just as concerned about the how these materials are being welded onto vehicles during the repair process as the manufacturers are.

To ensure that we are performing safe and proper welds at all times the Paap Auto Body team recently went through extensive steel and aluminum welding training and have earned certification necessary to perform proper welding during structural collision repairs. This certification is our promise to you that when we weld on your vehicle we are committed to maintaining the structural integrity and will return your vehicle to you at the end of our repair process as safe as it was before your accident.

We are the only collision shop in the area that has completed this specialized steel and aluminum welding certification and have also passed the necessary comprehensive evaluation of our infrastructure and our equipment to ensure that our facility is set up to perform safe and proper welds. We hope that our commitment to safety is as important to you as it is to us and you will consider bringing your vehicles to Paap Auto Body in the unfortunate event of a future accident. If any of your family or friends are in need of collision repairs, please consider referring them to Paap Auto Body as well.