Active Autobody in Sunnyvale - A review ... AVOID at all cost

A while back I was recommended by the s2000 community for body repair work so I brought my car there and this was the result of my experience there. Below is pasted from my post on that community forum.

Last month I brought my car there to get scratches removed off the rear passenger quarter panel and bumper. They said both would have to be completely repainted. I was quoted ~$1k for the job. I left my car there for the work. Took them about 3 days. When I picked it up, it was parked out in front in their parking lot out in the sun. This was my first time having body work done on a car I've owned. He comes up to me and says, "looks great huh?" It looked fine from a scan I did there on the lot. I was recommended by him too and so I just thought, "hey I'm sure it's perfect". Later that day I went to pump gas and under the gas station lights in the early evening I saw what looks like stretch lines in the bumper on the passenger side near the corner. There were tons of them. So then I decided to check the quarter panel more thoroughly and found a big speck of dust stuck under the paint too. You could even feel the protrusion. Later that night I examined my car again and felt this matte film that was stuck on the ENTIRE driver side of my car along with a little on the hood and trunk. I tried washing the car that night to get it out. Soap & water alone didn't take it out. I ended up using a claybar to get the stuff off. I call him up the next day and he agrees to let me take it back in so he can see what's wrong. During the time I got it back and before I brought it back to him I had washed and waxed it thoroughly and told him NOT to have his guys wash & detail the car. I also noticed I had a new rattle somewhere in the back of the car.

Next day I'm there and he's checking it out with some of his guys. Agrees to redo the whole thing again. He said he should have it by Thursday. This was on a Monday. I decided to stop by on Wednesday to check it out. When I arrived it was parked on the side lot in the dirt that's fenced off. He saw me and came over and asked, "how's it look"? This time I made sure to examine it thoroughly. The lines and dust speck were gone from a visual inspection. I then noticed indentions in the paint on an edge of the bumper that looks to have been made during the handling of it to hang it. I pointed it out and he replies, "you sure that wasn't there before?" and I'm thinking, "wtf? you repainted the entire bumper. even if it WAS there before it shouldn't be there now". So I just reply, "uh yeah. I'm super anal with my car. I hardly drive it. I know of every visible scratch on my car". He pretty much disregards what I said. He then walks around my car and tries to find other scratches to prove his point. Keep in mind the car is now in the DIRT lot and is completely covered in a layer of dirt. He then proceeds to use his hands to wipe dirt off my car! I'm thinking to myself, "WTF. you're an autobody shop and you don't realize you're putting fine scratches in my clear coat?" I was about to tell him that when he finally stopped. I asked him, "so when can my car be ready?" He replies, "well probably friday now since I have to repaint your bumper again due to those marks you pointed out." I said, "alright. I rather you take the time to get it right. Can you also NOT wash the car when you're done?" I didn't want his goons to smear the dirt all around.

Friday comes around and I arrive to pick up my car. It's now parked in the lot in front of the shop. He approaches with a big smile on his face and says, "Looks great huh? " I don't reply and just start looking at the car. I also noticed the car's been washed (I told him not to). From a visual inspection the marks are gone, no lines, paint matches. I start to glide my hands over the bumper. There were dozens of bumps on the surface! I point it out and then he replies, "ohhh..bring it back on Monday and we'll wetsand and buff it out. We didn't get a chance to do that yet". WTF! So basically if I hadn't thoroughly checked it out he was just gonna let me drive off the lot and not bother with the fact that it's not even completely done. So I said, "fine, I'm bringing it back on Monday". As I drove off I realized I'm out of town the next week so I call him up and say I need this done tomorrow or something. He replies, "Oh ok hmm..bring it tomorrow but make sure to call to see if anyone's here". I replied, "you're not going to be there?" He replies, "I have something with my son. Someone should be there". So I reply, "alright. I'll call first thing in the morning when your shop opens".

I call 8am sharp next day (Saturday). No answer. I try a couple more times and then give up and go back to sleep. I get a call from him at 11am. Says, "Hey. Where are ya? We've been waiting here for you?" I told him I called him earlier and no one was around. So I just bust my ass there and watched them do the work. He shoots the wind with me while his guys are wetsanding and buffing it out. He mentioned, "Hey do you ever notice the soft top rattling?" I replied, "yea. There seems to be a new rattle in the back too". He replies, "hmm did you check the spare tire nut the holds it down?" I reply, "no..I'll do that when I get home". So his guys finally finish and everything is satisfactory I shake his hands and leave. I get home and decided to check out the spare tire. Lo and behold the nut is loose AND the spare tire was used (all dirty).

So instead of just saying, "Hey jarod, if you noticed any rattling in the back it might be the spare tire nut since we had to take out the spare tire and use it" he decides to hide it. And after I had picked up the 2nd time, instead of just saying, "hey you can pick your car up today, but it's not really ready", I ended up picking up a car that wasn't even done and he didn't bother to mention it in hopes of me just driving off without coming back.

To summarize, Active Autobody performed subpar work on my car and was dishonest about the quality of their work throughout the process.

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