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I will want some work done down the line to fix the minor ding in my door and respray thew front bar after having a little incident with a little roo. Can anyone recommend a good panel repairer/ spray shop in canberra?

I had some minor work done from a certain just car certified repairer and only recently the rear window seal (which was R&R) has come away and I have been advised by a couple of mechanics i trust that this most likely occurred during R&R. I also now have a rattle in the back over bumps (may be unrelated). The rest of the work looked great mind you.

Yesterday I found some rubber grommets/spacer type things sitting at the bottom of a 2 inches deep puddle of water they managed to put in my boot (worked on it in the rain?). I expect this has everything to do with my noises.

Suggest you go speak to Professional Panel and Paint (on the same road as Toy World in Fyshwick but on the other side), or Tony Farrugia. I got a very good impression from Pro P & P when I spoke to them and will most likely go there or Farrugia if I ever plump for a full repaint. Look up Farrugia/Farugia (some spell it differently) on here and it's all glowing comments.

In keeping with not poo-poo'ing anyone directly on here, I think maybe we should start up feedback threads for individual local services. Of course, we'd stick to the "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all" policy within each thread, but we could also have a single "don't go here" thread for ppl to vent without naming names. If you read a horror story on there and wanna know who did what, simply PM the person/people who posted their story. There will ALWAYS be some negative comments about every business, but I think this could be useful to avoid certain local businesses who have gained poor reputation through repeated bad dealings with multiple punters on here, and it would also strengthen the name of the businesses that deserve it!

Maybe we could have a list like a trader rating system for each company, like Trogen (8/10) Croydon (3/10) with comments. As said every business has a bad experiace with one customer, but the rating system would not allow a single business bad rep from only one reply.

I haven't found a place I'm 100% impressed with but at least Trogan do their best.

OK, so AAMI told me the next place to take the car: anyone had a GOOD experience with Jim Kershaw in Mitchell? I've PM'ed race_snooze who apparently had a bad experience. Hopefully someone else has had good luck with them before though. Either way, the repairs will have a lifetime garantee through JCI.

Funny thing is, their first choice was Precision Panels, but apparently they are too busy. I've heard some dodgy-ass stuff about Precision. They did an OK job on my civic but forgot to reconnect the rear wiper jet. How do u reckon they pick em?!.... names out of a hat? :)

Edited by sl33py

Cos I've heard bad stories about Precision too anyway. Plus, they've "instructed" me to go to Kershaws. I told them on the phone I'd heard bad stuff about Precision and they said I had to take it to whoever they picked next and if it's a problem afterwards then they'll deal with it. Since I don't get a choice, if there's a problem I'll just throw it back at them. No skin off my back other than wasting my time (which is the same as if I just waited for some repairer in particular, this should have been fixed 2 weeks ago).

And to confirm that my car is well and truly cursed, my turbo just blew on the way home during perfectly normal/nice driving :P I hobbled it straight over to Trojan rather than getting home and not being able to move it again (cos I thought it was gearbox related). I'm going to the coast to try and forget about it, and going to John/Trojan about a replacement on Monday.

... Probably a GTRS or 2835.

That's why i will never go with your insurer. With Shannons, you pick the repairer and the work is still guaranteed for life. Just think how much hassles and headaches you would have saved yourself, if you were allowed to take it to your own choice of panel shop.

Anyway...

Hope all goes well with this 2nd shop. Nothing more frustrating that "professionals" that can't do their job.

I asked Shannons before anyone else when I bought the car, but they wouldn't talk to me cos the car isn't garaged.

Thanks, gotta put a turbo in before it can even be moved though :) I don't expect I'll see it back before next year.

  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...

I've been without the car since end of November and I'm going ceeerrrraazzzy waiting. Most parts are at the mechanics, just waiting on oil cooler from Japan and a few other local bits and bobs (see sig). I know this is a useless post, but FAR OUT I'm bored without it. Missed all the good summer weeks for late cruising, and every time I want to duck off somewhere during the working day, I go " ! Dammit..." when I realise I can't.

Have noticed that being without your own car makes you notice others a lot more though, I see 3-4 lines every day. Brother cracked a joke yesterday when I saw one: "didn't you used to have one of those?" :D

The fact I've only driven gf's 07 Swift a handful of times will make getting back into mine is going to be a little nuts. Also sucks that the rear end has to be sorted shortly after the car rolls of it's own volition.

What's the longest others have gone without their cars? What did you do to pass the time?

I've been without the car since end of November and I'm going ceeerrrraazzzy waiting. Most parts are at the mechanics, just waiting on oil cooler from Japan and a few other local bits and bobs (see sig). I know this is a useless post, but FAR OUT I'm bored without it. Missed all the good summer weeks for late cruising, and every time I want to duck off somewhere during the working day, I go " ! Dammit..." when I realise I can't.

Have noticed that being without your own car makes you notice others a lot more though, I see 3-4 lines every day. Brother cracked a joke yesterday when I saw one: "didn't you used to have one of those?" :dry:

The fact I've only driven gf's 07 Swift a handful of times will make getting back into mine is going to be a little nuts. Also sucks that the rear end has to be sorted shortly after the car rolls of it's own volition.

What's the longest others have gone without their cars? What did you do to pass the time?

Was once without my car for about 6 weeks or so. But it was only fwd lol. My advice dont crash your car in late November, December or January.

Having been without mine for 3 months (Feb-April) when we did the engine conversion in 2005, then sitting at Inline for a month in October 2005, and then being without it for 3 months again last year when the engine blew last January makes me know EXACTLY how you feel :dry:

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