Warranty Body Shop repairs & dissassembly

[Michael White]

We recently were involved in a GM 2000 merge and acquired a rather large body shop in the deal. Its been a while since I was involved in one. My debate with the body shop manager involve taping off versus removal of components. He says you cannot properly tape off some of the door handles and moldings, and many times removes bumpers to repaint them because of overlapping body components will not allow proper angles of the spray guns. I am interested in what other body shops do on dissassembly for warranty times. What is other GM dealer experiences with OLH for this issue

Mike White


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[MARY SHERICK]

YOU NEED TO PULL THE LABOR TIME GUIDE AND MAKE A COPY OF THE CODING INSTRUCTIONS IN FRONT OF THE PAINT CODING SECTION. THE BODY SHOP MANAGER IS RIGHT THAT SOME REPAIRS WILL REQUIRE ADDTIONAL TIME. THAT TIME MUST BE CLOCKED AND DOCUMENTED, JUST LIKE MECHANICAL REPAIRS. THE OTHER ISSUE MAY BE THE TIME VS. THE DOLLARS. YOUR BODY WARRANTY RATE IS GENERALLY 1.5 TIMES YOUR BODY INSURANCE RATE. IS THE ISSUE THE TIME THE TECH IS PAID, OR THE DOLLARS. YOU MAY NEED TO LOOK AT THE TECH PAY SCALE. MANY DEALER BODY SHOPS HAVE A SEPERATE PAY RATE FOR WARRANTY REPAIRS. IF YOU DO NOT, IS THIS TO INCREASE GROSS PROFIT AT THE TECH'S EXPENSE?? IF THAT IS NOT THE CASE, THE BODY SHOP MANAGER NEEDS A LESSON IN "CLOCK AND DOC 101" THIS TIME DOES HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY THE SERVICE MANAGER, NOT THE BODY SHOP MANAGER. IF YOU NEED MORE INFO, IT CAN BE FOUND IN THE P AND P.

[robc]

Mike,

You also might want to try using the R&R operation with the add time to paint, instead of the paint time with OLH.

Often you'll find the time comes out to be about the same amount. For example, look at a W-body and compare what you'd get paid for A0018 to using B0048. The trick is, the body shop thinks they got extra time for the R&R, and you've avoided spending extra money and using OLH.

About the question of taping/masking vs. detrimming in general, I agree with body shops that masking is not a proper way to do the repair, however your body shop's standards and GM's are two different things.

One thing I look for, and that I ask body shops to mention, is that the affected area included near the trims edge. For example, if the paint is peeling and that extends down into the trim, then I would suggest that removing the trim is necessary just to perform the repair.

While on this subject ... and this is for everyone ... Does STG's publication (GM-P0001-B) titled "Paint Condition Identification" still exist? Can dealers still order it? I have the book and the flip cards (GM-P0002-P) and they have literally been my paint warranty bible for five years.



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** Rob, Editor WD&S **
Help is only a message post away!
robc@dealersedge.com

[jrcal]

Michael, for our Body Shop this issue was more of a pride of workmanship issue than a "will I get paid the extra time for R and R of the moldings" issue. By making the workmanship the more important of the issues we have found the painters are much less worried about the time and more worried about the quality of the repair. You see, if the repair does not pass management approval, the painter has to do the repair over for free! This practice has worked best for our dealership because we do very few warranty paint repairs.

I agree with Rob about the use of R and R operations that include the add time for paint instead of the paint labor op with OLH that needs the proper documentation from the Service Manager and the support of the technician's comments. It is just too hard to get body techs to do the procedure for the OLH properly.



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JC