JunkCrzr89
Competent Ignoramoose
- Thread starter
- #21
I saw a few 80s around outside. Are you in the shop next to him? If so, I think he may come by to talk about a bumper for my 100.
100 series versus Mogollon Rim cow elk - Augie’s Auto Body and Paint (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter JunkCrzr89
- Start date
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inkpot
SILVER Star
Yes, this is Kevin's ( TOOLSarUS ) old shop. Richard, Travis, and I are keeping it open, kind of a tribute to Kevin, and we pretty much run the way he did. Come on po very and chat when you are at Augie's shop. John
JunkCrzr89
Competent Ignoramoose
- Thread starter
- #23
I’ve debated with myself about posting an update to this, because I have an overwhelming feeling of ambivalence about Augie’s Auto Body Shop and the work conducted. However, I think the importance of conveying information to other members who might find themselves in a similar situation and need body work done is paramount to my own feelings. Thus, I will try to write this without ‘airing all of my grievances’ and instead focus on the work and business. Everything below is on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being best.
Body Work = 7
Obviously the core support, DS fender, and DS fender apron incurred the brunt of damage when I hit the elk. Augie was able to pull the apron back mostly straight, though it is still about 1/4-1/2” off; as a result, some things just don’t fit back exactly where they’re supposed to. The windshield washer reservoir in particular won’t bolt up all the way - it’s currently held in by 2 of the 4 bolts, because the holes for 2 just simply aren’t even close to being lined up. I provided an undamaged, straight core support that @knewstance and I pulled from a part out and I can see where Augie did some work to it so that he could bend it to the mangled apron instead of working the apron back completely straight. The hood and fender were replaced and the gap between them is uneven - about 1/2” wide below the windshield and 3/16” wide at the corner light. Part of me feels like this stuff could have been better and corners were cut, but another part of me feels happy that he could get it close enough, considering the damage (cue the ambivalence train). From 10 feet away, it looks great, from 2 fee it looks Ok.
Paint = 9
This is where Augie’s work shines, literally and figuratively. Although insurance only covered painting the hood, DS fender, and grill filler panel, for a some extra bones out of my pocket, Augie resprayed the rest of the Cruiser to match. Like many of you, mine had noticeable oxidation from 20 years spent in the Southwest, so fresh paint on just the hood and fender would’ve likely looked more out of wack than I preferred. The paint is supposedly Italian and has a 5-year warranty, according to Augie. I’m very pleased with the paint job.
Other work = 3
If read back through this thread, you’ll see that I was very well aware before I took the Cruiser to Augie that additional parts would need to be replaced. For example, the A/C condenser, A/T cooler, A/C aux fan, fuse box, etc. The day I dropped the Cruiser off at Augie’s I told him that and also that I could get those parts quickly and/or install them myself if needed. He assured me that he would do everything - “the way this works is customers drop it off and we do everything - the A/C, electrical, everything - and then you pick it up like it’s new.” Let’s just say Augie’s definition of ‘everything’ and ‘like new’ are not the same as mine...
On the drive home from Augie’s after picking it up, I noticed the A/C wasn’t working at all, despite Augie telling me that he installed a new condenser, aux fan, replaced a couple of lines, and charged the system.
Problem #1: The aux fan relay and bracket were broken and instead of replacing it with a new assembly ($35 for relay and bracket from Toyota), the broken one was just wrapped in electrical tape and left dangling behind the bumper.
Problem #2: My 100 has dual A/C (front and rear). However, the condenser that Augie installed is for a 100 with only front A/C. The bottom fitting on the drivers side of the condenser is substantially different between single and dual A/C. How does Augie resolve this foul up? Leave the wrong condenser in, jerry rig some bull**** hose and adapter contraption, route it under the front frame crossmember where it’s unprotected, bend the s*** out of hard lines to try to make this contraption fit together, and pinch two of the lines so that they crack and leak out all of the refrigerant.
Continued in next post because MUD has limit on # photos...
Body Work = 7
Obviously the core support, DS fender, and DS fender apron incurred the brunt of damage when I hit the elk. Augie was able to pull the apron back mostly straight, though it is still about 1/4-1/2” off; as a result, some things just don’t fit back exactly where they’re supposed to. The windshield washer reservoir in particular won’t bolt up all the way - it’s currently held in by 2 of the 4 bolts, because the holes for 2 just simply aren’t even close to being lined up. I provided an undamaged, straight core support that @knewstance and I pulled from a part out and I can see where Augie did some work to it so that he could bend it to the mangled apron instead of working the apron back completely straight. The hood and fender were replaced and the gap between them is uneven - about 1/2” wide below the windshield and 3/16” wide at the corner light. Part of me feels like this stuff could have been better and corners were cut, but another part of me feels happy that he could get it close enough, considering the damage (cue the ambivalence train). From 10 feet away, it looks great, from 2 fee it looks Ok.
Paint = 9
This is where Augie’s work shines, literally and figuratively. Although insurance only covered painting the hood, DS fender, and grill filler panel, for a some extra bones out of my pocket, Augie resprayed the rest of the Cruiser to match. Like many of you, mine had noticeable oxidation from 20 years spent in the Southwest, so fresh paint on just the hood and fender would’ve likely looked more out of wack than I preferred. The paint is supposedly Italian and has a 5-year warranty, according to Augie. I’m very pleased with the paint job.
Other work = 3
If read back through this thread, you’ll see that I was very well aware before I took the Cruiser to Augie that additional parts would need to be replaced. For example, the A/C condenser, A/T cooler, A/C aux fan, fuse box, etc. The day I dropped the Cruiser off at Augie’s I told him that and also that I could get those parts quickly and/or install them myself if needed. He assured me that he would do everything - “the way this works is customers drop it off and we do everything - the A/C, electrical, everything - and then you pick it up like it’s new.” Let’s just say Augie’s definition of ‘everything’ and ‘like new’ are not the same as mine...
On the drive home from Augie’s after picking it up, I noticed the A/C wasn’t working at all, despite Augie telling me that he installed a new condenser, aux fan, replaced a couple of lines, and charged the system.
Problem #1: The aux fan relay and bracket were broken and instead of replacing it with a new assembly ($35 for relay and bracket from Toyota), the broken one was just wrapped in electrical tape and left dangling behind the bumper.
Problem #2: My 100 has dual A/C (front and rear). However, the condenser that Augie installed is for a 100 with only front A/C. The bottom fitting on the drivers side of the condenser is substantially different between single and dual A/C. How does Augie resolve this foul up? Leave the wrong condenser in, jerry rig some bull**** hose and adapter contraption, route it under the front frame crossmember where it’s unprotected, bend the s*** out of hard lines to try to make this contraption fit together, and pinch two of the lines so that they crack and leak out all of the refrigerant.
Continued in next post because MUD has limit on # photos...
JunkCrzr89
Competent Ignoramoose
- Thread starter
- #24
How the A/C lines are supposed to look, from @Somebodyelse5 Cruiser:
For me to fix the A/C will require a few hundred more $ for the correct condenser, new hard lines, brackets, etc. I’m very unhappy about this...
Problem #3: While driving home from Augie’s, I also heard a banging noise. This took me a while to figure out and I just uncovered it today. Augie never replaced the lower radiator mounting brackets on either side, so my radiator is now only held in with the top 2 bolts and is literally flapping in the wind while driving, causing it to bang against the core support. Just a matter of time before it hits the fan or the radiator cracks and all hell breaks loose. There is supposed to be an L bracket connected to the core support in the red circle and a bolt that goes through the circular bushing that bolts the radiator down. Without this on both sides, the radiator is literally just swinging front to back.
Problem #4: My hood was rattling all to hell on the drive home. Why? Because Augie didn’t install the circular hood adjustment cushions on the top of the core support or the cushions that run along the width of the undersiehood.
Problem #5: I kept hearing a rattle in the bottom end while driving. Sounded like somewhere between the front diff and bumper. What do I find? A body work hammer laying on top of the skid plate, wedged between the frame rail and power steering hoses.
Could’ve wreaked havoc in my engine bay had I not found it when I did...
Continued in post below because MUD has photo limits...
For me to fix the A/C will require a few hundred more $ for the correct condenser, new hard lines, brackets, etc. I’m very unhappy about this...
Problem #3: While driving home from Augie’s, I also heard a banging noise. This took me a while to figure out and I just uncovered it today. Augie never replaced the lower radiator mounting brackets on either side, so my radiator is now only held in with the top 2 bolts and is literally flapping in the wind while driving, causing it to bang against the core support. Just a matter of time before it hits the fan or the radiator cracks and all hell breaks loose. There is supposed to be an L bracket connected to the core support in the red circle and a bolt that goes through the circular bushing that bolts the radiator down. Without this on both sides, the radiator is literally just swinging front to back.
Problem #4: My hood was rattling all to hell on the drive home. Why? Because Augie didn’t install the circular hood adjustment cushions on the top of the core support or the cushions that run along the width of the undersiehood.
Problem #5: I kept hearing a rattle in the bottom end while driving. Sounded like somewhere between the front diff and bumper. What do I find? A body work hammer laying on top of the skid plate, wedged between the frame rail and power steering hoses.
Could’ve wreaked havoc in my engine bay had I not found it when I did...
Continued in post below because MUD has photo limits...
This would really irk me.
On the bright side, at least he didn't get too carried away and bend the hardline into the letter "A."
JunkCrzr89
Competent Ignoramoose
- Thread starter
- #26
Customer service = 1
The best way I can say this is that customer service is not Augie’s strong suit. If you like dishonesty, getting the run around, smoke and mirrors, cussed out, etc, then Augie is your man! Without going into too much detail, I’ll just say that I was very accommodating during the first two months of it being at his shop and only called him twice during that time to just check-up. Another MUD member, out of his pure good nature, happened to inform me right around the 2-month mark that Augie hadn’t done any work at all on my Cruiser, despite Augie telling me he had over the phone and me paying him upfront the day I dropped it off in August. Then a couple of weeks later I thought I’d drop by while I was on that side of town, but Augie wasn’t there and I saw with my own eyes that nothing had been done to my Cruiser. So I called Augie while in his parking lot, who proceeded to tell me, “we have it in the shop now. It’s all been fixed and we’re sanding it down today. I’ll paint it tomorrow.” Let’s just say that convo took a rapid turn for the worst when I informed him that I was at his shop, looking at my cruiser in the lot collecting dirt, and he wasn’t there.
Then there was a fiasco over the front bumper, in which Augie assured me multiple times in October that he had the bumper I wanted sitting his shop ready to go on, but November rolls around and there’s no bumper because he never actually got one like he said. By that time, all of the bumpers were out of stock supposedly everywhere in the US and on 8-12 weeks backorder. I was irate. But I found one in Texas that evening (perhaps the last one left in the US) and got it delivered a week later. Thanks to Richard, John, and Travis next door for installing it on Augie’s behalf.
Final words
I am happy to have my Cruiser back finally, after it being at Augie’s for nearly 4 months for just 7 days worth of work. It looks good enough for me and the paint is great. I am frustrated and somewhat angry that I have clean-up work to do, but given the quality of the fixes that Augie did, or lack thereof, I refuse to take it back and ask these things to be corrected by him. So angry ambivalence is the best terminology I suppose. What would I consider taking any of my other Toyotas to Augie for? Paint and some but not all body work. Would I actually take anything to Augie again? NO.
The best way I can say this is that customer service is not Augie’s strong suit. If you like dishonesty, getting the run around, smoke and mirrors, cussed out, etc, then Augie is your man! Without going into too much detail, I’ll just say that I was very accommodating during the first two months of it being at his shop and only called him twice during that time to just check-up. Another MUD member, out of his pure good nature, happened to inform me right around the 2-month mark that Augie hadn’t done any work at all on my Cruiser, despite Augie telling me he had over the phone and me paying him upfront the day I dropped it off in August. Then a couple of weeks later I thought I’d drop by while I was on that side of town, but Augie wasn’t there and I saw with my own eyes that nothing had been done to my Cruiser. So I called Augie while in his parking lot, who proceeded to tell me, “we have it in the shop now. It’s all been fixed and we’re sanding it down today. I’ll paint it tomorrow.” Let’s just say that convo took a rapid turn for the worst when I informed him that I was at his shop, looking at my cruiser in the lot collecting dirt, and he wasn’t there.
Then there was a fiasco over the front bumper, in which Augie assured me multiple times in October that he had the bumper I wanted sitting his shop ready to go on, but November rolls around and there’s no bumper because he never actually got one like he said. By that time, all of the bumpers were out of stock supposedly everywhere in the US and on 8-12 weeks backorder. I was irate. But I found one in Texas that evening (perhaps the last one left in the US) and got it delivered a week later. Thanks to Richard, John, and Travis next door for installing it on Augie’s behalf.
Final words
I am happy to have my Cruiser back finally, after it being at Augie’s for nearly 4 months for just 7 days worth of work. It looks good enough for me and the paint is great. I am frustrated and somewhat angry that I have clean-up work to do, but given the quality of the fixes that Augie did, or lack thereof, I refuse to take it back and ask these things to be corrected by him. So angry ambivalence is the best terminology I suppose. What would I consider taking any of my other Toyotas to Augie for? Paint and some but not all body work. Would I actually take anything to Augie again? NO.
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Honesty is so important. I've forgiven both mistakes and late work. We're humans: just be honest, own it, fix it, make it right. But if I can't trust what a shop is telling me? That's totally disqualifying. But, I've never experienced anything this bad. I'd have done the same as you--walk away, not let him near my Land Cruiser again.
AND tell the entire world, on every possible social media platform available, this story. Businesses that do s***ty, unqualified, shortcut work and then make excuses deserve to lose all business. I don't care if you fix $50,000 Land Cruisers or make $4 coffees... If you suck at what you do, the world needs to know. On the flip side, if you're great at what you do, the world needs to know that, too.
JunkCrzr89
Competent Ignoramoose
- Thread starter
- #29
I agree. The time for getting it fixed did not bother me much - I was prepared to wait months and not hassle him because of the recommendations from members here. When we did the resto of our 40, we left it at the body shop (obviously not Augie) for nearly a year. That body guy was always upfront and honest with us and we had the mindset that we cared more about the quality of work, the work being done right, than we did about how long it took. Consequently, and perhaps naively, I took the same approach with Augie from the outset. It was not until other CSC members informed me of, and I saw personally, that I had been lied to for months did I hammer down. Maybe I should’ve done so sooner, I don’t know...Try to give people the benefit of the doubt and chances to right the situation, but sometimes you get burned...
JunkCrzr89
Competent Ignoramoose
- Thread starter
- #30
The day I picked it up in December (I dropped it off on Aug. 31), Augie had the nerve to ask me to leave a 5-star review on Google. I laughed at him. I’m sharing here so that other CSCers are aware of what I experienced, though of course, the caveat is that it’s possible not all folks will have a similar experience. However, I will provide a condensed version of this thread to Google, etc.
ramangain
Clarksonian disciple
Trust but verify seems to work well in general
sorry to hear that it didn't work out well for you - I had seen his work on 3 other vehicles, and that looked great
but quite frankly, I would never have a body shop do serious wrenching on a vehicle
but quite frankly, I would never have a body shop do serious wrenching on a vehicle
Obviously what I am going to say next doesn’t ALWAYS apply, but prepaying a small business for work is always sketchy. If your work isn’t done within a couple weeks, that money is already gone and they need someone else to prepay for another job to get yours done. If the next paying jobs are smaller, your work gets done as cheaply as possible.
JunkCrzr89
Competent Ignoramoose
- Thread starter
- #34
Yep, that was a hard lesson for me to learn in this case...He asked me to pay 60% upfront so that he could “purchase the parts and supplies to get it done quicker.” Sounded good to me, and again, you can read back through this thread and see the recommendations for him from other members here. So at the time, I thought I had little reason to question it. Turns out he did not purchase any parts until November (I dropped it off end of August), and instead, presumably, used my money to take a weeklong trip to California and also finish paying for his website.
