I thought I could save a day by skipping the frame machine check on a Camry

Got a 2018 Camry in last month that looked like a simple front end hit. Customer wanted it done fast, so I figured I'd just pull the bumper and replace the parts without putting it on the frame rack. I mean, it drove in, right? Big mistake. After I got the new radiator support in, the hood wouldn't line up at all. Had to take everything back off and put the whole car on the machine. Found out the left rail was pushed back almost an inch. That cost me a full day of rework, about $500 in lost time, and the customer was mad about the delay. I felt so stupid because I know better. It was just one of those 'it looks fine' calls that bit me. Anyone else ever get burned by skipping a step you know you should do?

3 comments

3 Comments

alicemurphy2d ago

Look, sometimes you gotta trust your gut. That car drove in under its own power, the damage looked superficial. Putting every single car on the frame machine is a huge time sink for maybe one in twenty that actually needs it. You took a calculated risk and it didn't pay off this time, but that doesn't mean the process is wrong. A lot of shops would have done the same thing to meet a tight deadline.

morgan_king362d ago

Man, that's a tough lesson. Did you at least get to charge the customer for the extra time on the frame machine, or did you have to eat that whole cost yourself?

logan5612d ago

Actually, I'm not the one who posted the original story about the frame machine (just replying to it).