Hi, I'm new here. I searched before posting this, but I cannot find any previous threads discussing this topic. If there are any, it would be great if someone could point me to them.

I bought a brand new 2010 Civic Sedan LX-S about a month ago. Unfortunately, my car was in an accident not two weeks later. It was not a terrible accident, but it required replacement of such parts as the front bumper, front hood, and front left fender.

The car was in the body shop for about three weeks. I finally got it back, and everything looked fine, except one thing. The alignment of the front left fender panel is just slightly off. There is a bit too much of a gap between the panel and the driver door. I was told that "this is just the way Honda stamped out the part."

I was at the dealership today, and the service advisor told me that's BS. The panel should look just right, and it appears that the body shop didn't adjust it correctly. Furthermore, he told me he wasn't sure these are genuine Honda parts. The body shop told me in no uncertain terms that they used nothing but Honda parts on my car, as it is brand new.

My question is, how do I verify that the body shop did not substitute aftermarket parts on me? When I was at the dealership, we looked on the underside of the hood. There was no R-dot sticker. However, that in itself is not conclusive, right? The sticker could have been removed prior to painting. Is there some other way to spot the difference between an OEM and an aftermarket body panel?

The body shop did indicate to me that they ordered the parts directly from Honda. I suppose I could check with Honda to see if they have an order history consistent with the records I have from the body shop. Honda wouldn't have somehow shipped non-OEM parts, right? I've heard horror stories about how black market parts get absorbed into mainstream trade.

I have to return the car to the body shop anyway, because we also discovered today that they didn't paint the new hinges they put on the driver door. The hinges are already rusting, so I need to get that fixed. While I'm at it, I will re-visit the issue of the fender panel with them. I was told I should have them adjust it until it is just right. If it can't be done due to the part being imperfectly shaped, they should get another one.

If they did in fact use non-Honda parts, they need to be called on it. However, I certainly don't want to accuse them of anything if I have no proof. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

Also, a cat (probably one of mine) just clawed my new hood. Now it has four parallel scratches on it about six inches or so in length. Does anyone know a good way I can fix this on my own, or should I just ask the body shop to fix it when I go there for the other stuff? It will probably cost me a pretty penny if I have them do it.

 

sounds like you might need to use a different body shop next time. i know all too well how dicey that business can be. some shops, even the ones that seem to do alot of business, put out really marginal work because for most people, who have marginal attention to detail, marginal work is just fine.

i'm curious, did insurance pay for this work? if so, was it one of their shops? did you pay with credit card?

regarding the scratches, it's very possible that with a buffer these can be removed or greatly reduced appearance-wise if they did not get past the clear coat.

 

Thanks for responding, builthatch. I see you are in Jersey too. I am still a fairly new transplant, as I relocated here from California just over three years ago.

To answer your questions, the shop was referred by my insurance company, and they are paying all but a $500 deductible, which I paid by check. The shop does not accept credit cards. It's not yet risen to the level of a dispute, since I have not yet even advised them of my complaints. The owner told me more than once that I should let him know of any problems I find, and he will fix them.

Regarding the panel, I looked at it more. It's not that it's adjusted wrong, it's simply shaped wrong. In fact, it seems slightly too small. If it was pulled back, then it would no longer be aligned correctly with the front of the car. Seems like it's either a defective Honda part or it's not a Honda part at all. I wouldn't think that an aftermarket part like that would be available yet for a 2010. Maybe the 2009 model is similar enough that the part was substituted?

I'm not sure whether or not the cat scratches will buff out. It's always worth a try. Maybe the dealership can give it a try, since they still need to buff out a scratch that was there when I bought the car.

 

i would be leery of getting the scratches done by anything but a high end detail shop or a body shop. maybe the dealer has a bodyshop on the premises to handle such things? i woundn't trust a dealer prep/detailer, that's for sure, but that's me. i wish you were around here i would be able to address them for you. i live far south, in cape may county.

anyway, if i had to guess i'd say the panels for 06-10 are the same, but i can't be sure. i looked them up on hondaautomotiveparts.com and their product number (which is their iteration for the OE part) for an 08 fender is the same as a 10 fender. same price too. they are the same generation so that makes sense. i can't tell any difference by looking, that's for sure. if there is it could be slight. for instance, 96-00 civics are the same generation, but in 99 they slightly changed the headlamps and consequently the fenders changed a bit. but like i said these 8th gen really look identical to me, year to year.

i wish i could help you more. in for answers...

 

No way to tell if it is a HONDA fender. Was the claim under your insurance? If so does your insurance cover aftermarket or OEM parts? If this was put under another persons insurance, was there ever mention of using OEM of aftermarket parts?
The gap does not just have to be fender to door, it could be the door needs to come forward. You mentioned that the hinges were replaced. Check the gap on your door to door. If it is tighter than the other undamaged side then there is your gap problem.

 

builthatch:

If you know a place near you, that would be great. I'm an attorney, so I'm always driving all around the state for court and things.

Based on my research, it would appear that the 2009 and 2010 models are exactly the same, or nearly exact. That could be the problem - I may have gotten a 2009 that is almost but not quite right.

Disease:

That's a good point about the door. However, wouldn't the door have gone back in exactly the same spot? Aren't there holes that the screws and whatnot have to go into? Also, I don't think the door can come forward, because then it wouldn't fit with the roof. There seems to be more wrong with the panel than just the way it fits with the door. I'd be happy to take photos if you guys would like to see.

To answer your other questions, this claim was under my insurance. I was told straight up by the body shop that these are OEM parts from Honda. They told me at the beginning that they have no choice, since this is a brand new car. Then later, they told me they had gotten the parts from Honda.

 

Yah take those pics. Post them up here and I can tell you what is going on. Take whole car shots of the damage so we can see all the gaps.

 

Cool, I'll do that. Can't right now, though, because it's dark. I have to be in New York tomorrow morning, so I probably won't have time until sometime during the week.

 

Also, speaking of dark, my car is dark in color. The pics may or may not be worth a damn.

 

If i am not mistaken new parts that came with your car will have the vin on them.
There is a place on all parts sort of an oval plate looking thing.
Check the trunk and hood areas for them.
Im not sure where one would be on a fender i suppose it would be inside the fender covered up by the fender wells.
Let me check into it.
If the work doesnt look right id definately complain about it.
Don't accept questionable work.
Any good insurance company should insist the work be done to your satisfaction, and the shop should never give you any excuses just fix it.
If they were recommended by your insurance company, and they want to keep doing business with them, its in their best interest to comply with your request.

 

from running a body shop, most insurance companies use aftermarket parts b/c its cheaper... on the estimate you can tell right off... get your insurance quote, go to the honda dealership and get the price for the part you had replaced, check your quote and see if the parts are the same price... if they are cheaper then you know you have aftermarket parts... or if you really want to get into it... theres usually stickers on the backsides of fenders and bumpers that will say where they came from.

 

X2 there are stickers on the back sides and the undersides of hoods that mostly say made in tiawan, or maybe another country, on most aftermarket parts. they prob. removed the sticker on the underside of the hood and easily added the correct oem stickers but they might have left the stickers on the inside of the fender.