My '92 Prelude (JDM H22 w/M2B4) was parked in front of my father-in-law's house while I was away for work. An unknown person smashed into the driver front end of my car, destroying my driver-side headlight, driver-side front fender, and front bumper. It was later discovered the unknown person was my FIL's neighbor. He was driving a bus and didn't realize the accident. When confronted, the neighbor offered to pay repair in full in cash. My FIL then took the car to Precision Collision Auto Body Centers.

PCABC performed satisfactory work except for one issue: PCABC replaced the headlights with expensive ($1000), inferior, cheap, and embarrassing "Fast and Furious"-style High-Intensity Discharge lamp headlights. PCABC reasoned that it couldn't find the (rare) OEM JDM lamps I had on the car. PCABC then duped my unknowing FIL to authorize the replacement parts while I was away without contacting me. When I learned of the incident, I called PCABC and inquired as to why, if they couldn't find the rare replacements (which are available locally, and for which I provided names and direct Internet links to the parts from local vendors), why didn't it, as its own website explicitly states, uses "factory OEM parts?" PCABC had no answer, and instead of offering to remedy their mistake, or to ensure that I was, as the business' shop window claims "totally satisfied," PCABC had the nerve to ask me if I wanted a new quote.

PCABC also will not return, recoup, or replace my (rare) not-broken OEM JDM headlamp from the passenger side. PCABC would not comment on whether it still has the rare, unbroken headlight.

My additional concern is that PCABC scammed and overcharged my FIL's neighbor (does it do this to insurance companies, too?), let alone that it used bad, non-OEM parts without my approval. While the replacement headlights can be found for $250-400, or less for the OEM USDM parts, PCABC replaced these with unwanted High-Intensity Discharge lamps for $1,000.

PCABC refuses to return, recoup, or replace the junk it put on my car.

 

I'm having a similar issue with another local body shop. were you able to come to any resolution with this? have you thought about contacting a lawyer?

 

No resolution.

Never heard back from Bureau of Consumer Protection, and BBB (which sees itself as a watchdog organization, but whose ratings are really just for sale) said they don't involve themselves with money transactions. Which is focking retarded because it isn't about money, but about a shop who used the wrong parts and overcharged for them.

Since I'm in Maryland and the Prelude is my CA (home) vacation car, I've not considered a lawyer because I'm not there. I can't tend to it. Which is BULLSHOT and means this ASZHOLE wins.

Thus, don't do business there. :/

 

Oh, and someone my Yelp review got deleted...

 

Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) is who they really fear. They license auto repair shops.