DougS68

I have a '95 LS400, black on black. I just got it back from a very respectable body-shop in Seattle from a fender-bender.(The other driver hit me in a parking lot on the passeger front door and front fender.) The problem is that I do not think that the door lines up properly, especially the chrome sill plate where it meets the back door, just above the door handle.

I already had them keep the car an extra day, becuase the door litereally stuck out 1/2 an inch on the top. It looked like it wasn't even closed. Now that is better, however that trim peice still sticks out about 3/8 of an inch and the whole trim peice looks like it is sitting differently than the driver's side. Also the rubber on it that meets the glass and the skirt between the front and back window looks squished in and wrinkled.

They say that there is no further adjustment to be made to that piece! Can some of you look at your cars and tell me if there is a smooth transistion/line between the front door and back door outside windowsill plates? If needed, I could take a picture and include it this weekend.

I am really diheartened by this, as my car is near perfect for its 125,000 and is paid for, so I don't want to have that way too fast, slippery slope, of not being on top of little stuff. that isn't right.

The adjustor is helping me, I think. To make matters worse, asctually, the shop is closed today, and maybe for a while since there was a huge fire that I think took their paint shop last night. was not more than 3 hours after I picked up my car.

Lastly I want condolensces on having to drive a Buick Regal (Completely missnamed in my optinion) for the last 2 weeks!

Sorry to be long winded... just feeling sorry for myself and need a reality check from other finicky Lexas owners. Thanks for any suggestion anyone may have.

SRK

As you have already figured out, a simple comparison side to side is all you need. If the driver's side is as the factory built it, then the passenger side should look the same after their repair. If it doesn't, then they have not done their job properly, and your adjuster will "coerce" them with non-payment.
My Lexus had a hit on the hood early in its life, which required replacement of the hood and one fender, and a headlight assembly. New parts were used as there were no used ones at that time. I have done a fair bit of body and paint work in my life, and know how to look for repair work. I can find no evidence of the repair, except for some very minor paint blemishes. The panel fitment, and all other body work is perfect. So it is possible to reproduce the accuracy of the Lexus factory assembly.
Good luck with it.

USLEX

In my opinion it boils down to this, does the condition of you Lexus after the repair make you happy? It doesn't seem so. Have them make it right and use your insurance company as a resource since they had to pay the funds. To me, if the body shop can't get the vehicle repaired to the same shape it was in before then the vehicle should have been totalled. What do we pay insurance for anyway? Would you pay less insurance if you got a policy that didn't repair your vehicle to what it should be? I hope you have a good Insurance Company. State Farm is one of the best IMHO even though I don't have it. I have the best but won't advertise it

additude

You may have a damaged frame that holds the door hinges. It may be something that is adjusted as good as it can unless the frame is reformed.

Just a thought.

DougS68

Well, Good news, the Safeco adjustor was very gracious and has allowed the body shop to order an entire new door. It appears he adrees that there is just too much crap going on in that door to be fixed to meet all necessary specs. just another 2500.00 and 4 days w/o a car for me... (Theya re paying for it, of course.)

Now that is me having to drive a rental buick for 4 daya!

So, I am driving the car now until they get the parts in and I can't help notice that the new paint looks sooo good and my paint which i thought looked good, ... uhh, doesn't! (The car is Bliack) I am going to try the claybar and see if that restores the original paint to match the new... otherwise, I want to see if they will buff the crap out of the whole side to match it all up...

Thanks everybody for the vote of confidence.