[Blind Squirrel]

SGT wrote:

Wanted to throw this out there to see what some of you currently cover warranty wise. We offer a lifetime warranty that damage will not spread and pass state and lease return inspections. My concern is geared towards those that also include the state inspection coverage in the warranty. Over the years I can count on one hand, specifically three fingers the amount of times I have had to honor a failed inspection issue. My warranty states they need to provide written explanation of why the repairs fails but I never get it or enforce it. I just take care of the customer. These failed inspections have not been due to an improperly repaired windshield either; structurally they have been fine and cosmetically as good as possible. In all cases these have been near the acute area and customers were very happy with the work but the inspector was not.


Brian, you say up front that you offer a "lifetime warranty" that damage will not spread. Most of us do this with the provision that the warrantly is limited in liability to the amount paid for the repair. OK so far.

Then you say it includes state and lease return inspections. Colorado does not have state inspections. It has already been mentioned about the subjectiveness of the "third party opinion" on state inspections but I don't think anyone brought that up on a lease return inspection, the person inspecting the car has the same motives as the guy that appraises a car for a trade in. That is to say, they are going to find even the slightest flaw to reduce the trade in value.

There is also the "third party wife or husband" scenario. After doing everything is the prescribed professional sequence, the customer goes home that night and tells the wife/husband, I got that damage repaired on the windshield, honey. Honey looks at it and says, that looks like crap!

My verbage goes like this: Mr/Ms Customer, have you ever had a chip repaired before? Yes or no I still say, the object and guarantee of the repair process is to seal the damaged area and prevent it from spreading further or cracking out. The finish repair will look "considerably" better, but please understand that I cannot make it disappear or look like it was never broken.

From all this, I've decided to have a new disclaimer printed that states the object and guarantee of the chip repair is to seal the damaged area and prevent the damage from spreading. The finished cosmetic result is variable with no expressed or implied warranty to pass any state or lease return inspection and is not covered under this guarantee. The customers signature verifies that the repair is acceptable to the stated intent.

I have always used a verbal "satisfaction" guarantee where I tell the customer that if they are not happy with repair, they owe me nothing. I've never not been paid however.

I've also mentioned in the past about knowing when to say no. I wiil not do "severe" combos or stars anywhere close to the drivers line of sight. This for me is about 2/3 of the wiper sweep. I'm also very choosy about doing repairs on high end cars. Unless I'm sure it's the type and location of a break that will minimize the risk of dealing with a "nitpicky" customer.