I seldom take the trouble to write a post in all my years in this forum. However, this experience with sgCARmart and MSP Performance Centre (AKA Ah Lim Spray) made me extremely disappointed and feeling unjust. Hope to share this with others and thanks in advance for reading this lengthy post.
I was recommended Ah Lim Spray by my friend. He had been a long term customer and I too trusted this workshop and James as I spray my previous rims many years before. However, this time round, I noticed something different when I visited the shop. I sent in my 3 months old white BMW to respray a long scratch at my right rear door and touch up some kerb rash on one rim. I didn't pressure for time nor press for a discount. I was quoted 1 day job and $280. The reviews on sgCARmart were generally good. Actually, too good to be true and I wish I didn't trust them early and just went straight for SWC instead. My previous E46 was kissed from behind and SWC did an extremely good job then. MSP's work is a whole world of difference. Here's the story.
James, the boss I had contact with previously, no longer hangs around at the shop, seldom answers the calls and has a care-less attitude. A lady, Carol and her china worker is all you get nowadays. I don't know how this business is run now, there is a MSP performance banner under the old "Ah Lim Spray" shop sign. Carol is helpful initially, but the quality of the work is EXTREMELY BAD! I have to return 5-6 times, No calls to let you know it's ready to collection, no courtesy ride/car and the place is extremely dusty and dirty. It's at the old workshops in Eunos Ave 4. Leaving your car there overtime will collect a film of dirt and stray paint from the shop. The taping, masking work and covering is bad. I got tape markings and stains on my black glossy trims. Some other parts were not covered well and stray paint will cover all over your car. The Spray painting is done in a rush. I got numerous teardrops, uneven sprays, bubbles and trapped dirt. Carol gave an excuse on the 1st return trip that a mosquito had landed on the paint, causing the uneveness. My door handles are rough to touch now and the door welcome lights have paint and yellow tint. My carbon fibre side skirting sticker is whitish and I can't clean off the white paint particles stuck to it. My petrol tank cover has stray paint inside and everything is just MESSY! Just for one rear door, they sprayed onto the other panels from a portion of the front side panel, entire front door and a portion of the rear side panel. Even after several returns and leaving my car there for days, the final result is still unacceptable. The tone of my doors are now darker from the original. Don't expect them to polish your paint. The finish will be rough to touch, with pinholes here and there.
The kerb rash on the rims was badly done as well. My new rim was sanded on parts that didn't need sanding and the finish surface is no longer smooth.
Carol doesn't supervise the work, I doubt she is even good herself. Everytime you point out something, they will say they didn't touch that portion, next, they will say a respray will cause even more uneven. Another batch of paint, different tone, etc. etc. Alot of bullsh!t and zero professionalism. Anything you don't like, the chinaman will just sandpaper or try to polish off. Just recently, the edge of the rear door has a paint chip. Roughly 3-4mm diameter. Carol wanted money for the repair and refused to help. James just hung up on the phone. The chinaman just denies and claims everything is normal and acceptable.
I'm very sad I sent my new ride to this shop and it has been a terrible experience for me and my wife. I would advise anyone to go to somewhere with better facilities, at least an expert old-timer painter, a good after spray service/light polish and not rush job. This place isn't cheap anyways and if not for my friends recommendation, I wouldn't have used them. What's more, it's no longer the same worker there. I'm so sad that it's like how everything in Singapore is wearing the old shop sign but giving bad service by china man workers. The Boss no longer interested in his customers and just gets a chinaman to work for the money. Sgcarmart's review is another thing. I wrote a review but the system says it'll be reviewed by the merchant before it is posted. Hence, when you guys go onto sgcarmart, please take it what is posted with caution. It seems like all bad things are censored by the merchant themselves. I've learnt alot from my mistake of trusting reviews in sgcarmart and this workshop; and hope nobody steps into this same trap as me.
These pictures shows the defects I have found on the 2nd return trip to the workshop.
View attachment 65862View attachment 65863
I was recommended Ah Lim Spray by my friend. He had been a long term customer and I too trusted this workshop and James as I spray my previous rims many years before. However, this time round, I noticed something different when I visited the shop. I sent in my 3 months old white BMW to respray a long scratch at my right rear door and touch up some kerb rash on one rim. I didn't pressure for time nor press for a discount. I was quoted 1 day job and $280. The reviews on sgCARmart were generally good. Actually, too good to be true and I wish I didn't trust them early and just went straight for SWC instead. My previous E46 was kissed from behind and SWC did an extremely good job then. MSP's work is a whole world of difference. Here's the story.
James, the boss I had contact with previously, no longer hangs around at the shop, seldom answers the calls and has a care-less attitude. A lady, Carol and her china worker is all you get nowadays. I don't know how this business is run now, there is a MSP performance banner under the old "Ah Lim Spray" shop sign. Carol is helpful initially, but the quality of the work is EXTREMELY BAD! I have to return 5-6 times, No calls to let you know it's ready to collection, no courtesy ride/car and the place is extremely dusty and dirty. It's at the old workshops in Eunos Ave 4. Leaving your car there overtime will collect a film of dirt and stray paint from the shop. The taping, masking work and covering is bad. I got tape markings and stains on my black glossy trims. Some other parts were not covered well and stray paint will cover all over your car. The Spray painting is done in a rush. I got numerous teardrops, uneven sprays, bubbles and trapped dirt. Carol gave an excuse on the 1st return trip that a mosquito had landed on the paint, causing the uneveness. My door handles are rough to touch now and the door welcome lights have paint and yellow tint. My carbon fibre side skirting sticker is whitish and I can't clean off the white paint particles stuck to it. My petrol tank cover has stray paint inside and everything is just MESSY! Just for one rear door, they sprayed onto the other panels from a portion of the front side panel, entire front door and a portion of the rear side panel. Even after several returns and leaving my car there for days, the final result is still unacceptable. The tone of my doors are now darker from the original. Don't expect them to polish your paint. The finish will be rough to touch, with pinholes here and there.
The kerb rash on the rims was badly done as well. My new rim was sanded on parts that didn't need sanding and the finish surface is no longer smooth.
Carol doesn't supervise the work, I doubt she is even good herself. Everytime you point out something, they will say they didn't touch that portion, next, they will say a respray will cause even more uneven. Another batch of paint, different tone, etc. etc. Alot of bullsh!t and zero professionalism. Anything you don't like, the chinaman will just sandpaper or try to polish off. Just recently, the edge of the rear door has a paint chip. Roughly 3-4mm diameter. Carol wanted money for the repair and refused to help. James just hung up on the phone. The chinaman just denies and claims everything is normal and acceptable.
I'm very sad I sent my new ride to this shop and it has been a terrible experience for me and my wife. I would advise anyone to go to somewhere with better facilities, at least an expert old-timer painter, a good after spray service/light polish and not rush job. This place isn't cheap anyways and if not for my friends recommendation, I wouldn't have used them. What's more, it's no longer the same worker there. I'm so sad that it's like how everything in Singapore is wearing the old shop sign but giving bad service by china man workers. The Boss no longer interested in his customers and just gets a chinaman to work for the money. Sgcarmart's review is another thing. I wrote a review but the system says it'll be reviewed by the merchant before it is posted. Hence, when you guys go onto sgcarmart, please take it what is posted with caution. It seems like all bad things are censored by the merchant themselves. I've learnt alot from my mistake of trusting reviews in sgcarmart and this workshop; and hope nobody steps into this same trap as me.
These pictures shows the defects I have found on the 2nd return trip to the workshop.
View attachment 65862View attachment 65863
