Smash repairer debacle

[NX74205]

Let me begin by apologising for a slightly long winded post but I'd like some input from someone who knows how the panel beating industry works regarding my recent bad experience with a smash repairer who shall remain nameless for now.

It began when my car needed repairs after extensive damage that happened when some metal bars fell off the ute in front of me and straight into my car. I had a couple of dents on my bonnet and multiple scratches on my bonnet, windscreen, front passenger door, roof and rear quarter panel. As it was entirely the ute driver's fault, I made a claim with the insurance who determined that I'm not liable for any excess.

I was told that the job would take 8 working days which I thought at the time to be somewhat excessive. It was explained that they will repair the dents on the bonnet and paint the bonnet, front guards, front and rear doors on the passenger side, roof and rear quarter panel, as well as replace the windscreen. I was not expecting to have to leave my car there any more than five days and felt a bit uneasy doing so. Nevertheless, I accepted it without going elsewhere for a damage assessment.

I requested at the time of the assessment, however, that if the windscreen was to be replaced, I want to have exactly the same brand and same style windscreen fitted as the OEM equipment, and not an aftermarket variant even if it is fully functional and fully compatible. I was told that it would depend on what their distributor has, but if a customer has requested something different, is it that hard to find someone else who may have it in stock? Nevertheless I didn't press the issue, as I thought having told them once was enough. Telling them again would be nagging. I ended up getting a different windscreen with no word on whether they tried to source the windscreen I requested.

Long story short, car came back to me in a filthy state. The interior was dusty, there was an imprint of something heavy that was sitting on my back seat, a couple of scratches on the hard plastic driver's seat back, dust everywhere and smelling like a mixture of paint and glue (i.e. not pleasant). I enquired as to the state of the interior (but did not mention the scratches as I cannot be 100% certain that they weren't there before) and was told that they didn't have time to finish vacuuming the car, and that they usually do so. I find that difficult to accept as they have had the car for 8 full working days. What's more, I noticed on the first day that it was left sitting out the front in the car park exactly where I had parked it that morning, with no work seemingly having been done on it.

There was about 1.6km added to my odometer after I dropped it off which I find suspicious. They have another branch just down the road. If the car was taken there I would like to have been consulted before hand.

The exterior looked good upon first inspection, but there was overspray on the LF window and tyres, and shoddy paint finish on the roof, front door and LF guard. Thankfully, the tyres were due to be replaced anyway.

I'm hoping someone with knowledge of the industry can tell me whether I'm being unreasonable in:

1. Expecting it to be done quicker than 8 working days
2. Expecting to have exactly the same brand windscreen as the OEM equipment
3. Expecting not to have more than a few hundred metres added to the odometer
4. Expecting a perfect paint finish without overspray
5. Expecting a clean interior that doesn't smell of a mixture of paint and glue, and not to have my back seat used for storage of heavy items, even if they belong to my car.

I have bought some paint thinner to hopefully resolve the issue with the overspray on the windows. What can be done about the paint drips around the front left repeater light and the front bumper? The last thing I want right now is a complete respray. I have serious trust issues over leaving my car with anyone at the moment, much less the unnamed smash repairer ...

Thanks for your input.