Loss Fender Cladding\Flares After Repair

[RedVibe123]

We have a 2003 Pontiac Vibe that we have owned since new that we were hit broadsided by a drunk driver. Prior to the accident everything was like new or better. About 6 weeks later (2 weeks after getting it out of the shop) we were then re-ended by a guy in a truck looking backward at the load in the bed of his truck coming up to a stop sign while he was driving forward.

After the first accident the Fender Cladding\Flares on the side that was taken apart and put back together no longer fits tight to the body. There is a grayish black piping between the cladding and the body that has gaps in places between the piping and the body panel. On the front Cladding\Flare I can flex it in to meet the body panel (with little effort) but it relaxes back out to leave a gap between the piping and the body panel.

The other side is perfect (tight to body), on the hit reworked side for the back wheel flare or the front no longer fit tight to the body anymore. The back wheel flare is the original and was only removed so they could feather the paint back, it used to fit tight prior to the accident.

My Body Shop repairman claims that there should only be a two sided tape to hold the plastic piping to the back side of the Flare and not any tape between the piping and the body panel. I don't know any better but I had always assumed there was tape on both sides of the plastic piping to hold it tight to the body. He could very well be correct? I don't think he remembered this was my second visit to the body shop in 3 months and he stated that after two weeks the Fender Cladding\Flare will relax and then it will fit tight to the body. When I reminded him it has been 6 weeks or more since the work was done he said it might not be warm enough and I may need to wait until next summer until the Body Cladding\Flare becomes tight to the body.

I would like to know opinions on if by waiting till next summer it is likely the Fender Flares that doesn't fit now will become tight to the body and fit better or if there is something different that could be done with the install that would make these fender cladding\flares fit tight to the body?