I hate cars

I got a call from the bodyshop saying my car was ready to be picked up. I took a friend with me to drive my rental home but I started to drive by myself knowing something was going to be wrong.

We're having a major dust storm but from what I can tell the bodywork/paint is decent but it's covered in dust. So I tell them I want to drive it before signing the papers. I pull out of the parking lot and the steering is super heavy. Basically, if I turn and let go of the wheel, the car will just keep turning in circles forever. It's either a caster issue or something binding.

And of course they didn't use the Amsoil trans fluid that I supplied, showed to them, and noted on the invoice to top the trans off.

What pisses me off beyond belief is this went through two people before it got to me. The alignment shop supposedly test drove it and then the bodyshop guy drove it back. It's so bad, it's dangerous to drive.

Then I had to listen to the idiot mechanic tell me it's the tires. I had one tire replaced. Measured tread depth on the old ones are 8/32 and the new one is 9/32 which it clearly says on the invoice. Even if one tire was 26" tall and the other was 30" tall, it wouldn't make the car do what it's doing. The complete incompetence and lack of pride and honesty is unbelievable these days.

ABP_04TL

iTrader: (2)

wow dat suks bro

powerflow

At least you know how to deal with them. It's so hard finding a good reputable bodyshop, with fully trained, experienced techs. Some shops are so bad, they can't even be trusted to re-do something or complete a repair the right way.

Hope you work it out somehow.

Trew

iTrader: (1)

That sucks to hear man. It's funny how they think all customers are just dumb and will take everything they say for the truth.

I know you'll settle for nothing less than perfect after reading other posts by you. Stay on 'em till they get it right!

NaplesTL

Good luck that is why we do our 4 wheel alignment in house! There is so many things that a 4 wheel alignment can tell you about a repair.

stillhere153

iTrader: (1)

smart to drive before you sign, because you'd be left with paying for the fix urself...

I hate cars

I'm a slow learner but after about the 10th time getting screwed I learned my lesson. They're going to love it when I tell them to wash it so I can inspect the paint.

NaplesTL

If it is a repitable shop you whouldn't be stuck with it. (not at mine anyway) The only thing it is hard to determine would be rock chips after it has left.

NaplesTL

I would never try to deliver a car that wasn't spotless inside and out. I have one of the best Cleaning Engineers (detailer) in the business!! GOOD LUCK!!

I hate cars

I wish more shops were like yours. Mine is covered in dust inside and out making it impossible to see what kind of job they did on the paint.

NaplesTL

Unless your car had a broken window there is no excuse for bondo dust in the vehicle. Really even then they could have covered the damage window. I don't know how shops get away with what they do

WRXtranceformed

That sucks bro! Hammer them hard and make them make it right.. or if you don't trust them make sure they foot the bill for someone who will make it right.

I hate cars

Turns out it needs a new rack and pinion. The manager admitted the delivery boy was the only one that drove the car. Makes you feel good to know that the subframe was replaced and the car was untested before giving it back to the customer.

Sucks too because I had just put Amsoil synthetic powersteering fluid in it.

godfather2

don't know what to tell you except to be patient and persistant. my tsx was in and out fo the shop for the better part of 7 months before i was satisfied!!!

I hate cars

Well, I got it back today. Only things wrong were:

Center speaker grill damaged, I assume from the windshiled swap.

Windshield has a bad spot that blurs vision.

Steering is heavy but I decided to give it a couple days since my rental is an Equinox with incredibly light steering and I might've gotten used to it.

Exhaust leak. I can only hear it at WOT.

They're having someone come out to my work next week to replace the windshield again. I told them I would look at the exhaust leak since I'm taking it to the shop I used to work at to look at the underside and if unable to fix I would take it back.

They knocked some money off the deductible for my to buy a new speaker grill.

I didn't even get upset since it was expected.

On the plus side, they replaced a broken motor mount which I had been suspicious of for a while. Cold idle is much, much smoother now so the mount was previously damaged.

Road noise is less than before.

On-center steering feel is back.

The clunk in the front suspension is still there but not as bad.

Surprisingly, bodyroll and front end dive seems to be less but it could be because I've been driving an Equiniox rental for a while now.

Interestingly enough there's a charge to turn the ABS light off and the ABS is what helped cause the wreck in the first place. I forgot about it until I was stopping again and the ABS pulsed for no reason. Going to pull the fuse before I drive it again.

PhilB81

When replacing a windshield they don't even come close to the center speaker, unless the guy wrestles too much with removing - putting back your rear view mirror. I had a chip in my windshield, and I watched the guy replacing it [i have some pix in my album].

I hate cars

That reminds me, the rearview is not glued to the windshield. It vibrates and moves around so much it's useless once the car is moving. Luckily I have the other car to drive through the weekend until they get out to replace the windshield. The quality of work is terrible.

OTSB708

I noticed your from Bako, I'm originally from there, but moved to Sac for work.

What shop did the work? My brother is looking for a shop to do his work and I want to tell him to stay the hell away from that one....

I hate cars

You're one of the few that got away lol.

San Joaquin did most of the work. I don't want to give them a bad rep yet because they have been extremely cooperative so far. It sucks to have to take the car back but this has been the norm for me since I can remember.

Family Motors does good work. Stay away from anyone with an Austrailian accent doing bodywork in Bako. They stripped my GN and left it in a field and left town according to police.

jvinhj240

thats why i hate to keep my wreck car. problems keeeeeeep on goin...

ussi

iTrader: (1)

dang..i'm gettin my car back soon..i'm suspecting it won't be perfect either, i'm sure ill have problems

I hate cars

Just expect something to be wrong and if it's not, it will be a nice surprise. If there is something wrong, and there will be, you're already prepared.

I'm not throwing a fit because they threw in a few "freebies" like repainting my sand blasted front end for free and did a good job. At this point it's only costing me time but at least it's free.

At this point, I'm not knocking the bodyshop even though it's a bit annoying.

StYLeZz101

my car has been at a shop since 9/28/08...and seems like nothing is getting done...i havent even gotten a chance to really look at it..after a quick glance over i noticed 5 things that was wrong wit it..i kno i'm going to be in for a fun ride

burton

That sucks the auto shop i have been too does a really good job only thing ever missing or wrong was a floor mat that was gone.

OTSB708

I have heard that Family Motors does good work, but it is hard to convince me to take anything to a shop that has Jose Arredando's name on it. That guy has to be the most shadiest person out there LOL!

I have known Kyle (K-Daddy'z) for awhile now and I just told my brother to take his car to him to get the body work and paint done, its just going to take him awhile to get to it because his shop is always so busy.

That sucks about San Joaquin, although atleast they aren't being dicks about fixing stuff for you! Good luck getting your car fixed!

I hate cars

That's funny, the people I've told about what goes on at his house and his business look at me like I'm crazy. Most people think he's a great guy that gives a lot to charity. I watched him pull into Chevron in his Carrera GT and nearly high center it on some tall manhole covers. I wish I had a camera.

The bodyshop is good but knowing what I know now is part of the reason I didn't press Geico into going with Family.

I hate cars

Well this shit gets better and better.....

I was driving home tonight and the wheel fell off. Luckily I was only going 15mph and had just rounded a corner. The fender is destroyed, I guess it's not meant to support the entire weight of the front end. I went back and picked up some bearings of some sort off of the road, one of which was frozen solid. The axle must've been pulled out of the trans because in drive, it just revved like it was in neutral and to get it back in park I had to shut the engine off and let everything stop spinning.

So I was stuck in the middle of traffic with no way to move the car. The girlfriend thought someone had hit us when it happened. I get to take another day off of work for this stuff. I do a lot of commuting on a two lane road and this could've turned out real bad, not to mention the girlfriend drives the car a lot. Now my car is sitting at a yard in a bad part of town, luckily I transferred my subs and one of the amps to the girlfriend's car. I'm actually glad I have 10 hours to calm down before the shop opens otherwise I would probably go to jail.

csmeance

Stay calm, get a police report showing what happened and the pieces found. Remember DOCUMENT EVERYTHING! A wheel falling off is serious business

I hate cars

Got a report and took lots of pictures. Interestingly enough my steering finally loosened up....

bzyrice

iTrader: (10)

WOW.. that sucks man.. i think i wouldve called the police if that happened and filed a police report... holy cow.. that shiet is crazy.. losing a WHEEL!?!

bzyrice

iTrader: (10)

wow we were all on the same train of thought haha.. all posted almost at the same time!

csmeance

Sorry in advance for this but Finally Loose steering

NaplesTL

I am not sure if you went through insurance, but if you took it where the insurance told you to take I would raise holy hell with the insurance!!! Tell them (insurance) you will NOT take it to that body shop again. If they can't find time to do it right the first time what makes you think they are going to do it right the SECOND time! Not to mention the second repair mistake might kill YOU! They should give you another shop to take it to and the insurance will stick it too the original shop that did the repair. BUT if you just took it to a shop you wanted too, this all means nothing. I am sorry man this sucks!

I hate cars

Well, it's at a different shop. The insurance is very pissed at the bodyshop or so they're acting. The bodyshop is supposedly being taken off their preferred shop list but all of this could be to keep me calm.

I inspected it today. The ball joint is not broekn. It pulled out of the lower control arm with the nut and cotter pin still attached and tight. It looks like there was supposed to be a washer between the nut and control arm. Otherwise I don't see what was holding it together. The nut might as well not have been there without a washer.

The fender is screwed so bad it looks like the car was wrecked and it may have even taken out part of the door.

I was too upset to pay the orignal shop a visit. Prob going to wait until next week.

I hate cars

Just another update, I must have forgotten to update at the last incident.

A couple months ago the car starts feeling like the alignment is off. It's tramlining and feels unstable. Commmuting home on a 2-lane highway I hear something bounce off the underside of the car. I know it's metal but I'm hoping it was just a rock. I come up on traffic and hit the brakes and the wheel turns left, car turns right. I repeat a few times to make sure and something is seriously wrong. I slow to 40mph on the side of the road with my hazards and get it home. The front tires are now worn out. The lower control arm bolt is most of the way out and the nut is what I heard.

I get both front tires replaced even after they tried to blame it on a "bolt issue" and a 4 wheel alignment along with all new bolts for the front suspension. The spot where the bolt goes throught the subframe is now twice it's normal size.

Fast forward to a few days ago.... The tires have now gotten so loud I'm embarrased to have passengers in the car. One of my front tires is running 50 degrees hotter than the rest. Rolling the windows down sounds like I have mud tires on the car. 1,500 miles and the fronts are over halfway worn and the rears that had near perfect wear for the previous 10,000 miles are now bald at the inside edge and cupped big time.

To top it off today I pass a diesel carrying gravel (going the opposite way) and get several huge cracks in the windshield and took areas of my hood, fenders, and doors down to the metal. I was so pissed I forgot that I was going 50mph and went into the shoulder on the side, spun it 180 and caught up with the truck very quickly. It was like a hail storm of gravel. I was flashing my lights, laying on the horn, and even pulled up beside him yelling out the window. He refused to pull over so I called 911 and got his license plate. The CHP filed a report and hopefully they get the truck. I should have waited to call 911 and just followed him to wherever he was going but I was upset enough to beat him so I'm kind of glad I didn't.

So hopefully I hear from the CHP soon. And with this last incident with the bodyshop, I got a lawyer instead of giving them a 10th chance to screw my car up. He's insisting on going for depreciation, time off of work (11 trips), and I can't remember the third count, which I totally agree with.

Hapa DC5

Unbelievable!! I hope all of this works out for you. Shops really thing they can get away with murder by lying and cheating the customer.

leedogg

Damn man. You should change your name to 'I hate bodyshops'

KzooTL

Horror story, i can't tell you how many bad experiences i've had with people working on my cars in the past. I try and do all the work myself these days but in situations like yours its not like you have a choice.

Its so hard to find a good shop that treats you car like theirs and doesn't rush a job because they are backed up at your expense.

Glad you lawyered up..F#$# those guys.

flyromeo3

i cant believe repair shops wont even do that. That alone goes a big way in satisfying a customer.

Guess most business dont give a shit about "customer service" anymore.

I hate cars

I agree. Honestly, this would have been the 11th or 12th time going back to the same shop for major issues and more for minor issues. Every time they fix one problem and create a couple more problems. They almost caused 2 wrecks and have cost me way too many hours off of work to deal with them. I don't really believe in sueing people over little things but I believe that's the only way to get things done. Besides, it takes a lot to piss me off but once I do, my people skills are not so good so it's better to have the lawyer handle it.