LudaChris

I am currently stationed in Ramstein Germany and just got my car today, 04 TL ASpec kit on 20's with Skunk2 springs. When I got the car, the tan leather driver side door, seat, center console had grease residues everywhere like someone did an oil change with bare hands and started driving the car. Check this out, there was a cat litter box on the passenger side floor. ??? I asked the driver and he said call your shipping company, he's just the delivery driver. Can't even talk to him because he's speaking German, very little english. When I got home and I found a half inch thick nylon rope hanging form driver side sway bar (????). Three hours ago around 1am 30 min after I just got home from work. I received a phone call about a vehicle blocking an aircraft, I have to fix it or somehow move it. (my job is vehicle mechanic). I guess back to work, haha. I am kinda excited. TL meets Autobahn. Soon after driving, I heard a clunking noise when I go forward and hit brake, reverse and hit brake. Tires making squeeking sound when making contact to the ground. I hit the Autobahn and felt vibration around 80mph. Now I'm really pist. She used to ride smooth without issues. I visually inspected under car and everything seems to be in order. I hit Autobahn on way home and vibration at 80 is still there so I took it up to 100 no vibration ,okay at 120, 130 and vibrated again around 145. I think someone took my car for a joy ride, or more like abuse ride, something is definitely wrong and I need to find out fast. Maybe motor mount, wheel balance, bent rim? maybe? I'm calling shipping company tomorrow. I know there are vibration issues with 3G TL so I guess it's my turn now. Any suggestions what to check? Thanks.

JwongTLS

Dam dude that sucks,definately get that checked out.I would be hella piss as well..But congrats on the pick-up! take it easy bra.

mmade22

Could be from them strapping the car down and they bent something. Have you done the basics, check the lug nuts, tire pressure, check for uneven marks on the tires?

ecliptics

wtf? cat litter box in the passenger floor? sounds like your shipping company did more with your TL than jus send it to Germany! you should call your shipping company and complain. see what they can do..

LudaChris

Yup, they prabobly tweeked something strapping it down. Tire pressure is around 32psi and brand new since I replaced it before I shipped it, can't really tell uneven surfaces (yet). I'll remember she was at 35 psi before. My wife even noticed the noise when she drove it and I did not tell her about the problem. I'm going for alignment again here, just got that aligned at sears before shipping. Hope that solves it. I know for sure it pulls to the right. The cat litter still bugs the crap out of me??? It was clean at least, no piss or doo doo. But Still!!! By the way, Ecliptics. 408 Baby, I'm from Santa Clara. "The BAY"

nfnsquared

Instead of cat litter, it may have been some type of dessicant to absorb moisture during the shipment

LudaChris

I really hope so. I called shipping company but they give me the point the finger to another company. My car's been transfered from different companies from San Jose, CA to Long Beach port by one carrier, US Customs, US port to Bremerhaven port in Germany, German Customs, German shipping company to Ramstein (6hours away). By the way, I tossed that litter box beside my driveway and a stray cat used it #1 and #2.

I hate cars

Best case scenario is the cat litter was there to soak up the salt air moisture and the tires flat spotted from sitting in the same postition for so long and probably strapped down way too tight. I've never owned a car so sensitive to flat spotting tires.

eluzion

A cat liter box? What the hell... Which branch are you in? I'm headed to Mississippi at the end of the year but TMO doesn't cover transporting vehicles CONUS so I gotta find someone to ship it down there for me. Hopefully I won't find a cat liter box in my car...

minhtin

I actually had cat liter box in my car too when they shipped it. I could never figured out why it was in there. At least it was clean. I'd just file a claim they will pay for any damage and then some.
Haha you guys from 408? 831 here.

TeknoKing

It is not a cat litter box.... It is a dehumidifier... EVERY container shipped overseas has this. The sea salt water 'fumes' ruins and rusts metal, foam, leather...etc...

To the OP, you need to raise your car and thoroughly inspected inch by inch, it's possible it got damaged during the entry to the container, people are idiots that do that job.

Good luck.

LudaChris

Okay, that sounds better and explains the cat litter. However, the vibration issues. I know that TLs are known for the vibration problem and the question is, what is the fix or combination fix. I remember when I first seen the car in the trailer, the driver said that the battery is dead, I told him that I have a jump pack but he said that he got one too so I left him alone to do what he had to do to get the TL down. Instead of jumping it, he rolled it down the trailer while in reverse and popped clutch to get the car started. It was not a fun site to see because I thought my car was going to fall off the trailer when he popped the clutch. It started but now I am wondering if that tweaked the axle, or broke a motor mount. I guess I need to check. Has anyone successfully pinpointed this problem? I've been doing a lot of searching about TL vibration and there are tons of them but no real solution. My 1997 Toyota Avalon I bought here from the junk yard rides 10 times better than my TL. I can go 130mph with no vibration what-so-ever. Seriously. I need this problem fixed soon because I ride the Autobahn 15 miles each way to work and I cannot settle driving 70mph. Old grandma past me earlier in her stationwagon. She starts vibrating around 50mph and I do not feel comfortable driving past 80mph. I am leaning towards motor mount problem because when I gun it all the way, it does not vibrate until I let off. That explains my first testing when I took it past 140mph. Any successfull fix?

LudaChris

I'm in the Air Force. You shouldn't have too much problem shippping CONUS but I suggest getting insurance from that company you are shipping. Out of 3 cars I shipped Integra, Odyssey, TL. All have damages. My Integra rear body kit was ripped(2 years ago), Odyssey huge dent on rear hatch and bumper, cracked taillight (2 months ago) and now my TL problem not to mention a 6 inch scratch by the front passenger side side skirt.

By the way, you will get paid driving to to your next duty station. You do not have to drive it, they will still pay you per mile. Just ship it and say that you drove it.

nfnsquared

I'd still bet your tires are flat spotted. It's only been 5 days. It might take up to 2 weeks to work out the flat spots. I really doubt that the trailer incident broke a motor mount or tweaked an axle, although it could have knocked a tire weight off of one of your rims. Give it another week or so and if the vibration is still there, have the tire balance checked.

Oh yeah, nice job encouraging fraud, waste and abuse to a fellow service member. Have you forgotten the Air Force core values?

LudaChris

I guess more driving/time needed. Thanks for reminder of the AF core values. My bad.

coolmints

iTrader: (1)

hey bro, was wondering did the shipping company gave you a waiver form or a form of inspection. i had a sponsoree coming from spangdahlem and i told him before he send his car make sure you get one or the other. The company might try to make you sign a bunch of form, one of them is to waive the inspection. Usually you inspect your vehicle with the rep from the shipping company and take photographs of the vehicle conditions. A lot of guys don't know they can do this and usually get a rim job from the shipping company. Talk to TMO they might be able to do something for compensation of your vehicle.

Be-in my TL

All he did was bump start your car. It shouldn't have don'e anything. Remember, all a starter does is turn the engine. What he is doing is using the transmission to turn the engine, thus starting it. Just a little info, it shouldn't do anything to axles.

D'sNBP

LudaChris, were you at Yokota and had a black Honda Prelude? You sound familiar.