Complete 350Z catastrophe

[Hrududu]

This is just a warning to everyone in CA who might be looking to get some inexpensive body work done. Avoid this shop, and warn anyone you know about it! This isn't even the first car he's destroyed. I know most of you know better and only do the best for your Z, but you never know. Be warned, the pictures in this link may haunt you for a while.

350Z disaster

[westpak]

what a joke, kids!

when I had gotten the quote for 250.00 for the whole lip kit I would have ran not walked away, even at 750.00 final charge it is still cheap for a good body shop, between paint and install for all of the parts I would have expected around 1000.0 based on stuff I have had done to my 350Z. nothing makes up for doing your homework.

[gotswap]

oh my god, that is quite the story. I feel bad for that kid.

[MikeW]

nothing makes up for doing your homework.

Funny that you mention homework. I thought this section was particularly funny:

Wednesday comes, my car isn't ready.

He said he had food poisoning.

People get sick, that's life. I understood, and was told my car would be ready by Friday/Saturday 9/19 - 9/20.

Thursday, he told me via AIM he was stuck doing homework.

Still reassured my car would be ready by Friday/Saturday.

[westpak]

Funny that you mention homework. I thought this section was particularly funny:

Wednesday comes, my car isn't ready.

He said he had food poisoning.

People get sick, that's life. I understood, and was told my car would be ready by Friday/Saturday 9/19 - 9/20.

Thursday, he told me via AIM he was stuck doing homework.

Still reassured my car would be ready by Friday/Saturday.

yeah if my body man is stuck doing homework I am not sure I would be using him, not sure if the funny part is the end product or that this kid actually picked this guy to do the work.

[JimmyZ]

Tearful and painful lesson! The drywall screws were a nice touch! I think I'll go sink some in my car right NOW! ROFLROFLROFL

Seriously. This Z owner is screwed. Poor guy.

[EScanlon]

In short words and not hoping to "stir" anyone up, the original poster of the car is responsible as well.

Why? Simple, he was quoted $250 INITIALLY... for a full skirt install AND repaint? TANSTAAFL. Something was obviously and seriously not in-line here. The owner's expectations based on that initial quote are definitively suspect. What did he really think he was getting?

The body-shop's quotation and explanation are ludicrous to the extent of lunacy. I won't even mention what I think of their work, but it looks commensurate with what I would have expected for a $250 complete aero install and paint. There's a reason that cheap ain't necessarily good.

I'm posting a quote from the thread mentioned that says it extremely well:

(Addressing the butchered 350z owner)

Mistake #1

you bought a replica kit... and in urethane. How did you expect it to fit? It is clear from the pics that urethane kits are REALLY flexible and not easily painted.

Mistake #2

So now you take this poorly fitting, hard to paint replica to a shop that apparently you did not research properly. You live in cali, there are decent shops everywhere that have good reputations. Why not go to a shop recommended to you, from people on the board even?

Mistake #3

You get a quote of 250 bucks to fit and paint the kit? Right there would have been a HUGE red flag considering the material alone to paint and clear the pieces would have cost that much... and then he revises up to 730 bucks, which is still a shockingly low price... what kind of work did you expect? You get what you pay for

Mistake #4

You actually paid for this? I don't care if it was pitch black and he offered to respray and refit the entire kit. Once you opened the doors you had to have seen the multitude of randomly installed screws along the door sill. having had a hint of any issues, the car should have been pulled into a lighted bay and inspected properly, had everything documented and within a day or so, taken to another shop to be even more thoroughly inspected.

The work is horribly done, and even with the mistakes you made, it does not excuse what was done. With that said, it is buy beware, and you obviously lack due diligence in this situation. I really feel for you, but IMHO you have to thoroughly research, not only the shop you will use, but the items/parts you bring them. which IMHO, again, you did not.

To go further, I am surprised this could be fixed for under 5 grand. You are looking at new bumper covers, refitting the doors, at least a full buff job, possibly a respray of the car depending on the magnitude of overspray... and then you want to refit that kit? Sorry, if you plan on doing that, you haven't learned a thing. Even a good shop will struggle fitting a crap kit. Even worse now that this shop butchered it up.

My advise, is to scrap the kit, get the shop in question to pay the repair bill by a reputable shop (obviously legal action and some luck will be needed)... by repair I would consider getting you back to OEM status repaired. You eat the cost of that crappy replica and chalk it up to a lesson learned.

As we've all heard time and time again.... if something sounds TOO GOOD to be true, it probably IS.

2¢

E

Edited October 8, 2008 by EScanlon

[ToXIc]

:stupid:

[sblake01]

I think that's the place where I bought the strut bar for my 810. I didn't have them install it however:)

[Weasel73240Z]

Obviously the old line about a deal thats too good to be true applies here, so I would have "head for the hills" when I heard the $250 initial price tag. But still, that is without question, just about the worst work I've ever seen.

Look at it this way though, at least they didn't ruin an S30.:nervous:

[bigoak]

Wow, that is unbelievably bad...

Man-o-man...

Initial post was a week ago and already 39 pages of replies...

[7277]

i truly believe i could do better BLIND FOLDED.....

as others mention, if it's too good to be true it is. i see similar crap like that in the home improvement business.. several times i come in AFTER a CHEAP guy cuts and runs from a job he didn't have experience with or underestimated the job...and leaves the homeowner with a mess...