shotty work from a reputable place

[ZmeFly]

well i went to have my new 944 ic mounted and plumbed into my 280ZX.

i picked the car up at closing so i could not call the shop back right away to discuss all that i found totaly wrong.

first off i told them i wanted mandrel bent piping, i get press bent piping, that was the first thing i asked when i when there is do you have a mandrel bending machine for pipe and the owner said yes.

second thing i noticed was that the top of my ic now has a small bend in it that wasnt there before.

third they had used what seems to be radiator hose for a deisel, instead of silicone hose.

i had made it clear also that i wanted my bov mounted as close to the throttle body as possible, this was not done and it was posted on my reciept that it was alright where it was.

they cut a hole out of the other side of my rad support, that wasnt needed.

all in all i could have bought all the bends and silicone hose myself from jcwhitney, spent less and personally done a better job.

wasted was 235 dollar for a real shotty job.

im just wondering do i have any recourse, is there anything i can have done, since the job wasnt performed the way i requested. i mean this is supposed to be the "speed shop" of choice in my area, if this is whats to be expected of them then i really need to find a good place to go to for this sort of work.

any suggestions would be appreciated

[Bambikiller240]

I Cali we have an agency called the California Bureau of Automotive Repair where customers can file complaints regarding shoddy repair work like this. I've never had to file a complaint, so I don't know how much they do for the customer, but that is where I would start bitching if the shop will not make it right to your satisfaction.

PS Why did they cut a hole in the opposite side of your radiator support from where the hole was needed?

[ZmeFly]

i explained exactly what i wanted him to do. i made it clear i want MANDREL bends, thats what i dont under stand i could have gotten press bent from a freind for much much less. then the cheap what seems to be radiator hose, thats the real kicker.

i told them this side is already cut out and ready for the pipes to go threw. i showed him everything. it just pisses me off to no end everytime i think about it.

[Bambikiller240]

James:

I can sure understand your feelings. On the few occasions that I have taken my car to shops, I have done as you and spelled everything out in clear terms as to what I expect done and not done. THEN, I leave the car with them and sweat bullets all day long wondering what I will discover when I arrive to pick the car up. Sadly I have rarely been completely satisfied with the results and/or explanations as to why things were not done as I specified them to be done.

The pipes and hose COULD replaced with the right stuff fairly easily (IF they chose to do so) couldn't it? Are they refusing to make it right for you?

But that hole.............Well, lets just say if MY car had an extra hole gouged out of it for no reason; SOMEBODY would have my size 13 boot embedding in their arse for a looong time.:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: (metaphorically speaking)

[Rob]

If I were you I would

a: return to the shop and very politely ask them to fix the car the way you wanted it done. You are likely to get a lukewarm reception, however if you can explain to them that you don't want to cause trouble, you just want your car the way you said you wanted it, you may have some luck. This approach has worked for me once.

If the above fails;

* get a quote from a body shop to get the hole repaired

* get a quote from another speed shop to get the press bends replaced with mandrels and the radiator hose replaced with silicon, and for the BOV to be moved.

* Find the government department that deals with shonky traders (we call them consumer affairs down here), and see if they will take up your cause for you.

Good luck

[ZmeFly]

i should have went and done it myself, but i let many people tell me they do good work. then again there cars have had everything done to them there at this place.

built from the ground up

ive seen some really nice and really expensive cars going in and out of there so i figured all was good.

i guess its the money you spend there, is the type of service you get.

[2ManyZs]

If what you wanted done is in print on your copy of the work order and you have it in your hands, take the car back and tell them the work was not done the way they agreed to do it. If they don't agree to do it correctly, then I'd tell them you are going to call the Better Business Bureau, or the state's office of that type. Might not hurt to try to give them the chance to do it right before you spend any money to fix it yourself....