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Jun 26, 2020 23:07:10 GMT
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So I deliver my MX5 to an mx5 specialist for a four wheel alignment, nothing special.
I asked if I could look at it on the ramp. Was told No, you can’t for insurance purposes as we carry the alignment out at our other unit.
Ok I thought, bizarre. But I trust these guys on reputation alone.
I give them the keys and they drive off.
I walk to Tesco to get a drink, I see my car, door open, abandoned in the Tesco petrol station and walk over to see what the hells going on. He quickly jumps back in from the petrol station shop and drives away.
Mmmmm.... something very wrong.
So I walk back to the specialist, and wait there.
Car turns up, a print off, obviously from another garage, numbers aren’t quite right, so he scribbled some curse word on it.
Mmmm....... something very wrong.
He answers yeah, tricky those eccentric locks, there curse word. I admit there not great. But they function, and I had my phone on me if any help was required or the job couldn’t be completed.
Ultimately they bent the subframe eccentric ears, removed all my hard work painting. And consistently lied about this other building.
Is it wrong that’s they subbed the work out to someone else, who then totally screwed up? How would you proceed?
The subframe Was brand new, bolts new, bushes new. Many hours spent painting and perfecting it. Now I have more work than I started, and out of pocket.
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ferny
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 979
Club RR Member Number: 13
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What have they said when you've spoken to them about it?
Using another garage for work is fine. If it needed tyres you'd have no concern with them getting them elsewhere. Same goes for MOT work where test stations use other garages for repair as they only test. Covering it up so blatantly however, that just instills mistrust. I guess they're scared youd just go directly to them in future.
As to paint. Is the damage consistent with raising and working on a vehicle? If so, then no big deal. I can't understand how they could have done anything other than that, which means if they have then you can complain. Your complaint is with who you paid.
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stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,813
Club RR Member Number: 174
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Subbing the odd bit out is normal, subbing the entire job out is ridiculous. Make a complaint to them, they should be repairing the car. It'll then be up-to them to get reimbursed by the place that did the tracking in first place.
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Unfortunate the damage is just misunderstanding of the job, I had explained my concerns, to the original garage owner. But I think he took it to this other place for the alignment and maybe went for lunch etc.
Mazda uses eccentric lower pivot bolts, and u shaped ears to sit them in. The ears on mine are heavily deformed, and there is no paint left as the metal is twisted.
I think they saw me as a quick ££, which is just sad. Especially for one of the most renowned mx5 tuners in the uk.
I’m going back to speak to them, but I imagine they’ll have just for forgotten about me and will try and fob me off. For me, this is what they’re insurance is for, jobs that go wrong.
I’ll post some pictures maybe after I’ve spoken to them
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Absolutely nothing wrong with a garage subcontracting work - there are many specialist areas within the motor industry that require specific skills & specialised equipment and its very rare that one single facility can accommodate every single element of that process - just like I sub contract out any engine rebuilding / tyre fitting / MOT / air conditioning work - equally there a few garage businesses that trust their specialist paintwork with me - You need to disregard the fact they have used a separate facility for undertaking the work it doesn't even come into the fact that you have alleged damage on the vehicle - concentrate on that with garage responsible rather than clouding the argument with facts that are irrelevant to the principal subject matter and you might just start to get somewhere
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You have in effect agreed a contract with 'the garage' anything that is wrong or you are unsatisfied with is down to them whether or not they sub the work. Any issues or financial hit is between them and their subby. AS GN says concentrate on the issue you're concerned about, the damage etc, rectification/repair is their responsibility.
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Needs a bigger hammer mate.......
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You guys are all correct, the subcontracting wasn’t an issue. They just told me they were doing it at there own facility, which is a lie. The subframe Had 25miles on it, brand new, phosphate coated, painted by me which was several hours work. Now it looks like this. Suppose to look like this: Ultimately I went there this morning, and spoke to the owner of the company (same guy who abandoned my car in a petrol station). Within a few seconds, he was already offering a refund and asked me to leave. Was almost immediate. I was calm, sat down, and accepted the refund. I then purveyed my disappointment in the damage. He, as a person was unable to see a mistake. He asked, “would you have rather had a car that crabs and isn’t aligned” and I replied “yes”. Because of the damage, I now have an estimated 10hours of work. Repainting, bending it back, inspecting the welds, and then I’ll align it myself as I’ve done for the past five years. Just wish the specialist had called me, when he realised he had a problem, but instead he damaged all four corners of the subframe with an insane amount of force. The lady who made the subframe, asked me to congratulate him on being the first to break that area, but I didn’t. Ultimately, I still can’t trust anyone to work on anything that’s not generic.
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Jun 27, 2020 10:33:56 GMT
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I don't know where you'd stand in claiming money to pay for the repairs needed if you did them yourself, but if you took it to a restoration specialist and asked them to right the wrongs, and then took the bill to the original garage I can imagine they'd have a bit of a shock. As far as subbing the job out to another garage, it not unusual but when its the entire job surely they could've just pointed you in the direction of someone who could do it? And leaving your car in the petrol station unattended with its door open. BIG no.
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Jun 27, 2020 12:00:33 GMT
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Did he have horses tied up outside his premises and wear a stetson? Glad you at least got the money back.
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Needs a bigger hammer mate.......
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Jun 27, 2020 14:20:12 GMT
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Nothing wrong with subbing a job out but you have to stand by the work they do.
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stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,813
Club RR Member Number: 174
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Jun 27, 2020 14:53:44 GMT
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Absolutely nothing wrong with a garage subcontracting work - there are many specialist areas within the motor industry that require specific skills & specialised equipment and its very rare that one single facility can accommodate every single element of that process - just like I sub contract out any engine rebuilding / tyre fitting / MOT / air conditioning work - equally there a few garage businesses that trust their specialist paintwork with me - You need to disregard the fact they have used a separate facility for undertaking the work it doesn't even come into the fact that you have alleged damage on the vehicle - concentrate on that with garage responsible rather than clouding the argument with facts that are irrelevant to the principal subject matter and you might just start to get somewhere I think the problem here is (I'm assuming) he's used a specialist in the marque for tracking as they should know the correct way to do it. The fact they've then sent it to a normal shop to do the work who obviously don't know how to do the work correctly means there was no benefit to using the MX5 specialist at all.
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Jun 27, 2020 16:26:14 GMT
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Hi, This is obviously one of those situations where do you send it, to a marque/model specialist or the service specialist. Speaking to the model specialist first to find out if they can do it themselves or do they recommend someone who can, because it can't be the first time this situation has happened.
Colin
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Last Edit: Jun 28, 2020 10:41:53 GMT by colnerov
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Jun 27, 2020 22:49:52 GMT
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I’m glad to get my money back,
The owner couldn’t really see how much work he caused me, and appreciate how much effort I have put in.
I believe him to be over worked, but also to have lost his enthusiasm for the job he does. Hence the lack of respect for my vehicle and me as a customer.
They are in my mind, the most renowned mx5 specialist in the uk, but I won’t name them.
My hint to any future retrorides readers and contributors. Is go and have a chat and scope out a garage, don't go on here say and reputation. Honesty is worth more than reputation and prestige.
So I have a couple of days of painting, my own alignment to do, and probably some welding. All to save an hour. I do everything myself. And it’s going to stay that way.
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Jun 28, 2020 10:34:36 GMT
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Had a similar experience of a "specialist" not naming but a place somewhere just off the M1 and the area is famous for steel...
I hope you get the MX5 sorted. If you got the skills and the tools always better to do the work yourself.. Sadly I didn't.
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steveg
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,548
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Jun 28, 2020 12:58:04 GMT
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Not sure I agree that is OK for a specialist to sub contract out work if they haven't told you they would be. You go to a specialist in the first place in the hope they know more than you local branch of tyre and exhaust fitters about your model of car. Only to find it's been taken there anyway and possibly cost twice as much!
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Jun 28, 2020 14:39:08 GMT
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Years a go I took my Jaguar to the main dealer in Worcester (H A Fox) for 4 wheel alignment and they just took it to a tyre place round the corner. When I wanted it done again a few years later I took it direct to the tyre place and when I collect it they thought I was from H A Fox as thats what the car came up on their system as.
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jamesd1972
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 2,818
Club RR Member Number: 40
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Jun 28, 2020 16:24:33 GMT
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Years a go I took my Jaguar to the main dealer in Worcester (H A Fox) for 4 wheel alignment and they just took it to a tyre place round the corner. When I wanted it done again a few years later I took it direct to the tyre place and when I collect it they thought I was from H A Fox as thats what the car came up on their system as. Should have agreed it was and let them invoice the dealers ! James
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Jun 28, 2020 17:35:36 GMT
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Not sure I agree that is OK for a specialist to sub contract out work if they haven't told you they would be. You go to a specialist in the first place in the hope they know more than you local branch of tyre and exhaust fitters about your model of car. Only to find it's been taken there anyway and possibly cost twice as much! My thoughts exactly, charged me a damn good mark up I can tell you
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bricol
Part of things
Posts: 280
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Jul 14, 2020 11:56:32 GMT
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Years ago I took my Lancia to a garage over the road from work after a sudden horrendous noise from underneath on the way to work.
I'm on the shopfloor of our fabrication shop discussing some issues, when in wanders one of the others guys from the garage over the road . . . carrying my lower gearbox mounting that he wanted welding up . . .
Strangely, I got the repair free when I mentioned the sub-contracting I had spotted . . .
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