Right, lets say you will be shocked with this one!!

 

The worst get even worse. Things got messy!!!

 

So couple of weeks we went down to pick my car and parts up.

 

Took about 3 hours to get there then a further about 3 hours to load the van up of parts. We totally filled a big Transit van full of my parts.

 

All was good up until this point.

 

Through out the duration they kept making comments saying i was a fool and left the car for them to finish trying to make me feel bad. They had it for over a year and a half and the engine was out the car and still totally in bits. Sod all had been done.

 

Anyway...

 

So the car was loaded on to a trailer, most the parts were in the van, the garage said here are your parts and watched as we loaded which is fair enough. Keeping in mind they had my car for a long time and in that period i had a few bits n bobs sent to them in that time. Luckily for me a was prepared with a list of parts they had which i had really scratched my head to put together as i had so many parts. They gave me the essential parts then i had to ask for the other about quarter of the parts one by a time, "where is this" " where is that" it was if they were trying to catch me out and keep anything they could.

 

They wouldnt give me back my heads which i supplied. They had been machined and ported etc. They also didnt give me my valve guides back or the stem seals. They also promised i could have the acl race bearings they supplied but on the day decided i couldnt so didnt get them either, another lie guys.

 

That was bad enough until things took a turn for the worse.

 

They wanted me to sign something saying i had collected all parts bla bla bla and other rubbish in there also. This was a total lie as we didnt collect all parts, as they refused to some back so as anyone would we refused to sign it. They didn't like this and that is when things got nasty.

 

I think the words were "you know what you need to do guys" Our van then got blocked in, all the mechanics come outside and stood around crossed arms and intimidated us. Voices raised etc. etc. Threats were made etc. etc.

 

They realised we were not going to budge, so they re-worded this letter and was just as bad. Once again we refused to sign.

 

This went on for hours, and throughout most this time we were not allowed in the workshop standing out side freezing our ass off!!! Also with mechanics standing around intimidating us.

 

Then they said that we had unload our van again or they would do it for us assuming force would of been used as they had shown their dark side.

 

I said ok then, think we need to call the police. They were like are you sure?? i said well yeah look what is going on!!!

 

He then stomped off for about a hour and hide and sulked!!

 

While he was gone i told the mechanics a few home truths, they had no idea of all the facts that everything was supplied by me!! Payment was never a issue and that this has gone on for over a year and a half.

 

Couple of the guys were shocked and turned and was on our side and said the management this isnt on and helped us work on a solution, in the end they helped to draft up a document which we were happy with, it stated we collected most of parts and some we were not getting back as it was truthful. Management said well it be on your head to the mechanics who sided with us as the owner would not be happy.

 

In other words they wanted to pretend it never happened, pretend they never even had my car.

 

I was also told i had to lie and not tell anyone my car had ever been there and if i did they hinted towards that there would be consequences.

 

They had two sets of my heads, the ones i supplied on another used engine and the old ones off the old engine. They said i could use the old old ones as they were not giving back my other ones. When i got home i took a look over my heads and they look like to me that they have been purposely damaged, i have pics and will prove this. It looks like someone has took a hammer and chisel to every one of the spark holes well think its the spark holes. and it is every one on both heads, this could never happen surely unless done on purpose, they are all cracked and smashed.

 

What else, there is lots more, briefly someone has been offered for sale by them some of my parts. They were trying to sell my parts!!! and one of those parts is one they would not return!!

 

Got my car home took one look at it and thought no way can i see this through now. They left it in a complete mess!!! bits every where!! boxes upon boxes of parts, complete nght mare for anyone to take on.

 

That is why most my parts are now for sale, I do love the Zed but i have lost that spark. they have ruined it for me.

 

They also tried turning it on me and started blaming the lack of work down to payment. Funny that the original bill was about £6,000 and crept up to nearly £14,000 where i said no way!! cant pay that and they said ok £10,000 for full sponsor of the car which i didnt want as it would look rubbish covered in their stickers and it would no longer be a sleeper which i want. Also going back to payment, i gave them a deposit they asked for, they done sod all work for months then asked for more money so i gave them more than they asked as a incentive to work on my car which they still done nothing to. Does this sound like a non payer? all this time i had the money sitting in my account waiting to pay them. They pretty much said in so many words if i did tell anyone about what happened that would be their angle which believe me is a complete lie!!! I am a very honest and genuine guy who they totally took advantage of and messed about big time!!!

 

Really is such a shame as my car would of been mega cool.

 

I will start another thread with pics of the heads for you to come to your own conclusion, i would also like to post up some of their invoices and how much they wanted to charge for sill jobs. 2 hours to bleed the breaks??? ok then...

 

Also another thread for my next steps. engine swap or... get another car. Either option involves selling most the parts which are in the for sale thread, most are brand spanking new. Get another car route will mean selling the entire lot.

 

One Sad Zed Owner :(

 

Craig i feel for you buddy but your not alone...

 

I have lost thousands of pounds because of this garage, expenses goes on forever and don't dare even add up. At a massive loss.

Im sure i have missed stuff off there.

What Garage is this?

fek me........

Jaffa i realy do feel for you mate.

I completely understand where your coming from with losing the spark as i think i have, but really wish i hadnt.

Its funny how come "mechanics" can ruin your love for a car isn't it.lol.

It may be a good idea to sell your parts get rid of everything then start fresh after a break from zeds. To be honest i think thats what i want to do.

You've lost alot of money, an awful lot that you cant get back, but hopefully you can claim most back through selling your parts mate.

 

I and the forum wish you all the best of luck.

so, is your car totally fooked? no way of getting it finished.

 

If that was me i would get the car done and a magazine to do a feature on what has happened.

 

in my experience you get people who want every thing but cant afford it, people who want things done at mates rates and people like yourself who want what they want and will bend over backwards to help get it done in any way they can.

 

These people need to be closed down for treating you like this.

Edited November 8, 200916 yr by zedwizz

so, is your car totally fooked? no way of getting it finished.

 

If that was me i would get the car done and a magazine to do a feature on what has happened.

 

These people need to be closed down for treating you like this.

 

A magazine wont touch a story like that in the same way this forum is not allowed to, its political correctness gone mad when you can make others aware and they fall into the same trap !

A magazine wont touch a story like that in the same way this forum is not allowed to, its political correctness gone mad when you can make others aware and they fall into the same trap !

 

there's always them to chaps on a motorbike rogue traders...

Absolute disgrace what people try to get away with. Would getting a second hand engine to either Jimmer of Jeff and get them to do the work, then getting that into your z an option?

what a nightmare!:( time to name and shame.:slap:

 

dan.;)

Putting a stock engine into my Zed isnt really a option. Wouldnt be the same i was hoping for.

 

The two options i am looking at is a engine swap into my zed or selling everything and getting a Honda NSX.

If this was me i'd be going down with my mates and ****in demand my parts back! Are the police envolved?

If this was me i'd be going down with my mates and ****in demand my parts back! Are the police envolved?

 

The police are a complete waste of time.

 

Consumer direct/trading standeds are fully aware.

 

Going down with mates and kicking off, I don't want to lower myself to their standeds.

The police are a complete waste of time.

 

Consumer direct/trading standeds are fully aware.

 

Going down with mates and kicking off, I don't want to lower myself to their standeds.

 

True... stick to your guns mate, hope you get it sorted.

No bud,

 

I meant get another engine to Jimmer of Jeff with upgraded parts ;)

i would have assaulted them there an then

No bud,

 

I meant get another engine to Jimmer of Jeff with upgraded parts ;)

 

Thor have costed me far too much to spend yet even more money on my car. They have left me loads out of pocket.

 

The only route for me is the engine swap if i was to stick with the 300.

Maybe that's a good idea just to get you back to driving your car.

Shocking how a Garage can act in this way! As i said before sounds like a scene out of a movie.

My goodness, shocking behaviour from any garage, sadly you will find very similar stories all over the net concening anything from a Nova to a Supra and onwards, very often it occurs when "big builds" are undertaken by companies with limited resources ( Might not look that way at first) and all their customers "deposits" get used on other cars and then they need more cash to start your car and then use it again on something else....wages, rent whatever and before you know it a descending spiral has begun..very bad news for you and for the garage trade as a whole.

 

Hope you can find some way to get over this, I know we are just talking about cars but this I am sure has impacted on much bigger parts of your life than it should of..feel for you bud oh and well done for keeping your cool under such provocation.

 

Jeff TT

Edited November 8, 200916 yr by JeffTT

sorry but if it had been me i would have taken one of these to the place!!!

 

Mike

Shocking story there mate, very disgracefully indeed. Its also shameful that the nets full of forums that cant name and shame because of legal issues. For warning might have forwarded you before taking your car to the rouge garage.

This kind of crap happens all over the car range. I can tell you about Ferrari and Lamborghini owners with equally disgraceful stories of rouge specialists.

Cant you take your bits and pieces to Jeff to rebuild the car for you?

That ain't his kinda work mate. He's successful because he sticks to a certain type of work.

To be honest, needle in a haystack comes to mind when it comes to finding a garage who'll accept another garages **** up/cast off and even worse when it arrives in a load of boxes!

smithy

Yeah exactly as Smithy said.

 

I approached TDI to carry on the work but after seeing what a mess they have left my car in i think it really would be a nightmare for any garage to move on.

 

That's the reason behind the engine swap because they would gut the car anyway. That is the only way i see me moving forward with my car now otherwise i have to get rid of it.

 

Exactly as Jeff said, I think this is what has happened. I also feel they were not up to the job, we had many discussions things not fitting. One of which being a the intercooler funny how i could fit it myself first time round with no problems following a japanese manual in other words only the pictures were usable.

 

They also get running on about how the turbos would not fit and that i need custom engine mounts, also funny that the other jaffa had no problem there, yes the engine mounts just needed grinding down for clearance.

 

Also funny that they charged me so many hours to do the most simplest jobs. They are a expensive garage you would expect a garage charging their rates could turn around a job quicker than your average garage because you pay for their skills and expertise which so it seems they don't have any of.

Also reflecting on what Jeff said.

 

I live for the Jap car scene, it is my life pretty much.

 

The garage and car has had a huge impact on me and my family as my family are affected by my mood swings and behavour.

 

They now have a car in the front of the drive which looks a complete unfinished mess.

 

Not a nice look for any drive.

Trust me mate, I know exactly how you feel when people totally screw you over, it'll be 3 years soon since I last drove my Z and it's sat on my drive since Feb this year unfinished cos I've just lost enthusuiasm for it. I keep telling myself it'll be i the road for next summer.........................

 

Apart from the engine, is the car how you want it as in interior/exterior? If it is then I think why not just get a good second hand engine dumped in it, then when you're ready (and have the money) get the engine done.

 

I just think it's sad to see a 300zx owner give up cos of a garage who obviously don't know their arse from their elbow. But I totally understand if you do :(