They wrecked my car
Discussion
Last month I bought an imported, mint Nissan 300ZX TT to use as a "sensible" everyday car. This car has only done 45000km or 27000 miles, and under the bonnet is mint - like new.
The car didn't have a Thatcham cat 1 fitted, as required by my insurer, so after listening to my mate, I was persuaded to have it fitted by a company (which shall remain nameless) which he used to fit his ICE. They agreed to fit a Clifford concept 300 with intelli-start (remote engine start) and dual-zone detection (outside chirp when approaching the vehicle). They said that they required the vehicle from Friday morning and that they would need it over the weekend and Monday. I finally got the car back at 7-30 Tues evening, and when I did I noticed the following:
The intelli-start didn't work, the dual zone wasn't fitted, and the bass box was so big that you can see it sticking up through the rear shelf fabric. The certificate for the insurance wasn't done either. The amplifier wasn't screwed down, or the CD changer.
I took the car away and on the trip home noticed that the brakes felt odd and the clutch wasn't right. Then the car overheated (off the scale) and I had to wait for it to cool before I made it home. All the coolant had gone - empty. The next day the clutch went (master cylinder) and as I didn't have any service history I put it into a Nissan main dealer in Slough for a full service with cam belt. The service manager rang and wanted to show me some damage before they started work on it. When I arrived the car was up on a 4 poster, and him and three technicians showed me the underside of the car.
It has been very sideways recently, hitting a solid object such as a speed hump or mini roundabout, causing the brake pipes to be flattened at the back, and hitting and damaging the catalytic converter with a big gouge in it. The underside of the body is also dented. All the damage was fresh with no signs of rust, just bare metal in places. I am still awaiting the quote to rectify everything, and I have been informed that the clutch problem is master cylinder and the overheating problem is a duff water pump – so could be coincidental and just my bad luck, but it would make sense if the car had been smoked around in or rough treated. Oh yeah, they also used about a quarter of a tank of fuel.
But what can I do about the damage? I didn’t take the mileage before and I don’t think I have a leg to stand on. If the shop says prove it I don’t think I could. Also and most annoying of all, is the fact that they asked for all the money up front before they booked the car in. Also the car has to go back in again for the remainder of the work to be done as it’s still not finished.
The car didn't have a Thatcham cat 1 fitted, as required by my insurer, so after listening to my mate, I was persuaded to have it fitted by a company (which shall remain nameless) which he used to fit his ICE. They agreed to fit a Clifford concept 300 with intelli-start (remote engine start) and dual-zone detection (outside chirp when approaching the vehicle). They said that they required the vehicle from Friday morning and that they would need it over the weekend and Monday. I finally got the car back at 7-30 Tues evening, and when I did I noticed the following:
The intelli-start didn't work, the dual zone wasn't fitted, and the bass box was so big that you can see it sticking up through the rear shelf fabric. The certificate for the insurance wasn't done either. The amplifier wasn't screwed down, or the CD changer.
I took the car away and on the trip home noticed that the brakes felt odd and the clutch wasn't right. Then the car overheated (off the scale) and I had to wait for it to cool before I made it home. All the coolant had gone - empty. The next day the clutch went (master cylinder) and as I didn't have any service history I put it into a Nissan main dealer in Slough for a full service with cam belt. The service manager rang and wanted to show me some damage before they started work on it. When I arrived the car was up on a 4 poster, and him and three technicians showed me the underside of the car.
It has been very sideways recently, hitting a solid object such as a speed hump or mini roundabout, causing the brake pipes to be flattened at the back, and hitting and damaging the catalytic converter with a big gouge in it. The underside of the body is also dented. All the damage was fresh with no signs of rust, just bare metal in places. I am still awaiting the quote to rectify everything, and I have been informed that the clutch problem is master cylinder and the overheating problem is a duff water pump – so could be coincidental and just my bad luck, but it would make sense if the car had been smoked around in or rough treated. Oh yeah, they also used about a quarter of a tank of fuel.
But what can I do about the damage? I didn’t take the mileage before and I don’t think I have a leg to stand on. If the shop says prove it I don’t think I could. Also and most annoying of all, is the fact that they asked for all the money up front before they booked the car in. Also the car has to go back in again for the remainder of the work to be done as it’s still not finished.
I know all too well what you are feeling, as i had the similar happen to me when I first got my S4. It's a tricky legal situation because (as I found) they'll just deny everything "it was like that when it came to us, guv" type of response. Basically I just had to cough up again and have Audi UK rip out the crap that the independent had installed, replace all the trim and other components they'd wrecked installing it, and install the proper Audi kit.
I'd never hand a car over to one of these independents again, ever. And I'd recommend you don't take the Nissan back to have them put it right.
>> Edited by Yertis on Thursday 6th February 18:40
I'd never hand a car over to one of these independents again, ever. And I'd recommend you don't take the Nissan back to have them put it right.
>> Edited by Yertis on Thursday 6th February 18:40
Ouch, that's a nasty story! I think you should seek advice from your local CAB. Good luck getting it sorted.
your car doesn't look like the ones in this video does it?
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=28573
your car doesn't look like the ones in this video does it? www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=28573
Bonce said: Ouch, that's a nasty story! I think you should seek advice from your local CAB. Good luck getting it sorted.
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=28573
I wish it did, if it goes like those when I get it back I won't complain!
Not a Nissan guy, but I doubt that the water pump...
...oooh, sniff petrol just landed, goodie!
...
...or the clutch failure would have anything to do with them sadly.
The dents and scrapes are another matter. It's hard to guess if the importer or the previous owner would be able/willing to help, as if it was already damaged, they will pleased to be shot of the car, and probably bull$4!t you anyway.
On the other hand they may have photos of the effect areas, you to asses condition etc, proving they weren't bent (at the time of the photos anyway).
Anything's possible...
...just thinking out loud...no help really.
Sorry
If they did mess up your motor, to quote CarZee, they should be skinned and rolled in salt.
Mouse
...oooh, sniff petrol just landed, goodie!
... ...or the clutch failure would have anything to do with them sadly.
The dents and scrapes are another matter. It's hard to guess if the importer or the previous owner would be able/willing to help, as if it was already damaged, they will pleased to be shot of the car, and probably bull$4!t you anyway.
On the other hand they may have photos of the effect areas, you to asses condition etc, proving they weren't bent (at the time of the photos anyway).
Anything's possible...
...just thinking out loud...no help really.
Sorry
If they did mess up your motor, to quote CarZee, they should be skinned and rolled in salt.
Mouse
Simon - phone the shop and arrange an appointment with the owner/manager. Get some photos of the damage and a report from the main dealer and confront him. If he asks you too prove it, tell him you took a note of the mileage before it went in (for other purposes, make one up?) and you only noticed what miles had been put on the car later.
Threaten him with the trading standars office and any trade organisations they may be with.
If your SURE it was them then see it through. If all else fails, torch the place .... (NO, NO, No I didn't mean that)
Probably taken home by some spotty herbert to impress the girlies at the weekend. (get a DNA sample from the passenger seat)
Threaten him with the trading standars office and any trade organisations they may be with.
If your SURE it was them then see it through. If all else fails, torch the place .... (NO, NO, No I didn't mean that)
Probably taken home by some spotty herbert to impress the girlies at the weekend. (get a DNA sample from the passenger seat)
ultimapaul said: Simon - phone the shop and arrange an appointment with the owner/manager. Get some photos of the damage and a report from the main dealer and confront him. If he asks you too prove it, tell him you took a note of the mileage before it went in (for other purposes, make one up?) and you only noticed what miles had been put on the car later.
Threaten him with the trading standars office and any trade organisations they may be with.
If your SURE it was them then see it through. If all else fails, torch the place .... (NO, NO, No I didn't mean that)
Probably taken home by some spotty herbert to impress the girlies at the weekend. (get a DNA sample from the passenger seat)
Thanks for the advice everyone.
A friend has just phoned me and now I have a plan... It involves a tracker.
Just waiting for the relevent info to arrive. And there was me moaning about big brother watching me wherever I go on another thread! I completely forgot about this "quiet" little box. Also they tell me that it can measure speed. Sorry to hear about this, Simon.. it's just so depressing that people to whom you entrust your beloved steed will do this sort of thing..
Oh well.. live and learn eh? .. perhaps the only consolation regarding the damage is that Nissan garages are absolutely spot on and they'll look after you properly - by far the best main dealers I've dealt with.
Hope you get somewhere with the tracker data - it'd be bloody great to nail the barstewards.
Oh well.. live and learn eh? .. perhaps the only consolation regarding the damage is that Nissan garages are absolutely spot on and they'll look after you properly - by far the best main dealers I've dealt with.
Hope you get somewhere with the tracker data - it'd be bloody great to nail the barstewards.
in the old days in Germany, every village had its certified idiot. Couldn't be locked up. He'd sidle up Sat. night in the pub and ask:
"that shed in the lower field - do you still need it?"
"No. How much?"
"100 Quid"
"Okay. When?"
"Next Thursday".
Sure enough, next Thursday the shed would be ablaze, the insurance paid up.
It was called "Warmabbruch" - warm demolition.
I think we need someone like that to torch the premises of the creeps that did this to your car
>> Edited by WalterU on Thursday 6th February 19:32
"that shed in the lower field - do you still need it?"
"No. How much?"
"100 Quid"
"Okay. When?"
"Next Thursday".
Sure enough, next Thursday the shed would be ablaze, the insurance paid up.
It was called "Warmabbruch" - warm demolition.
I think we need someone like that to torch the premises of the creeps that did this to your car
>> Edited by WalterU on Thursday 6th February 19:32
Just a thought. You were having a Clifford system installed - maybe take it up directly with Clifford as well? Might be a good point of leverage if the place is an 'authorised dealer'. They (Clifford) might also help you out with getting the system installed properly. It certainly would be in their interests to make sure you are taken care of...
>> Edited by julianhj on Thursday 6th February 20:17
>> Edited by julianhj on Thursday 6th February 20:17
My advice would be to having nothing further to do with them. If you go down there and give them a bunch of aggro they will most likely tell you to f... off. (If they were proper people they would not have treated you like this in the first place). The problem with the aggro thing is that if you don't get anywhere with it, and then decide to exact some retribution, they are going to know who did it, aren't they?
Put it down to bad luck, and get the work carried out by the Nissan garage, or maybe get a mobile fitter to come round to your place.
John
Put it down to bad luck, and get the work carried out by the Nissan garage, or maybe get a mobile fitter to come round to your place.
John
Had a (now EX ) Subaru dealer keep my first Impreza in for an extra day after service once , happened to polish it the following week and the edge of the front wing next to the bonnet went back to bare metal after three gentle wipes . I went ape with the service manager for not owning up , but he never once admitted they did it . to give them some credit they did get it repaired properly , my only satisfaction came when got on to Subaru UK (IM)who treated my complaint very seriously and "Dealt" with the garage . soon after they lost the franchise (not just from my complaint). It is the only way to deal with dishonest Ba*tards I'm afraid . You have to find a way of going over thier heads as has been said before to Clifford maybee . You have a right to some justice .
>> Edited by Farmer on Thursday 6th February 21:07
>> Edited by Farmer on Thursday 6th February 21:07
Simon, that's awful - play the mileage card with them and gauge their response. Above all, remain CALM - very difficult I know.
Get in touch with local trading standards office to see if they have had reports before about them.
Enlghten us to the tracker thing? Chance is, it'll not prove the first offence and you may end up having the car thrashed TWICE!
Best of luck.
Get in touch with local trading standards office to see if they have had reports before about them.
Enlghten us to the tracker thing? Chance is, it'll not prove the first offence and you may end up having the car thrashed TWICE!
Best of luck.
Are they a large company? With a "reputation" or are they some little place ?
Also, if theyre fitting Thatcham cat 1 alarms, they MUST be registered to be able to do this kind of work.
Only a dealer or approved fitment centre can do this work.
Speaking purely for myself, id break his friggin kneecaps if that was mine mate.
I know its no consolation, and i hope you get somewhere with the tracker info, failing that tho, you can make it up to trick them.
Im sure theyd fall for the trick of bluffing if all else fails.
Just tell them the GPS log is going to the police, and the speeds recorded at the time the car was in for fitment are going to be investigated unless they co operate.
I wish you well with this one mate.
Also, if theyre fitting Thatcham cat 1 alarms, they MUST be registered to be able to do this kind of work.
Only a dealer or approved fitment centre can do this work.
Speaking purely for myself, id break his friggin kneecaps if that was mine mate.
I know its no consolation, and i hope you get somewhere with the tracker info, failing that tho, you can make it up to trick them.
Im sure theyd fall for the trick of bluffing if all else fails.
Just tell them the GPS log is going to the police, and the speeds recorded at the time the car was in for fitment are going to be investigated unless they co operate.
I wish you well with this one mate.
Might be a long shot but when idiots pull off stunts like this its a major job for them to keep stum. Get some mates to call in on bogus installation enquiries and then getem into 'general conversation' with some of the more 'junior' members of the establishment - you never know..
Also if you're getting tracker info - remember, they dont have any info. So if you get no info from tracker - they dont know you have no info - make up the info and confront them with it - let them call your bluff.
All the best in gettin a result..
Also if you're getting tracker info - remember, they dont have any info. So if you get no info from tracker - they dont know you have no info - make up the info and confront them with it - let them call your bluff.
All the best in gettin a result..
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