Had an intake and carb, and new radiator fan put on my car by a local place.

They have a guy who is real good with vettes and he is the only one who I let work on my car.

Dropped off the car, he didnt show for work the next day so they put someone else (young kid) on the job. (didnt ask or inform me first)

Long story short, he didnt bold down the distributor, and he put the fan on BACKWARDS and didnt properly tighten at least one of the hoses.

Got 4 miles away, temp guage pegs! Car is extremely overheated.
I pull over, open hood, and look, all looks ok, suddenly the heater hose pops off the intake, sprays me with boiling antifreeze (luckily only my arm, but im burnt pretty bad) car is covered with antifreeze.

Gotta get car towed to my house.

I refill antifreeze, tighten ALL hoses, and notice the distributor is completely loose. I take it around the corner to a shop, and they set the timing and bolt the distributor down, then the guys says (hey, your radiator fan is on backwards) he fixes that. Ok, problem solved (NOT!)

Took a full week to get car clean.
Car runs like crap now, burnt a quart of oil in less than 15 miles, blowin smoke from sidepipes, radiator wont stay full either, plus I got nice and burnt.

Did a ton of work myself, shoulda done this myself too!!!

Opinions on car issue and what to do please!

 

Kill him and make it look like an accident?

 

call the shop and let them know what's going on. i would also hold them liable for doing a **** job....

 

Contact the owner of your "local place"; and explain why you won't be bringing your car back to his shop.

Just another example of businesses which operate without regard for their customers. Look on the bright side; he didn't work on your brakes or steering.

 

I would definately hold them accountable for your blown head gasket and the time you put into cleaning thier mess. Then theres the liability issues of thier shoddy work injuring you. I hope you didn't pay!

 

I agree including the doctor bills, reimbursement for the other shop's bill, give you back your money, and a very strong verbal beating. If there's any engine damage down the road they need to agree to fix that as well!
Unbelievable! And yes, next time do it yourself!
BTW, hope you weren't burnt too badly.
Glenn

 

You need to get a lawyer or prepare to act like one. The shop has some serious liability issues here.

-W

 

learn from the experince,... I would never let anyone touch my classic car's.
too many dumbass's in this world, that don't give a crap !
Only you will take the time, and effort to do it right. 69VETT

 

Shops have to carry insurance just for these type of incidents. Document it, pursue.

One type i caught the midas guy trying to pump bleed the rear brakes.

Another time one shop installed the rag joint with ~1/8" onto the steering shaft, that's it.

Since then i have 3 choices- Myself- vast majority, including engine,, Dealership, not too many idiots there,, specialist- i define the work and supply the parts and talk to the guy- like exhaust or heavy suspension work. It's worked out pretty well. Vette is in tip-top shape.

 

everything is fixed all ready, you should have had the car taken back to the place that did the bad work...you have no proof they did a crappy job. You could have burned your arm in the shower.

 

thought of that, but i do have the guy who towed the car the day i picked up the car and the guy who fixed the mistakes the same day.
Also, this isnt a shower burn...



And I went back to them the next day and showed them my arm and told them about it, then sent them a certified letter about what happened also.

 

When we do our own work we only have ourselves to blame when we much it up,

One point is unless you made a big issue to the shop owner and made it plain that you only wanted "his" hands on your car then it's his shop he can hire anyone he sees fit,
So he mucks up and hires some green kid who really didn't know as much as a chicken does about working on cars,

Sue sue sue....like the old lady who spilled hot coffee,

Call the shop owner, in a claim way explain to him all that happened, explain now that he has dumber dumbutt working there you will never bring your car back and will be telling all your vette friends and any one with a car what happened,
Of course you would like to give him a chance to make it right,

at this point all he can do it refund your money, nothing more and chances are you will never go back,

I wouldnt hold my breath for the money back...

there done, lifes too short....

 

Ouchhh!!! ...... hand them a bill if they bulk at paying,
go get a lawyer, you can nail them to the wall.

 

that looks like it hurt s alot. i would go back and kick some azzz

 

Give Guido a call....he'll get his ball bat and take care of things.

 

they need to be made accountable, and they need to be made aware of the situations in case there are any further repercusions due to their poor workmanship!!

 

go get a phone book ,and look up ambulance chasers..get a lawyer now!!!

 

Stuff like this is exactly why the only person I'll let work on my car is Me.

 

Exactly...

 

Sorry to see that happen to you, I let only one person touch my car but I will never leave my car at the shop. I am there the whole time.