stony Posted May 2, 2005 Share Posted May 2, 2005 Ok heres the deal. As some of you may know or may not know my car is under the knife getting a full backhalve job with a chromoly cage. Chassis will be certified to 8.99. the car was dropped off at the shop in question in FEB 04 for what was estimated at a 3 month JOB. It is now May 2 and the car is still at the shop in question and is still a long ways out from being completed. It still has a big hole in the floor and no real progress from the pics i posted months ago. the only progress is the car is now on a chassis table and the rearend was under the car on jack stands with a bunch of sharpie marks on the table. The builder in question has a rep of being slow but i used him anyways thinking how bad could it be. He is the only chassis certifier in alaska, and one of the only ones competent enough to do a job like this in alaska. Latest ETIC is end of may. At least 10 ETICs have come a gone.... Here is my question.... What to do.... If at the end of may car is not done 1. go pic it up and take it to someone else ( knowing i have to go back to him for certification) 2. Go pic up the car and try to get my money back for unfinished work cut my loses and find another car to do over. Or 3. let it ride i will be really happy once its done. or 4. insert your solution here......... I tell you what its getting real bad not having anything to work on.... i found my self tearing my new weedeater apart cause it wouldnt start......got real technical on it changed the spark plug.... compression checked it started tracing wires (actually wire) to see if the MAG was bad. I traced one wire to the ON/OFF switch only to find it was working as advertised in the off position At any rate i need a car to work on soon. Im going thru some serious withdrawl symptoms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JAMIE T Posted May 2, 2005 Share Posted May 2, 2005 Stony, if you weren't so far away, I'd be glad to help you get your car back together. Tell him you need the car by a particular deadline. If he is a stand-up guy, he will tell you either it can or can't be done. Make your deadline reasonable for you both. That's what I would do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stony Posted May 2, 2005 Author Share Posted May 2, 2005 I have done that numerous times. the latest one is teh end of may that i got 3 weeks ago. so at the time it seemed reasonable but now it looking more and more like its not going to be met. Oh yea BTW it was your little strut conversion that has me thinking just start over J/K When it comes right down to it i will just have to wait. what he has done is beyond my skills to complete. i would have to senbd it to the lower 48 to get anything better. oh well im stop my whining now and go back to my weedeater when you gonna start testing thsoe struts out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheftrd Posted May 3, 2005 Share Posted May 3, 2005 What about going to Richard? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stony Posted May 3, 2005 Author Share Posted May 3, 2005 At this point if it has any hope3s of being done this year I have to see things out where its at. he is swearing teh end of this month it will be done. it is at least on a chassis table now. richard is swamped right now anyways. It will get done just not sure when Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240Z_Master Posted May 3, 2005 Share Posted May 3, 2005 Money always talks Stony..hehe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stony Posted May 3, 2005 Author Share Posted May 3, 2005 95% of the estimated cost of the build has allready been paid!!!!! i will be damned if any more money is being paid till i some fu*&^%g progress. In fact i may be asking for the car back along with most of my money if the **** dosnt start picking up. and like i said before i will go out and find another shell and start over///// Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1 Posted May 3, 2005 Share Posted May 3, 2005 Unfortunately, once you start a major phase, like paint, cage, or backhalving, you're almost always better to finish with the person you started with. If you take it somewhere else it's gonna be worse than starting over. I fully understand your frustration......I had a car stay at a paint shop over three years once. It pissed me so I bought another car to drive in the meantime. Having to pay up front is NEVER a good sign IMO. It means you're completely at their mercy, and lots of times you see your car sit while other projects pass on thru the shop. I hope it works out. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueovalz Posted May 3, 2005 Share Posted May 3, 2005 This is part of the risk of farming out work. I'd keep a cool head about it and carefully explain your concern and need for the work to be done as promised (but he will smell BS if you say you need it by the deadline, even if you really don't) Even if the work goes over the promised end time, this won't amount to a hill of beans if the work is done correctly and how you wanted it done. This time next year you'll have it back home and this little "speed bump" won't matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr_hunt Posted May 3, 2005 Share Posted May 3, 2005 I'd visit the shop often, perhaps his conscience will get the best of him. Be cordial but not jovial. Ask questions and have him come look at the car if he's not working on the car so you can interrupt what he's doing and maybe just maybe he'll start work on the car. I've been through that as well, which is why I have my own shop now and do most everything myself, except paint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stony Posted May 4, 2005 Author Share Posted May 4, 2005 I visit the shop at least once a week usually more. the chassis shop is at his home away from the money making shop. This time next year you'll have it back home and this little "speed bump" won't matter. Well i was saying that last fall :< Unfortunately, once you start a major phase, like paint, cage, or backhalving, you're almost always better to finish with the person you started with. If you take it somewhere else it's gonna be worse than starting over. Yea i can see it now. "i cant believe he did it this way im gonna have to cut everything out and start over." I guess im gonna just have to wait and hope it gets done soon. Its kind of a bummer that i more then likely wont have it to the track this year as the season here in alaska is very short. May-Sep and teh first and last months are kinda questionable as some years there has still been snow on teh ground in may and allready snow falling in september. oh well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S30TRBO Posted May 4, 2005 Share Posted May 4, 2005 Clint, Have you asked for a realistic timeline, if there is such a thing? Is he overwhelmed with work or just plain slow? Did you run him through BBB to see if any complaints were filed? I would say talk with him calmly express your concerns. Point out that this whole ordeal has been turned into a long drowned out process with no end in sight. Here is the hook: Tell him your getting orders and are departing in X time and need it finished. That should put a fire under him. If not, if there is no one else to help you in AK, you can always get another chassy and start over. A nice RHD fairlady would be nice or Ken Mary. Thank god it wasn't a RHD to begin with... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stony Posted May 4, 2005 Author Share Posted May 4, 2005 everything you have mentioned is PCW'd even teh i got order thing. too bad that date has come and gone also Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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