picked up my car a couple of days ago from the shop... (pics)

**DrMilhouse** · 04-08-2006, 03:08 PM

So driving along last night, I start to feel a shake... long story short, I ended up stopping and leaving my car on the highway. Couldn't see what it was until today. Nevermind the nasty rims... These are my front lugs (or lack there of)

**RainMan** · 04-08-2006, 03:29 PM

Over!

What was it in the Shop for? Did they remove the lugs, or did they leave it outside & someone try to swipe the wheels?? Can you tell if there is any damage?

Did you go back and bitch at them? You have pic's, hopefully that will help with repairs if your studs or wheels are damaged.

Just makes you wonder who the hell can you trust these days! Seems like no gives a crap about customer service anymore!

Sorry to rant but this crap pisses me off. You could have gotten killed, just because of some lazy bastard who doesn't give a damn.

Good luck, glad you are all right!

**SS#1531** · 04-08-2006, 03:30 PM

Tow that thing back to the shop and make them fix it. Looks like they tightened the lug nuts in a circle pattern instead of a cross (star) pattern. I would be soooo pissed!

**Trouble maker** · 04-08-2006, 03:48 PM

I'd say they didn't tighten them at all!!

**DrMilhouse** · 04-08-2006, 04:50 PM

LOOOONGGG story..... short version...

rod/crank bearing split, needed some work done to it. Took it into these guys thinking it was more serious. Agreed with them that now's as good of a time as any to upgrade the engine in it. Lost income, unable to get them money for a new motor, or anything for a long time. 3 years passes and I'm paying them here and there. Pay them finally about $6,000 for a new engine, stage II heads and a better cam (don't have the cam numbers off hand). Guy was cool about it, has a HUGE shop and said he didn't mind storing it for me and I could just pay him whenever it finally worked out. (that was agreed when I realized about a month into it that I wouldn't have the money for a while because of some other issues). I offerred SEVERAL times over the course of time to have the car towed to my house so that it would be in my way instead of his, he declined the offer saying that it was fine. It was something like 3 1/2 years ago that they took the car in. geeeez what a long time to be paying for a car. It's been out of sight out of mind so that's part of why it didn't get paid for sooner. Anyway, while it was there, it got broken into (nothing stolen, just minor body damage around the key hole for the door and the trunk). A 2 foot long scratch that looks like a key mark and other minor scratches that would buff out pretty easily. A couple of interior pieces are missing or have been changed and my red top optima is gone. Honestly, I'm not too worried about that stuff, (shit like that could happen over the course of a few years).

Finally, a couple of days ago I go to pick up the car now that the bill is all settled and work has been done. I take it out for a ride and I'm really pleased with the output of the motor. They dyno'd it but do not have the numbers any more as their computer got fried. They'll dyno again at no charge.

Anyway, I got it a couple of days ago, driving to work last night I've got about 100 miles on it since getting it back when I feel the shakes that you feel when you're lug nuts are gone...

That brings it up to date.

Yeah, some shit happened to the car, but he's been cool about not charging storage, giving me a hell of a deal on labor and the heads just to help get it more affordable and out of the shop. It's a trade off and as patient as he's been I have no room to bitch about the scratches or other little things.

The lugs though... that... well that just kinda pissed me off. I wrote him a very nice mail with the pictures in this thread asking his feelings on the next step. I had the car towed to my place because it's a hell of a lot closer to my house than his shop and as per usual, I'm strapped for cash and he didn't seem too interested in me having the tow company bill him.

I didn't even realize that it was the lugs till we were taking it off the truck.

There's the back ground on that story.

I feel like I'm being overly nice about it, but I also feel like I've got no room to bitch about most of it. The lugs though, there's just no reason or excuse for that. I was a highway speeds when things got bad and I shut it down. I was gonna try to make the next exit but just didn't feel comfortable with it. I don't think I'd have made it that far.