I stopped by the shop afterwork today and I'm starting to think my car will never be done. Everytime I go, it looks the same. Dirty, no bumper, jacked up and sad. Martin ran into some problems while painting the front & sides today. He says it's no biggie and he knows what needs to get done, but my question is: Why didn't he start working on it when they first got here weeks ago? <sigh> I have a feeling the install of the lamp brackets is going to be a big PITA and only delay getting my car back that much more. They put 3 of the 4 new wheels on since they had to order one tire. At least those look good. Chris helped me load my old rims into the Explorer when I noticed the TPMS was still on them. Why didn't anyone notice this before? It's not like they're hidden. <sigh> I could keep ranting, but I just needed to get this off my chest. I'm trying SO hard to be patient and just hang in there because I know Martin has gone out of his way to help me out, and I'm extremely grateful, but at the same time it's frustrating because there is absolutely nothing I can do to make it go faster. It's like my hands are tied behind my back. I wish I could just go in there are start installing the intake or looking for some mesh for the front grills or change out the bulbs in the headlights or SOMETHING! But I can't. Other customers (who are actually spending money) have come in and I'm not the only one with a jacked up car over there so it's not like his shop is revolving around me and I'm very aware of this. Everyone is talking about the trip and how much they're looking forward to it...... I used to feel the same way. Now I'm almost dreading it because that's the last deadline as to when the car would be done and I'm afraid it won't be. <sigh>

 

You sound like you could use a frozen margarita.

 

I could use an entire pitcher.

 

hey, doesn't two pecos still serve margarita's by the pitcher?

 

Sounds like a tough day! I really feel for you.

 

Are you being sarcastic? I'm sure most of you are reading this and saying to yourselves, "Oh, poor baby! Getting this and that and you're complaining!" You're probably right. I shouldn't be complaining and I usually don't. But I've had a rough past couple weeks with my hopes getting up and being crushed like a bug day after day so this is my rant. Like I said, I'm extremely grateful. I just wish it was done already. 7 weeks is like an eternity and all the money I would have saved in upgrades I'm spending on a rental.

 

From what I read (read your quote wuth just a few letters removed...) you just need a little cheering up...

 

I don't think anyone is being sarcastic here. I've never met English but I didn't read any sarcasm in his reply. I definitely wasn't being sarcastic, just making a suggestion of Margaritas.

 

I kinda know how you feel.It took 2 months to paint my damn car because I got hooked up for $1000 cheaper & they offer warrenty.They were f*cking lagging saying this & that or oh we're waiting for the glass guy to cut your winshields & windows out so we can continue painting.

 

I know exactly how you feel! My 8 has been in the shop since the end of Feb and I was supposed to pick it up Fri...well when I got there I noticed several areas that were not up to par. The trunk was not aligned right so there was a dip from the fender area to the back of the trunk lid. There was a long streak down the rear bumper cover from where it was masked between the black part and the primered part that they had to paint, they did not put the tape on straight so there was a noticible line of primer between the two pieces. The new rear door came flat black and had to be painted and there was a definite area that did not get enough red and you could see the black still. there were scratches along the top of the rear door where they used a tool of some sort to put the gasket on and scratched the new paint. There were 3 pimples where dust or something was on the part when it was painted.

All this and I get nothing extra for it. No body kit, no intake, no new wheels and tires, NADA...so look at the bright side Dazy...............you could be as screwed as I am right now!

 

Holy crap! What happened to your car Air Force? In the shop since Feb????

 

I wasn't accusing the sarcasm, just asking. And you're right, all I need is a little cheering up and ya'll are helping. Thanks.

 

My car is still in the shop since after Valentines day for custom trunk & interior mods for audio & video system! Been driving a Damn 97Toyota Carolla.Can't hang turns no more without squeeking tires & that's a no no, very embarrasing squeeking tires on a turn with a Carolla.

 

Rear-ended on the interstate. There was a po-dunk crappy insurance carrier involved...namely the guy that hit me, he had Palisades out of NJ. Had to have USAA take over due to the problems they were giving me. The uni-body was out of alignment quite a bit and they had to do 8 "pulls" to get it re-aligned. Then they tought they could repar the back of the trunk, but had problems getting the tail light assemblies to fit right so they had to cut it off and order a replacement to weld on. Just a real nightmare!

See Dazy all it takes is to hear there is someone else out there worse off than you! :D

 

Hey Tru try it in an Olds 88! My neighbors 14 y/o daughter calls it my grandpa-mobile!

 

with the body being that out of alignment, shouldn't they have just totalled the car and got you a replacement? Sounds like they are doing a real hatchet job on the 8 and I would be afraid of the Frankenstein monster that they are making out of it.

 

FOR REAL!

Hey Dazy.. I'm sorry that you're down. Still... show up tomorrow at Rack Daddy's and
we'll cheer you up! I'll tickle you if you don't cheer up okay :D.
I just would hate for something like that to happen to me. I just got my car, so I'm
praying that it doesn't happen.

Do you have any words of wisdom you would like to share with us?

 

ok dazy...i went through the same crap and my car came out spotless. you ARE getting alot of stuff done extra to the car so you should just keep thinking about the goodies to sheer you up. he has had alot of cars lately and has been trying to get them in and out while working on the bigger projects. he's been there first thing in the morning and leaves late at night. right now he is sleeping on a couch at chris' place, so things have been kinda stressfull lately for him. we all know that your car will come out perfect and if not he will fix it!

so basically just keep thinking about the good stuff you are getting. i went by there today and he had junior and his body guy working on the side skirts trying to get the pinholes out. dont worry about deadlines right now...you know you will get back one of the sickest cars in the area, real soon! you're giving Jenkins a run for his money in the mod department!

i saw my car sit there for a month before it started to get fixed! but just think how good that hood will look with the MS front and sideskirts, surrounded by your new bling! i might even give your bulbs back now that i don't need them!

 

Let's see my current predicament -- my car has been in LA since the HIN show in San Mateo (too lazy to drive from bay area to LA myself, so had a friend do it for me). Its been sitting at my friend's house w/ a cracked bumper and rashed rims -- waiting to get fixed.

Then, the good and bad part of it all -- waiting for my turbo kit and all the other misc. stuff to arrive at a shop in LA so it can just sit there in another garage for another 1-2 months getting installed, custom and tuned stuff to it.

I think I just miss my car being in the pristine condition it was in once before ..

In the end, as others have said .. when the car comes back, mint condition, turbo'd up w/ a lot of extra goodies to push it above the standard turbo installs ..

 

The shop has a laser alignmment machine for uni-body work, and I know that it will be right! There was no way they were going to total my car with only replacing 2 major and 3 minor body pieces. I just wish once that I had access to people like Dazy has to get "hooked-up"!! Oh well...such is life on the move.

 

It will be fine Dazy he will get it done, He seemed pretty confident when I talked to him. I think you will have more mods than me when your done :D

 

The longer they keep it, the more hrs of labor they can charge on it, so they're in no hurry whatsoever. You should call them every half hour and ask if it's done yet....if you keep this up long enough, they'll eventually get tired of dealing with you and fix your car.

 

Insurance claim, she doesn't have to worry about getting charged hours....

 

Thanks guys for the reassurrance, it helps.

I know Martin has been putting in long hours with all the things he's got going on at the shop. He was considering not going to his martial arts class last night, but I told him to go anyway since he looked like he needed a break.

Thinking about driving it around town with it the body kit and hood, hearing the exhaust rumble with flames shooting out the back (once I learn how) causing others on the road to look over and drool and wonder who's driving this awesome car does put a smile on my face. I guess I'll just keep thinking about that. :D

And I need to be thankful that the damage wasn't worse and that I'm getting it back soon. I feel so bad for AFRX8, Tru681 and Alex, with no end in sight, not knowing when ya'll will get your cars back.

As for the lightbulbs, I stole them back while you were out bike shopping yesterday. Didn't you notice?

 

I'm w/o my car until May 10th, won't make the big meet here in Austin with it or anything. I am sorry to hear about your situationa and all, but at least it is not as bad as how mine was beaten to death by baseball sized hail while all I could do was helplessly watch it happen looking out from a window. It totalled up to more than 8 grand worth of damage practically every panel has to be replaced or repaired. I'm stuck with a rental car for at least another 2-3 weeks, while waiting on repairs and shaved emblems (at least I can afford that woohoo!) So really, if I were you i wouldn't sweat it, you're getting some cool stuff done, and you're car will look awesome when it's done. I've learned through all my years of playing with cars and mechanical things that there are 2 ways to do things, the fast way and the right way. Be thankful yours will be done the right way