EP3 damage woes at local shop

[DRP967]

http://memberfiles.freewebs.com/87/58/62405887/photos/Freakmont-Photo-Shoot/p4151649%20%28800x584%29%20%28640x467%29.jpg

Been going to Kersy Auto (local shop that fixes Japanese cars) for over 5 years now without a hitch. The owner does most of the work himself along with his assistant/mechanic. Yesterday I took the car in for new brake pads/rotors. As you can tell from the photo my car is lowered. When they put my car on the lift, they added some wood pieces to the lift points to give extra clearance for the body/sideskirts. Well it wasnt enough and I noticed my passenger side sideskirt has a crack underneath (in the front towards the mud guard) and also I see a clip inside is broken. I told Simon (the owner) about it and he said it was probably there before and I didnt notice. I know my car and I know for sure that wasnt there before. He is just denying that he caused the damage, its dissappointing because ive patronized this place long enough and the mofo wont man up to the situation. What would you do? What do you recommend I do?

[RedSiBaron]

Sucks man, not really much you can do now...

My recommendation is don't let people work on your car, then this doesn't happen...pads and rotors? Why didn't you just do that youreself?

[DRP967]

Sucks man, not really much you can do now...

My recommendation is don't let people work on your car, then this doesn't happen...pads and rotors? Why didn't you just do that youreself?

This is just poo. Pads and rotors is simple enough just went in for the convenience. Same as oil changes, I buy my filter/oil from Walmart and just bring it in to them for an oil change, just a $10 labor fee and they get rid of the oil. It really is a convenience factor but I do hate having to leave my car there as with any shop (usually when its one of those interval maintenance service). And id prefer to do all the maintenance on my car but sometimes its just not practical and or I dont have the equipment ie. lift/tools/etc. Im not into getting my hands dirty but for the sake of making sure my car is treated with care I would. There are some shops that make you sign a paper noting any imperfections with the car (there is also a diagram of the car on the paper where you can label specific areas that are already damaged/not normal/etc. before work is performed) *Protects the shop and the customer. Fuuuuuu now instead of getting that Mugen wing (which ill still get btw) I now have to shell out more geep for a new sideskirt. I hope this mofo gets prostate cancer for this.

[ep3jd]

You would rather pay ten dollars for ten minutes of work then do it yourself?


Turn your own wrenches so theres no one to blame but ya self!!!

[mitchlikesbikes]

i would have to agree. it's much more rewarding to do it yourself too.

btw, i thought you traded your EP?

[RHCP0801]

lift/tools? you need a jack and a basic pair of tools that they sell at sears

[27rocks]

If the crack is underneath what is the problem?? No one can see it. Also you don't need clips to hold them on. I've got mine stuck on with 3M double sided tape and that bish is not going anywhere any time soon.
I understand about the fact that something got damaged and it's your car and all but if it cant be seen or has any affect on the part then i wouldn't worry about it.
I'm not anal about my car to much but i do choose to do everything to it myself. And the only reason why is because i at least know what is getting fucked up when something gets messed up. Then i can fix it and not have any surprises down the road.

[mitchlikesbikes]

If the crack is underneath what is the problem?? No one can see it. Also you don't need clips to hold them on. I've got mine stuck on with 3M double sided tape and that bish is not going anywhere any time soon.
I understand about the fact that something got damaged and it's your car and all but if it cant be seen or has any affect on the part then i wouldn't worry about it.
I'm not anal about my car to much but i do choose to do everything to it myself. And the only reason why is because i at least know what is getting fucked up when something gets messed up. Then i can fix it and not have any surprises down the road.

very well said. i have to admit i would probably panic too but i'd get over it.

i switched to my stock lugs before i took my car in for inspection thank god. they impacted them back on so tight i couldn't get em off with a FOUR FOOT long breaker bar. those fucking muppets at the local shop woulda been the death of my s2000 CR lugs...

[j0000stin]

how would you know 100% that that wasnt there before and just hasnt grown ever since?

look at it this way, you cant prove that they really did anything, and if they used wood i cant see how it would hit the side skirt since you drive up to wood not reverse into it and i cant imagine how they could crack the bottom of it when changing pads?

[mitchlikesbikes]

how would you know 100% that that wasnt there before and just hasnt grown ever since?

look at it this way, you cant prove that they really did anything, and if they used wood i cant see how it would hit the side skirt since you drive up to wood not reverse into it and i cant imagine how they could crack the bottom of it when changing pads?

he's talking about wood on the lift pads to keep the arms from hitting the bottom of the car, not drive on wood blocks. what he's saying is that he thinks the lift arm contacted his skirt and cracked it.

[DRP967]

You would rather pay ten dollars for ten minutes of work then do it yourself?


Turn your own wrenches so theres no one to blame but ya self!!!


i would have to agree. it's much more rewarding to do it yourself too.

btw, i thought you traded your EP?


lift/tools? you need a jack and a basic pair of tools that they sell at sears


If the crack is underneath what is the problem?? No one can see it. Also you don't need clips to hold them on. I've got mine stuck on with 3M double sided tape and that bish is not going anywhere any time soon.
I understand about the fact that something got damaged and it's your car and all but if it cant be seen or has any affect on the part then i wouldn't worry about it.
I'm not anal about my car to much but i do choose to do everything to it myself. And the only reason why is because i at least know what is getting fucked up when something gets messed up. Then i can fix it and not have any surprises down the road.


how would you know 100% that that wasnt there before and just hasnt grown ever since?

look at it this way, you cant prove that they really did anything, and if they used wood i cant see how it would hit the side skirt since you drive up to wood not reverse into it and i cant imagine how they could crack the bottom of it when changing pads?

1. Not exactly 10 minutes but as I said its a convenience factor. Plus I get to around in the garage and see/monitor them while they work on the car. I can see what you mean but a shop should not be negligent in the first place, just because one pays a shop to work on their car is no excuse that if some poo hits the fan its the customers fault.

2. It is rewarding in some respects then again im not into mechanical work, just driving and detailing. And that thread was a hoax, never traded and if you revisit it youll see so. That Civic belongs to us as well, got it back from family.

3. What I meant was for more serious endeavors such as clutch replacement, etc. Anything more tedious than a brake job/oil change.

4. I understand its underneath wont be seen but im not happy about it. Car came in fine, should come out fine after the work. Im pretty anal but somethings I can let of ie. rock chips/dents/ but the crack and the bottom and warped ish front part of the skirt looks horrible to me.

5. I know because at the end of each day I inspect my car for cracks/scrapes/dents ie. look at the windshiled/windows/roof/hatch/hood/bumpers/skirts/wheels/wheel wells/grill/etc. Takes less than 15 minutes to go over the exterior. I didnt drive on any wood, they simply slid the arms of the lift underneath the jack points. The arm of lift is what pushed up and cracked the skirt/warped it.

*Update after all this, went back to the shop today and he agreed to either repair or replace the skirt. Were on good terms, been going here for a while now and he admitted he should have used the other low profile lift. Anyways looking to get a new passenger side skirt now and lesson learned, next time im gonna document everything and get signatures before work is performed to protect not only myself but the shop from any issues/blame. Especially with my CF front/rear lip, etc that could potentially get damaged. Gotta make sure everything is on black and white.

[DRP967]

he's talking about wood on the lift pads to keep the arms from hitting the bottom of the car, not drive on wood blocks. what he's saying is that he thinks the lift arm contacted his skirt and cracked it.

^Dude you hit the nail on the head, as i mentioned in my previous post its the lift arm that pushed up the skirt. Prolly needed more wood on the lift pads to clear the thick/fat arm of the lift. When he put the arm under the jack points all looked fine and then when the car was being raised I didnt notice that all the while it was pushing up on the sideskirt (the front part near the mudguard)

http://www.yelp.com/biz/kersy-auto-repair-fremont

P.S. Kersy Auto is good in my book, had this issue but feel better now since its resolved and will continue to come back for service/maintenance that I cant or wont do myself due to whatever reason. One thing I can say about Simon (the owner) is he never trys to con you, honest dude. I guess that other day he honestly didnt think the lift did the damage but yeah guess he slept on it and realized the truth. Going in next week to show him the car again, see what does whether repair or just replace.

[mitchlikesbikes]

^Dude you hit the nail on the head, as i mentioned in my previous post its the lift arm that pushed up the skirt. Prolly needed more wood on the lift pads to clear the thick/fat arm of the lift. When he put the arm under the jack points all looked fine and then when the car was being raised I didnt notice that all the while it was pushing up on the sideskirt (the front part near the mudguard)

yeah haha i'm always worried about the same thing happening to my car so i know all about that issue.

[DRP967]

yeah haha i'm always worried about the same thing happening to my car so i know all about that issue.

Yeah lol I have been going there for years and never had an issue with the lifts or any thing else for that matter. He told me its that lift all the way on the end isnt friendly to lowered cars as he discovered so recently with my car being the victim. I was pulling my hair out that day lol all fine now.

[mitchlikesbikes]

well i'm glad it worked out in your favor in the end.

[DRP967]

well i'm glad it worked out in your favor in the end.

Thank you :)