Ok, so the body shop still has my F'ing car and I'm getting pissed about it. They told me it'd be done the week after Thanksgiving, then when I was leaving for California 2 1/2 weeks ago they told me they could have it ready before I left if they hurried, I told them not to worry about it if they wouldn't charge me a storage fee for the couple weeks I wasn't here. Anyway, I get back and now they tell me it won't be until next week. Is there anything I can do through insurance or legally to get these jackasses to stop telling me one thing and doing another? It wouldn't be a very big issue except for the fact that 1) I was told it'd be ready the week after Thanksgiving and 2) the only time I EVER talk to them and get information is when I call. I don't think they've once called me with an update in 3 months.

After all the good recommendations I'd heard I figured Hot Wheels wouldn't suck this much...

PM Sent

Give me a call and give me the details. I'm sure I can help.

I feel your pain about this kind of shit. No idea short of being quite vocal and making in person visits to rush them. I would bug the ever living shit out of them from now on so they get tired of hearing the complaints and get the car finished.

Also, is it not strange that places that get recommendations more than 50% of the time turn out to be worse than average? I have noticed at least 50% of the shops etc recommended here are about worthless IMO based on my own experience or friends. I am not one to publicly bad mouth a place but I do make a point to express opinion about the good ones. The lack of mentioning other well known places hopefully expresses the lack of a good opinion about them.

Good luck

Mike

I had lunch with John the other day and we discussed it. We are good friends outside of the business.

Basically he is doing everything he can for you! He cannot make other people supply the parts any faster than they currently are! The delay is basically him waiting for parts, then he has to install, prep and paint and buff.

Its not that he is blowing you off. trust me. He doesnt make any money while the car is sitting in his shop! If you want the job done half assed then you should have taken it somewhere else that would repair broken parts, Johns probably getting you all new stuff.

And judging by the damage I saw when the car was first in there. Its come a hell of a long way!

Well....you never PM'd me or called, but I called and talked with John about your saga.
There is never any decent excuse for lack of communication, at least IMO.
You win that one, hands down.

But the car and the shop? At least be fair and explain what's really going on with your poor car.

Imagine you are the body shop. A guy brings in a car for you to fix.
Your original shop estimate is over 5K to start with. Insurance company est quote comes in at $3200. Getting more money for repairs is like pulling teeth, and they have to keep sending adjusters out to view/approve addl repairs.

Current repair bill is OVER $12,000. The car should have been totalled from the start, but b/c the majority of the damage was so well hidden, they started repairs, and insurance companies have no choice but to see it through.

Parts only come from Germany, b/c Mini doesn't stock any essential parts here in the US. That equates 3 days min for each order of parts needed.

The car has sustained damage to parts that even I have never seen damaged before. Car would not align correctly, and more and more new damage was found each time. I think it's been on the rack 3 times now? Maybe 4? Entire subframe has been replaced, and nearly every suspension component that attached to it. Not to mention the electrical problems that surfaced.

Kyle,
I'm sorry your experience has not been up to par for your standards, but I do ask you to consider another angle of the situation:
What if your car were anywhere else OTHER than Hot Wheels? You may very well have gotten it back, and it would not have been right. Imagine the PIA of having to take your car back to a shop over and over to try to fix things as two or three months pass, and they don't fix it b/c you've been driving it and say it's your fault. Maybe they don't worry about that extra degree of alignmen being off, and a month later you eat through your new tires, only to find out there are parts still damaged that weren't fixed. Or it might take a different shop an additional month beyond what you are dealing with now.

It may take a bit longer than you like, but you will get a car back that is right, and safe to drive again. They leave the claims open for six months, so if some gremlin rears it's ugly head later, they can take care of it without issues. Rest assured you are in some of the best hands that this city has to offer, and they really are doing there best.

Other than that, if I ever need a car REALLY F'd UP. I'm lettin' you drive;)

Other than that, if I ever need a car REALLY F'd UP. I'm lettin' you drive;)

I'd like to keep my distinction please. :shifty

Brett, your post makes me feel better about the situation but suprising part to me is that John or somebody at Hot Wheels should be relaying this information to me without me calling in and asking them what's going on every 2-3 weeks, especially when they're actually running in to new delays.

I can't help but think things are a bit shady when I don't hear a thing from them for weeks on end when my car is supposedly done, then when I do finally contact them I don't even speak with somebody who has been working on the car, but somebody who is in the office all day.

When I made this thead was right after I had called in and told by their receptionist that she didn't think the car was ready and that she'd have to have John call me. A half hour or so she called me back and told me the car would probably be ready next week, but I've still yet to talk

It's understandable that these problems are happening and I'd discussed these things previously with them but I'm still very suprised and disappointed that nobody figured it'd be worth it to give me a call and let me know that my car wouldn't be ready nearly 3 weeks after they said it would be. In the couple times I've spoken to John I've told him that I've got no car during this period and at least IMO it's apparent that I've got a higher than normal interest in cars, particularly mine.

I'm suppose I'll call tomorrow and speak with John to find out for myself the latest on it....

Dayamm! 3 Months!? Really sorry to hear of your saga. That's not gonna look good on a Carfax :eek:

Brett, your post makes me feel better about the situation but suprising part to me is that John or somebody at Hot Wheels should be relaying this information to me without me calling in and asking them what's going on every 2-3 weeks, especially when they're actually running in to new delays.

I can't help but think things are a bit shady when I don't hear a thing from them for weeks on end when my car is supposedly done, then when I do finally contact them I don't even speak with somebody who has been working on the car, but somebody who is in the office all day.

When I made this thead was right after I had called in and told by their receptionist that she didn't think the car was ready and that she'd have to have John call me. A half hour or so she called me back and told me the car would probably be ready next week, but I've still yet to talk

It's understandable that these problems are happening and I'd discussed these things previously with them but I'm still very suprised and disappointed that nobody figured it'd be worth it to give me a call and let me know that my car wouldn't be ready nearly 3 weeks after they said it would be. In the couple times I've spoken to John I've told him that I've got no car during this period and at least IMO it's apparent that I've got a higher than normal interest in cars, particularly mine.

I'm suppose I'll call tomorrow and speak with John to find out for myself the latest on it....


Nicole would have been the person to call you back but she rescently had a baby so the new girl isnt up to speed yet.

Talk to John.. He isnt screwing you over..

How did you end up liking those K-macs, Kyle? I just got a set for my 2002 and I'm thinking of trying to trade them for solid ones, since my '02 isn't a street car at all.

Matt

Kyle,

I truly am sorry, and can't speak to the lack of communication on the part of Hot Wheels. To quote myself, there is no excuse for lack of communication.

I will however, firmly stand behind the quality work that is done there, and can assure you that nothing shady is taking place.

Sometimes, a car really is that f'd up, and it takes time to get it right, especially considering the level of damaged sustained to your baby.

As for a rental car, that's usually something covered by the insurance co paying your claim, so on a seperate note, I've got to wonder what's going on there.