What would you do?
07-26-2007, 05:46 PM
#1
3rd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 901
What would you do?
Well.... I have a little debacle on my hands. If you are looking to cure your insomnia, this may be just the post for you! [8D]
As some of you know, I took Georgia in three weeks ago to get a side skirt and rear bumper replaced. Went to pick her up on "Black Friday" and immediately saw that the quality of the replacement parts was far lower than what was originally on her. I could see two very rough spots on the side skirt from across the service bay. There were even more up close. The bumper was much worse. Seams everywhere! I will post pix.... It was astonishing that they would put these parts on ANY car and think it was okay. The loaner Hyundai I'm currently driving looks better in terms of QC!
Anyway, we agreed that Georgia would be coming back and the pieces would be properly prepped and repainted. I also spoke with Steve Snyder in Saleen Warranty and he said it sounded like a prep issue... So set up the appt to take her back this past Tues.
Then the Saleen service tech called me last Thurs to let me know he had been fired... [&:]
So back to Middlekauff Ford she went on Tues of this week (and this time I'm paying for a loaner -- that's fun). The new Saleen service tech is a very good guy (and related to Mr. Middlekauff) but admitted right off the bat that he knows nothing about Saleens (side note: first conversation, he called them SAY-leens, three days later he's got the pronunciation correct -- sharp guy).
The body shop manager at Middlekauff is unwilling to sand down all of those seams (and I mean, they're everywhere) because he worries that the structural integrity of the piece will be compromised. This makes sense to me and it "seems" he's looking out for me. So Steve Snyder at Saleen checked their supply of bumpers and guess what?? They all look just as bad as the new one they gave me! So after much haggling between Saleen and the dealer, it was decided that the new bumper should stay on the car as is. This is WORSE than the warp I originally took it in for!
Next, Amy calls Steve at Saleen to get his perspective on the issue. He reiterates that all of the bumpers in the warehouse look like mine and he agrees they look bad, but nothing can be done. I asked (with incredulity) "So you're going to put those bumpers on new cars????" He responded "We aren't building any cars right now." Hmmmm.... gives one pause....
Georgia's old bumper is still at the dealer and we are waiting to hear from Steve at Saleen re: whether they will pay the dealer to remove the new bumper and put the old one back on. When we spoke, he was non-committal about this option because he doesn't want to spend any more money on the problem. [:@]
What do I DOOOOOOOOOOO??!! [sm=outcold.gif]
BTW the side skirt has already been re-prepped and re-painted and hopefully no longer an issue.
As some of you know, I took Georgia in three weeks ago to get a side skirt and rear bumper replaced. Went to pick her up on "Black Friday" and immediately saw that the quality of the replacement parts was far lower than what was originally on her. I could see two very rough spots on the side skirt from across the service bay. There were even more up close. The bumper was much worse. Seams everywhere! I will post pix.... It was astonishing that they would put these parts on ANY car and think it was okay. The loaner Hyundai I'm currently driving looks better in terms of QC!
Anyway, we agreed that Georgia would be coming back and the pieces would be properly prepped and repainted. I also spoke with Steve Snyder in Saleen Warranty and he said it sounded like a prep issue... So set up the appt to take her back this past Tues.
Then the Saleen service tech called me last Thurs to let me know he had been fired... [&:]
So back to Middlekauff Ford she went on Tues of this week (and this time I'm paying for a loaner -- that's fun). The new Saleen service tech is a very good guy (and related to Mr. Middlekauff) but admitted right off the bat that he knows nothing about Saleens (side note: first conversation, he called them SAY-leens, three days later he's got the pronunciation correct -- sharp guy).
The body shop manager at Middlekauff is unwilling to sand down all of those seams (and I mean, they're everywhere) because he worries that the structural integrity of the piece will be compromised. This makes sense to me and it "seems" he's looking out for me. So Steve Snyder at Saleen checked their supply of bumpers and guess what?? They all look just as bad as the new one they gave me! So after much haggling between Saleen and the dealer, it was decided that the new bumper should stay on the car as is. This is WORSE than the warp I originally took it in for!
Next, Amy calls Steve at Saleen to get his perspective on the issue. He reiterates that all of the bumpers in the warehouse look like mine and he agrees they look bad, but nothing can be done. I asked (with incredulity) "So you're going to put those bumpers on new cars????" He responded "We aren't building any cars right now." Hmmmm.... gives one pause....
Georgia's old bumper is still at the dealer and we are waiting to hear from Steve at Saleen re: whether they will pay the dealer to remove the new bumper and put the old one back on. When we spoke, he was non-committal about this option because he doesn't want to spend any more money on the problem. [:@]
What do I DOOOOOOOOOOO??!! [sm=outcold.gif]
BTW the side skirt has already been re-prepped and re-painted and hopefully no longer an issue.
07-26-2007, 05:57 PM
#2
Retired Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 9,235
RE: What would you do?
Hey there, my cyberworldgal pal 
I am soo sorry to hear your story. If I remember correctly, the old bumper was warped, but finish was good. Correct? Hopefully, the old bumper was removed and stored without damage, maybe they could re-install it. Was the warping just under the license plate? If so, maybe a piece of heavy sheet metal could be glued on the under side and would take out the warping prior to re-installing it.
I can read the frustration in your post and sorry you have to go through it. Hopefully, it will get all fixed up and look good.
Jazzer
I am soo sorry to hear your story. If I remember correctly, the old bumper was warped, but finish was good. Correct? Hopefully, the old bumper was removed and stored without damage, maybe they could re-install it. Was the warping just under the license plate? If so, maybe a piece of heavy sheet metal could be glued on the under side and would take out the warping prior to re-installing it.
I can read the frustration in your post and sorry you have to go through it. Hopefully, it will get all fixed up and look good.
Jazzer
07-26-2007, 06:02 PM
#3
3rd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 901
RE: What would you do?
Here are some pix. The seams are tough to capture, but essentially every edge where the plastic bumper meets the quarter panel (both sides) and around the red reflector lights. They are three-dimensional and you can feel them with your finger, not simply weirdness in the paint.
[IMG]
[/IMG]
[IMG]
[/IMG]
[IMG]
[/IMG]
[IMG]
[/IMG][IMG]
[/IMG][IMG]
[/IMG]
07-26-2007, 06:09 PM
#5
3rd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 901
RE: What would you do?
ORIGINAL: Jazzer The Cat
Hey there, my cyberworld gal pal
I am soo sorry to hear your story. If I remember correctly, the old bumper was warped, but finish was good. Correct? Hopefully, the old bumper was removed and stored without damage, maybe they could re-install it. Was the warping just under the license plate? If so, maybe a piece of heavy sheet metal could be glued on the under side and would take out the warping prior to re-installing it.
I can read the frustration in your post and sorry you have to go through it. Hopefully, it will get all fixed up and look good.
Jazzer
Hey there, my cyberworld gal pal
I am soo sorry to hear your story. If I remember correctly, the old bumper was warped, but finish was good. Correct? Hopefully, the old bumper was removed and stored without damage, maybe they could re-install it. Was the warping just under the license plate? If so, maybe a piece of heavy sheet metal could be glued on the under side and would take out the warping prior to re-installing it.
I can read the frustration in your post and sorry you have to go through it. Hopefully, it will get all fixed up and look good.
Jazzer
Yes, the only problem with the old bumper was the warping and I can live with it in the face of this option. The dealer kept it and it has been sitting in a box since it was removed. Hopefully they didn't do any damage when they removed it and it can go back on.
I'm trying to be zen about this and keep drama to a minimum, but right now I want to [sm=boohoo.gif]
This is a lesson in leaving well enough alone.
07-26-2007, 06:43 PM
#6
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: IL
Posts: 1,598
RE: What would you do?
Wow Amy.....sorry to hear about this most recent news[:'(]!
It really sounds like you have a case of someone painting a piece that wasn't prepped properly. I've heard from Team Ford here in Marietta that Saleen nose cones, bumpers, etc.....always come invery rough, requiring a "significant" amount of prep time (so much so....that the prep time starts to be the main driver on cost of these seemingly straight, forward replacements). Sounds like the folks doing the painting prep didn't take the timeto sand/blend rough spots to an acceptable level.......and out come the excuses.
Structural integrity being influenced by any necessary prep work......not likely. My guessis....it's probably bad form for Saleen to bad mouth authorized Saleen dealerships and vice versa.
For piece of mind.....get a quick estimate/assessmentby a well known painter in the area. People that make a name of being respected for delivering great paint jobs will know if fixing and repainting the new pieces is doable. Armed with this.....go back to the dealer and tell themyou have a shop that is willing to fix their handy work (maybe you can do a pass-through cost to the dealership).
It really sounds like you have a case of someone painting a piece that wasn't prepped properly. I've heard from Team Ford here in Marietta that Saleen nose cones, bumpers, etc.....always come invery rough, requiring a "significant" amount of prep time (so much so....that the prep time starts to be the main driver on cost of these seemingly straight, forward replacements). Sounds like the folks doing the painting prep didn't take the timeto sand/blend rough spots to an acceptable level.......and out come the excuses.
Structural integrity being influenced by any necessary prep work......not likely. My guessis....it's probably bad form for Saleen to bad mouth authorized Saleen dealerships and vice versa.
For piece of mind.....get a quick estimate/assessmentby a well known painter in the area. People that make a name of being respected for delivering great paint jobs will know if fixing and repainting the new pieces is doable. Armed with this.....go back to the dealer and tell themyou have a shop that is willing to fix their handy work (maybe you can do a pass-through cost to the dealership).
07-26-2007, 06:56 PM
#7
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location:
Posts: 310
RE: What would you do?
ORIGINAL: mills281e
.....get a quick estimate/assessmentby a well known painter in the area. People that make a name of being respected for delivering great paint jobs will know if fixing and repainting the new pieces is doable. Armed with this.....go back to the dealer and tell themyou have a shop that is willing to fix their handy work (maybe you can do a pass-through cost to the dealership).
.....get a quick estimate/assessmentby a well known painter in the area. People that make a name of being respected for delivering great paint jobs will know if fixing and repainting the new pieces is doable. Armed with this.....go back to the dealer and tell themyou have a shop that is willing to fix their handy work (maybe you can do a pass-through cost to the dealership).
07-26-2007, 07:03 PM
#8
Retired Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 9,235
RE: What would you do?
ORIGINAL: Bob D.
This is really *great* advice...and if I were you I wouldconsider even going one step further and just paying the difference between what the dealer/Saleen are willing to pay, and having it done, to your satisfaction, by a quality shop. Life is just too short. Your time,happiness and peace of mind are worth something too.
ORIGINAL: mills281e
.....get a quick estimate/assessmentby a well known painter in the area. People that make a name of being respected for delivering great paint jobs will know if fixing and repainting the new pieces is doable. Armed with this.....go back to the dealer and tell themyou have a shop that is willing to fix their handy work (maybe you can do a pass-through cost to the dealership).
.....get a quick estimate/assessmentby a well known painter in the area. People that make a name of being respected for delivering great paint jobs will know if fixing and repainting the new pieces is doable. Armed with this.....go back to the dealer and tell themyou have a shop that is willing to fix their handy work (maybe you can do a pass-through cost to the dealership).
Jazzer
