ZL1 Build-Horror Story! IDK WHAT TO DO! Help! - Page 2 - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

JLSuperfly · 02-26-2019, 02:26 PM

Good luck OP, keep us posted.

Jrmolina2006 · 02-26-2019, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tstodii

Also, FWIW...

"Claims against mechanics and auto repair shops are typically brought in small claims court. In Texas, a suit to recover an amount under $10,000 may be brought in small claims court. Given the fact that most vehicles cost less than $20,000, most repair jobs are less than this amount. However, if your claim for damages is greater than $10,000, you may be entitled to bring a claim for damages outside the small claims court."

yeah i also have to see what the lawyer will run me and what the repair will run me. ahhh this is going to be a headache

Shutudwn · 02-26-2019, 02:44 PM

Your mod list is pretty standard. It should have been a straight forward install. It seems like they are at fault. If it's financially viable I would sue.

Sorry to hear about this and I hope it all works out.

Jrmolina2006 · 02-26-2019, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shutudwn

Your mod list is pretty standard. It should have been a straight forward install. It seems like they are at fault. If it's financially viable I would sue.

Sorry to hear about this and I hope it all works out.

thanks bro.

Roader · 02-26-2019, 04:09 PM

If you plan to sue I would advise you to not name the shop until after you speak to an attorney. I had to file a suit vs a company once and that is what I was instructed to do. Told do not post anything about their name or reviews. Now I don’t know if that’s standard but it was my guidance.

Jrmolina2006 · 02-26-2019, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roader

If you plan to sue I would advise you to not name the shop until after you speak to an attorney. I had to file a suit vs a company once and that is what I was instructed to do. Told do not post anything about their name or reviews. Now I don’t know if that’s standard but it was my guidance.

thanks bro

silversleeper · 02-26-2019, 05:12 PM

Yeah, and don't threaten them. If you say ...I'll sue you...I'll post bad reviews. They could count those as threats and you could be in trouble or lose your case as the court is not on your side now.
I would take it out of that shop right away. Take it to a good shop and get a written detailed document of the engine autopsy. After it was determined to be a lifter failure possibly because of low oil pressure then that paper and your repair receipts are all you'll need in small claims court. Lawyers are not allowed there so you don't need to payout for them. Even if you do "win" in court you might not actually recover a damn dime. You can try to take further steps if they don't pay you but often you won't get anything. That's why paying a lawyer puts you further in the hole unless it's a huge shop that you are CERTAIN has enough liquid cash to pay for repairs.
One problem I see with your case is that it went to an unrelated tuner after it left their hands. We both know what caused all this but after it leaves the shop there now is a solid 3rd party to blame the damages on. "That tuner did some spark advance and lean fuel experimentation on the engine that ruined it"..."they took turns driving it like they stole it...". Now we can't say 100% for certain the latter isn't true.

If you do talk to a lawyer you'll need to mention how long it has been out of the original shop's care and out of your supervision and how the original shop said it's all repaired and good to go as it drove away and no-one said there was any leaks or damage at the time if left the shop. ... aka there goes your case. Unless you try to get notarized statements from the tuner how it arrived like that but now you're still stuck with a "he said she said" conflict.
Disclaimer: I'm not an attorney and I didn't sleep at the Holiday Inn express either.

Wizard1183 · 02-26-2019, 05:14 PM

And that’s why I don’t mod my car. I have friends that say dig into that engine man. It’s a bad ass engine. I’m like nope. No need. Anything that engine gets will be because I installed it. No one else.

Rock-It Man · 02-26-2019, 05:41 PM

Everything you describe is the shop's fault, whether a mistake installing the oil pump or some cam/pushrod/lifter geometry problem.

You are gonna need a lawyer and extensive engine rework.

DT10 · 02-26-2019, 10:26 PM

Sounds like they don’t have a clue on wtf they’re doing. Good luck!

InFiD3ViL · 02-26-2019, 10:54 PM

You know something sucks when you actually get angry for a total stranger. I mean WTF?! He wants you to pay for destroying your engine?

Holy shit, this is a nightmare. Brother...lawyer up. Expect this to be even more painful than it already is, but do not let up one inch!
It is time people start to pay for their incompetence. DOCUMENT EVERYTHING! Even the things that sounds stupid or petty. This will only help you in the long run. Get video of all damage visible damage.

I wish you the best of luck man. This isn't even my car and it is getting my blood boiling. I cannot even imagine how YOU feel.

JLBIII · 02-27-2019, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silversleeper

Yeah, and don't threaten them. If you say ...I'll sue you...I'll post bad reviews. They could count those as threats and you could be in trouble or lose your case as the court is not on your side now.
I would take it out of that shop right away. Take it to a good shop and get a written detailed document of the engine autopsy. After it was determined to be a lifter failure possibly because of low oil pressure then that paper and your repair receipts are all you'll need in small claims court. Lawyers are not allowed there so you don't need to payout for them. Even if you do "win" in court you might not actually recover a damn dime. You can try to take further steps if they don't pay you but often you won't get anything. That's why paying a lawyer puts you further in the hole unless it's a huge shop that you are CERTAIN has enough liquid cash to pay for repairs.
One problem I see with your case is that it went to an unrelated tuner after it left their hands. We both know what caused all this but after it leaves the shop there now is a solid 3rd party to blame the damages on. "That tuner did some spark advance and lean fuel experimentation on the engine that ruined it"..."they took turns driving it like they stole it...". Now we can't say 100% for certain the latter isn't true.

If you do talk to a lawyer you'll need to mention how long it has been out of the original shop's care and out of your supervision and how the original shop said it's all repaired and good to go as it drove away and no-one said there was any leaks or damage at the time if left the shop. ... aka there goes your case. Unless you try to get notarized statements from the tuner how it arrived like that but now you're still stuck with a "he said she said" conflict.
Disclaimer: I'm not an attorney and I didn't sleep at the Holiday Inn express either.

The way I read the OP is the original shop still has possession of the car and took it to their tuner. I'm no lawyer but I believe the shop is responsible for all damages.

Best of luck to the OP!

J Rod · 02-28-2019, 08:03 AM

Damn that really sucks man. I had a similar situation when I just started getting into modding. I took my 87 IROC to a shop to have 3.73 gears installed, and of course I was young, dumb, and broke so I went with the lowest quote I could find. About 2 months later, I finally picked up my car and the gears locked up about 10 miles down the road. I had it towed back to them and after another 4 months (and pestering the guy almost daily), I finally got my car back with a new rearend, a new clutch and a new L98 350 to replace my LB9 305 as well. I can't even remember his excuses for why all of that needed replaced but the engine upgrade kept me quiet about. I did get lucky in the fact he was ripping off my extended care insurance company instead of me though, I only had to pay for the gear swap. About 4-5 years later I found out that he had gotten busted for insurance fraud. lol Anyway, that whole experience is what made me decide to start learning how to do this stuff myself and I'm glad I did. The only time I take my cars in to a shop now is for warranty/recall work and even then I'm not happy about it.

Silver14 · 02-28-2019, 08:03 AM

Has anyone advocating lawyering up or going to small claims actually done it themselves?

Proving (actually proving, not just that it broke while they had it) the shop is at fault then actually collecting may be more expensive and time consuming than working towards a resolution with the shop.

You could choose to cut your losses, chalk it up as a learning experience, and tow your car out of there.

02-26-2019, 05:14 PM	#22
Wizard1183 Drives: ABM SS2/RS M6 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Lafayette,LA Posts: 2,312	And that’s why I don’t mod my car. I have friends that say dig into that engine man. It’s a bad ass engine. I’m like nope. No need. Anything that engine gets will be because I installed it. No one else. __________________ Life is short, drive it like you stole it!

02-26-2019, 10:26 PM	#24
DT10 Drives: 2015 2SS/RS Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Poughkeepsie Posts: 109	Sounds like they don’t have a clue on wtf they’re doing. Good luck! __________________

02-26-2019, 10:54 PM	#25
InFiD3ViL Drives: 2010 CGM 2SS/RS LS3 Swapped A6 Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Spring Hill, FL Posts: 4,735	You know something sucks when you actually get angry for a total stranger. I mean WTF?! He wants you to pay for destroying your engine? Holy shit, this is a nightmare. Brother...lawyer up. Expect this to be even more painful than it already is, but do not let up one inch! It is time people start to pay for their incompetence. DOCUMENT EVERYTHING! Even the things that sounds stupid or petty. This will only help you in the long run. Get video of all damage visible damage. I wish you the best of luck man. This isn't even my car and it is getting my blood boiling. I cannot even imagine how YOU feel. __________________ 2010 CGM Camaro 2SS LS3 Swapped A6 - GPI LS3 SS1 .647/.638, (224/237, 112 +4, 7º overlap) on CamMotion 8620 core, BTR Platinum .660" Dual Spring kit w/titanium retainers, CHE bronze trunnion upgrade, stock heads milled @ .015, Melling HV 10296 oil pump, TSP 1-7/8" long tube headers (W/Catless Off-road Pipes), Corsa Xtreme 3" Catback, GPI Ported/Rod Mod Intake, Stage 2 Ported Throttle Body, Vararam OTR CAI, Mike Norris Gen 2 catch can + GM 1LE clean side separator, 160º thermostat - Megan Racing adjustable coilovers (lowered 1.75"), MRR M017 10/11" wheels-Tuned by Ryan @ GPI

02-28-2019, 08:03 AM	#27
J Rod Drives: '14 BRM 1LE 2SS/RS Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Ft. Wayne, IN Posts: 804	Damn that really sucks man. I had a similar situation when I just started getting into modding. I took my 87 IROC to a shop to have 3.73 gears installed, and of course I was young, dumb, and broke so I went with the lowest quote I could find. About 2 months later, I finally picked up my car and the gears locked up about 10 miles down the road. I had it towed back to them and after another 4 months (and pestering the guy almost daily), I finally got my car back with a new rearend, a new clutch and a new L98 350 to replace my LB9 305 as well. I can't even remember his excuses for why all of that needed replaced but the engine upgrade kept me quiet about. I did get lucky in the fact he was ripping off my extended care insurance company instead of me though, I only had to pay for the gear swap. About 4-5 years later I found out that he had gotten busted for insurance fraud. lol Anyway, that whole experience is what made me decide to start learning how to do this stuff myself and I'm glad I did. The only time I take my cars in to a shop now is for warranty/recall work and even then I'm not happy about it. __________________ *592 HP/590 TQ* LSA Blower w/ 2.45 Griptec, Reinforced Brick, FIC 1000 injectors, JRE FPCM, LFP Dual Pass HX, ZL1 IC pump, RotoFab CAI, Bo White TB, Coated Stainless Power 1-7/8" LTs, NPP, NGK TR7IX, Mighty Mouse Wild CC, AEM X-Series WB, Aeroforce Interceptor, MGW Shifter, Z28 Grill, Gary's Custom ZL1 Rockers, Hero Tails, Tuned by IMC

02-26-2019, 02:26 PM	#15
JLSuperfly Drives: 2014 Red Hot LS3 Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: SF Bay Area, CA Posts: 4,266	Good luck OP, keep us posted.

02-26-2019, 02:44 PM	#17
Shutudwn Drives: 2004 Ford Mustang Cobra Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Quebec, CA Posts: 107	Your mod list is pretty standard. It should have been a straight forward install. It seems like they are at fault. If it's financially viable I would sue. Sorry to hear about this and I hope it all works out.

02-26-2019, 04:09 PM	#19
Roader Drives: Camaro Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Alabama Posts: 673	If you plan to sue I would advise you to not name the shop until after you speak to an attorney. I had to file a suit vs a company once and that is what I was instructed to do. Told do not post anything about their name or reviews. Now I don’t know if that’s standard but it was my guidance.

02-26-2019, 05:12 PM	#21
silversleeper Big Crow Drives: '13 ZL1 Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: California Posts: 1,551	Yeah, and don't threaten them. If you say ...I'll sue you...I'll post bad reviews. They could count those as threats and you could be in trouble or lose your case as the court is not on your side now. I would take it out of that shop right away. Take it to a good shop and get a written detailed document of the engine autopsy. After it was determined to be a lifter failure possibly because of low oil pressure then that paper and your repair receipts are all you'll need in small claims court. Lawyers are not allowed there so you don't need to payout for them. Even if you do "win" in court you might not actually recover a damn dime. You can try to take further steps if they don't pay you but often you won't get anything. That's why paying a lawyer puts you further in the hole unless it's a huge shop that you are CERTAIN has enough liquid cash to pay for repairs. One problem I see with your case is that it went to an unrelated tuner after it left their hands. We both know what caused all this but after it leaves the shop there now is a solid 3rd party to blame the damages on. "That tuner did some spark advance and lean fuel experimentation on the engine that ruined it"..."they took turns driving it like they stole it...". Now we can't say 100% for certain the latter isn't true. If you do talk to a lawyer you'll need to mention how long it has been out of the original shop's care and out of your supervision and how the original shop said it's all repaired and good to go as it drove away and no-one said there was any leaks or damage at the time if left the shop. ... aka there goes your case. Unless you try to get notarized statements from the tuner how it arrived like that but now you're still stuck with a "he said she said" conflict. Disclaimer: I'm not an attorney and I didn't sleep at the Holiday Inn express either.

02-26-2019, 05:41 PM	#23
Rock-It Man 376 cubic inches of fun Drives: 2023 Camaro ZL1 A10 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: MA Posts: 4,043 View My Garage	Everything you describe is the shop's fault, whether a mistake installing the oil pump or some cam/pushrod/lifter geometry problem. You are gonna need a lawyer and extensive engine rework.

02-28-2019, 08:03 AM	#28
Silver14 Drives: 2014 SIM 2SS Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 925	Has anyone advocating lawyering up or going to small claims actually done it themselves? Proving (actually proving, not just that it broke while they had it) the shop is at fault then actually collecting may be more expensive and time consuming than working towards a resolution with the shop. You could choose to cut your losses, chalk it up as a learning experience, and tow your car out of there.