Tony Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 The owner of an 08 Mazda MX5nc decided to use the main dealer to install the "corrective" lowering coils and retain any warranty issues. He then took a leap of faith and traveled to us from Ipswich (about two hours) so that we could calibrate the chassis well i think we saved a life today..... First they managed to twist up the front wishbone bushings by locking the bushings with the wheels off the ground..... nothing new there. Then we noticed this..... Yep the lower shock retaining bolt was missing.... "fell out?"... how about the other side Left out more like.... It's only the fact that the coil has a "male/ female" locating point at about 30 degrees that saved this owner..... Had the shock detached when driving it would have been a terminal failure meaning there is no redundancy, so bye road hello bush time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 That's absolutely shocking, how can you forget something like that! Just goes to show even main dealers can't be trusted. What was the owners reaction and I hope they're going to moan? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted December 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 The owner stayed remarkably calm although i feel this will go to the top. I tried to get a local Mazda dealer to "donate" some bolts so that the owner could get home.... Seemingly the local dealer only had one car and that was a demo In the end the dealer from Ipswich came down with two bolts but the owner had to wait six hours.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 The owner stayed remarkably calm although i feel this will go to the top. I tried to get a local Mazda dealer to "donate" some bolts so that the owner could get home.... Seemingly the local dealer only had one car and that was a demo In the end the dealer from Ipswich came down with two bolts but the owner had to wait six hours.... The dealers came down from Ipswich..wouldn't of thought they'd do that but at least they saw the c**k up they made with their own eyes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted December 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 Their attitude was pathetic.... First up they refused to admit the problem could have existed, then they accused us of being wrong so we had to email images, then they questioned the owner as to why he traveled so far to have the Geo done. After six hours a tech appeared with two bolts and a torque wrench.... I was going to ask to see the calibration certificate but i think he's in enough trouble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMARTLY Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 He really ought to go to Trading Standards with this, they deserve ( at least ) a wacking big fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted December 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 He really ought to go to Trading Standards with this, they deserve ( at least ) a wacking big fine. Totally agree..... Where was the quality control?.. but what's really scary is at some point the tech must have noticed two nuts... didn't he wonder where they came from There's some serious questions needed to be asked at that dealership.... Like i said had the shock detached there's no redundancy, the rear would have collapsed, the shock would have hit the drive shaft and the shaft would have probably removed it's self from the CV-joint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weirdfish Posted January 2, 2009 Report Share Posted January 2, 2009 Well at least the warranty was intact because the springs were the right colour Truly shocking and certainly confirmed I've made the right decision to buy the springs and let WIM deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djwozza Posted January 2, 2009 Report Share Posted January 2, 2009 I can't believe this, maybe the techie went on a tea break and left the the trainee to finish off. Then the trainee kept quiet about it, as he didn't want to appear a fool with two bolts left ? BTW did this thread go up on the owners club ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weirdfish Posted January 2, 2009 Report Share Posted January 2, 2009 BTW did this thread go up on the owners club ? Yeh I did it yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted January 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2009 BTW did this thread go up on the owners club ? Yeh I did it yesterday. Well done, i was hoping the owner would mention this to the clubs but i assume he has some legal reasons to stay quite for now. I wanted to but i have to be careful about liabilities since we had a vested interest in the car, hence the reason no names or index was displayed. All that legal crap aside this was a particular horrific "horror of the week" since the consequences could have been so terminal, it doesn't bare thinking!! In truth no company is immune from mistakes but it's the way it's immediately dealt with that really matters, this dealer took to arguing with the owner rather than doing the right thing and addressing the problem there and then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tailslides Posted January 3, 2009 Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 Good job the owner is obviously an enthusiast with knowledge of WiM and the great work they do, somebody less savvy might not have made it to the New Year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted January 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 If the suspensions been installed by the dealer we have to look at historical areas where they let themselves down, the "twisted front bushing syndrome" and the rear "adjuster syndrome", so a pre-flight script. In this case Tony Barber our mechanical director looked at the rear of the car and said "somethings wrong here?".... It was only his keen eye that saved the day, i mean who would expect these vital bolts to be missing!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weirdfish Posted January 4, 2009 Report Share Posted January 4, 2009 If the suspensions been installed by the dealer we have to look at historical areas where they let themselves down, the "twisted front bushing syndrome" and the rear "adjuster syndrome", so a pre-flight script. I imagine that's becoming quite a list now. Unfortunately it's shocking but not overly surprising, when they dont even check tyre pressures on PDI. I picke my car up News Years Eve and checked the pressures the next day, they were all 37psi. Now either they dont check them or they do and think that's correct. Not sure what's worse And to think there is still the general perception that you are better off letting a main dealer carry out work on your car. People still worry about invalidating warranties by letting none franchised engineers do the work, even when they may be far better qualified. I know better and still wondered whether to get the dealer to fit my Eibach springs to save any future agro. Glad I decided not to, see you Tuesday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted January 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2009 Some scary facts. The pressures are the "shipping pressures" which are set at the tyres maximum of 44psi... The twisted bushing syndrome is well known to the dealerships but they are "not" prepared to lock the bushings "wheels down" because the procedure doesn't state so. I have measured and calibrated 100's of "as sold" NC's all of which have cambers moved to positive \ / rather then the suggested negative / \. I have measured and calibrated... nay tuned, 100's of lowered NC's who's chassis positions are near to the perfect positions required... Proof the chassis has been tampered with since we all know lowering the car should "violate" the chassis not correct it. The magazines slated the cars handling (as sold version) Top Gear loved the handling (lowered version) I have a friend who has friends in Japan connected to the NC's manufacture who have been told "not" to comment on the NC's handling..... and they wouldn't!! The NC has the best chassis i have ever seen and worked on, it's such a shame it's been violated for a few European brownie points. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMARTLY Posted January 4, 2009 Report Share Posted January 4, 2009 hey dont even check tyre pressures on PDI When I picked up my curremt Lexus I noticed it moving around on the motorway a lot. I got it home ( about 75 miles ) and all pressures were within half a pound of 45psi. Unforgiveable of the dealership. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammy Posted January 4, 2009 Report Share Posted January 4, 2009 These maindealers get worse by the second Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CIH Posted January 4, 2009 Report Share Posted January 4, 2009 If the suspensions been installed by the dealer we have to look at historical areas where they let themselves down, the "twisted front bushing syndrome" and the rear "adjuster syndrome", so a pre-flight script. In this case Tony Barber our mechanical director looked at the rear of the car and said "somethings wrong here?".... It was only his keen eye that saved the day, i mean who would expect these vital bolts to be missing!! "adjuster syndrome" ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted January 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2009 If the suspensions been installed by the dealer we have to look at historical areas where they let themselves down, the "twisted front bushing syndrome" and the rear "adjuster syndrome", so a pre-flight script. In this case Tony Barber our mechanical director looked at the rear of the car and said "somethings wrong here?".... It was only his keen eye that saved the day, i mean who would expect these vital bolts to be missing!! "adjuster syndrome" ? Where the "D" cam adjuster is outside of the adjuster ledges (upside down) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reasonrj Posted July 20, 2009 Report Share Posted July 20, 2009 Well, I only know of one Mazda dealer in Ipswich and I had them do my MX-5 (NB) 4-wheel alignment after my son's prang. It feels worse now than it did before (after my best-effort DIY job). For one thing, on full right lock it starts to want to wind up rather than un-wind so I guess the castor is wrong. Anyway, its going to the Ipswich Accident Repair Centre shortly for a new door and full LHS re-spray plus 4-wheel alignment so will hopefully be sorted. I only went to the main dealer because it was cheap at £50 (Son was uninsured ) Just a pity you're not a bit closer! Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted July 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2009 Well, I only know of one Mazda dealer in Ipswich and I had them do my MX-5 (NB)4-wheel alignment after my son's prang. It feels worse now than it did before (after my best-effort DIY job). For one thing, on full right lock it starts to want to wind up rather than un-wind so I guess the castor is wrong. Anyway, its going to the Ipswich Accident Repair Centre shortly for a new door and full LHS re-spray plus 4-wheel alignment so will hopefully be sorted. I only went to the main dealer because it was cheap at £50 (Son was uninsured ) Just a pity you're not a bit closer! Bob Reads disapointing from the dealer once again...... Holding on lock can be the castor.... sometimes the camber, but another one to watch for is a bent steering arm, this changes the Ackermann angle allowing the inner wheel to have to much lock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djwozza Posted July 20, 2009 Report Share Posted July 20, 2009 am more than a bit shocked that your son had a prang and was uninsured.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reasonrj Posted July 21, 2009 Report Share Posted July 21, 2009 am more than a bit shocked that your son had a prang and was uninsured.... Not half as shocked as I was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted July 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2009 am more than a bit shocked that your son had a prang and was uninsured.... Not half as shocked as I was. Well i didn't want to rub salt...... Did you get the "angry stick" out and give it some exercise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.