Body Shop Fried My Clutch!!!!!

[Jaym14]

Body Shop Fried My Clutch!!!!! New Pics Also

So today I got my car back from the body shop , where its been for the past few months. I had smacked up the front passenger side a little last December and decided that since I was getting that fixed I might as well go ahead and take the time to give the body a good once over and give the old fox a fresh coat of paint. I got a good deal because the body shop owner was a friend of a friend type of thing, but he took his sweet arse time finishing the job. So anyway, I pick the car up today and soon discover my clutch is completely shot!!!!! I don't know what these guys did but now I need to replace my clutch. I have a ram powergrip clutch which I've had no complaints about. My question is should I take a chance and replace just the disc or buy an entire new clutch set?? Everything seems fine (pressure plate and all other components) just the disc seems shot. I'm just worried that I might buy a disc and then end up needed something else that looks ok but really isn't. The body guy offered to help pay for it, and swears no one drove the car anywhere except in and out of the shop. I kind believe him but geeshhh... his employees need to learn how to not ride a clutch. Anyway, any thoughts, suggestions, or opinions would be helpful, Thanks. Below are some pics I snapped today with my iphone... sorry for poor quality, will get some better ones up later... cloudy day here too

Color is Orange Pearl, its a Nissan color used on the 350Z

 

[daviszx3]

wow car looks great...sorry bout clutch

 

[Jaym14]

wow car looks great...sorry bout clutch

Thanks... at least they got that part right!!! They did do nice work.. just need a sunny day to take better pics.

 

[stykthyn]

resurface the fly wheel and buy a new clutch disc

 

[GDTrumbo]

Better replace the press plate too. Chances are the plate is scored....

GT

 

[1991notchbackLX]

so, basically, every piece of **** in the body shop took your car out and did 5 burnouts and ground every gear in your transmission trying to "powershift"

that really chaps my ass man

here's what i do, works every time... when you bring your car somewhere to have work done, write down the odometer mileage! a shop should never put more than 1 single mile on your car pulling it in and out of bays to work on it, i tell them that i wrote the mileage down, and that if i come back to find any more than 1 mile on the car that i won't pay for the job

only one time has the shop owner turned me away because of it, most are pretty understanding and agree to my terms

if i were you i'd make those guys buy you a new clutch, and i'd have your tranny checked, because chances are if they don't know how to clutch they sure as hell don't know how to shift!

 

[85SVOGUY]

so, basically, every piece of **** in the body shop took your car out and did 5 burnouts and ground every gear in your transmission trying to "powershift"

that really chaps my ass man

here's what i do, works every time... when you bring your car somewhere to have work done, write down the odometer mileage! a shop should never put more than 1 single mile on your car pulling it in and out of bays to work on it, i tell them that i wrote the mileage down, and that if i come back to find any more than 1 mile on the car that i won't pay for the job

only one time as the shop owner turned me away because of it, most are pretty understanding and agree to my terms

if i were you i'd make those guys buy you a new clutch, and i'd have your tranny checked, because chances are if they don't know how to clutch they sure as hell don't know how to shift!

+1 on that. Even if they had it for 4 months pulling it in and out of a shop maybe 40 feet at a time shouldnt equal up to a mile. And for them to burn out your clutch.. seems sketchy.

 

[Jaym14]

**Update**

So I ended up ordering an entire new Powergrip HD Clutch kit from Summit and I'm going to have the flywheel resurfaced. I'd rather be safer and not have to fix it twice.

I upgraded to 2nd day air shipping, will be here on Monday.

I was going to place the same order with late model, but they wanted $97.00 for shipping!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Summit charged me $30.00 Shipping for the same exact order with 2nd day shipping!!

I love latemodel but today Summit > Latemodel

 

[Jaym14]

+1 on that. Even if they had it for 4 months pulling it in and out of a shop maybe 40 feet at a time shouldnt equal up to a mile. And for them to burn out your clutch.. seems sketchy.

Agreed... I'm calling them today and letting them know how much they owe me

 

[MAC'n89Blckstng]

The only time a car should be driven by a shop is when there is mechanical work done to it and of course driving it in and out of the shop. That sucks but its an excuse to make your car better. lol Car looks awesome too man, love the color.

 

[DARCA]

**Update**

So I ended up ordering an entire new Powergrip HD Clutch kit from Summit and I'm going to have the flywheel resurfaced. I'd rather be safer and not have to fix it twice.

I upgraded to 2nd day air shipping, will be here on Monday.

I was going to place the same order with late model, but they wanted $97.00 for shipping!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Summit charged me $30.00 Shipping for the same exact order with 2nd day shipping!!

I love latemodel but today Summit > Latemodel

What happened to flat rate shipping?

 

[LaserSVT]

How many miles did the clutch have on it? How does the disc look? Is the flywheel blued at all?

 

[1991notchbackLX]

yup, i forgot to mention that he car looks awesome with that paint color

i also wanted to share a story about a guy who i was talking to at a car show when we were discussing body shops... he brought his car in to have his rear bumper resprayed after a fender bender... he got a phone call a week later that it was TOTALLED, wrapped around a utility pole... by the DRUNK OWNER of the shop, at 4 am, 40 MILES from the body shop!!

that's why i HATE anyone touching my car haha

 

[cenok is family]

laaammmeee...that's exactly why I do all work on my car myself.

 

[67coupe]

The new color looks great.

Sucks about the clutch. I also write down my mileage and let the shop know. If possible, I also try to bring the car to them on empty.

When I had my body work done, the owner told me they couldn't test drive it because it was almost out of gas. I told him sorry, I didn't notice that when I dropped it off.

 

[QUICK91LX]

All you guys particular about mileage...it depends on the work being done if there is a road test involved, and many times by signing a work order you agree to allow them operate the vehicle for the purposes of testing and diagnosis. its in the fine print. More than 5 or 10 miles is more than sufficient for 99% of diagnosis and testing, if it is going to be more than that they should tell you what they are doing, but if it came down to the law, they do have a leg to stand on.

 

[ryan218]

All you guys particular about mileage...it depends on the work being done if there is a road test involved, and many times by signing a work order you agree to allow them operate the vehicle for the purposes of testing and diagnosis. its in the fine print. More than 5 or 10 miles is more than sufficient for 99% of diagnosis and testing, if it is going to be more than that they should tell you what they are doing, but if it came down to the law, they do have a leg to stand on.

since when do they need to drive it to know where the body needs filler and not?

 

[hsean]

lets see some more pics of the car and interior as well and what color is that? it looks close to the corvette color.

 

[Jaym14]

Car looks awesome too man, love the color.

Thanks!!!

What happened to flat rate shipping?

Thats on standard UPS Ground Shipping.. not expedited shipping.

How many miles did the clutch have on it? How does the disc look? Is the flywheel blued at all?

Only About 1500.. but it did have a few Strip Passes on it and plenty of hard street Launches... HOWEVER, the Clutch was still grabbing just fine before I dropped the car off. As far as the flywheel goes, it looks ok, just the disc is shot really... but I'm having it resurfaced and installing a fresh clutch kit to be on the safe side.

yup, i forgot to mention that he car looks awesome with that paint color

Thanks!!!

The new color looks great.

Thanks!!!

since when do they need to drive it to know where the body needs filler and not?

LOL

lets see some more pics of the car and interior as well and what color is that? it looks close to the corvette color.

The color is called Solar Orange Pearl.. its a Nissan color used on the 350Z and perhaps other Nissan cars. It is very similar to the Corvette color. My car was originally Medium Cabernet Red. I plan on posting lots of pics (interior, exterior, engine) when I get it all back together with the new clutch and when we finally get some sun here... been raining for 3 days already

I'm surprised none of you guys noticed or asked about the lil old 9 sec maverick parked behind my car

 

[MAC'n89Blckstng]

since when do they need to drive it to know where the body needs filler and not?

if you read his post you would see that he said, for a road test that is needed and diagnosing purposes.