Corvette Shop does a ripoff parts switcheroo...

[Stuart F.]

Re: Corvette Shop does a ripoff parts switcheroo...

Yes Clark, and everyone will plead they know nothing. By the time you find out it is too late. Your parts are long gone and will never be found. Your only recourse will be to try and get back some monitary damages from the shop owner, but that may never replace your parts or even cover the costs to do so.

It's like you have been violated, taken advantage of. There are many things you can do to protect your home and, for that matter, your car while it is garaged there. But when you have to leave it in the care of someone else just on the basis of trust or faith - it sucks. Routinely, I don't leave my car anywhere that I can not keep an eye on it. Even then, at car shows or cruise-ins, I remove, change or lock up anything that could easily be taken, such as the gas cap and even my toll road transducer, etc.

Stu Fox

[Jeff A.]

Re: Corvette Shop does a ripoff parts switcheroo...

If you have to go to that extreme - you need to find a different mechanic.

Many years ago in the very early 80's I took my 67-400HP car to a shop in Glenview IL.
Just needed some minor carbs tuning and valve adjustments.
When I called to see when the car would be ready - I was told they needed 3 or 4 more hours to finish.

Seemed weird, so I hustled over there to see why so much more labor was needed.

When I arrived my car was done, but up on a lift - the shop owner would not let me see the car,
instead he sent one of his oil boys up on a 10ft. ladder to make ratchet sounds for 2 more hours while I sat there.

Can you imagine adjusting valves on a 10 foot ladder?
After that I made it my goal to do all the work myself.

Because of all the car clubs around - these days it seems easier to find trustworthy service.
maybe I have just been lucky?

The moral of the story is that you must be very aware of who has access to your car,
you must make it perfectly clear that you want every bolt back where it belongs - or in the old parts box which you are keeping.

If you are not sure of what you have --- take a bunch of pictures at drop-off.

[Patrick T.]

Re: Corvette Shop does a ripoff parts switcheroo...

Thanks for the horror stories guys. I'm going up to the shop tomorrow and check it out and take some more pictures and give him a deadline to get this ragtop on, or I'm taking the car back, top or no top. PT

[Dick W.]

Re: Corvette Shop does a ripoff parts switcheroo...

I restored a '63 Z-06 several years ago. A few years prior to bringing it to my shop, it seems that the F.I. unit and master cylinder disappeared in the shop of a well know restorer. Michael Hanson knows that story.

[Jim L.]

Re: Corvette Shop does a ripoff parts switcheroo...

While Tom Parsons has the answer that is ultimately correct..... do your own work.... that is, of course, not always possible.

I suggest that an alternative is to take your car to a non-Corvette shop where the people have little knowledge of and even less interest in the rare and hard to duplicate bits and pieces.

Jim

[Michael H.]

Re: Corvette Shop does a ripoff parts switcheroo...

I restored a '63 Z-06 several years ago. A few years prior to bringing it to my shop, it seems that the F.I. unit and master cylinder disappeared in the shop of a well know restorer. Michael Hanson knows that story.

That would be the Sebring silver/red car originally from Minnesota? I don't remember that story. Did that happen in Illinois?

[Paul Y.]

Re: Corvette Shop does a ripoff parts switcheroo...

I have always had a real hard time letting anyone else touch my car. That's why I have alighnment equipment and body and paint equipment. I even went to a night school to learn body and paint skills. I have a whole list of horror storys from before when I farmed out some of the work. I would have to say that any and all work on this 46 year old car will be done by myself or I will learn the skills to do it. I want to thank many people for taking me under their wing and mentoring me with their knowledge. Brian Futo taught me fuel injection when he lived in Boulder during the 80's and I am eternally thankful to him for that. Lots and lots of mentoring and I try to pass it on to the young as well. It's a great hobby and to do it your self brings high satisfaction.

[Dick W.]

Re: Corvette Shop does a ripoff parts switcheroo...

That would be the Sebring silver/red car originally from Minnesota? I don't remember that story. Did that happen in Illinois?

Yup! Ya won the donut hole this morning

[Richard T.]

Re: Corvette Shop does a ripoff parts switcheroo...

I have never heard of a shop taking parts off of a car and replacing them with sub standard parts in a effort to steal the parts from a customer's car but I guess there is a first time for everything. By law all defective parts removed must be returned to the customer or at least shown to the customer when the car is picked up. The customer than can decide to absorb a core charge if the old part is wanted. This includes internal engine, transmission and rear end parts. Report them to the State Auto Repair and Better Business Bureau if you have been cheated or deceived.

[John D.]

Re: Corvette Shop does a ripoff parts switcheroo...

One thing that everyone in the business should learn is this. No matter how tempting a fellow car owners part is the worst thing you can do is mess with his parts. Honesty at all cost.

[Tom P.]

Re: Corvette Shop does a ripoff parts switcheroo...

You just never know, you might take parts from someone like that crazy SOB Tom Parsons------------------and he wouldn't report it! But guaranteed---------------you'd never do it again after Tom "visited" with you!

[Stuart F.]

Re: Corvette Shop does a ripoff parts switcheroo...

Tom;

You'll notice as often as I told this tale of whoa, I never mention D & M Corvette or the service manager Tom Fara by name all these years. That's my revenge.

Stu Fox

[Patrick T.]

Re: Corvette Shop does a ripoff parts switcheroo...

You just never know, you might take parts from someone like that crazy SOB Tom Parsons------------------and he wouldn't report it! But guaranteed---------------you'd never do it again after Tom "visited" with you!

I'm going to visit these guys tomorrow and see what's up. Just trying to let them know I'm watching them, maybe take a few more pictures.