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Thread: Need help! Tech at firestone damaged my car!

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    Certified Gearhead BenjaminJunu's Avatar
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    Default Need help! Tech at firestone damaged my car!

    So i go into firestone to get new tires and an alignment.
    they do the tires and they finish the alignment. I didn't know that after the tech finished the alignment that he was going to test my car.
    So he takes the car to "test" it. The whole time i'm watching him. I see the tech launch my car and when he comes back he breaks my exhaust manifold. He broke the part that holds the wastegate cleanly off. First off, this is a project car and it's not finished, yet. Ii was not anticipating on someone launching and racing my car... I don't even drive my car like that. I yell at the tech and he admitted to driving my car like that. I go and tell the manager and he says he will talk to the tech. I pop my hood and i see the damage and i call the manager out to take a look. He tells me to go get it fixed and bring a receipt and he will see what he can do. He even admits that my car was not like that when i came in and it didn't sound like it did(there is a huge whole,so it had a different sound). I come back and i show him a cheap manifold off of ebay (not even half the value of the original), and i tell him this is what i want and it is more than fair. He tells me that my car is a piece of shit, and that it is slow so there is no reason that the tech would drive the car like that. He told me that my part was not strong enough, and he told me that they are not responsible.
    What should i do?
    I want to make sure that the tech and the manager lose their jobs and i want my money for a new manifold. Any advice/tips?
    If anything, i want to make sure that they lose their jobs.

    cliffs:
    go in for new tires and alignment.
    Tech races my car and breaks my manifold.
    manager tells me that my car is a pos and they aren't paying for it.

    DO NOT GO TO FIRESTONE, EVER!!!!!

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    Slow Aeroscout977's Avatar
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    Sounds like you're shit outa luck. You should have gotten an admission in writing from both the Tech and the Manager the instant it happened.

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    Certified Gearhead BenjaminJunu's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Aeroscout977 View Post
    Sounds like you're shit outa luck. You should have gotten an admission in writing from both the Tech and the Manager the instant it happened.
    I'm thinking the same thing. It's sad that people can't respect others property.

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    Yeah there's a lot of shitty techs and businesses out there. You could go the old fashion route and report them to the BBB and on you're free time picket outside their business. Contact the local sheriffs office and ask them where it's legal for you to protest their business and do it as close as possible. Hurt their bottom dollar and you may find te money you seek to fix what they've broken.

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    When dealing with any type of "project" or "race" car.... i do not let shops drive or "test" my car in any capacity. With exception of a shop ive used for years and trust. I dont hand my keys to teenage "techs" at tire and lube shops.... or paint shops.

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    Who is John Galt? Echonova's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by BenjaminJunu View Post
    So i go into firestone to get new tires and an alignment.
    they do the tires and they finish the alignment. I didn't know that after the tech finished the alignment that he was going to test my car.
    So he takes the car to "test" it. The whole time i'm watching him. I see the tech launch my car and when he comes back he breaks my exhaust manifold. He broke the part that holds the wastegate cleanly off. First off, this is a project car and it's not finished, yet. Ii was not anticipating on someone launching and racing my car... I don't even drive my car like that. I yell at the tech and he admitted to driving my car like that. I go and tell the manager and he says he will talk to the tech. I pop my hood and i see the damage and i call the manager out to take a look. He tells me to go get it fixed and bring a receipt and he will see what he can do. He even admits that my car was not like that when i came in and it didn't sound like it did(there is a huge whole,so it had a different sound). I come back and i show him a cheap manifold off of ebay (not even half the value of the original), and i tell him this is what i want and it is more than fair. He tells me that my car is a piece of shit, and that it is slow so there is no reason that the tech would drive the car like that. He told me that my part was not strong enough, and he told me that they are not responsible.
    What should i do?
    I want to make sure that the tech and the manager lose their jobs and i want my money for a new manifold. Any advice/tips?
    If anything, i want to make sure that they lose their jobs.

    cliffs:
    go in for new tires and alignment.
    Tech races my car and breaks my manifold.
    manager tells me that my car is a pos and they aren't paying for it.

    DO NOT GO TO FIRESTONE, EVER!!!!!
    You left without anything in writing...


    Plus you came back with an e-Bay manifold as a replacement???? I'm lost. If the dude broke it a legit part, then that's what they should pay to replace.


    If I was the manager and my tech broke something and you show up with some e-bay POS as a replacement, I'd think I was getting hustled too.

  7. #7
    Certified Gearhead BenjaminJunu's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Aeroscout977 View Post
    Yeah there's a lot of shitty techs and businesses out there. You could go the old fashion route and report them to the BBB and on you're free time picket outside their business. Contact the local sheriffs office and ask them where it's legal for you to protest their business and do it as close as possible. Hurt their bottom dollar and you may find te money you seek to fix what they've broken.
    I'm going to spread as much negative PR about them as i can. As far as protesting, i don't have the time for that.
    I'm just going to eat the price of a new manifold and get another fabricated.

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    Some guy. CSquared's Avatar
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    Why not submit a claim to corporate? Customer is always/usually right in their eyes.

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    Quote Originally Posted by CSquared View Post
    Why not submit a claim to corporate? Customer is always/usually right in their eyes.
    x2. shoulda got something in writing!

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    Senior Member C230K's Avatar
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    Where is this firestone located and that manager wasn't doing his job properly. Moral of the story is do not buy parts off of ebay.


    AFA HOLLYWOOD PREMIER LEAGUE EST. 1998


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    Quote Originally Posted by Echonova View Post


    Plus you came back with an e-Bay manifold as a replacement???? I'm lost.

    This is why I did not reply to this thread lol
    02' Miata




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    A couple of months ago I took my car to Firestone to get my timing belt and water pumped changed. Long story short they fucked up and my engine was knocking I called corporate and they told me to take my car to honda and let them fix it and they would send a blank check to honda to cover the cost. Firestone ended up paying 2k to fix my car..
    It's not the speed that kill's its the sudden stop at the end.

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    Certified Gearhead BenjaminJunu's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by C230K View Post
    Where is this firestone located and that manager wasn't doing his job properly. Moral of the story is do not buy parts off of ebay.
    The firestone is in jacksonville, Fl. off of San Jose rd.
    My original part was not an ebay part. It was a manifold that was custom fabricated by a shop in jacksonville.
    The manager told me that he would not pay for the complete price of the new manifold.
    So i told him buy this one and i'll be on my way. I just wanted to get my car back on the road and put this behind me.

    I wasn't looking to start problems. I paid for my tires and i left.
    I don't need hand outs from anyone, i just want what i deserve.

    Quote Originally Posted by CSquared View Post
    Why not submit a claim to corporate? Customer is always/usually right in their eyes.
    I have already submitted a claim, now i'm just waiting to see what happens.

  14. #14
    I'm not OK. Doppelgänger's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by BenjaminJunu View Post
    The firestone is in jacksonville, Fl. off of San Jose rd.
    My original part was not an ebay part. It was a manifold that was custom fabricated by a shop in jacksonville.
    The manager told me that he would not pay for the complete price of the new manifold.

    So i told him buy this one and i'll be on my way. I just wanted to get my car back on the road and put this behind me.

    I wasn't looking to start problems. I paid for my tires and i left.
    I don't need hand outs from anyone, i just want what i deserve.



    I have already submitted a claim, now i'm just waiting to see what happens.
    Sorry to say, but if someone's bit of hooning around broke the wastegate clean off the manifold, then it sounds like a crappy part to begin with. Project or not, a quality part is not going to snap off without the fault of either shoddy craftsmanship/poor quality OR poor installation. I'd say the "tech" just found that part's weakness before you did. Now, if it was you the broke it later down the road, what would you be doing then?

    Pics of engine bay/setup?
    02' Miata




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    I've been telling people for 10 years to never go to Firestone.

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    Senior Member E36slide's Avatar
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    If they both admitted fault they will have to pay regardless if in writing. Corporate will pay for damages. Ive had the same situation happen before. Doesn't matter if your parts are not of high quality, he still has no right to ” test” out your car the way he did. Threaten them with a law suit. that will open their eyes up real quick. No one wants to be unemployed over a manifold.

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    Certified Gearhead MOWE's Avatar
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    Had something like this happen....

    See if you can get anything in wrting...its not too late.

    A witness that maybe saw this irratic driving...


    SMALL CLAIMS COURT if all else fails.....


    I would be in jail if they called my car a POS after something like this..... your a better man then I !

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    I'm not OK. Doppelgänger's Avatar
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    I agree that someone at a company should not be beating on a customer's car regardless of the quality of the car (within reason). But still, I think it says a lot about the part that broke regardless of who broke it.
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    Some guy. CSquared's Avatar
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    Yeah I dont question that the part was weak. But I know if some shit happened like that at the shop I worked for back in the day... we'd be paying for it.

    Shitty happenstance for the employee... but thats what he gets for being a dick in a customers car.

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    Quote Originally Posted by MOWE View Post
    Had something like this happen....

    See if you can get anything in wrting...its not too late.

    A witness that maybe saw this irratic driving...


    SMALL CLAIMS COURT if all else fails.....


    I would be in jail if they called my car a POS after something like this..... your a better man then I !
    It's not worth it to file a lawsuit.. it's 300 bucks. Threaten them with one.

    I was fucked over by a towing company for a $1100 bumper, I forgot about it and bought another one.

  21. #21
    Who is John Galt? Echonova's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LowAP2 View Post
    It's not worth it to file a lawsuit.. it's 300 bucks. Threaten them with one.

    I was fucked over by a towing company for a $1100 bumper, I forgot about it and bought another one.

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    Certified Gearhead MOWE's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LowAP2 View Post
    It's not worth it to file a lawsuit.. it's 300 bucks. Threaten them with one.

    I was fucked over by a towing company for a $1100 bumper, I forgot about it and bought another one.
    The OP said that he looked on EBAY for the part...he didnt say it was necc worth $300...plus labor for install and anything else that is now broken...once blame is placed it opens up a HUGE CAN OF WORMS...

    Small claims isnt that difficult....it takes a small amount of time in most instances...and if he gets no where with just "threatining" then its a viable option...

    $$$$$ is $$$$$......shouldnt cost this guy anything

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    Quote Originally Posted by MOWE View Post
    The OP said that he looked on EBAY for the part...he didnt say it was necc worth $300...plus labor for install and anything else that is now broken...once blame is placed it opens up a HUGE CAN OF WORMS...

    Small claims isnt that difficult....it takes a small amount of time in most instances...and if he gets no where with just "threatining" then its a viable option...

    $$$$$ is $$$$$......shouldnt cost this guy anything
    What he should of done is call the cops on the spot and get a police report. He has no proof of anything right now. Won't hold up. It'll be waste of time and money. Also a huge headache.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Echonova View Post

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    Certified Gearhead MOWE's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LowAP2 View Post
    What he should of done is call the cops on the spot and get a police report. He has no proof of anything right now. Won't hold up. It'll be waste of time and money. Also a huge headache.

    I agree with you 100% there...especially after he heard the mgr acknowledge the employee misuse his vehicle....

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    Certified Gearhead BenjaminJunu's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Doppelgänger View Post
    Sorry to say, but if someone's bit of hooning around broke the wastegate clean off the manifold, then it sounds like a crappy part to begin with. Project or not, a quality part is not going to snap off without the fault of either shoddy craftsmanship/poor quality OR poor installation. I'd say the "tech" just found that part's weakness before you did. Now, if it was you the broke it later down the road, what would you be doing then?

    Pics of engine bay/setup?
    If i broke it, i wouldn't mind. Since it was someone else racing my car, i'm pissed.
    There would be a big difference.
    I would rather it break on me, then i would know that i did it and it's my fault.

    Even if the part was a 50 dollar ebay pos and they broke that i would still be mad. It isn't their car to play with.
    I would understand if the tech was driving normally and something broke, ok my part is to blame... it could have happened to me.
    He was racing, and that is the difference.

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    Quote Originally Posted by BenjaminJunu View Post
    If i broke it, i wouldn't mind. Since it was someone else racing my car, i'm pissed.
    There would be a big difference.
    I would rather it break on me, then i would know that i did it and it's my fault.

    Even if the part was a 50 dollar ebay pos and they broke that i would still be mad. It isn't their car to play with.
    I would understand if the tech was driving normally and something broke, ok my part is to blame... it could have happened to me.
    He was racing, and that is the difference.
    In a perfect world we would solve this problem like gentleman.


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    Super Certified metalmatt47's Avatar
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    Contact their district manager. If you ream him in the ass about it and become a bigger problem then he wants to deal with persistently on a day to day basis, a $300 manifold isn't going to be hard to get out of this.

    Trust me, I see them pay out larger claims out of their shops that are a lot bullshittier then this.
    Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth.
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    Certified Gearhead BenjaminJunu's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by metalmatt47 View Post
    Contact their district manager. If you ream him in the ass about it and become a bigger problem then he wants to deal with persistently on a day to day basis, a $300 manifold isn't going to be hard to get out of this.

    Trust me, I see them pay out larger claims out of their shops that are a lot bullshittier then this.
    I did. He got in touch with me today, and he was very kind. He is sending out an inspector on monday.
    I received a quote from a reputable shop for the replacement and install of a new manifold.
    I will keep you guys posted.

    Also one of the idiot techs lashed out on facebook. This further proves how dumb the techs working there are, and it helps my case.
    If i decide to take them to court i will have more than enough evidence to win...

  30. #30
    Who is John Galt? Echonova's Avatar
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    w00t!

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    Quote Originally Posted by BenjaminJunu View Post
    I did. He got in touch with me today, and he was very kind. He is sending out an inspector on monday.
    I received a quote from a reputable shop for the replacement and install of a new manifold.
    I will keep you guys posted.

    Also one of the idiot techs lashed out on facebook. This further proves how dumb the techs working there are, and it helps my case.
    If i decide to take them to court i will have more than enough evidence to win...
    Post the facebook info so we can ridicule him accordingly.

  32. #32
    Certified Gearhead BenjaminJunu's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sinfix_15 View Post
    Post the facebook info so we can ridicule him accordingly.
    The tech that decided to blow up on facebook isn't the one that messed with my car, so i'm not going to put him on the spot. At least not Yet.
    I want him to keep replying. It just makes my point stronger.
    I did not intend on involving this guy; he jumped in, and if he loses his job during this ordeal it will be his own fault.

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    Quote Originally Posted by BenjaminJunu View Post
    The tech that decided to blow up on facebook isn't the one that messed with my car, so i'm not going to put him on the spot. At least not Yet.
    I want him to keep replying. It just makes my point stronger.
    I did not intend on involving this guy; he jumped in, and if he loses his job during this ordeal it will be his own fault.
    What did he say?

  34. #34
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    Hahahaha...this went from shitty "learn a lesson bout grease monkey shops" to interesting in 3.5 seconds!

    Hope you get your money back player.
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    Didnt realize so many lawyers were on here.
    Quote Originally Posted by blackboi50
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nismo View Post
    Didnt realize so many lawyers were on here.
    Didn't realize homos were allowed to comment in this thread, but here you are commenting and shit.

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    Quote Originally Posted by E36slide View Post
    Didn't realize homos were allowed to comment in this thread, but here you are commenting and shit.

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    So still so mad you keep getting banned on 240atl arent you.
    Quote Originally Posted by blackboi50
    white power!!!!!! .....1

  38. #38
    Senior Member E36slide's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nismo View Post
    So still so mad you keep getting banned on 240atl arent you.
    Not really dude. I felt the jealousy pulsing through your finger tips as you banned me this last time. Must suck watching me post my clean ass engine bay and getting more recognition then you ever did with any of the 240' s you have ever owned. Question? Why are you still a moderator for 240atl if you hate 240s? You ban people you have personal grudges against, not those who break actual forum rules. I find it funny you old dudes still post on the forum as if yall are still part of the 240 community. It's time to retire old man.

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    Quote Originally Posted by E36slide View Post
    Not really dude. I felt the jealousy pulsing through your finger tips as you banned me this last time. Must suck watching me post my clean ass engine bay and getting more recognition then you ever did with any of the 240' s you have ever owned. Question? Why are you still a moderator for 240atl if you hate 240s? You ban people you have personal grudges against, not those who break actual forum rules. I find it funny you old dudes still post on the forum as if yall are still part of the 240 community. It's time to retire old man.

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    lol
    Quote Originally Posted by blackboi50
    white power!!!!!! .....1

  40. #40
    Senior Member E36slide's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nismo View Post
    lol
    Short with words. That's a first.

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