Mtech Install Nightmare... Should I Request reimbursement?

[SE3P_to_E90]

Accidentally posted in the General Cars thread... Anyway:

Hey guys, here's the situation.

About 2 weeks ago, i got my Mtech installed. Paint and finish is excellent, but the labor was total sh!t.

About a week after the install, I found they forgot to screw in one of the screws in the side bracket right behind the headlight. No problem. I went back and they put the screw on.

About a day later, while i was waxing, i opened the hood and realized that they improperly put on one of the grills (one of the brackets wasn't clipped in)... A little frustrated, i figured i'd do it myself and did it in 2 seconds. No problem -- although i was a little frustrated.

Then, here's the problem. After examining the very bottom (underbody) of the kit, i realized something looked slightly off. The bottom part looked kind of warped, and the bottom part under the fog lights didn't look as flush as it should. So i got my own PDF instructions, and checked it out.

It seems that they forgot to put on a piece for the mtech kit that attaches to the underbody. I brought it back to the shop, and it was apparent that my assumptions were correct. When i went to the technician, i told them that they installed the front bumper wrong. The old fart (and he's got some good years under him) has the nerve to say, "THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO PUT IT ON..." Upon hearing this, i get all steamed up and bark back, "Then how the F*ck do you manage to install it wrong?!?!" The owner of the shop comes out and "warns" me not to talk to his technician that way, and he will take care of it. Respectful of my elders (except for that old fart), i apologize and tell them to take care of it. Anyway, After 3 hours there, they still didn't get it right as they didn't cut out one of the sections of the body to make everything sit perfectly. Also, since they forgot to add that forementioned part, they decided NOT to use the predrilled holes and drilled their own holes in the bottom of the bumper to just make it "fit." From my visit today, they got the middle part to sit perfectly (f*cking finally) since they added that damn missing part (it was still sitting in the original box). However, since they didn't cut out one of the sections, the part right below the foglights still dont' sit flush -- and i have to go back to them (and spend another few f*cking hours) so that they can take the bumper off and do it over. Now, they decided to use the predrilled holes, so i have quite a few holes from when they decided to force it to fit.

Here's the kicker. In the very beginning of the install, they quoted me approximately $1300. Fine. Then they call me that day to say they have to charge me another $250 to buff out and fill the small "scratches" on the bumper that may have been damaged during shipping. My first response was, "don't you have to sand/primer it anyway?" And they respond that they have to spend more time "repairing" the damages... fine, whatever.

I drop the car off early friday morning (and they say that they might be done that evening). I call them, and they weren't even 1/2 way done. They don't open on weekends, so i was without my car for a weekend. Then, they tell me (on friday), that the car would be ready around noon on monday... I call around noon, and they say they will surely be done around 5pm. I call at 5pm to get their BS response, and they tell me it'll be ready tuesday a little after noon... Now i'm frustrated, but when i first got the car back, i was satisfied w/ the paint job, etc. so i didn't fuss.

Now, why was it that they took so long to IMPROPERLY install the front bumper? And now, i have to spend another 1/2 day to get this problem sorted out. I'm a pretty patient guy (as you guys can tell after dealing with all this). When I get all this settled, I plan to request the $250 (extra labor charges in the very beginning) for the holes they left on the bottom of the bumper, as well as wasting my time. They assured me (in the beginning) that they do things right, etc (and it's a body shop and i always see g35's, lexus', etc)... Am i FAIR for asking for this reimbursement?

I need some advice fellas. I know it was a long read, but any help would be appreciated.

[ik999]

go to a place that people recommend. preferably a place that's known for working on Bimmers.

Can't really expect a good job from someone who hasn't done it before.

[SE3P_to_E90]

Originally Posted by ik999

go to a place that people recommend. preferably a place that's known for working on Bimmers.

Can't really expect a good job from someone who hasn't done it before.

So you're saying that i can't [shouldn't] ask for reimbursement?
The main reason i want to ask for reimbursement is because before he took the job, he said that he can do it right and perfect... to this day, i've been seeing loose bolts, missing bolts, missing parts, etc... like they didn't give a damn.

Also, when i drive by, i always see near wrecked MB, Lexus, Infinities, and they all come out great at the end.

[SpecC]

if they didn't do a good job, then you should let them know. if it's messed up, i mean, you're not paying for them to mess up. I'm sure you can do that on your own. I would PM longtran for directions if I were you, then if you're a handyman, you could probably attempt another DIY with a friend or something. If not, you could show the guy the directions and ask him to fix it since it was wrong the first time around

[SE3P_to_E90]

Originally Posted by SpecC

if they didn't do a good job, then you should let them know. if it's messed up, i mean, you're not paying for them to mess up. I'm sure you can do that on your own. I would PM longtran for directions if I were you, then if you're a handyman, you could probably attempt another DIY with a friend or something. If not, you could show the guy the directions and ask him to fix it since it was wrong the first time around

Hey man,

Did that yesterday. Since they BOTCHED the bottom of the front bumper install, i printed out PDF directions, and that's when they realized they forgot to put in the additional Piece to the plastic undercarriage piece.

So no comments on reimbursement?
What would you guys do?

[SpecC]

Originally Posted by SE3P_to_E90

Hey man,

Did that yesterday. Since they BOTCHED the bottom of the front bumper install, i printed out PDF directions, and that's when they realized they forgot to put in the additional Piece to the plastic undercarriage piece.

So no comments on reimbursement?
What would you guys do?

all right. a reimbursement still sounds fair though since they didn't exactly do a clean job the first time around.

[Spool]

This is why i don't trust anyone else to work on the car except myself...
if u have instructions, why didn't you do it yourself and save some money..


You should look at my engine bay, almost all the screws used to put my parts back together was different size, shapes, and form...i dont care though, as long as it holds the stuff together....

[SE3P_to_E90]

Originally Posted by Spool

This is why i don't trust anyone else to work on the car except myself...
if u have instructions, why didn't you do it yourself and save some money..


You should look at my engine bay, almost all the screws used to put my parts back together was different size, shapes, and form...i dont care though, as long as it holds the stuff together....

i needed the paint, etc... plus i'm at school now, so i can't spend days lugging the parts around from the shop to a garage, etc. also, i don't have a garage spot, so it'll be pretty hard.