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WARNING SYDNEY. I WAS A FOOL.

 
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Sore Looser
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 12, 2005 8:10 am    Post subject: WARNING SYDNEY. I WAS A FOOL. Reply with quote

Hello All...

Im not the usual type to spread bad reviews however I have to get this experience out to Alfa owners in Sydney.

Patrizi Motors. South Hurstville in Sydney. Long time Alfa mechanic with apparently good reputation.

I has come time where the owner Tom is passing all his work and hard earned clients money to his son Danni.

My experience here... This guy is a neglegent s%$t who should not be in busuness. I will probably report him to ARIA.

THE JOB: Fit Koni inserts, new konis front and back, new bushes all over, fit new springs. New PADS SHoes DIsks fitted. Fit new track rod ends.

I suplied shocks front and back, quote for all bushes from turin imports, in stock and available, Mechanic wanted to order these himself. I suplied springs, these were low and I told mechanic to fit them and if to low I would pay to refit originals. Brakes were in stock at mechanics. I supplies 4 rear watts linkage urathane bushes as an option but concluded to fit all original. I supplied track rod ends.

All easy stuff and assurance was there that mechanic was totaly capable even for insert fitting.


What happened:

Things just acceptable my any mechanic:

Put me off a week... no prob.. came back.
car on the hoist for five when quoted two - three days... not too big of a prob. there was plenty of time to get bushes.
trouble with pressing in new bushes.... slowed down job... but still happy relationship.

The car is ready. I arrived and helped last bit by pushing brakes while bleeding. Pulled off the hoist and drove it around the block and back to the front of the shop.

The allignment is way out. ...ok.. new track rod ends.. but shurely they would have counted the turns on removal to get a ruff idea. Bad noises,.. bad feeling its not just the allignment.

Back to the shop and looking at the car its probably too low, with extractors. So I know I have to refit front original springs.

Looking at the car, I noticed a twelve inch scratch on one side and a six inch scratch on the other, in the same place above the rear wheel arch. Crap, This is common ground for most mechanics to deal with. I am particuarly parranoid about this as a polish was the next thing after suspension overhaul. I checked the car befor it went in and He denied the scratches as it was on the hoist the whole time. It was obvious the mechanic had done them while working on the rear of the car.

There was no sign visible disclaiming againt this type of thing and is not an expensive fix, however Tom was hard on denying any responsibility.

So... I said fine how much do I owe you.... Ill pay now take the car and removed parts and go.

$1800 later.... after rechecking the prehistoric off the top of the head non- invoicing calculation system for several over charges I looked for my springs and old bits..

The rear were out the front on the street next to the bin in the scrap pile. Found one front in the shop and they couldnt find the other for a couple of days, this I had to Trust was the match and original. Not impressed. My old semi new rear shocks I found under a bench and the bolts and rubbers later ontop of a barrel. Not happy but quiet and paranoid now.

Then... I took the car to qualified, reputable trusted mechanic, Why didnt I do this first. Just because a mechanic om\wns a nice car doesn't mean he appreciates yours.

"please help me, refit the front springs, and check the other guys work.

Well... I should have taken photos of the findings.

One front strut put back together completely and obviously missaligned. Bumps and grooves not matching, then tightened bending the top plate with four threads. The four threads were badly stripped too. The strut does not fit the car like this but was forced into its four holes bending metal around one of them and opening the hole up. this is what stripped the threads.
The other strut had the bottom spring support rotated the wrong way, prob on wrong side...affecting the castor apparently, both bump stops were upside down.

Worse: Both strut top bearings were removed for inspection. I paid for new ones and got the bearing inserts only, ok... but the bearings were not cleaned,,, I mean filthy with old particle ridden grease. Open they revieled the new inserts, dry!!!! nothing in the way of grease except the old congieled stuff. Thats frigging neglegence, even a check out chick could tell that woulnt last one week.

Then the mechanic pointed out the more than one third stripped hub threads and dead bolts on one side. That holds the whole assembly together!! Obviously the rattle gun didnt do such a good job on that side so they spared the other.

Also pointed out the front trailing arm bush which was only half pressed in. Larter to find already cracked when fixing.

The best is:::: The struts of my car had to be thrown in the bin!! the crap mechanic had cut too much off the tp of them and the new koni inserts had no support around the top. Not just rattly but Danger.

I still need to inspect the rest of the bushes and know that the panhard rod bushed never got fitted, the original rear watt linkage bushes were my polyurethane ones. This is after I provided a quote and offered to supply all of the bushes for the job and they were available next morning delivery.

The rear springs were also fitted upside down.... one front strut top rubber is perished badly as its not from my car, one strut top washer is black instead of orange as it is not off my car. One of the new koni inserts bottom bolt is black not silver because it is not from the new boxed set I suplied. Now my fron suspension looks like a throw together.

I have since noticed one of my new front konis has rust in the alan key top. and makes a hissing sound when depressed. The one with the old bottom bolt. Now I feel I need to pull them out and check for consecutive seriel numbers. I saw an old set of struts with konis the same as my new ones lying around in the shop.

So Im not convinsed Ive found all the problems, and I have failed to fing one thing done correctly. I have been a pain in the rump to the good mechanic as a simple job became a week and a half of taking up space as I sourced new struts that matched and were straight.

If you made it to this part of the horribly borring badly writen part of the story, ou would understand how I feel, besides stupid for not taking my car to someone who gives a dam.

I got back $450 out of the $1800 and am yet to lodge a formal comlaint to fair trading. Had to pay $400 for new work and $100 for new struts plus two weeks of taxis etc in excess time and am still driving a car with cracked bushes and big scratches. The fuel star fuel catalyst he sold me was overpriced and looks very second hand too.

thanks for your time, tell your friends that Patrizi Motors doesnt deserve Your Alfa Business.
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