Review: "+" and "-" (long rant)
Thread Starter
Registered User
iTrader: (5)
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 6,826
From: No Way
Car Info: Nadda
Review: "+" and "-" (long rant)
+1 LICMotorsports, Noah
+1 DBTuned, Paul
+1 Gamboa's Customer Service (Downtown Location)
-1 Mercury Insurance, Tom Knoble
-1 Gamboa's other services (person who ordered the parts + mechanics, etc.) (Downtown Location)
To cut it short, I had a radiator installed on my WRX after a wreck. It was leaking when it was first installed. I called Gamboa's shop and they fixed it with a zip tie. It leaked again, I called the shop and this time they had to tow it from my house to their shop (top radiator hose was cut) and they replaced it and zip tied to prevent it from getting cut again. It was still leaking from one of the top 3 hoses near the radiator cap.
I went to LICMotorsports to have some suspension work done. Noah pointed out that the radiator looked funky (automatic for my manual transmission because of the double hooks), and to take it back because it was leaking and it was wet and they used a wrong clamp for the bottom of the radiator hose.
I call Gamboa's and the Manager Ken welcomes me back to fix the problem. They look at it and figure out the actual radiator is leaking (seals were suckage) I tell him that I would rather have a different shop (DBTuned) do the fixing because Gamboa's failed 3 times so far to get it right.
Ken says he'd do the same thing, tried it out a couple of times, gave them chances and the radiator is still leaking. He's totally understanding. He goes inside to jot down some notes and call Mercury Insurance to let them know what's going on.
When I go inside Mercury is on the phone, I speak with Tom Knoble. If you ever had to deal with insurance companies, then this is the cliche.
-I figure out after speaking with him that this radiator is from 1800-radiator... cheap parts and to my luck, leaks.
-He tries to persuade me to have Gamboa do the work to save the labor costs for Gamboa. (after 3 failures I think I've given them enough chances)
-He starts blabbering about a different shop will void the warranty (I'd rather have a shop that knows what they're doing fix it right the first time.)
-He tries to say it's a manufacture problem (no ****, it was ordered from some crap shop, instead of ordering the OEM one)
-I let him know that there are other problems, if it was an OEM radiator that failed, then fine I'll have the shop fix it. The radiator was an after market radiator then in turn the parts (like my top radiator hose getting cut) was probably due to quirks with the after market radiator instead of the OEM one.
-I win the argument, but he says "send the quote to me, but I don't guarantee that I've agreed to your other shop)
I go to Paul @ DBtuned and he looks at the radiator, notices that it's crap and that it is approximately 5/8's inch thick instead of 1 inch and explains to me that there is also another mechanism that spins for an automatic transmission on the radiator. He clarifies that the radiator is extremely inefficient due to the thinness and the extra mechanism that generates heat. Paul also explains to me about the California Insurance Commission and if the shop doesn't cover him to fix the radiator (which needs to be fixed regardless) I should report him/them (Tom Knoble + Mercury Insurance) and will be refunded by the Insurance Commission.
I will update about how Mercury Insurance and Tom Knoble responds to my request to have them pay for what they should have done in the first place.
+1 DBTuned, Paul
+1 Gamboa's Customer Service (Downtown Location)
-1 Mercury Insurance, Tom Knoble
-1 Gamboa's other services (person who ordered the parts + mechanics, etc.) (Downtown Location)
To cut it short, I had a radiator installed on my WRX after a wreck. It was leaking when it was first installed. I called Gamboa's shop and they fixed it with a zip tie. It leaked again, I called the shop and this time they had to tow it from my house to their shop (top radiator hose was cut) and they replaced it and zip tied to prevent it from getting cut again. It was still leaking from one of the top 3 hoses near the radiator cap.
I went to LICMotorsports to have some suspension work done. Noah pointed out that the radiator looked funky (automatic for my manual transmission because of the double hooks), and to take it back because it was leaking and it was wet and they used a wrong clamp for the bottom of the radiator hose.
I call Gamboa's and the Manager Ken welcomes me back to fix the problem. They look at it and figure out the actual radiator is leaking (seals were suckage) I tell him that I would rather have a different shop (DBTuned) do the fixing because Gamboa's failed 3 times so far to get it right.
Ken says he'd do the same thing, tried it out a couple of times, gave them chances and the radiator is still leaking. He's totally understanding. He goes inside to jot down some notes and call Mercury Insurance to let them know what's going on.
When I go inside Mercury is on the phone, I speak with Tom Knoble. If you ever had to deal with insurance companies, then this is the cliche.
-I figure out after speaking with him that this radiator is from 1800-radiator... cheap parts and to my luck, leaks.
-He tries to persuade me to have Gamboa do the work to save the labor costs for Gamboa. (after 3 failures I think I've given them enough chances)
-He starts blabbering about a different shop will void the warranty (I'd rather have a shop that knows what they're doing fix it right the first time.)
-He tries to say it's a manufacture problem (no ****, it was ordered from some crap shop, instead of ordering the OEM one)
-I let him know that there are other problems, if it was an OEM radiator that failed, then fine I'll have the shop fix it. The radiator was an after market radiator then in turn the parts (like my top radiator hose getting cut) was probably due to quirks with the after market radiator instead of the OEM one.
-I win the argument, but he says "send the quote to me, but I don't guarantee that I've agreed to your other shop)
I go to Paul @ DBtuned and he looks at the radiator, notices that it's crap and that it is approximately 5/8's inch thick instead of 1 inch and explains to me that there is also another mechanism that spins for an automatic transmission on the radiator. He clarifies that the radiator is extremely inefficient due to the thinness and the extra mechanism that generates heat. Paul also explains to me about the California Insurance Commission and if the shop doesn't cover him to fix the radiator (which needs to be fixed regardless) I should report him/them (Tom Knoble + Mercury Insurance) and will be refunded by the Insurance Commission.
I will update about how Mercury Insurance and Tom Knoble responds to my request to have them pay for what they should have done in the first place.
VIP Member
iTrader: (17)
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 22,776
From: Sunnyvale, CA
Car Info: '13 BRZ Limited / '02 WRX
Bicycle Replacement — if your bicycle is stolen from your Subaru, we'll pay for the loss of the bicycle as part of your Subaru Advantage Insurance home coverage - and your deductible will be waived.**
iClub Silver Vendor
iTrader: (25)
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 15,494
From: Participating in some Anarchy!
Car Info: 2005 LGT wagon
I don't understand shops thats insist on using cheap parts.
They did not save that much $$ on buying a ****ty part, and in fact, lost out huge with bad publicity.
BTW, your new OEM radiator is sitting here for you!
They did not save that much $$ on buying a ****ty part, and in fact, lost out huge with bad publicity.
BTW, your new OEM radiator is sitting here for you!
thye are cheaper than OE and fit just as good
but if you are using crap from china then you are on your own
Thread Starter
Registered User
iTrader: (5)
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 6,826
From: No Way
Car Info: Nadda
I called today because I was tired of waiting and asked to speak to Tom Knoble's Supervisor, Chris Cummins. (yes no G and I dont think he's **** star). I told explained my situation and gave him some info for my claim. I faxed him the receipt from DBTuned and he said he'd love to reimbursement for my out of pocket expenses and mail me the check.
So within 4 hrs he got it all sorted out, still sucks I had to talk to his supervisor to get things done, but I figured it was the next step before I reported the branch and Tom Knoble.
So within 4 hrs he got it all sorted out, still sucks I had to talk to his supervisor to get things done, but I figured it was the next step before I reported the branch and Tom Knoble.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
UberMaus
Rife Plazapalooza
368
May 20, 2009 11:08 AM
R-Dub
Bay Area
26
Oct 10, 2008 07:39 PM