My car has sat 8 months at a Automotive School and Zero work done on My 325i !!!

[txtorquemade]

Ok heres the deal. You guys tell me how messed up this is. Bear in mind I am an instructor at another campus in a medical, not automotive program.

In July one of those retarded throttle body coolant hoses blew and spewed on me. No problem, no overheat, just started a pretty slow leak. I noticed and had the car towed 7 miles to what will for now remain unnamed Automotive Training Center in Dallas.

Yeah, I know, I could have done this myself, but I needed rear wheel bearings, RTABS and Sub frame bushings done. Figuring an automotive school would want to teach these jobs to budding mechanics I talked an instructor at the school and looked like all was doable. I figured it would take a few weeks to maybe 3 months.

Sounded reasonable. Free labor. 3 maybe 4 month wait?

I supplied the instructors the following:

Timing belt and tensioner
WP
Complete set of BavAuto hoses; coolant, vacuum ...all of them
RTABS
Subframe bushings
Rear wheel bearings
Sway bar end links
Shock and strunt mounts
ATF filter, seal and REDLINE baby!!

Ok I figured this work could be done in 3 months easy.

Its now been almost 9 months and the ONLY work done is replacing the drivers window that was broken out on their lot, to steal my stereo! After keeping my car for this time, they just cant do any of the suspension work. They claim the set of hoses dont fit, and just refuse to do anything else.

I checked on the car several times while it was incarcerated and always got a run around about why nothing had been done. Blah blah blah...

I have had the Executive Director who once informed, about 6 weeks ago, of the situation seemed like he was going to at least get some of the work done, but I suppose after being told by the instructors

1. They dont have the tools.
2. They dont have what... the interest? I dunno... is there no market for new mechanics learning to work on old Bimmers? Seems to me there would be.
3. No skills apparently.
4. I think they are just lazy basards, lacking the ethics to do what they say they will do.

Ok, question is. How long to you think it will take me to complete these DIY?

2 weekends
3 weekends
4 weekends

Im saying 3 weekends working all day Saturday, half a day Sundays.

Chime in. Let me know what you think about a school shop that would treat a "customer" in this way. Anyone know if I have any legal recourse. Bear in mind I work for the company!!!!! (man...what does that say about my juice ????)

Oh....the kicker. They are TOWING the car back to my house, probably a 125.00 tow, rather than replacing the throttle body coolant hose, rendering the car quite driveable - which they HAVE in the trunk!!!

Can you imagine????... LOL.... Retards....

[Danny]

Did you sign anything? Sounds like the school got worried about liability in the event of a catastrophic failure.

[txtorquemade]

Yeah.. they dont take responsibility for the break in, doing the work. Nothing. The
"agreement" didnt even guarantee the work. Not really looking to sue them but ... hey, screw with me.....a screw back is coming.

I really cant go into the complete lack of professionalism and lame ass excuses Ive hear the last 6 weeks Ive been pushing on them to get the car completed.

[Matt-B]

pay for a place ticket. and ill do it

[m3clutch]

Yeah, I know, I should have done this myself

[johnwoo]

its a risk you take with automotive tech school places. the downside is they take forever or can't do it the upside its FREE labor.

i had a previous car painted at an automotive paint tech school. it was a good paintjob and i only paid 700...they had to cut a quarter panel weld in a new one take out all hail damage and spray the car. i saved about 1500 i'd guess but the downside it took 15 months...moral of the story if you want it fast and good you have to pay

[leland21]

I would say that wont take you more than two weekends.
do these the first weekend as they require you to take off the same parts.

Timing belt and tensioner
WP
Complete set of BavAuto hoses; coolant, vacuum ...all of them

do these the second weekend.


Rear wheel bearings
Sway bar end links
Shock and strunt mounts
ATF filter, seal and REDLINE baby!!


not removing ALL the same parts but a lot plus you'll already be under the car.

maybe it's just that your in Texas and they don't want to work on a BMW with so many caddys rolling in? Some mechanics that specialize in other manufactures don't like working on them, they assume it's harder and they very well might not have all the tools considering it's metric.

[leland21]

Also gotta ask do you go to beauty school to get a hair cut? Only ask cause you should try it sometime, you would realize the results you get from schools. Especially considering not everyone graduates lol.

[txtorquemade]

To update this thread:

The school towed my car to my house today:

1. wont start or even turn over
2. hood latch is broken, cant open the hood
3. door panel where the window was replaced....hanging off the door. Handle and mirror switch hanging.
4. Grease all over the door card and seat.
5. My NEWish chrome tipped Magnaflow muffler is hanging on the ground. Im thinking it wasnt towed on a flat bed

This car was starting every time, running great, sounded good with a nearly pristine interior.

[Red88]

This will teach you to do it yourself next time. You just got fucked, and you can't really do anything about it besides move on.

[Kershaw]

rough.

my condolences.

[parkerbink]

Wow. I never considered having anything done at a school, I will keep that mindset.

Reminds me of Blade Runner:

Deckard: I was quit when I come in here, Brian. I'm twice as quit now.

[BMWXGOLF]

it will be nice too see some pics of it

[crashoverride7]

as a current student in an automotive tech program, i have to chime in and say the instructor must be a complete hack. its been a mindset since day one at my shop to treat the school day like a work day, and treat cars and thier owners as a customer and thier car as money being earned. ive been tipped for good work on cars brought in, as have others. we have a 1999 chevy astro awd that is leaving the shop after one month with a whole new engine in it. the work you brought the car in for should have only taken them about 3 weeks. i would have done it in 1 myself and thats taking my time.

on top of the fact that you already bought the parts, and were able to point out all the problems you had from the start, its not like you dropped it off and said "its broken, fix it". on top of the fact that they left your car unsecured in a parking lot outside the school!!! if you can find a loophole in the agreement you signed with them, then use it. cuase thats complete {sorry to get all up in arms like that, but thats dispicable.}

[McGyver]

just do your own work, its more fun.