I'll be posting this up for Brian(aka
Serris/Rubicant on the forums) to get the word out on this horrible shop. I'm doing this to get the word out on Import Image/iDesign. It's gonna be a long post, so be prepared.
Please feel free to post this on every car forum you're on.
We're not posting this to have people feel sorry for us.
We're posting this because we want to let people know about the work Import Image/iDesign has to offer.
All of the work was done at this shop:
iDesign | Import Image Inc - WEBSITE COMING SOON!
Michael Quinn
iDesigns / Import Image
921 Fairway Dr.
Walnut, CA 91789
10-9-08
DO NOT CONFUSE THIS WITH IMPORT IMAGE LOCATED IN FLORIDA:
http://www.importimageonline.com/
THEY ARE 2 DIFFERENT COMPANIES WITH THE SAME NAME.
My350z staff,
VO
If you have any comments, suggestions as to what should be done, or just about any other input, please feel free to post.
NOTICE TO ALL OTHER FORUM VIEWERS
Refrain from using violence and making threats toward Mike. It's true, he did screw up the Z, but no one deserves to have death threats made toward their lives or bottles thrown at them. Stop lashing out on someone that has done absolutely no harm to you. If you're not involved with Mike in any way, shape, or form, then you shouldn't even be contacting him. IT'S THAT SIMPLE.
Take the time to read through this first page. A lot of wrong information is being spread out like herpes throughout the other forums. People see pictures, $250 price tag, and immediately think "you get what you pay for" or "owner is stupid for thinking he'd get a good finish".
$750 was the total price paid for this garbage.
As far as the finish goes...
We were pointing things out as soon as we arrived. Mike promised they would be fixed. I pointed out the door dent, the runs, the orange peel, the screws, the flaking paint, practically everything. Again, he promised they'd be fixed, but after we saw the damage done to the car, we weren't going to leave the car there ever again.
We had to visually inspect every aspect of the car a day later because the car wasn't going to be staying at Mike's for obvious reasons.
Brian was wearing new Mechanix gloves because we had to raise the car at his friend's house.(Yeah, that funny colored house doesn't belong to neither one of us). The car was literally 1" off the ground after the kit was installed.(Yes, it was that low). It wouldn't survive the trip to my house so we could work on it in my garage.
He didn't wear gloves just to remove wheels to not get his pretty little hands dirty. Coilovers had to be removed, adjusted, sway bars had to be removed, and things had to be re-installed and torqued to spec. So, all of you douchebags on other forums spreading the wrong information....quit being ignorant.
READ. It does wonders.
Very bad review coming...
So, after talking with Mike and hearing the good(and bad) things about him, I decided to give him a shot.
I picked up a Urethane lip kit for my 350z.
Without it even being test fitted, Mike had already quoted me at $250.
That included all prep, installation, and paint.
I dropped off the car and lip kit at Mike's shop on September 15, 2008(Monday) and was told it would be ready for pick-up on the 17th(Wednesday).
The following day, I was told via AIM that fitment on the sideskirts was off and needed to be trimmed. Without my approval, he had already trimmed the sideskirts.
Rather than asking me if I wanted to just return the kit and buy another one, he took it upon himself to trim it and make it fit.
He showed me how the fitment WAS, then showed me how it fits now.(No approval on my end)
Then, he reassured me he'd make it fit/mold it, etc.
He then made a new invoice which was now at $730.69. A $480 price hike from the original quote.
The invoice included:
"Front lip brackets for stability.
Rear lip brackets for stability.
Sideskirts, cut, fiberglass, and re-shape - 3 hours each.
4040 epoxy will be used to stabilize the sideskirt to vehicle.
Sideskirt may be removed if needed.
Work completed will not affect the fitment of OEM sideskirt."
I agreed, trusting him with my Z, that he would do his best possible work.
Wednesday comes, my car isn't ready.
He said he had food poisoning.
People get sick, that's life. I understood, and was told my car would be ready by Friday/Saturday 9/19 - 9/20.
Thursday, he told me via AIM he was stuck doing homework.
Still reassured my car would be ready by Friday/Saturday.
Again, start playing the waiting game.
I never rushed him. If anything, I thought if it took him a few more days to complete my car, it would give him a chance to do even better work. Great opportunity to take his time and make sure everything is good to go.
Friday comes, my car isn't ready.
Mike tells me I can come by and check out the progress.
I head over on Saturday 9/20 expecting my car to be in the final stages nearing completion.
When I arrive(around noon), my car was the same as when I saw it on Tuesday 9/18.
The sideskirts were still black, not prepped.
Nothing else had been done to my car.
I could tell the rear hadn't even been fitted on because my stock mud-guarts/valances were still in place. These NEED to be removed in order to install the rear lip.
The sideskirt had been dremmeled where it meets the door jamb, thus scratching the paint off at the corner.
Also, Mike attended a track event that same Saturday. He never once mentioned this to me.
What's he doing at a track event when my car needs to be completed? I am paying for this after all, aren't I?
Mad at the fact that my car wasn't even near completion, I play the waiting game once again.
On Monday, I ask him if I ever needed to go back to stock, if there would be any problems.
Monday, September 22, 2008
ii quinn (12:25:46 PM): yes of course
ii quinn (12:38:25 PM): but it wont be noticeable
rubicant1979 (12:38:26 PM): So, would I be able to get back to stock without any holes showing?
rubicant1979 (12:38:29 PM): I see.
ii quinn (12:38:41 PM): yup
ii quinn (12:38:48 PM): after u take off the lips, u can still sell
ii quinn (12:38:51 PM): so i made sure of it
rubicant1979 (12:38:58 PM): Cool
ii quinn (12:39:00 PM): so ur not stuck w/ holes and cant sell the car if needed
ii quinn (12:42:24 PM): ya, trust me, most places wouldnt even care about u like that... they will do the job, make it look bomb, when u say... ok mike take it off... theyw ill be like, i cant!
rubicant1979 (12:47:53 PM): hah
ii quinn (12:48:14 PM): im serious man, ur car is safe inside the shop right now and over the weekend
ii quinn (12:48:22 PM): O O O O
ii quinn (12:48:29 PM): ur car is super super super super low
ii quinn (12:48:36 PM): hehe
ii quinn (12:48:46 PM): looks hard tho
rubicant1979 (12:48:51 PM): Yeah, I will definitely have to raise it a bit.
Okay, I'm relieved.
I talk to him on Wednesday to see what progress has been done.