Here is a link to my thread with the proper oem settings for the Z. https://my350z.com/forum/nismo-350z/...-settings.html

 

That is the key. Baltimore, like other cities, has a number of trusted shops that have been servicing 350Zs for years. Calling around to find the "cheapest price" is a losers game.

 

+1 again! I would like to add, talk or PM locals around the Las Vegas area or even in your district is also a good measure. Can I get a rep davidv? lol

 

Thanks for all the advice guys, and even to those criticizing me, I deserve it, and I've learned a lot. I've been to Paladin and they're good and seem to know what they're doing. Also, the reason I didn't make sure they put a board under the lift is because I thought every shop knew this and I've never had a shop that didn't know. Anyway I'm having a sign made currently and I'm hiring a sign spinner to put in front of the store once a week lol.

Bottom line is I need to be more assertive with every shop I use and I'm gonna treat'em like the dogs they are from now on.

 

Like we all say on here bro, keep researching. The most important thing is that you learned not to take your Z to those other shops! lol I personally don't like it when someone not as keen with cars posts and people on here expect that the poster is a Z guru and should know everything already. As I said before, read the new owners section along with the stickies associated with each section of the forum to answer your questions. There's nothing wrong with posting except the fact if you resurrect another thread from the dead, then problems arise. So as a friendly reminder bro, SEARCH. It's helped me a lot and brings to you a bunch of information previously found by other fellow members. Anyways, good luck with the Z and my link I gave you is the OEM settings for the car if you need reference on the alignment. Good luck bro.

Kevin

 

I agree with most in here. It is your own fault the car scraped on the lift, you saw them about to do it without boards and should have stepped in, better yet tell them to be careful and use boards cuz its lowered BEFORE the go to get it up. Secondly, if you are lowered then you should know where all the shops with pits are. And third, if you are lowered without camber kits, then that is why ur car sounds like a train goin down the road.

 

Dont feel bad man, we all have to learn, some the hard way. I would guess 50% of the yahoos on here with twin turbos, dont even know who to change thier on daum oil! Most are not true car heads and you can tell when they start bashing another make or model. Speed and Performance is based on the amount of effort (money) that one puts into a vehicle. I am certain that I can make a Chevy Chevette out run my G35 with a all aluminum smallblock V8 or SR20DET turbo! another 5K in suspension and I have a car that 1000s lighter with the same or slightly less HP.

at the end of the day, you still have a nice as car that you can fix, they didnt blow it up, burn it up, or put sugar in the tank, so you have 97% of the issues going well for you at the moment.

keep fighting and I love the idea of the sign guy. PM the cost. I might pay for another week or half of a week to help drive your point.

All I need in return is a YouTube video of it! lMAO!

seriously PM me the price. they just killed themselves!

 

+1, @4shizzil, I totally agree. It is a learning process, but to the OP, it'll become second nature as you progress with the car.

 

Alright fellas, lay off some of the OP. Some people have to learn about the ways of car care and such.
Yeah it all sucks, part of life, everyone at shops no matter where you go are regular people, everyone makes mistakes. Sometimes money is an issue, do oil changes your self if that is the case - they are not hard, even for lowered z, least you`ll know everything that gets "Banged" and what not.
Least a last resort, if ever in doubt, take it by the stealership and they can diagnose whatever and let you know exactly whats going on (usually) *and i can't wait to hear the haters on the dealership comment.

 

@dmorrow, I wasn't bashing the OP. I was just suggesting things in my posts to him in a friendly manner as opposed to some of the comments below. There is nothing wrong with all dealerships. There are some good and bad ones.

 

if you go to a good shop you will get a good mechanic, unless you treat him like a dog... then he will he will F your car up on purpose and you wont be able to prove squat. again because he will definatley know more than you. its your fault you bring your car to places like wallmart. bring your car to one of the proven shops in your area listed here on the forum, be nice to the mechanics that earned a good reputation and learn a couple things about maintaining your car. (im trying to help you, and others that may not understand where to take their car.)

fyi ive worked in a shop. and will work in a shop in the future. all i would have to do is print out an old alignment sheet of a zeroed in car and put your car outa whack. then tell you you need a 500$ part to fix it. if you took it to a different shop complaining about the shotty alignment or talked to the manager everyone would tell you not to let that pothole hit you in the *** on the way out of garage next time.

 

@joker, Like I stated earlier, not everyone is a car guru bro. Of course, he shouldn't have taken the car to walmart, but he didn't know. A lot of people not car savvy will go to these service centers because it might be more convenient for them. He learned from his mistake and knows now. That's a good start in my opinion. @OP, In addition, talking to some locals and researching will do wonders. Once you find a shop your comfortable with, make friends with them because later on once you start modding you'll need a lot of favors at times. The point is that you feel safe handing over the keys when you get work done. @joker, He gets the point already man.

 

Thanks again to everyone, I found a good shop called Paladin(I think someone mentioned them in this thread) but they don't do alignments, but I'll keep looking. As far as Walmart is concerned, I haven't had a problem with them up till now, I always brought my own oil and filter, what went wrong was some fat **** was vacuuming my car and leaned on the center console and jammed it shut and broke a piece of plastic off the door in that little compartment between the seats. But, What's in the past is gone. But I'm gonna constantly destroy their reputation and make sure they know who's doing it. And yeah I'll definitely pm you and put up a video lol. A sign is only around $70 and I'm planning on paying about $10/hr. that much I know.

 

350ZEN.org is the local Z group, most of us go to Paladin for service, once and a while we get together and help each other out on small projects. We also know places that do our alignments, Paladin also has a place they send cars off for alignments. Come hang out, get involved with the local Z community, we take care of our own.

 

for example. this shop called American Lube in Virginia is a mom and pop shop. at first glance is straight up sketchy, like old, dirty, dudes look illegel etc. So i walk in their in my suit and tie and start chit chatting. I find out that these guys are true enthusiast and LOVE cars. Thats the difference in a shop. Are they there to make $$ or are they there because they really love cars.

Long story short I take all five of our cars there now (4 technically).
05 Pathfinder
05 G35
77 Buick
94 Ford Econo Van (for my Gramps)
06 Jetta (traded for Pathfinder) guy tells me filters are every other oil change. I didnt know and totally paid for it at the VW Stealership!

I randomly send pizzas to them. I get mad free beez and they even let me use one of the bays to swap an engine one day when I was in a jam.

so just talking is not good enough, once you find a shop, dont kiss their ***, but 30 bucks on pizza for the crew that takes care of your cars, that drives your family around is a VERY, EXTREMELY small price to pay, for good honest work.

I just had a Fuel Pump, Water Pump, New Cat Back Exhaust, new hard rear brake line, and new Gas Tank Hoses (35 year old car) put in/on my Buick.

cost was 430 bucks! I had to fill the tank to show the leak, they drain, drop, fixed, refilled my tank to change out all the hoses. ALL the hoses for the gas tank and lines.

I think ill order some pizzas right now! for lunch for them today now that I think about it.

LMAO!

 

After a couple months of hassle, I finally got Tire Works give me a refund and apologize. Wooooooh!

 

Awsome, now don't go back to them.

 

If they unhappily gave you a refund, definitely stay away.

 

good to hear you got reimbursed. justice is served.

 

Well done. Is TireWorks related to NTB (National Tire and Battery)? They sound like a similar type of company.