zand02max

iTrader: (22)

I posted this a while back but I cannot find the thread.
Here goes the story: I'll try and make it short as possible. Please give me your honest opinions and please no funnies this is serious, and I am so mad about this issue:

I purchased my Z, 11 Jun 03, and had the dealer put a full clear bra on. Paid $499. I asked how long the Nissan dealer had been doing them and they stated 9 years. I even spoke with the installer and he seemed very knowledgeable of clear bras. So I figured I was set. I had my bra put on a week later, and I noticed a few scratches on the edges of my bumper and my head lights were scratched. The installer siad he would fix them and to come back in a few days.

While I had the car home, I inspected it thourougly and noticed that the entire bumper, mirrors and sides appeared to be scratched from the installer using a razor blade and not being careful and pressing too hard. The only thing that appeared okay was the hood, however it had a lot of wavey looking lines. I was informed that would go away within a month.

So basically what ended up happening is the installer tried to cover up the scratches with touch up paint and re-applied another clear bra. It looked so ghetto, I was fuming at that point and demanded a new car from the OWNER. BTW, the car had 140 miles on it. And I found out the installer only has been doing this for 3 MONTHS, they previously contracted it out.

The owner flat refused and said for me to get a lawyer, he would fix my car but I wasn't getting a new car. I went to a lawyer and basically those scum (pardon my french, want $ up front just to talk).

So I agreed to get my bumper, mirrors, and sides repainted since I heard of the paint problems Nissan had anyway. They also agreed to replace both headlights.

Once I got the car back from the body shop, it looked great and only had the original clear bra on the hood. I went to a clear bra installer of my choice, and he re-did the bumper, mirrors, headlights, and sides. He did a marvelous job, NOT 1 SCRATCH. The dealer paid for this also.

HERES WHERE MY PROBLEM BEGINS BACK AT THE DEALERSHIP:

I went back to the dealership a month and a half ago, to inquire about the clear bra swirls on my hood. The installer WHO RAZOR BLADED it the first time, shot something in there with a needle (I believe it was air to get the bubbles out), anyway, he said that should fix and to come back in a few weeks if it doesn't clear up.

Since it was raining, I rushed home, and after looking at where dumba$$ stuck the needle in, I noticed a piece of the clear bra was missing. I AM SO PISSED AT THIS POINT. I go back to the dealer a week later and this time I see the sales manager (the service manager said he couldn't help me). I told him about the swirls not going away and the chipped bra that dumba$$ did.
He said that dumba$$ doesn't do clear bra's anymore, and they no longer do clear bra's, they contract them out.

I know this is a long thread, but I need to vent people. Anyway, they told me to come back the following Saturday and a clear bra specialist who has been doing clear bra's will do my car.

So I show up that Saturday and the clear bra installer looks at my car and says he doesn't have the 24" piece that goes on my hood. I am like WTF, "You mean I have wasted my time again with this BS. He says, I have to order the kit. I am like, can't you just cut it like others do. Right then, I knew the dealer was getting the lowest bidder. So he says, I'll order the hood kit and I will call you when it comes in. I get calmed down, and we agreed and left.

A week rolled by, no phone call, so I call DUMBA$$ #2 and inquire what the status is on my clear bra. He states, Oh I am on vacation and won't be back until 04 Oct. I AM LIKE WTF, this is BS. So I call the sales manager back (AGAIN), and this time I am fuming, they tell me to go to a different clear bra specialist and they would replace my bra.

My only worry, I told them was if they take the clear bra off the hood and there are scratches, I will totally lose it. ACADEMY Nissan said, that if there are scratches underneath the bra, They WILL NOT repaint my hood and not fix the scatches. CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS CRAP? They told me they will only replace the bra and don't worry it will cover up the scratches to where you can't see it.

So I go to this clear bra establishment today, and they take the bra off, GUESS WHAT? THE ENTIRE FLIPPIN HOOD IS SCRACTHED. And you can feel them, so that means it has to be repainted more than likely.

So I call the sales Manager back and he is telling me he will call me Monday and we will discuss how to get the scratches fixed. He says he WILL NOT re-paint the hood, he will only try to wet sand the hood. If that doesn't remove them, then thats all he will do. He told me I should have left the bra on there in the first place.

OKAY I AM DONE FOLKS, what should I do, I have wasted over 25 trips to the delaer on this one issue, over 50 phone calls, and countless loss of sleep over this.

I need your opinions and please be honest and no jokes, please, this is no laughing matter.

If they can't fix the scratches, DO I have the right to take it to the body shop of my choice or do they get to choose? Colorado Law states you have the right to take your car to the body shop of your choice.

Thanks for your patience in reading this thread. I really want to hammer this dealer for all my troubles.

SixRB6

iTrader: (-1)

I hate friggin crappy dealers. You should have had your clear bra installed by Frank O'Grady from car crafters. He did my car 2 weeks ago and the bra looks amazing. NO RAZOR CUTS!!!! Unbelievable job, and you can hardly see the lines!!!!

RANDY350Z

call Nissan customer service. Basically they screwed up your car, I would tell Nissan customer service that you want a new car. You only had 145 miles on it an they lied about it. They are responsible for your car, if is was me, I would fight to the end.

zand02max

iTrader: (22)

Anyone know the Nissan customer service number? I hear you can't do jack if its an individual owner, is that true? And if so, how do I complain above him?

Also, I detailed my car tonight and the scratches were not as bad as I once thought. So I am hoping the wet sand action works.

But doesn't wet sanding get rid of your clear coat?

ares

iTrader: (2)

for your information, the best clear bras ARE kits, they are NOT razor bladed for the exact problem you had. they come precut to specific cars(different manufacturers of different kits for the same car are NOT all equal, some will better fit the Z than others)

but this method ensures perfect fitment everytime with a minimum of hand razoring.

good luck with your goal. personally Id leave it; slander the dealer to make yourself feel better and warn others, then take the car somewhere and have the hood peice replaced. yes it will cost you money out of pocket, but probably less than the hassle is worth.

android123

that sucks.....that's all i can say, when i bought my z back in april, that sales manager encourged me to get a clear bar, i am glad i did not.

Morris

iTrader: (1)

I am not sure what to do about your current problem, but l agree with ARES. Buy a clear bra from from a kit. Do not let someone cut one out on your car.

zand02max

iTrader: (22)

Thanks for all the advice, every kit I have seen looks likr crap, they are uneven and do not match up perfectly with the car.

Hopefully I can get those scratches out and get anew bra on. Wish me luck!

One last thing. TO EVERYONE ON THIS SITE:

DO NOT ever buy from Academy Nissan in Colorado Springs, CO. They just opened a second dealer here, but guess what, same owner, same BS.

MSOsr

iTrader: (5)

Your not wanting to pay the "scum" any up front money probably cost you a brand new car. If you had 25 trips to attempt to fix one problem, you most likely had a slam dunk Magnusson-Moss case. You would have gotten a brand new car and the dealer would have had to pay your lawyer.

zand02max

iTrader: (22)

Magnusson-Moss case??????????

Enlighten me on this?

Also, what do you mean I did not pay any up front money? EXPLAIN?

Zforever

I feel your pain. I had the same experience with an installer recomended by the dealer. This was in the early days about a year ago. I had the razor bles cuts on the hood. The installer also told me he had experience he owns a detail shop. you can find my thread to see more details. He only gave me back the material since I had supplied it.
Now I have a two piece Colgan Bra. It does the job. Fits very snugly and it is not hard to put on and off. I will not take a chance again with clear bras too many people have been burnt.

vice86

iTrader: (1)

You called the Better Business Bureau right? They'll help you with your claim to solve your problem. I'd even lie to the BBB telling them how they basically laughed at you and called you "an idiot" and stuff like that....GET THEM!!!!!!

MadMax76

The amount of time and money that you've lost already could've been avoided if you hired a lawyer or found a friend who has a friend who has a friend etc. who has a laywer friend. The dealer sees you as a pushover and they treat you like one. How many more times will they tell you to come in next week and you will agree? Don't be a pushover, make a dealer regret they've gotten into this with you. them and make them look like . Spread the word about the dealer on all the Nissan forums too and let them know about it.

timeslip

iTrader: (2)

One of the first things I did was have the Clear Bra installed on my car. I went to Clear Armor in Mt View, CA for the install. No complaints, and professional install.

www.cleararmorinc.com/home/index.html

zand02max

iTrader: (22)

I already posted a BBB complaint. BTW, that doesn't do jack. Trust me, I just want my car fized, thats all I want.

The General Sales Manager was suppose to call me today so we could setup a time and get my scratches fixed. Its now 220 p.m. and NO phone call.

FUMING!!!!!!!!!

zand02max

iTrader: (22)

LOL, I meant to say fixed,

Does anyone know if you WET-SAND your paint, does that get rid of the clearcoat?

awssumz

I have a clear bra on my Z that comes in a kit and was professionally installed with no problems. Wouldn't small claims court be an option for this situation? Have you involved the GM or owner? When I had problems with my Z after delivery--I sent an e-mail to the GM and received an immediate phone call. They resolved my issues very quickly. Good luck

zand02max

iTrader: (22)

LOL, the owner was involved from the very start. "The owner flat refused and said for me to get a lawyer, he would fix my car but I wasn't getting a new car"

He is the worst one of them all. He has not even attempted to call me one time on this issue. In my opinion he's worse than the sales folks. Evrytime I try to call him, they say he's ina meeting, ect, and never returns my phone call.

As far as small claims, they won't do jack, as long as ACADEMY NISSAN is fixing my car and they are attemtping to fix it, then thats all that matters to a judge. I would lose.

I still would like to know the 1-800 number to Nissan. No one seems to know this number.

I AM JUST SICK OF DEALING WITH THIS DEALER.

Here's why. The General sales manager was suppose to call me today, and guess what, HE DIDN'T, I leave a message and call back a few hours later, and guess what the *** is in a meeting. Guess I know where I fit in his priorities.

STILL FUMING. Thanks for listening folks!

vice86

iTrader: (1)

call those aholes every 10 minutes till they get sick of you...ugh..salesmen/managers like that make it hard to like them!! I'd hate to think what I'd do if I found out where he lived...muhahahaha...j/k...well, not really.

zand02max

iTrader: (22)

Guess I need to start previewing my threads, Holy crap, my dang title is spelled wrong, LOL, I just noticed it. NIGHTAMRE!, LOL