Hi there. I'm hoping to get some expert advice from the forum readers.

Here's what happened. Some jackass or perhaps a few decided that they wanted the spoiler of my precious.

I have a '03 Track Pack Le Mans Sunset (Burnt Orange) (38,000 km only) and I love it. It has the stock spoiler on it so it was apparently riveted and fiberglassed to the body. The people who did this damaged my hatch while taking the spoiler so badly that I actually got a whole new hatch, spoiler and all! I thought this would make me happy, but this is where the issue is.

I got the car back this morning and when I inspected the spoiler, it seemed "cheaper" than my old one. I could lean on it a bit and it will move just slightly, and the sides of it seem just slightly raised off the car.

In addition to this, it just seems to be made off cheap material. It looks the same and yet I just don't think it is!

My question is this: Does anyone know if the spoiler material was any different on subsequent models? I'm thinking this was perhaps a salvaged rear hatch from another 350z from a later year that had a spoiler but perhaps Nissan switched the quality if it?

I suppose there is a chance that I am just analyzing it too much, and I'm just still too pissed off, but I just can't convince myself that it's the same quality as it was before!

Can anyone shed light on my issue?

Thanks in advance,

Carl

 

Did they replace your hatch and spoiler with OEM parts or aftermarket OEM replacements? My stock spoiler doesn't move at all and the sides are nice and planted.

 

Hi Farmer. I am going to check with the body shop tomorrow. I was told they "found a whole hatch assembly" and that was good enought for me at the time but I guess I have to see if they can give me more info on the car from which it came.

 

To me it sounds like they used LKQ parts, like kind quality, and it's possible that what ever hatch they found had an after markert OEM style spoiler installed, and the collision guys didn't catch thats it wasn't a "NISSAN" part.

 

Not happy with insurance work done by a body shop? Then talk with the body shop.

 

You should have just gone aftermarket then...but we need pics so see your problem. Which could also just be that you're paranoid since it's your baby and you are concerned.

 

Many of us have suffered from this when our kids go under the knife.

Ive seen countless threads: "Does the paint look off to you guys?"

But it is still, and very much, possible that they used a "junk yard recovered" hatch and a non-oem spoiler....as these spoilers are avaliable everywhere and for VERY cheap.

Look on the paperwork provided to you by the body shop and the claims adjuster. You will see clearly it will say something like "Replace with OEM only" or "Use/d Like OEM".

It is required by the adjuster/shop to put that on the paperwork you must sign. Sometimes, you MUST REQUEST exact OEM parts, or they will opt to use 'like oem' as it is usually cheaper.

You can count on cheap shops like Maaco and such to try and not use OEM parts at all cost.

 

 

Hi thank you for your help and responses. I am confident enough with "knowing" my car that I will ask to see the adjuster's work sheet. I've also asked now for the VIN number and wrecker info so that I can verify where the hatch came from. It's not that I'm unhappy with the body work as there was none done; I am unhappy that the part that was replaced seems to have just had an OEM hatch and aftermarket addition and I was not made aware of it. I suppose this will be a good learning for if it happens again! (knock on wood)

Thank you again for your assistance and opinions. Very much appreciated!

-Carl