Front Fender Mount Destroyed

[Silver 99 Camaro]

I had my struts installed yesterday, and just like a few times before, the front fender on the right side was bulging out from the guys being careless with the lift and pushing the sheetmetal mount outward. So, as before, I pounded in back in place. Then I noticed the driver's side...the fender was loose and rattling around. The sheetmetal mount was bent inward, totally flat, so far that the plastic fender snapped!!!!

I see 2 choices. Go back and try to get them to pay for a new fender (they'll say it was like that I'm sure) or just drill a hole in the underside of the car and put a sheetmetal screw in there.

Anybody have this happen? What did you do?

[Nachius]

I'd take it back to them and ask to talk to the owner/manager and explain what happened. You shouldn't have to fix something that they broke being careless.

[Rob Bell]

Something like this happened to me once when I was getting new tires at Just Tires. They stripped one of the studs and told me it was already like that. BS! That thing was so mangled there is no way a human being could have done it. Only their air wrench could have done that kind of damage. Besides, only a couple of weeks earlier I had removed and re-installed those lugnuts myself by hand. But no, they told me "we torque all lugnuts down by hand to mfr specs". I no longer go to Just Tires. Good luck getting them to admit their mistake.

In the future, make sure that whatever they are going to touch, they know that you know that it is in good condition... I know I will after reading your story and from my own experience.

[Silver 99 Camaro]

Well, they weren't working on the body of the car. It's frustrating, but what are you going to do? There is no outward visible damage. You can't tell by looking at the car. The plastic retainers in the wheel well will still hold it on, but it is a little loose. Like I said before, if I just drill and throw a screw on there it'll hold it and no one can see it. I doubt that a shop will pay for a new fender and painting after I only had 200 bucks worth of work done.

[Gargoylebrother]

I would just go there and talk to them and see the worst they can do is say no we wont fix it and thats that but if they do agree to fix it hey who cares its there money ya know. Heck who knows maybe u can talk them into giveing u cash for the damage and u can fix it ur way and keep the cash but thats not likely unless its like a privately owned business.

[Rob Bell]

Yeah, never hurts to ask

[white00camaro]

Originally posted by Silver 99 Camaro:
the front fender on the right side was bulging out from the guys being careless with the lift and pushing the sheetmetal mount outward.

that same crap happend to me when i took my ride over to minikie. they didn't use the lift where u drive onto it with your tires, they used the lift where it came up onto the frame of my car. pissed me off so i feel for you bro

[Silver 99 Camaro]

I wonder if it's not these shops' fault. They lift cars all the time. Maybe it's the bonehead at GM who designed a body panel mount as flimsy sheetmetal right next to lift points on the frame.