I know this sounds crazy but I have been without my car for about 7 months. I bought a 545i last summer. A few weeks later, I realized there was prior damage to the front rails and the car was making a "clunk" sound. So I took it to this shop that is very prominent in town and we settled on a price for him replace the front rials. This was a cash deal no insurance used. Well the car sat for about 2 months till he pulled the engine, then he had to order more parts, then christmas was here and he went out of town. Then in January he said he began to work on the car. Well I went to visit the shop about 2 weeks ago and asked the body repair man how it was coming and he said that they just started pulling the rials out just 5 days prior!!!! So he said it would be about 2 weeks.

Keep in mind since January everytime I call they shop they tell me that it will be 2 weeks, one week, next week, sometime next week, begining of next week. I even made the secretary cry the other day becuase I was cursing on the phone. Dont worry I called back and apologized to her. Seriously I DO NOT HAVE another car.

What the hell can I do about this??

PS i never recieved a written estimate, just agreed on a price over the phone.

Any input would be helpful.

 

probably too late now...but I would demand a written estimate, which I hate to say.....should of done before you handed over the keys.

 

WOW thats just not right.. i would say make a claim but thats alot of paper work and what not... i dont know man good luck... if it was me i would file with the BBB and then sue there ass... my car is my daily driver and my only car so if i didnt have a car for 7 months i would have killed them! GL and keep us posted!

 

If he accepted your keys he implied an agreement to do the work in a reasonable fashion. I would contact a lawyer, and I would also sue for the cost to you for alternative transportation. Good luck.

 

Consult an attorney. Unfortunately, without anything written or recorded, you don't have much recourse except to demand the vehicle back. On such an extensive, expensive repair I cannot fathom why documentation wasn't obtained, but this may very well become one expensive "lesson learned" ordeal for you (though I hope it turns out to your satisfaction). Best wishes to you.

 

I presume that this is a pre-owned E60?

7 months is entirely too long to be w/o your wheels, HOWEVER, as I am not prone to mincing words, be advised that had you been more proactive - - eg. insisting on a written estimate, etc. much of this could have been avoided.

Also presume that the E60 is not your primary mode of transport, for had it been, I presume you would have been up and in the repair shop's grille in less than a month from the date you first took it there for work.

 

I think after two weeks I would've been asking WTF..............not wait seven months. After that I would've just said look either get working on it or I'll go else where. Literally two months is more then enough time to do that job.

Not much you can do now. I'd just go there every two days and look at it too make sure work is being done. In otherwords just keep on them. Taking the lawsuit side by the time anything would get settled with that you'd have another 3+ months invested in it.

 

7 MONTHS.. YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME... THATS CRAZY.... there would be a very big prob if i was in your shoes.. not that i condon going ape shit.. but thats just crazy.. its not like they gain anything from keeping your car so long... dammand dammand dammand, dammand shit.. go get your god dam car back. no telling what the hell this guy has done to the car..... good luck i hope it turns out for the better and you have your baby back in your driveway...

 

I'm sorry to hear that. GL

 

I'm sure what you learned about hand-shake agreements this year will dramatically change the way you go about something like this the next time. You're almost stuck unless this body shop will own up and do what you think you all agreed to.

As for legal advice - PLEASE don't select a lawyer the same way you did a body shop!

The devil is in the details