IrocZS383

I am posting this on all tech boards to make sure every one gets to see it. Moderator please don't close this thread or move it. My Iroc has been off the road for about 8 months because my trans went out. I had it towed to Cottman transmission on Hwy 295 in Spartanburg, SC. It was there for 2 nights and on the next morning I got a horrible call at 8:45a.m. that my car had been broken into, someone had smashed my back window and stolen all my stereo equipment. Well, I went up there and made a police report and the manager said he wasn't responsible for any of it. I took pictures of my car, moved it to a new transmission shop, and contacted my lawyer. He said he is responsible for all damage done to my car and has ten days to contact me or I will take him to court. He has yet to contact me. I just wanted to post this to let everyone know that there are some real a**holes out there and to watch out. I have looked at the pictures and it appears that the stereo was gone before the back window was smashed, so I think it was an inside job. I have estimates for the back window, stereo, paint, and tint for almost $4,000. I'd appreciate any comments. Thanks
I'm posting some pics on Aftermarket Product Review under the same post

redbird_400

Damn that sux.

foney_email

Damn. My car goes into the tranny shop tomorrow. Now you have me worried.

Good luck on some kind of compensation though.

Jyrx

Any chance of seaing the pix?

RCR

**Warning** If this gets more off topic, I'm deleting it...

BTW, I feel for you...

InTeRcEpToR5.7l

sorry dude, that sucks

mean 5.7

thats why i don't have a system at all in my car 4000.00 in repairs vs 1500.00 in a system not a good idea i don't evan lock my carjust because i don't want it broken into

LetsRock

I say sue the idiot, business's with people like that running them deserve no ones business at all. Id never take my car there. What prevents a guy like this from ripping you off if he isnt held responsible?

IrocZS383

My lawyer gave him ten days to contact me for payment. By the tenth day he hadn't contacted me so I contacted him. He said he had turned it into his insurance company and it was out of his hands. His insurance company called me and said they wanted to send an adjuster out to look at the car. The question I have is that what is an adjuster coming to look at: a window that is not there and some missing stereo equipment that is also not there. The insurance company also said they couldn't pay for the replacement cost of the stereo equipment. They said they would pay what I paid for them minus depreciation. They justified this statement by saying that if they were paying for the whole car they wouldn't pay what it cost in 1986, and I said no you would pay me what it would cost to replace it. It just happens to be that you can't by old stereo equipment from a stereo shop, they just stock new stuff. I'm not trying to rip off the insurance company, but paying me $100 for a $400 amp isn't doing me much good. Anyway, I'll keep everyone updated.

Christos

Sorry to hear about this.

When I have taken my car to mechanics in the past, I always tell them to lock the doors, and to put it in park, not neutral
with the e-brake on.

It's like they ignore you, I always find my car unlocked, windows down, with my tranny in neutral and my non working e-brake up.

Because of stuff like this, I always pull out my woofer, amp, and faceplate and leave them in my room whenever I take my car in for repairs. I leave the speakers in, too much work to take them out, but the rest is a fairly quick job to move.

I haven't had any problems yet myself, but I just wanted to give out some advice for other thirdgenners reading this. I figure my car doesn't look as tempting to break into with an amp and woofer shining like a beacon for everyone to see.

Good luck on getting their insurance to pay for your equipment and everything. Receipts work good for this too im sure, so see if you can find any for your equipment, also, pictures of it to show them would only help.

pennylessz28

damn that blows

ZRated85355

i feel real bad and i hope you get the money for new stuff. Shops should be responcible for your car to leave better than it came in, isnt that why you bring your car to a shop?

RadarRunner

I went to a local mechanics shop one day to take a report on a stereo that had been taken out of a customers car, while it was at the shop.

Part of filling out the report is finding out who the "victim" is. Was it the owner of the car, or the owner of the shop?

Answer: The shop owner was listed as the victim of the crime as they were going to be responsible for replacing the stereo taken from the car, not just what the stereo was worth when it was taken.

The people at the shop stated this to me & took care of the situation. Since then I have taken my daughters car there, as well as my car & also let them work on my grandmothers car since they seem to be honest as well as doing a good job.

Good luck with your situation!

johnnyg23

dude, you need to take his *** to court. i'm an insurance agent and one of the first things i learned is that places can put up all the signs they want saying they're not responsible for items left in cars. that's bull****. they only put those signs up to lower their insurance rates. submit a claim to your insurance company and have them sue him. i guarentee that he settles out of court.

MUGWUMP

Reminds me of something that happened to me awhile back. I was in school and my mom took my firebird in for some service(to a Pontiac dealer). When she picked it up my 3 amps, crossover network, and head unit were missing. She walked inside and spoke with the manager who started BS'ing about how they aren't responsible for stuff like that. She pulled out her cellphone and got the cops over there with the quickness. She put the fear of *** into them (she is a contract disputer for the teamsters-she knows her $hit), and by the time the cops got there the manager was taking info so she could send recipts for the lost equipment so he could reimburse.

Do NOT let them get away with this. Did you get a police report? If not you could be screwed.

BTW- It was an inside job on my car. The hatch was popped. If she hadn't have noticed it was up she would've driven off the lot and I woulda been out a system

Hey Mark!!!

I'll race you in the rain

Scania

Ohhh that really sucks. I bet that the guy himself broke into the car and stole the stereo

sleeper

1. The signs are bull****... as the other guy mentions they are only a ruse to scare away the stupid. Once you pass the keys to a mechanic they (and their insurance - NOT yours - VERY important) are liable.

2. They have the option of replacing the equipment (with a simlar product) or paying you off. Replace is the key word...

3. The adjuster wants to see if there's a big hole where you say it is and that there are actual wires running to where you say the amp was.

You're better off if you only have pictures of all the components and their model numbers. If you give the adjuster your receipts from 2 years ago then they will attempt to give you the money you paid.

Do not put a claim to your insurance. Any male under 25 and driving a sports car is already a rape victim.

If you can't get their insurance company to pay up then take the garage to small claims court (no law fees). Go to a few stores, get 3 estimates (from different stores) on similar equipment that is better than yours (installed). Those three estimates will be the basis for what the judge awards you. It may be an idea to... umm... embellish a bit when describing to the sales clerk what was stolen. Jacked up estimates will encourage the garage to settle out of court for a lesser amount than what you are suing for (because the judge might give you the whole, inflated amount)... not that I'm promoting fraud here... just that I'd understand if our situation were reversed.

86ZZ4

We have the same ,not responsible ETC stuff on all of our repair orders,its just standard crap.When ever there is a break in or theft of some sort,we just handle it,,call the customer,let them know,then we repair it,or have them take it get it fixed and we pay the bill.I , myself ,walk the back lot every night ,making sure windows are up,and car are locked.It just takes a few extra minutes to just do thing right.

Good luck!!!!!!

chevy350

What a loser. I hate people like that.

Parrydise7

iTrader: (1)

If the shop (or their insurance company) don't get moving soon, why don't you skip the attorney and sue the guy in small claims court?

Psaitta800

Hey guys, my father owns a shop, a couple of weeks ago an oldsmobile was there being repaired and was stollen, dad put it under HIS insurance. Stereos have been stolen, if its under his $500 deductable then he pays out of pocket for it. I was the one putting the stereos in these cars... I can't believe people would do this. We work hard for what we have, they have to break a window and thats it! My brothers truck was broken into last night, they broke the window and took a box with 3 JL audio amps and a laptop... that really sucks!

GOOD LUCK!!!
Joe

MdFormula350

one of my friends had their car sitting in the back of some shop waiting for an engine swap, after one night the car was broken into, window brokwn, about 2 grand in stero gone!!

cops would not even look and take prints even though you could see them on the car!!

people like that suck!!

RCR

This has become a pity post and no longer has to do with the company that's letting you take the fall.