Today officially sucks...

[itdnwiwbp]

I finally decided the steering wheel vibration that showed up when I had my new wheels, tires and suspension installed was severe enough that I needed to brave having strangers handle my car. When I showed up for my appointment at the tire shop they told me they couldn't touch my car because I have a lug stud conversion installed and they aren't appropriate or proper parts. My only option was to go home, remove the wheels myself and bring them back.

Unfortunately I just put all of my tools in storage an hour away and I was without a low profile jack, jack stands, or my good torque wrench. I do, however, always carry a spare tire, a beam style torque wrench and the BMW jack. The best I could do was put my spare on the rear and leave the front up in the air while I ran the lefts then the rights to the shop.

The lefts were both a little bit off and got rebalanced. When I took the rights in a different person did the balance and said they were fine, which I of course found to be suspicious but I couldn't very well argue with him about it so I went on my way.

When I got home I opened the garage door and started unloading the tires. Then the garage door chain broke, the door dropped and the chain whipped my windshield, roof and passenger rear quarter. It's down to bare metal in a couple places - about the size of big rock chips. I think other than that it can be buffed out.

But wait! It gets worse. After reassembling and extracting the car from the garage I test drove it and SURPRISE! it still wasn't balanced. I went back and jacked the car up in the shops parking lot (well, not the shops cause they wouldn't let me but a few spaces down in the Taco Bell parking lot) to have them do the right side again. I had the same person who did the left side do it this time and sure enough they were slightly off too. Now the bad part. She chipped my brand new hyperblack ARC-8s. As anyone with hyperblack Apex wheels knows the layering process is practically impossible to duplicate.

The employees said there was no way they could have damaged them and brought the manager out. He pointed out that there was black in the chips (like dirt) so it couldn't have been fresh. I pointed out that the wheels are black with silver layered on top. I also pointed out the paint chip laying in front of the wheel that fit perfectly into one of the chips.

So, now the car is balanced and vibration free and the shop is going to pay to have the wheel repaired but I'm going to call APEX for a recommendation because I know it's going to be difficult to match. Next phone call is to insurance to find out about possibly repainting half my car.

I can't wait for today to be over.

[v3.2mc]

that sucks.

all of it.

[Finnegan]

Damn. That is a bad day.

[inTgr8r]

I hate this kind of stuff....
I really feel for you on this one

[a_riddler]

Keep your cool and stay on it till its fixed to your satisfaction. End of the day, its just stuff, and it can be fixed.

Hope tomorrow is better!

[itdnwiwbp]

Originally Posted by a_riddler

Keep your cool and stay on it till its fixed to your satisfaction. End of the day, its just stuff, and it can be fixed.

Hope tomorrow is better!

Thanks. I did pretty well today. The garage incident was at my fiance's parent's house. I think they all thought I was going to completely lose it. But I told them exactly what you said. It's just stuff and it wasn't anyone's fault.

[3002 tii]

Worst day ever...

[ANUSTART]

Oh man... That's just aweful. I ran into the same issues with my stud conversion kit. Discount Tire couldn't do a flat repair because they couldn't get the tire off. Had to do basically what you did. However, my story didn't involved massive dammage. Hope it all gets sorted out. Good luck.

[jrainlay]

Thanks for sharing your misery... It's comforting to know I'm not the only one who has days like that. But I'm not as patient or forgiving as you are. If all that stuff had happened to me, I'd have completely lost it at least two or three times!

[Kgolf31]

I find it kind of sad that they couldn't remove the wheels w/the stud conversion.

I've went to BMW to do CPO work and they didn't say a thing.

Sorry your day sucked, I don't ever want that to happen.

[dorifto88]

im sorry your day was bad, i really am. i think we have all had days like that in our lives. i wish you the best of luck.

[pokeybritches]

Frustrating, but at least the car isn't totaled from an accident. Take pictures of the damages before you have anything repainted, so that you can explain the different paint if you ever sell the car.

[elwesso]

Wow that really sucks.. Certainly doesn't leave a good taste in your mouth (or mine) about taking your car to get repaired. I hate that most tire shops won't touch your car if you have spacers, although I understand why they don't.

[jpwbrown]

I hate days like that, makes you want to throw a tantrum like a 2 yr old. I find sitting alone in a dark room with a martini helps. Tomorrow is another day.

[Huz-Z]

As much as all that totally sux, it can only get better from here. Thankfully, there wasn't even worse damage, such as the door dropping on and buckling the bonnet or roof.

Perhaps you can use this as an opportunity to get any minor cosmetic issues looked after at the same time. I hope you get this all fixed up to your complete satisfaction!

[Calichase]

be thankful that the shop said they will pay for it, you were lucky there. sorry to here about such a bad day and i know i couldnt have kept my cool in a similar situation

[itdnwiwbp]

The only reason I went with that tire shop is cause my indie said they have the best insurance. Still not excited about having to try to repair the finish on hyperblack APEXs.

[Tonybest]

Hope today is much better than yesterday.

[itdnwiwbp]

Step one: Wheels fixed. Totally satisfied.

[mickfo]

nice repair work...the good thing about a real bad day like that is that things can only get better.