997for40

I was driving my 84 3.2 M491 on the freeway and ran over a big chunk of thread from a tire..driver side fender, headlight got damage. Car run fine, no shimmy, pulling and drove it about 40 miles to the shop. The body work was done and shop recommended a wheel alignment check just to make sure. They found out left suspension damage. The following parts replaced:

L Frt guide link
L outer tie rod
L ball joint
L steering ball & socket assembly
4 wheel alignment done (P-car dealer)

The body work & suspension was done by a reputable shop.

Now the problem when I picked up my car, it's pulling to the left. Never had this problem and never complained about this after the incident. Tires thread and pressure are in spec.

What could be causing this? Did they mess up the install of parts? Now they are giving me the excuse that the car is lowered and due to the age, stress cracks on the upper strut tower. I think it's a bunch of bs.

I'm still waiting on the inurance co. I'm sure they'll come back and say it's pre exisitng. I might have to take it to a P-shop for a 2nd opinion.

Thanks for the patience and input.

theiceman

that sucks. i'd almost bet money there was nothing wrong with your original stuff to. All that danage from hitting a piece of rubber ? i don't think so . i have hit a lot more than you did at speed and not had an issue.
Sorry to hear about this but you may need a new indie

rusnak

That is some serious damage. Can you explain further the "stress cracks on the upper strut tower"? The car started pulling after the alignment, but was fine after the repairs? You need to explain a little bit further. Obviously something is not right.

I've also hit some huge stuff, including a bumper from a Honda. Never had to replace that kind of stuff before.

theiceman

I think he is saying that after the impact everything seamed fine .. but after they replaced all the "defective" parts and gave him an alignment, now it pulls..
i'd say that is not a reputable shop at all if now they are squirming to get out of fixing it

Amber Gramps

the big problem is going to come from involving more than one shop. I'd go right back to the dealer and let them drive it. Let them see that it isn't right. The longer you take to return it the easier it is going to be to say you hit something after they did the alignment.

Did you get your replaced parts back to double check that they were damaged?

997for40

thanks for the input guys.....P-car dealer said that alignment is within spec considering the car is lowered to euro height. nothing else they can do since they didn't install the suspension parts.

the car is back at the orignal shop and waiting on the insurance co. on how to proceed. i have a feeling they screwed up the install of parts, i was afraid this will happen when they mentioned that they will install the parts (per AAA) since the dealership charges alot......i didn't get the parts back.

i'll keep you guys updated as soon i hear something new.

rusnak

I'm still not clear on when it was fine and when it started to pull. Clearly, there is defective workmanship involved. I think you should talk to your insurance co. about using a different shop.

butzip

A perfect example of, 'if it's not broken, don't fix it' and if it is broken, don't take it to a dealer!!

I am convinced that most Porsche dealer techs have as much experience on early (pre-89') cars as they do on Renault LeCars... which would be, well... none, to make a point.

There are of course exceptions, so don't get all bent out of shape!!

I have to agree with ICE, always insist on seeing the damaged parts. But do this before they remove or do anything.. otherwise, you owe them labor even it they mess it up..... These cars are pretty simple and very strong. I would bet they slightly exaggerated the extent of the damage. That is neither here nor there now, so.... Get under there, measure everything, make sure there is nothing obvious and get it re-aligned by yet a third party. But have them drive it first, so they know what they are dialing-out.

rusnak

where in NorCal are you? There are a lot of knowledgable people around here who would have fixed it right the first time.

997for40

I'm located in the bay area San Francisco.....it's really a bummer, i'm assuming the shop wanted to generate extra revenue hence the additional suspension work. I didn't look at the "damage suspension parts" my mistake. I just trusted the shop, dealt with them before.

The latest......shop said shock towers are shot/cracked possible rust due to age of the car, my torsion bar bent. I asked them how come they never saw this when they did the initial inspection, reply was they never opened the hood. I said, you replaced the left strut assembly and you never opened the hood?

I'm just waiting on the insurance adjuster, they are sending out an "expert" to inspect the damage. I might have a potential lawsuit if they don't own up to the damage they caused to my car.

What I'm trying to figure out is how they damaged the (stress cracks) towers, bent the torsion bar?
Like I said before, right after the encounter with the piece of tire thread my car still ran straight, 40 miles to the shop cruising 65/70 mph on the freeway.

rusnak

A hit that hard would have bent the wheel and blown out the tire as well. If no bent wheel, then I think the whole thing looks very suspicious.

Chris M.

Bent a torsion bar? If you hit anything hard enough to bend a torsion bar, the tub would also be damaged as would the control arm. Very suspicious...

ron mcatee

They would have to open the hood to get to the large nut holding the strut & shock in the support. Liar, Liar?

butzip

I've got news for them, opening the hood would not reveal a bent torsion bar either WTF?? These guys are FOS period. The torsion bar is completely concealed within the A-arm so a bent torsion bar would mean a destroyed A-arm and I've never seen that in anything less than a comprehensively totaled 911. And if they say oh we meant sway bar that's garbage too because it's underneath the car. Now I'm getting angry...

theiceman

yeah Butzip that is what i was thinking ... if you have to open the hood to check to see your bent torsion bar .. you my friend would be in hospital ... unless you mean the strut bar if you have one .. that I could see ... maybe..... possibly ..... okay naw .. sorry .. i tried ....