being fooled, because of lack of experience!
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 255
Likes: 0
being fooled, because of lack of experience!
ok...just got my licence a few months
decided to buy my dream car, it is a 01 s2000 with approx. 60,000miles on the clock
it is in a nice silver shinny paint, the bodywork is in a extremely good condition, the shop even polished and waxed the hole car, including the rims.
i trusted the shop and bought the car without any further inspection and.......
i discovered that the driver side headlight is not perfectly fitted in place and there is a gap between the headlight and bumper
so i took it to the bodyshop to see what is happening..as the guy open the hood...he said..oh my god..i dont want to get involve in this...i said wtf?? he said this car had been in an accident before and the front body shell is bended..but obviously...the car has been repaired and straightened but it is still noticeable...
so...im veryvery angry about the damage and lie..and im still thinking about this every bloody day!!! so i decided to share my experience and try to find out the solution
i have came up with 3 ideas...
(1) take the engine out and every parts under the hood, send the shell to the bodyshop again, straight the shell again and repair it again, but i dont think i will work
(2) take the engine out and every parts under the hood, send the shell to the bodyshop, have the damaged area cut out, buy a used undamaged front bodyshell, and weld it back....(i think i will work, and i have seen some S2k done this type of repair before)
(3) buy a mirror damage body shell, repair it and swap the shell, but i think the possibilities to find a shell like this is very low, (although i have seen a 99 s2k with a blew engine and a very mirror damaged at the right rear, no frame damage, but the seller want to sell the hole car, and the cost will def. very high and the time consume will also very long
so....what can i do guys ?...i dont really want to give up my baby, since it is my first car, i love it and i have a lot of joy and fun with it, i have learned a lot about the s2k, i even service my car.
Anyway, i m a university student with not longer than 4 years left, and i have to sell my baby and go back to hong kong, but i really want to sell it as a complete car, nice, shinny and stunning when i go...
so...could you guys please give me some opinions about my repair and the future...and it would be great for me if you can share your experience
More Pics!!!
http://img34.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=02012010936.jpg
decided to buy my dream car, it is a 01 s2000 with approx. 60,000miles on the clock
it is in a nice silver shinny paint, the bodywork is in a extremely good condition, the shop even polished and waxed the hole car, including the rims.
i trusted the shop and bought the car without any further inspection and.......
i discovered that the driver side headlight is not perfectly fitted in place and there is a gap between the headlight and bumper
so i took it to the bodyshop to see what is happening..as the guy open the hood...he said..oh my god..i dont want to get involve in this...i said wtf?? he said this car had been in an accident before and the front body shell is bended..but obviously...the car has been repaired and straightened but it is still noticeable...
so...im veryvery angry about the damage and lie..and im still thinking about this every bloody day!!! so i decided to share my experience and try to find out the solution
i have came up with 3 ideas...
(1) take the engine out and every parts under the hood, send the shell to the bodyshop again, straight the shell again and repair it again, but i dont think i will work
(2) take the engine out and every parts under the hood, send the shell to the bodyshop, have the damaged area cut out, buy a used undamaged front bodyshell, and weld it back....(i think i will work, and i have seen some S2k done this type of repair before)
(3) buy a mirror damage body shell, repair it and swap the shell, but i think the possibilities to find a shell like this is very low, (although i have seen a 99 s2k with a blew engine and a very mirror damaged at the right rear, no frame damage, but the seller want to sell the hole car, and the cost will def. very high and the time consume will also very long
so....what can i do guys ?...i dont really want to give up my baby, since it is my first car, i love it and i have a lot of joy and fun with it, i have learned a lot about the s2k, i even service my car.
Anyway, i m a university student with not longer than 4 years left, and i have to sell my baby and go back to hong kong, but i really want to sell it as a complete car, nice, shinny and stunning when i go...
so...could you guys please give me some opinions about my repair and the future...and it would be great for me if you can share your experience
More Pics!!!
http://img34.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=02012010936.jpg
Registered User
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 2,898
Likes: 1
From: Fort Worth
So- what's wrong with the car? Fitment of the headlight isn't perfect? IMHO if it aligns OK and tracks straight... I would drive it an enjoy it. Maybe have it checked out by a reputable shop to make sure it's safe to drive (i.e. no missing or loose bolts).
You also may have some recourse with the dealer. Damage is supposed to be disclosed at the time of sale. I am not sure of any laws to this effect but there is certainly legal precedent for collections of damages due to diminished value.
Unless you happen to know of one of the best body shops on the planet, and have an unlimited budget, I would suggest that any additional work to correct panel fitment will result in more problems. Maybe not there, but maybe with the myriad of other stuff they will have to do to fix the issues you have now.
Given that you're a student and heading home without the car in 4 years... keep it, drive it, enjoy it, and consider yourself lucky to be able to afford an S2 while in school. I wouldn't go throw money into it that you won't get back later when you sell the car.
You also may have some recourse with the dealer. Damage is supposed to be disclosed at the time of sale. I am not sure of any laws to this effect but there is certainly legal precedent for collections of damages due to diminished value.
Unless you happen to know of one of the best body shops on the planet, and have an unlimited budget, I would suggest that any additional work to correct panel fitment will result in more problems. Maybe not there, but maybe with the myriad of other stuff they will have to do to fix the issues you have now.
Given that you're a student and heading home without the car in 4 years... keep it, drive it, enjoy it, and consider yourself lucky to be able to afford an S2 while in school. I wouldn't go throw money into it that you won't get back later when you sell the car.
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 78,840
Likes: 7
From: On yo puter screen
Originally Posted by harrison1990,Dec 31 2009, 03:41 PM
(although i have seen a 99 s2k with a blew engine and a very mirror damaged at the right rear, no frame damage, but the seller want to sell the hole car,
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 255
Likes: 0
yap...thank you for your opinion...
the problem is that, as you say,..the headlight is not prefectly fit, there is a gap and 2 of the holes that suppose to bolt up the headlight to the body shell is not fit, conversely,you can say, i cant bolt up 2 bolts that tightup the headlight to the body shell, (sorry for my language coz i dont know the technical words to describe my situation), but i have figured out a way that can make the headlight prefectly fit,
( it is simple, lossen the bolts that tight up the headlight, put the bumper back on, to see how can it fit, drill some holes and tight up the headlight ) so...is it possible?
i will listen to you...enjoy my car...take every benefits from it, sell it very cheap at the end...
ah....i really love my baby,i have throw quite a bit money and time on it..but i think i will be the end..anyway thanks very much!
Any comments are welcome!
the problem is that, as you say,..the headlight is not prefectly fit, there is a gap and 2 of the holes that suppose to bolt up the headlight to the body shell is not fit, conversely,you can say, i cant bolt up 2 bolts that tightup the headlight to the body shell, (sorry for my language coz i dont know the technical words to describe my situation), but i have figured out a way that can make the headlight prefectly fit,
( it is simple, lossen the bolts that tight up the headlight, put the bumper back on, to see how can it fit, drill some holes and tight up the headlight ) so...is it possible?
i will listen to you...enjoy my car...take every benefits from it, sell it very cheap at the end...
ah....i really love my baby,i have throw quite a bit money and time on it..but i think i will be the end..anyway thanks very much!
Any comments are welcome!
Registered User
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 2,898
Likes: 1
From: Fort Worth
As mentioned, pictures will help, but to answer your question in general terms: a common method for fixing headlamp or panel fitment is to make the holes larger and "adjust" the position before tightening the bolts.
Trending Topics
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 255
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by dammitjim,Dec 31 2009, 02:14 PM
Tell us the name of the seller and then just drive it.
so i bought this car in Birmingham,UK
i forgot the name of the seller
it is called "The bodycraft" or something like that...cant remember..
but he had a lot of nice cars for sale in his shop when i got mine
