R.I.P. MegaVan - Stolen Before it's Time

[ConnieKat]

Hi, anything more on antitheft methods would certainly be of interest to me!
Thanks, ConnieKat

[ConnieKat]

Simplesez
Hi, and thanks! It was pretty grim, and frightening, but
I did manage to talk my way out of the last one. We lived just over the line from Redondo Beach ( which
used to be a decent neighborhood). My former neighbor says it’s changed a lot in the last 10 years, and not for the better. Really glad to be out of it, but it
seems like the lunatic brigade is following! The past 10 years, even the middle country has changed rather
dramatically. We are getting newbie’s from both east and west coasts, and living in their cars ( or maybe they used to be someone else’s cars). Getting a bit scary, even going into our small towns! Luckily, I live at close to 9,000 feet, which is rather rough for most
newbie’s.
ConnieKat

[IanF]

Good to hear you got your van back, although it sucks about the stuff taken and general destruction.

[jbro]

Originally Posted by IanF

Good to hear you got your van back....

lol, I wish...


Still haven't gotten it back.


The place they sent it to for repairs was completely incompetent. They kept delaying me over and over then when they finally said it would be ready this last tuesday I go to pick it up only to get about a block away from the place and the whole van starts shaking really bad.

I take it back and the next day they tell me the drive shaft is bent.

WTF?!

First of all how they hell did the drive shaft get bent, the f*ucks who stole it musta been taking it off jumps or something... I mean who knows what else is damaged under there. Transmission, transfer case, etc...

So I got a lil' upset that these guys tried to deliver it back to me as "done" when they hadn't even noticed something this obvious.

So I called insurance and they had it towed to the local Ford dealership to be checked out and fix the drive shaft.

Ford just called yesterday and said everything looks ok except for the shaft so they're gonna order one and replace it on Tuesday.


It really worries me though thinking about what other damage was done that isn't being found.

Starting to wish I had of just let them total it and got the check. At least I wouldn't still be sleeping in the back of this rental car for $250 a week ($1,000 a month).

[Vanzila]

Body Shops are not the Be all of Repairs. You need to take it to a Real Shop that goes over it top to bottom. Never Ever Trust a Body shop to do all the wark they do not have the skills or the Equipment..

[jbro]

Originally Posted by Vanzila

Body Shops are not the Be all of Repairs. You need to take it to a Real Shop that goes over it top to bottom. Never Ever Trust a Body shop to do all the wark they do not have the skills or the Equipment..

Seriously.. It didn't even have any body damage.
Complete waste of my time having it sent to a body shop for mechanical repairs.

I think they sent it there because thats their main go-to place to send cars. Geico even had an in-house office at the body shop where the local adjuster works out of.

Very dumb though.

Hopefully it's in good hands now though. H.B. Ford is a pretty legit dealership.

[Twoxentrix]

I would also check with your insurance to see if the vehicle is now listed as a “recovery”. That would show up down the road on a Carfax if you decided to sell it - would hinder the value and narrow the field of interested parties.

[ConnieKat]

Jbro,
I’ve been through kind of the same thing. Not stolen, but definitely crappy service. Really makes you wonder how much further down they can go. The guy I dealt with had no idea what he was doing, and I cringe to think about how much it will cost me to “ repair the repairs”???

[jbro]

And.... we're back! Finally!

[ShuttlePilot]

Originally Posted by jbro

And.... we're back! Finally!

Outstanding! You did a great job on this IMO and thank you for taking us along for the journey. I hope you keep in touch with updates in the future, especially with photos like the one above.



-Eric