Problem? What do you guys think?

Thanks for your help on this one, guys. A few weeks ago I wanted to buy the ROW m030 suspension for my 03 C2 Coupe. I wanted to buy the kit from Gert, but I couldn't find any good shop locally who was willing to install the kit for me. My dealer will not install ROW suspensions. A local Porsche shop with a very good reputation refused to install the kit if I bought it from Gert, and wanted me to buy it from them instead. Their price is about $600 more than Gert. So I reluctantly agreed, since I'd rather do that than find a shop that doesn't do porsches at all. It took a couple of weeks to "get the parts in from Germany." I took the car two days ago and was told that they had ordered some extra parts also, because they weren't sure which parts went with my car. (Clue #1 something was wrong). Then they said that they had two different sets of springs, and they wanted to put the heavier springs in ("probably from a C4", their quote). They rationalized that the cars were only 200 lbs different, and the heavier springs would "work better". Then yesterday the same person I have been dealing with (the owner) said they couldn't do the work yet because they had gotten the wrong springs ("probably from a C4"). The same spring he himself had recommended the day before. He said again that the ordering sheets for these cars are complicated, and the spring may have been mislabeled (????). I'm really shocked, because this shop seems to specialize in porsche and was highly recommended on this forum. There were half a dozen porsches there (but interestingly, none of them were newer than a 964 or 968). But at this point I'm not convinced that at the end of the day I'm going to get the correct parts in the car. I'd much rather order from Gert, and know that I'm getting the right components. Given that they haven't actually done anything on the car yet, do you think it would be reasonable for me to ask them to stop now and give me my car back? What would be a reasonable compensation for their time? Thanks!

You went down a blind alley in a truck without a reverse gear.......... Make the best of a less than optimal situation. Hey, maybe you can get out of the alley with a bit of luck. I hope it works out for you.

By "make the best of a less than optimal situation", do you mean just stick it out with them? And hope they somehow get it right? How can I verify that I ended up with the right parts?

Get your car out of there as quick as you can! If they are unsure of the part numbers they'll be equally unsure of the installation procedures. Find another shop and get the parts from Gert. Good Luck

Assuming the car has not been worked on yet, tell them you don't want to leave it there until the parts are in, and go pick it up. (It is your car, after all. You need it for the weekend, etc.) Then, when it's safe in your hands, you can discuss your options; don't let them use the car as leverage on you. Tell them you're happy to pay them for the labor to install the components, but that you're not comfortable unless you can provide the correct parts yourself. Or, perhaps Gert can send you the correct part #'s which you and your shop can verify against the parts they have to make you more comfortable. Vic 99 C2 cab

Good point. I'm not kidding when I say this is one of the consensus top 3 porsche shops in the DC area. Strange.

They may be a great shop for 964s and 968s but their experience with 996s might be lacking. fortunately we have many good shops in SOCAL and they do specialize in particular types or models. Finding a shop with allot of experience in 996s is not easy. I reiterate- Get your car out of there until they can make you comfortable or take it to another shop. Call your local PCA for suggestions. Good Luck

It is not unusual to get the wrong parts, mislabelled parts, wrong parts in the right box, etc, etc, etc. I am saying this to give the shop the benefit of the doubt. Having said that, I would remove my car from their hands as quickly as I can, before they even do anything. Just tell them you need the car NOW, and CAN bring it back once they have all the parts they need. I am surprised they didn't offer to give you your car back pending arrival of the correct parts. There is absolutely no logical reason for them to keep your car when the parts are not there especially since they haven't done anything else. Once you have the car, your choices are much more open. In one sense, you have no obligation to do anything more. The understanding of the agreed job was that they were to install the right parts in your car correctly in that time that you gave them your car. Through their own error, they have been unable to do so. In essence, the original agreement or contract is now null and void. You can have your car back, and they can eat the cost of their error in not getting the right parts. Putting the wrong part (from a C4) would not "work better". If they were serious, I would absolutely NOT bring my car back to them. If they were just flustered and were simply embarrased and trying to save face, I MAY bring the car back. The choice is yours. This, of course, is just my 0.2c from a layman's oit of view.

I checked PET for part numbers on springs and shocks for M030 and I can understand why it's confusing (at least to me). There are different ones for different model years of 996; and different ones for C2/C4/C4s/ Coupe or Cab etc.etc. The suggestion to go thru Gert IMHO is a good one. For instance, I can't find a different shock or spring for US M030 and Row M030. Good luck!

Get your car out of there! they may have made a mistake ordering the parts which is suspicious but deserve the benefit of the doubts... but "trying" to install different springs (C4S or whatever) with the rest of the kit?? that is SERIOUS NEGLIGENCE! Once your car is out, if you can't find an experienced shop in your area that can install Gert's RoWM030, the second option it to try to negociate with them that after what they did, either they install the kit YOU will supply (from Gert) or you walk... but I would really try to find another shop. Anybody know a good shop in the DC area that can do the job? there must be someone here that installed RoWM030's or other in another shop in that area. I would ask for another reputable shop in the 996TT and other subforums in rennlist also.

Get your car back!!! Refuse to use them for anything. If yopu've paid them anything, consider it gone. If you haven't, they can send the parts back. They misrepresented their ability and do not deserve a chance to screw up your car. If they raise heck with you, have an attorney write them a letter "explaining things to them. Shouldn't cost more than $100.

Nova, I wonder if the shop you went to also put together this baby!

first of all, i'd get my car back from them asap. my springs were put in by a shop that almost never works on Porsches, and my 996 was the first one they had ever had in their shop. so why would i go to them? because they've been doing work for my family for 20 years and if they don't know something they'll ASK instead of just going ahead blindly with the work. so it bothers me that your shop wouldn't ask somebody the right way to do things and just charged blindly ahead. and my car? the mechanic who put in the springs (who i also went to high school with) said they were "a bitch to put in, especially the fronts", but they ordered the right parts the first time and installed them right the first time too. so a shop that works on porsches that does something like this doesn't deserve your business IMHO. and lastly, what they hell was the person who put together that boxster thinking don?!?!?!? putting the rear bumper on the front?!??!?!?

I like that backwards boxter - from the belt-line up it actually looks really good! I'd second everyone who thougth it'd be a good idea to get the car back while you figure out what to do. I would then ask the installer to document everything he planned to do to car w/ part numbers. Get this plan & parts list "approved" by someone in the know. At this point, if the plan is solid, then your only risk is with the lack of install experience. I believe that putting in springs of the wrong wieght or doing other things to adversly effect the geometry is alot more scary that someone install skill.

what shop is this? autothority? they usually do good jobs... i'd get her out of that joint and get her to another pcar dealer - there r no less than 5 dealers within 50 miles!!

All the posts (folloing mine) do a terrific job of translating my advice to you. Don'r be afraid to stand up for yourself. The worst that happens is they call you names......Best of luck.

Thanks guys. I did get a list of part numbers which was pretty close to right, so I made the correction and hopefully this will work out next week. The car is already minus the front suspension, so at this point it's probably easier to see this through with them. Their attitude seems to have changed dramatically today. No more BS, and so let's see if they get this done. They are otherwise competent guys, and if I had a 964 I was trying to make 500+hp on, I have no doubt these are the guys. But for 996 work, they should have been more upfront with me. I called one of the other big name Porsche independents around here and I got the same cheezy salesman thing there, too. They were very evasive on the phone. My old BMW place is becoming like that, too, now that they are a big business. I'm still looking for a good place. PCA folks seem to suggest the same 2-3 big name places including the ones I called and the one I went to. I actually like the dealer MUCH better and they aren't any more expensive. For most things I'll probably just go there.