Damage to Z, but how do you prove..???

[DKNWSZX]

Hi all

Just after some advice on the below.

Last year I decided to get some oil hoses repaired on my Z31. I decided it was time due to a slow weep which had developed. I took my vehicle to a well known chap around town (Whangarei) who has been doing mech repairs, transmissions etc for many years. The first time the hydraulic fellow did not do a correct job which was only found out after a week of driving when it started weeping again on my garage floor. Within that week I had a WOF carried out and it failed, not due to the hoses, but due to the light combination stork, at the same time I asked the WOF fellow (who has done every single WOF on my Z since I've owned it, is a rather fond of the Z and has a very good recollection of it),
if he could please show me why the hoses were weeping. The hoses weren't replaced correctly as any one could see. So once I got the combination stork replaced and a WOF I sent it back to have hoses repaired correctly.

Now the story starts.......

The first time I had the hoses repaired it took a week for the job to be carried out. The second time (where I believe the damage was done) it took 3 weeks and the fellow kept telling me there was a delay in getting somebody to come and fit the hoses from the hydraulic company and that they were waiting on parts.

Once I got the vehicle back I drove it well over 2 week period to see if hoses would leak, which they did not. The WOF expired in AUG 2016 and as it was winterish I decided I would wait until summer to bother to WOF again. Last month I took the Z to get a WOF from my WOF guy and he showed me something which I can honestly put my hand on my heart and swear on my granddads grave I did not do.

The Z has suffered some rather rip your undies damage to the chassis and sills and looks ''relatively'' fresh. My WOF guy pulled me out to show me. My heart sank and I felt absolutely gutted as I had a new owner lined up to buy once it had a WOF. Since my WOF last year Feb I have done little over 600kms hence why it still looked relatively fresh and there was absolutely no mention of it on any of the WOF sheets over the past 4 years that I've owned. He was a little flummoxed and said I don't ever recall seeing this here and asked me if I had done which my obvious replay was NO WAY

I've phoned the guy who repaired my hoses and he didn't really sound all that convincing when I questioned him about the damage. I went to the hydraulic company who said they went out to his workshop, yet he claims he took my car to them the second time when I was questioning him. He had a worker in helping him over a few months to relieve the load of work which is where I feel and who I feel has caused the damage. Regardless it has happened under his care.

I'm at a loss on what to do as I feel someone, namely the mechanic is not being honest and since it took a fair bit longer on the second time round I believe he was trying to hide something as he was more than likely waiting for quotes on a fix job to the damage.

It is a he said she said situation. Any answers or help would be greatly appreciated.

Regards
Deano

[Skiwi]

Not going to help you I'm afraid, but this is exactly why I take a picture of my speedo every time I drop my Z off anywhere for repairs.
Unfortunately I think you're in a classic "he said she said" situation

[bernjean]

Make an Insurance claim on it, if there is any chance of recovering anything they will be the guys to do it. tell them exactly what happened. But I don't like your chances. I think the suggestion of taking a picture of the speedo is a very wise one. One of this chaps boys may have done something to it and he doesn't even know about it.