Please help - in Miami 1100 miles from home and problems
06-16-2009, 10:28 PM
#1
Please help - in Miami 1100 miles from home and problems Hey guys,
I really need some help here.
Im in Florida on vacation and my GTO isn't driveable.
Here is the whole story... any suggestions, advice, etc would be greatly appreciated.
Today i arrived at a hotel called "Le Meridien" in Sunny Isles Beach. When i pulled in i was informed that the parking was "Valet Only". All was well, little fancier than im into but whatever.... they drive off with my GTO and i go up to the room.
A couple hours later i come back down and request my car. A few minutes later they pull it up for me, and the guy hops out of the car with an odd look on his face and informs me that its making a wierd noise and its comming from the front right side. At first glance i dont notice anything, then i get in the car and begin to move forward. I moved forward a foot or two and hear a horrible rubbing sound. I immedately stop and get out of the car. I go over to the passenger side to inspect it, and see that the front right tire is moved forward about 2 inches, and is now causing the tire to rub against the fender well etc.
I get under the car with a flashlight and look around. I spot the problem... the bar that bolts into the front radius rod bushing has totally torn its self out of the rear bushing (not the radius rod bushing that i just replaced with Lovells ones, but the smaller rear bushing.
I call AAA and they send a tow truck. We have to pull the car forward a bit to get it where they can tow it. With each foot we move the car it gets worse... the nose/fender bodyline is seperated at this point.
Being that im very far away from home, i have no choice but to have the car towed to a local garage. I just got back to the hotel, so obviously the garage wasn't open. The tow truck driver was really helpfull, so i took it there per his suggestion. The name of the garage is "Shorty and Freds" and its located down by the South Beach area. Since the garage wasn't open, i left a note on the windshield of my car with my contact into, a brief description of what was going on, etc.
So at this point im really at loss of what to do. Im at everyones mercy right now... i dont know if this is something that the valet damaged or if it was just getting ready to let go and he just was unlucky enough to be driving it when it happened. The garage that i took it to is a 20 minute drive from my hotel, so im going to have to pay quite a bit for the cab ride tomorrow morning, etc.
I was talking with the guy who helped us take our luggage up to the room, and he suggested that i speak with the manager and be very stern with them, and that most likely they would pay for it to be repaired. I then tried to file a report with hotel security, and they informed me that the valet service is actually a seperate company.
What would you guys do in this situation? Do you think this was just a fluke, or did the valet hit something, etc. I dont know how in the hell that bushing could come out on its own unless they either absolutely slammed on the breaks in reverse, or if they backed over a curb or something.
Im not familar with this town, i dont know anyone that lives anywhere close, etc. This is just a really horrible situation that im trying to get fixed so i can enjoy the rest of my vacation.
What is this bushing even called? Could i expect a parts store to have one? Do any sponsors on here carry them that i could have them overnighted?
I really need some help here.
Im in Florida on vacation and my GTO isn't driveable.
Here is the whole story... any suggestions, advice, etc would be greatly appreciated.
Today i arrived at a hotel called "Le Meridien" in Sunny Isles Beach. When i pulled in i was informed that the parking was "Valet Only". All was well, little fancier than im into but whatever.... they drive off with my GTO and i go up to the room.
A couple hours later i come back down and request my car. A few minutes later they pull it up for me, and the guy hops out of the car with an odd look on his face and informs me that its making a wierd noise and its comming from the front right side. At first glance i dont notice anything, then i get in the car and begin to move forward. I moved forward a foot or two and hear a horrible rubbing sound. I immedately stop and get out of the car. I go over to the passenger side to inspect it, and see that the front right tire is moved forward about 2 inches, and is now causing the tire to rub against the fender well etc.
I get under the car with a flashlight and look around. I spot the problem... the bar that bolts into the front radius rod bushing has totally torn its self out of the rear bushing (not the radius rod bushing that i just replaced with Lovells ones, but the smaller rear bushing.
I call AAA and they send a tow truck. We have to pull the car forward a bit to get it where they can tow it. With each foot we move the car it gets worse... the nose/fender bodyline is seperated at this point.
Being that im very far away from home, i have no choice but to have the car towed to a local garage. I just got back to the hotel, so obviously the garage wasn't open. The tow truck driver was really helpfull, so i took it there per his suggestion. The name of the garage is "Shorty and Freds" and its located down by the South Beach area. Since the garage wasn't open, i left a note on the windshield of my car with my contact into, a brief description of what was going on, etc.
So at this point im really at loss of what to do. Im at everyones mercy right now... i dont know if this is something that the valet damaged or if it was just getting ready to let go and he just was unlucky enough to be driving it when it happened. The garage that i took it to is a 20 minute drive from my hotel, so im going to have to pay quite a bit for the cab ride tomorrow morning, etc.
I was talking with the guy who helped us take our luggage up to the room, and he suggested that i speak with the manager and be very stern with them, and that most likely they would pay for it to be repaired. I then tried to file a report with hotel security, and they informed me that the valet service is actually a seperate company.
What would you guys do in this situation? Do you think this was just a fluke, or did the valet hit something, etc. I dont know how in the hell that bushing could come out on its own unless they either absolutely slammed on the breaks in reverse, or if they backed over a curb or something.
Im not familar with this town, i dont know anyone that lives anywhere close, etc. This is just a really horrible situation that im trying to get fixed so i can enjoy the rest of my vacation.
What is this bushing even called? Could i expect a parts store to have one? Do any sponsors on here carry them that i could have them overnighted?
06-16-2009, 10:36 PM
#3
Im trying to determine if it was caused by abuse. Bushing like that dont just slip out... especially at 5-10mph being pulled into a parking garage by a valet.
06-16-2009, 10:55 PM
#6
I was only staying in Miami for one night on my way up to Orlando to meet up with the rest of my family. I already had reservations for Wednight night thru Friday night in Orlando... im probably gona be held up here for at least a day maybe two.
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06-16-2009, 11:14 PM
#8
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+1 about the valet causing the problem. i DO NOT valet in any situation whatsoever. the last time i did, they stalled over 15 minutes looking for my car saying they couldn't find it. but to find out they had left my trunk lid open, dome lights on, windows all the way down.......... so it drained my battery and i had to jump it. sorry about your situation but i'd be relentless about valet being the cause, it just seems way to abrupt to be a normal wear/tear issue.
06-16-2009, 11:18 PM
#9
+1 about the valet causing the problem. i DO NOT valet in any situation whatsoever. the last time i did, they stalled over 15 minutes looking for my car saying they couldn't find it. but to find out they had left my trunk lid open, dome lights on, windows all the way down.......... so it drained my battery and i had to jump it. sorry about your situation but i'd be relentless about valet being the cause, it just seems way to abrupt to be a normal wear/tear issue.
06-17-2009, 01:11 AM
#14
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That's not something you can fix yourself, especially you've on a vacation. Definitly the valet mess it up since you pull in without any problem. The bushing shouldn't take too long to replace. However the fender got tear off is a big deal here. It's time for a law suit.
06-17-2009, 06:33 AM
#15
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man that sucks hope all turns out well like the other guy said post this up in the fl section and see if you might be able to get some local help
06-17-2009, 09:19 AM
#17
Well I work for the local cable co. and I just happen to be working on the pole behind the shop and saw your goat. They've never worked on my car so I cant say much, but that shop has been there for years, and never is empty. I work from South Beach past Sunny Isles so if you need a favor let me know 
. I have seen valets drive cars down here, and they scare the **** out of me.
. I have seen valets drive cars down here, and they scare the **** out of me. 
06-17-2009, 08:23 PM
#20
Well I work for the local cable co. and I just happen to be working on the pole behind the shop and saw your goat. They've never worked on my car so I cant say much, but that shop has been there for years, and never is empty. I work from South Beach past Sunny Isles so if you need a favor let me know . I have seen valets drive cars down here, and they scare the **** out of me.
. I have seen valets drive cars down here, and they scare the **** out of me.The shop has been great. I wasn't able to get my rental car and make it down there till early afternoon, and they treated me great. After i went to their shop and gave them the keys, i got on the road and met up with a guy over on LS1GTO.com who is a dealer for Noltec suspension. He had the bushings i needed, so i dropped them back off this evening. By the time i called the shop back, they already had it up on the lift and had it ready to install the bushings. They told me it should be done early in the morning.