Not very happy with the people I paid to store my car for the winter!

[ninjai_ruken]

So, Like I do every winter I put my Laser in a Heated Shop/Garage. Thinking that it was heated I never really put forth the effort to winterize the car. The shop temp stays right around 65 so I never figured it would be a problem. Well, I guess the shop must of lost power during a storm when it was about -45, not counting windchill. Because I found out my radiator busted at the seams as well as having a leak at the back of the engine. I didn't find out until recently because the car never ran long enough to over heat during the start ups every two weeks. I recently moved to another town and pulled the car on the trailer as usual, but I noticed before shut down after getting her on the trailer that my temps were unusually high. Since I was going to change out my Oil and Flush the Cooling system when I got to my new home. I figure it could wait.

Well, the day I unload the car at my new home it was extremely hot 99. So I started the car and began to unload her off the trailer. But no sooner then I pull the car into the driveway my Temps shoot up! I shut her down immediately thinking to myself "WTF?" I climb out of the car pop open the hood and with a little pressure on the radiator cap expecting hot steam and boiling coolant I open it.(Of course I let it sit for a while before attempting this)...but nothing?! "What the hell I checked and filled the radiator last fall with Coolant, no way in hell it evaporated having been stored in a heated garage the thought that my radiator had busted open never crossed my mind.

So I go inside the garage and find some anti freeze and start to fill the radiator when I can hear it dripping, at that point I immediately stop filling and look under the car to see the AF dripping out the bottom but I cant see from where. So I go inside fill a bottle with water and fill it again just to make sure it wasn't spilled AF. Sure enough the radiator drains and leaks all over the drive way. So, I decide to push the car into the garage and start exploring the problem later. Here is what I found

Dont mind how dirty she is, It was a long trip on the trailer. Busted Spoiler Supports on the front are from my last track time.

Engine bay needs to be cleaned Like I said it was a long trip

V Mount

Busted Seam




Needless to say, I am pissed the **** off no one told me that the shop had lost power. It must have had no power for at least a week for it to have been able to get so cold everything froze up. I know of four other cars some of them classics that where being stored there and I wonder if they had problems as well. I still have a leak at the rear of the engine Im trying to find. Like I stated before, I'm not in a very good mood right now. I am only 50 miles from a track I was going to take my car to next weekend and get some track footage. Not sure thats going to happen now. But I did learn something.


Always winterize your car, even if it will be in a heated storage, shop or garage! It will save you a headache.


EDIT: I understand the the power going out is beyond the owners control. But he could have notified me that there was no heat in the shop because of the breaker pretty much exploding.

 

[blade970]

Sad. Too bad to hear the shop had a mishap and didn't even inform you.
What front bumper is that on there by the way?

 

[ninjai_ruken]

Sad. Too bad to hear the shop had a mishap and didn't even inform you.
What front bumper is that on there by the way?

It happens, It was owned by an elderly guy and all he does is rent out the space to store vehicles. As far as the bumper, that's the Drifter Front Bumper

 

[bane3d]

Sorry to hear that. On another note, that doesn't look like the radiator/fmic that was on it when it was the flying banana. Did you change it out or did he not sell it to you?

d

 

[Scott McIntyre]

That sucks!

I run straight water w/ water wetter during the race season, and the car lives in my heated garage year-round. But I always put in some anti-freeze when the weather gets cold just in case the garage looses heat for whatever reason. Cheap insurance.

 

[ninjai_ruken]

Sorry to hear that. On another note, that doesn't look like the radiator/fmic that was on it when it was the flying banana. Did you change it out or did he not sell it to you?

d

I think, Greg changed things the last season he owned the car. Ill have to dig around for the build post before he sold the car.

 

[ninjai_ruken]

That sucks!

I run straight water w/ water wetter during the race season, and the car lives in my heated garage year-round. But I always put in some anti-freeze when the weather gets cold just in case the garage looses heat for whatever reason. Cheap insurance.

I usually flush the system in the fall and add a mix of AF and Water, Then re-flush and run Water/Water Wetter but I got into such a dang hurry last fall. My daughter started school, Family Issues..ect..ect that I basically just took the car down to the shop, Threw the car cover over it and never thought twice about it. And now, im paying for it....Literally

 

[kimcheefists]

Sorry to hear about your misfortune. I hope it didn't crack the block at all..

 

[1gcrazy]

Do they have some sort of insurance policy?

 

[ninjai_ruken]

Sorry to hear about your misfortune. I hope it didn't crack the block at all..

I am pretty sure it didnt, (I hope) I am going to get under there with a fine tooth comb and look once the radiator is fixed

Do they have some sort of insurance policy?

No they do not, I already asked.

 

[slipstream808]

I feel ya. When I went to Iraq our cars were stored. Under cover and all. Nice. Hawaii so no need to winterize the car... period. I get back and the battery was dead. It was the only problem. I thought I did a complete systems check an once-over on the car.

WRONG. Forgot to check the A/C. It no longer worked. They never turned it on I guess and the seals went. So it wasn't covered. Well 5 years later I have been running with the A/C removed for some time now. But it still agrivates me to think about it. Sorry again.

 

[90moneypit]

I suggest that you read the rental contract VERY closely. You paid extra for it to be heated/controlled temperature and if they failed to provide that service then they are liable for damages unless it specifically says that they are exempt. On that note, I'm curious that you didn't see the water/AF all over the floor of the storage unit or at least the freeze plugs since they should have popped out (it's what they're there for, aside from allowing sand to be removed from the initial casting that is) when everything froze up. You won't get a new engine out of it but you should be able to recover expenses associated with repairing the damage. If he says he doesn't have insurance... well that's a little fishy since most businesses should have SOMETHING to cover accidental damages. If not, well, he will after he gets done paying for this! You paid for a service that was NOT provided. He was legally responsible to provide ALL services that you paid for, even if it meant purchasing a large generator, or several of them, and individual heating units for each storage area UNLESS the contract has specifically exempted him from liability due to conditions beyond his control and he can demonstrate that he did in fact do everything possible (it doesn't sound like he did) to get power to those heaters as quick as possible. Get together with the other people who paid for heated storage and let them know what happened. I would stress that you are sponsored and have legal obligations of your own to fulfill in promoting their products and that his inaction could affect YOU in a monetary way as well if nothing else works. I'm sure he would rather settle things out of court than negatively impact his business and reputation.

 

[viprez586]

Probably a freeze plug...keep your fingers crossed.

You can pick up a mishimoto radiator cheap!

 

[ninjai_ruken]

I feel ya. When I went to Iraq our cars were stored. Under cover and all. Nice. Hawaii so no need to winterize the car... period. I get back and the battery was dead. It was the only problem. I thought I did a complete systems check an once-over on the car.

WRONG. Forgot to check the A/C. It no longer worked. They never turned it on I guess and the seals went. So it wasn't covered. Well 5 years later I have been running with the A/C removed for some time now. But it still agrivates me to think about it. Sorry again.

That sucks man, What Branch of service are you in? I was in the Army. 82nd, 2nd Brigade

I suggest that you read the rental contract VERY closely. You paid extra for it to be heated/controlled temperature and if they failed to provide that service then they are liable for damages unless it specifically says that they are exempt. On that note, I'm curious that you didn't see the water/AF all over the floor of the storage unit or at least the freeze plugs since they should have popped out (it's what they're there for, aside from allowing sand to be removed from the initial casting that is) when everything froze up. You won't get a new engine out of it but you should be able to recover expenses associated with repairing the damage. If he says he doesn't have insurance... well that's a little fishy since most businesses should have SOMETHING to cover accidental damages. If not, well, he will after he gets done paying for this! You paid for a service that was NOT provided. He was legally responsible to provide ALL services that you paid for, even if it meant purchasing a large generator, or several of them, and individual heating units for each storage area UNLESS the contract has specifically exempted him from liability due to conditions beyond his control and he can demonstrate that he did in fact do everything possible (it doesn't sound like he did) to get power to those heaters as quick as possible. Get together with the other people who paid for heated storage and let them know what happened. I would stress that you are sponsored and have legal obligations of your own to fulfill in promoting their products and that his inaction could affect YOU in a monetary way as well if nothing else works. I'm sure he would rather settle things out of court than negatively impact his business and reputation.

Problem is, the Rental Aggregate is very basic. It wasn't stored in a professional storage company. We have not heated units in my area the nearest was 150 miles away. This was an old timer who had a shop who was retired and just let people rent space in his shop. I am sure he has insurance of some kind. I am waiting to hear back from him. As far as the water goes, it must have evaporated. I wasnt able to check on the car every day. I am thinking it was at least a week and a half before I was able to go check on the car after it happened.

Probably a freeze plug...keep your fingers crossed.

You can pick up a mishimoto radiator cheap!

Couldn't find another leak other then a rubber hose that was split, I replaced that. I get the radiator back from the shop today. They re welded the seem and pressure checked the radiator. I was told the seam was the only leak/crack. Radiator is going back in next week. I will then, fill the system and begin hunting for other leaks. Wish me luck guys.

 

[turboglenn]

sent ya a PM to offer some free help... i like ot help others out and being that you're in the armed forces i will gladly fix that radiator for you putting your life up on contrat to risk yours for the sake of mine.. sucks to hear though, hope you get it all worked out..get at me on my offer

 

[ninjai_ruken]

sent ya a PM to offer some free help... i like ot help others out and being that you're in the armed forces i will gladly fix that radiator for you putting your life up on contrat to risk yours for the sake of mine.. sucks to hear though, hope you get it all worked out..get at me on my offer

Thank you, I just replied to your PM. I have been busy up to my eye balls. My daughter started Kindergarten this year after they held her back a year due to her age. Its not surprising they are already talking about skipping her up to 1st Grade Already. My Little girl is so smart its scary!



That being said I suppose I should post an update.


A couple of weeks back I had dropped my radiator off at a local shop that specializes in Radiators and AC Systems. They told me it would be done the fallowing week. 6 Days go by without a word from the shop so I figure everything was OK. I show up on the date I was told it would be done and there is a (Out of Business Sign) in the Window, I could see people loading up tools in the back. I proceeded to head to the office were I had a nice talk with their Secretary. I guess they had thought they would be able to get my radiator done while they were waiting on a business loan from a friend that fell through. I really hate stuff like this, I like to spread my business around especially to the smaller "Mom and Pop" business. And it really breaks my heart to see stores and business that have been in families for Generations closing down because they can not compete with the bigger corporations who are also struggling but because of the size are able to weather the "Bad Economy Storm"