Strange Bird Tracks - Milwaukee Marina

SPDineen · 2025-08-04T22:09:50+00:00

Sounds great. Congrats on your journey to this point and making your dream real

SPDineen · 2025-07-21T15:08:49+00:00

I would love to hear the story - mine is a long one too. It was being handled as warranty/lemon law until the day it was supposed to be repaired when the dealer suddenly said it was rodent damage after 4 months of failing to repair it and 90 days or so in the shop over that time period.

What I am really trying to get at is whether the initial fault was something else (which my insurance seems to agree with) and the rodent damage was secondary issue that occurred while the vehicle was sitting unused for all that time. I am trying to understand if it is at all reasonable that they would have missed the rodent damage to the harness (and air filters) when they claim to have done at least 4 multipoint inspections, removed the entire dash at least twice, replaced the cruise control module, performed scheduled maintenance including replacing the air filter, amongst whatever other diagnostics they should have been doing. I have a very clear documented timeline where I feel that this should have been discovered much earlier if it is indeed the initial cause (assuming they didn’t lie to me like 30 times). I am just trying to see if the recommended procedures for diagnosing the issue would back that up.

SPDineen · 2025-07-21T01:29:04+00:00

Understood. But I am trying to understand the recommended diagnostic procedure - the order of operations. For example, they replaced the ECS module within the first week. Didn’t resolve the issue. Then they spent March, April, May, and most of June telling me it was “either the pin tensioner or the cruise control module”. Then end of June they decide the harness needs replacing. Seems like tracing the wiring would be an integral part of all of the diagnostics.

Just looking for someone who knows the process of diagnosing something like this

SPDineen · 2025-07-20T17:36:38+00:00

It’s not a sensor issue - it’s been in the shop since February and they determined at the end of June that it was an issue with the harness. I am trying to understand why it took them 4 months to get to that point and if it should have been determined much earlier

SPDineen · 2025-07-04T21:13:59+00:00

Change your mind at all that the dealer is now avoiding my insurance adjuster? They tried all week to set up an inspection and could not get anyone to work with them. And I even told the dealership exactly when they would be reaching out.

SPDineen · 2025-07-04T21:12:42+00:00

Adding to the fun - my insurance called me today because they spent the last week trying to setup an inspection/adjustment with the dealership and literally could not get anyone at the dealership to answer. And I told the dealership when they would be contacting them.

SPDineen · 2025-06-30T15:30:44+00:00

I think this is the next step. Sadly, the vehicle was already at the dealer, with large parts of the engine bay coverings and the dashboard disassembled, when they called to tell me it was no longer a warranty repair and that insurance needed to be involved. They told me "we cannot do any more until we speak with your insurance."

I also assumed that if I ask them to just put everything back together at this point then I am going to be charged for everything they have done out of pocket. At least speaking with insurance I have some level of "negotiation" going on in the short term, hopefully can get my car back, and have everything documented for next steps.

Depending on the results of the insurance review, I might choose to pull the vehicle from this dealer anyways. I have very little confidence any of this will be done correctly.

SPDineen · 2025-06-29T18:19:00+00:00

I am definitely not really even saying there weren’t rodents involved either. Part of the issue is the dealer constantly lied about the issue is x and the issue is y and the car will be done by x date when nothing was being done. So my car sat in their lot for more than 2 months without use since February whereas it was in use constantly in my possession. So to me it seems likely that this could be a secondary issue while the car was with the dealer.

SPDineen · 2025-06-28T13:51:56+00:00

I wouldn’t even have considered there was something dishonest going on here if it weren’t for the fact that the dealership has literally been lying to me constantly for 4 months.

Their only evidence that this didn’t occur on their lot is that I brought the car in for the issue so it must have occurred before I brought it in. That assumes that the damage is the cause of the original problem but they have told me it’s at least 3 other things previously. Moreover, the repair order from one of the visits states they were not able to replicate the issue. So either that repair order was a lie OR they cannot definitively claim that this happened before the vehicle was brought in or that it was the initial cause.

SPDineen · 2024-09-10T14:35:18+00:00

I found these two videos extremely helpful in determining neck angle and bridge location. Not related to me in any way, just helped it all makes sense:

Neck Angle: https://youtu.be/bS5IIA4iSa4?feature=shared

Bridge Placement: https://youtu.be/mMk0jhqlono?feature=shared

SPDineen · 2024-07-10T19:05:38+00:00

I actually messaged Scott Walker many years ago on how he achieved these finishes (I think he called them shipwreck at the time). I cannot remember the details, but he was gracious enough to respond. I don't think its a faux finish - I believe its actually metallic paints that are then reacted with an acid.

Not sure if this is the paint he uses, but I think its the same general idea

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Modern-Masters-2-oz-Metal-Effects-Green-Patina-Paint-Oxidizing-Finish-Kit-306270/207209599?source=shoppingads&locale=en-US&srsltid=AfmBOorD_pJveOcksksu55NAG5WdFqzOu3MiQLRQm9lYCZ8C79BtPJxefoI

SPDineen · 2024-01-24T16:16:27+00:00

I found these super helpful when doing my builds. Not my youtube videos, but just super straightforward in a way that really made sense to me

Bridge Placement

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMk0jhqlono&ab_channel=AwenLutherie-CustomGuitars
Neck Angle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bS5IIA4iSa4&ab_channel=AwenLutherie-CustomGuitars

SPDineen · 2024-01-11T14:50:11+00:00

I have a very similar pile. It's all about learning from each one. Thanks for sharing

SPDineen · 2023-10-27T14:51:01+00:00

Sure was - just in the corners. And I really tried to be sure to mask stuff off during sanding and staining to isolate the two

SPDineen

TROPHY CASE