Hello, 

My Name is Joy Hardy, I would like to share my story with you and hope my cause will be seen worthy, to help me prevail over those who have left me with an seemingly insurmountable  task.  

At this point the light at the end of my tunnel has diminished and my paths direction  filled with uncertainty.  What's so disheartening is the lack of enforced accountability for the extent of damage and loss I now face, while the ill sought, laugh all the way to the bank. 

My Story:

On Dec 23, 2014 My daughter Amber, was driving back from Eugene, Oregon to Los Angeles in extreme weather conditions, it rained heavy non stop the entire way. I know because I was driving back myself. 

My mother who lived in Oregon was dying of Cancer and we had gone up to care for her. When things turned for the worse we were given no other choice but to go home rain or shine.

The drive was long and arduous to say the least, home never looked so good and once there being exhausted I laid down to rest, believing Amber would be arriving soon. Instead I would be woken up by a phone call with Amber crying uncontrollably on the other end.

She had gotten into an accident in Paso Robles, Ca while attempting to get off the hwy in need of rest. Any other time, I'm afraid I would have been upset at her, but she was  devastated. Her voice so heartbreaking m y heart hurt for her,  I would only console her and thankful  she and her faithful dog  were okay.

You see the FJ Cruiser belonged to Amber's father, who months earlier    died unexpectedly during surgery. 

Understandably the accident profoundly affected her.. To this day I can still recall and feel the extent of her grief,  while unknowing at the time,  would become my sole reason that led me to my quest.

Amber and I had the kind of mother daughter relationship other people wished they had with theirs, myself included.  We both felt very fortunate and our love for one another was truly unconditional ...I was her safe haven while her love and faith in me made me who I am today. 

 Below: Amber and I                                                             

Below: My Mother and I, She died Jan13, 2015       

The Fj Cruiser took a pretty hard hit to the right front passenger side and if it was the last thing Amber was going to do, she was going to fix it....Well, that would never come to pass. 

Her death was untimely and tragic  She passed away July 26, 2015, 6 months after my mother. I have experienced many hardships in life but the loss of Amber is one I will never recover from.

Below: My youngest daughter Virginia, Amber and I

     Some may be thinking the FJ Cruiser is just a vehicle, right?  believe me I've had my share, but now that I have shared a little bit of my story, one might have a better understanding as to why and the reason I made the decision not to abandon the vehicle, but instead restore it. Amber may no longer be with us, but if it's true there is life everlasting in spirit, she will know I have been doing it for her. 

Below: What the FJ Should look like today, but isn't                              

                                                                                      .

My efforts to insure the FJ would be repaired correctly, as close to Toyota's specifications as possible has been  met with one adversity after another. At the time of the accident Amber only had Liability insurance, so I would have to pay cash.  The body shops I took the FJ to were not interested in doing the job, they prefer dealing with insurance claims and larger payouts. 

 Below: the Fj waiting for the next phase... the arrival of body parts. (*Note the new purchased radiator resting on top)

 I was given the task to order all the body parts and components needed.  My first order was from a company called Trdparts on Feb 13, 2016. The shipment contained among other's, two major structural body parts , the right front inner apron  as well as Radiator Support.  On march 11, 2016 arrived damaged during UPS transit. this was the first set back of many to follow.

Below  is a timeline of events with Trdparts, starting with my original invoice  our correspondence's and ending with claim status.

  ww.trdparts.comOrder Confirmation

Below: Before order arrives I email them sharing the importance of my order 

Hi,

Thank you for contacting me in regard to my order. Yes make the necessary adjustments according to the VIN # on the 2007 FJ Cruiser. The Apron and components is for the right side.. and the radiator support and components

Ultimately I will be replacing the front End, such as hood, grille, and bumper, all the exterior trim, headlamp composites both sides, driver side mirror and airbags. Please feel free to call me I want to get the correct body parts and have this project go as smooth as possible. So I appreciate you and your time very much.

This vehicle was my daughters, who inherited after her father died. She loved this car. while coming back from Eugene Oregon she got into an accident. OMG to hear her on the phone weeping and heart broken.

Before my daughter could put it back together she had an untimely death.. It's so tragic and devastating... Well I know in my heart that she would want me to make the FJ beautiful again. Im not a wealthy person so any mistakes I make......Well I just cant make any then can I...

Thank you Again.

Kindly ,

Joy

Below: Pictures of damage caused by UPS. March 11, 2016 

  Below: List of parts trdparts claim were damaged                       

Hi,
Joy again, got the body parts. Couple things I'd like to make mention before preceding..

If you recall the pictures you received :  Package torn open, Body parts tossed about, scratches and bent metal, once received and upon inspection, visable...correct? The parts you claimed damaged i.e.  apron, fender, fender liner, upper seal and cover. 

My orginal order was held back shipment waiting on parts and for a considerable amount of time.

Throughout the process you emailed me informing me of progress. A claim was filed and my order was returned to you. (within a week from UPS)

Once in your possesion and inspected you listed each  damaged part . stating you would have to reorder and send to me as they came asked if I wanted you too?

That was on friday March 18th. On March 19th I responded yes please send and by Monday March 21st you emailed me again telling me my order was on the way.

With the above said I'll get straight  to the point...

As I replied, the parts appeared fine, upon proper inspection
The Body parts you carefully repackaged separately, surprisingly display identical locations of damage as the orginal.

Apron with scratches and upper right damage to its frame​, The others ​with ​gouge's​in the ​metal,​ scratches and ​minor, dents. Ok all fine and good. My mechanic said we can work with it. Yet why would I go to the trouble to buy costly New Original Toyota parts and then sledge hammer them to fit my car properly?​

You filed a claim with UPS for damages totaling over $800. No doubt when said and done  will be reimbursed over ​$1000 plus​ And I ? well, I paid trd ​parts​ $1788.33. For parts and $461 shipping​,​ totaling  $2249.99.  And received the original parts you've claimed as damaged to UPS. Pretty good deal for TRDparts huh? 

Besides the parts themselves, what got my attention was the time factor. you wrote you would have to reorder parts and would ship them as they came in. How could it be possible on a friday communicate the above mentioned and on monday inform me my whole order was shipped?

Why should you be the only one to benefit especially when it's off my loss. and of course it would be a whole different matter if it weren't for the fact you chose not to reorder new to replace parts. I'm in the middle of deciding what course of action would be appropriate.​ Tell me if you where in my shoes what would you do and expect from Trdparts.

​Kindly, Joy

Sent: Sunday, April 24, 2016 6:25 P

Below: Trdpats Response

Hello Joy, Good to hear from you!  We do understand your frustration and we actually ended up losing money on this because UPS said that we did not have insurance for this particular order. We do not mind that because the only thing we wanted is to make it right to you and get you the parts as soon as possible. We hope that you understand that we value our customers and we always want to have a good relationship with them. Again we apologize for the frustration this might of caused you and we want you to know that we really appreciate your business. Thank you and hope to hear from you again!

TRDParts.com

                                                            ____________

I called UPS about the claim just to double check...I was told the claim was closed and check sent in the amount of $1750, although I still wouldn't know the exact date it had occurred.

Unfortunately there wasn't much I could do without documentation to substantiate my findings. That all changed when UPS sent me a shipping bill in error, allowing me to acquire details needed to access the claims status on UPS website. The shipping bill also provided who Trdparts was and where they were located. Don Mcgill Toyota car dealership in Houston TX.

I knew a check had been received, It was learning when they did. if you'll note I wrote to Trdparts my concerns  April 24, 2016 and they replied back the next day denying an award had been given. In Truth the claim had been closed and Trpparts paid weeks prior.    

 Below: A copy of  UPS shipping bill and the Claim Status filed and date closed . 

In my letter to Trdparts on April 24th I give mention regarding a mechanic who said could work with the reshipped parts. 

Before Amber's death she had set up fixing the FJ with a mechanic and acquaintance of ours. He had told her he had body repair experience. I had reservations, but because of my experience with the body shops , I felt I had no other choice coupled with the mechanic asurrence, I  gave him an opportunity . ..... it would turn out to be a  major mistake. 

  Below: Photos of FJ Cruiser assembling body parts in progress                                                                  

 I had originally bought a used OEM hood in good condition at a repeatable  used Toyota parts company, along with an OEM bumper cover, Scoop and headlamp assemblies for $550.00. Later for reasons still to be discovered I'm advised to purchase a new OEM hood,  costing me another $400.

It was when I started questioning whether the frame had been straightened and aligned to specs or not,  which obviously should be the first and foremost done before attempting to assemble remaining body parts... it turns out his idea to accomplish the task was to use a sledge hammer! 

I can only imagine the purpose for the new hood was his last dash effort, believing it was the used hood that prevented lining up with the rest. Of course It had nothing to do with the hood being new or used or any other part. 

I do know the damaged Apron had not been reordered, Nor the Radiator Support they didn't claim to me as damaged yet claimed to UPS it was, but repackaged and shipped back.  I had no idea the extent of further damage the mechanic had done before he abandoned the job. 

Because of this fact all the time I spent pursuing justice be done, the emotional and mental strain and frustration writing letters to Don Mcgill toyota Corp. contacting Texas Attorney General, The Better Business Bureau turned out to be a complete waste of time. I could not hold Trdparts responsible or accountable. 

What could I do but cut my losses and continue in my quest. 

I was told about another body shop South Bay Auto and took FJ after speaking on the phone. That's when I found out what the mechanic had done. As I already mentioned instead of taking the FJ to get pulled and aligned he was pounding it with a sledge hammer  What I didn't realize is he completely split apart the weld between the apron and the bodies inner frame. And now the radiator support wasn't in good shape either. 

I pleaded with them to take the FJ, due to the overload of work  the answer was no and sorry. Again it was all about insurance money although what he said he would do was write up an estimate and the cost to repair. $3729.00 without painting

Below: photo of  wheel wall of Apron and  Upper Right side Radiator Support

Below: Copy of Estimate

                                                            _____________   

I must say I wasn't feeling optimistic and let the FJ sit in my garage . I knew shortly after Amber's death on  July 26th 2015 I wouldn't be able to rid myself of something that held so much meaning to her. If anyone has read this far it's known I had failed to find a body shop to take the FJ and that I would have to order every part and component, After what happened with Trdparts, I took my business elsewhere.  Needless to say, buying body parts was a bit out of my league and the process at times painstaking and time consuming. 

Below: Photo of FJ before I took to Palos Verdes

You'll notice no headlamps, in the mechanics haste he overlooks  were still screwed  on the top and broke off the part that attaches to the radiator support. I had the grille and valence inside the FJ along with other parts still waiting to be assembled  and their hardware was on the way. 

I already had some challenges, Yet nothing compares to what  happened next. Something I never deserved....No one deserves.

One day I noticed a Body Shop On 11th and South Palos Verdes

Palos Verdes Auto body presented themselves as being trustworthy, assuring me they could do the work and  gave me an estimated time line of 2 weeks on  Sept 18, 2017.  I gave them a partial payment of $1200 and supplied all the body parts and components.

It’s difficult to comprehend what they have done over the course of one delay and excuse after another totaling 9 months of promised due dates that never came to pass. The first delay was over the inner apron I’m told needed to be replaced and then told it didn’t and then later told it would, $376 for part and $800 labor which included replacing the upper control arm to the suspension I had provided new and in box. That alone took 4 months and even worse I would discover later they never did replace either one.

I have confronted the shop on numerous occasions for the ridiculous amount of time. Each time always apologetic, thanking me for my understanding.  I had gone down several times over the course of time, But nothing could have prepared me to see the state the FJ Cruiser was in... to tell you the truth I am still in shock.

On  May 26, 2018  the promised last due date, I text the shop I am on my way to pick up the FJ. I get a text back stating the job is 95% finished but need a few more parts to complete properly. 

When I arrived I couldn't believe my eyes...Nothing had been done and the parts I bought new I would discover were either missing, scattered out in the yard or had been replaced with used in poor condition, they would have to be replaced. 

I filed a complaint with the Bureau Of Automotive Repair. The Investigator came to my home and looked at the condition, he was shocked and stated the vehicle was in such bad shape it would have to be towed and I would have to replace the apron and radiator support. The Investigator stated it would cost $6,000 to $7,000  at a proper Body shop to fix what Palos Verdes has done.

The apron and radiator both have to be replaced close to $1000. this will be the 3rd apron and 2nd radiator support. I have already paid $5,305.00 in parts and $1,000.00 to the first mechanic, Palos Verdes makes $8,305 and does not include the parts stolen, or the parts they replaced with used in such poor condition they'll need to be replaced another  such as the radiator $179. and the three Bumper extension pads  $300.

I know what parts I ordered and have receipts for except what was already on the vehicle. Please note the photo prior to the one just above, in the photo it clearly displays a horn.  in the photo below after Palos Verdes it's gone.

What I know is missing includes but limited too: right fender liner $171, both L/R bumper side supports $60, horn $65,  R/fender door protector $25, L/R mud guards $40, inner apron $376,. both rear door moldings $66. I spent over $250+ Just in clips, retainers, screws and bolts boxes of them, what I'm left with is another vehicles junk used ones. 

The engine had only 44,000 driven miles and was in perfect condition… Now I am discovering Palos Verdes they've taken engine components.  I took the FJ Cruiser in better condition and get it back undrivable. This is so wrong.

Below: a photo of FJ today.

Has my Dream of restoring my daughter Ambers FJ been done in vain? Being a single mother in unfamiliar territory how is it possible to know where to turn? who will be honest and who will rip you off blind?

What's so difficult is waking up each day to my reality while they couldn't care less the effects this has on my life or the extent of my grief.

No, these liars and thieves get to continue doing business as usual. They robbed me of  my ability , stole parts I now cannot afford replacing for the second and third time. fulfilling what has and always will be so important to me and my truest expression of love for my daughter Amber.

I am so sorry I'm faced with the need to seek assistance. And mostly because there are professional people in this world without  a conscious and ruthless,  doing innocent and trusting individuals so wrong. And being female just made it easier for them.

 I pray my cause will be seen worthy and receive help fulfill my promise and restore my daughters FJ... Directing me to an honest person or body shop in the south bay area who's trustworthy and help me raise the quoted amount given by The Bureau Of Automotive Repair, any and all will be met with heartfelt gratitude.

In return. I will keep everyone posted on progress through correspondence and photos. If I haven't raised enough by Oct 6th 2018 to fully restore. Whatever is possible I will continue to post until Fj is fully restored and for years to come.  I am also an experienced journeyman painter and do excellent finish work, have the tools, rollers, sanders, brushes and drops, self motivated and willing to beautify your home whether inside or out in exchange for body work or donation.

My goal is to raise $6,000 on or before Amber's birthday Oct 6th. July 26th will be her 3rd year anniversary. I miss her beyond words.

And last I wish to extend a warm thank you for all who have taken time out of their otherwise busy schedules to read my story. Thank You.

Love,

Joy

P.S. I will be adding more photos and video