Name And Shame

[Sinista32]

What is it that prevents SAU'ers from naming bad traders, bad mechs, bad shops. Why is it that we stop from naming these parrasites and dont post names and hardly post bad experiences (always shop names withheld). If you tell it how it is there is no comeback, if you tell a lie in an open forum you may open yourself up to firey responses and even liable if you embelish beyond reallity. However, having said that there is nothing to fear from the truth. Particularly when the MTA/Fair trading are contacted to sort it out.

We have threads for a good experiences, good shops, good mechs and good products - not many threads on the bad. That allows other SAU members to find out the hard way. I did to the tune of $18,000. $13000 on an engine rebuild when XXXXXX didn't work out what was wrong for the months they had it before she died , $3800 on engine R/R after being quoted $2,200! (payed $2.8k after MTA contacted, but did the shop contact me to say they had to use an extra $800 worth of gaskets etc and under estimated their labour by $1000 - NO) and now $2,500-$3000 on replacing newish R34 N1 Turbo's after being returned farked withouot being checked when off, as clearly requested. Add that to the cost of an R32 GTR 2years ago with a months driving it like a BeeP BeeP Barina.

I strongly recomend you get everything on paper, you have no comeback with a handshake. Nice people until it goes bad. Then it's your word against theirs, and beleive me they are prepared to lie and will tell you so.

To answer any potential critic my car left QLD with independent health checks (Gavin Wood) including compression and RTA certs. Bad luck or bad local ACT mechs - you have your own opinion, I have mine.

I'm not saying post - "A mate of mate had this happen". If it's not your experince then you dont know the real facts. Yes there is 3 sides to every story - YOURS, THEIR's and the TRUTH.

There is so much of this happening in the ACT that were all heading interstate, or should be. I for one would like to see a few local performance shops out of business and encourage ACT SAU'ers to attempt to get some experienced, knowledgeable, honest traders down here (maybe CRD, Race Pace, DART etc). We have some of the AAA Skylines in Australia (JUN, RH9......) and huge overall numbers in this region. We prolly spend shyte loads of $$$$$$ between us.

If I had the capital I'd sponsor an ACT shop for HPI's. It's not just the cost it's the quality and the honesty that matter to me.

I'd like to end my rant on a positive. Pro Engines for the rebuild, thanks for keeping me informed. It cost what you quoted and was ready when you said it would be. If I get to drive my GTR once the turbs are replaced i would be even more confident. AutoTech for a good Tune. It was a pleasure driving my GTR for a week upto 5500rpm.

Im prompted to post this now as I have received several PM's and read threads from a few of you that just make my blood boil. I'm happy if this is the only post in this thread, dont feel you need to post in any way.

Oh and to XXXXXX, thanks for not dealing properly with 100-110 knox on the PFC and overheating when I initially took it to you, not determing the engine fault for the months you had it in the shop prior to it dying, and breaking my radiator.

Sabotaging my car because I wouldn't come at $1800 over your quoted R/R price and me involving the RTA. Removing the new ignitor and jumbled wiring harness without plugs leaving me stranded when I went to pick it up, over tightening and locktighting my wheel nuts, joking about all the smoke/noise when you started it up after the rebuild and the nice new noise from the turbs farking the front Turbo, tuning it never on a Dyno, telling me to fark off not your problem after the engine rebuild and refit. And many more disreputable issues I'm still paying for.

My advice - stick to oil changes on Commodores and Rego services! Canberra/Qnbyn is a small place for businesses. For those who had professional and timely work done there, lucky you.

Merry Christmas

Edited December 5, 2006 by Shell

[SKYLVIA]

Amen!!

Oh and dont forget your stez was f**ked when you got it back too... im no mechanic, but i didnt know cutting subwoofer wires had anything to do with taking out/putting in an engine...

[r33skylinegtst]

While i'm not denying what you're saying in any way shape or form, i have dealt with XXXXXX on many occassions and i've never found fault with the way they do business. I can recall an occassion where XXXXXX worked back on a weekend to replace a clutch for me, i didn't even need the car back urgently nor did i ask for it.

Just be aware that a lot of people have had different experiences everywhere they have gone. Good on you for posting a negative experience and not being afraid to name names though. Hope it all works out for you mate!

[MIVEC]

It's always my fear that when I take it to a work shop they're going to try and rip me off.

[Shell]

bloody hell Richard.. you gonna make me actually have to do some work in this section? hehe

What is it that prevents SAU'ers from naming bad traders, bad mechs, bad shops.

Because this is a rule of the forum. The owner of SAU does not want the hassle, backlash and possible legal action if a business is defamed.

It is also possible and very likely (being the internet and all) that the story is not the whole truth, and in most cases (unless the business is a member on here) they have no chance to defend themselves. A thread like this could mean thousands of dollars in lost business.

We have threads for a good experiences, good shops, good mechs and good products - not many threads on the bad. That allows other SAU members to find out the hard way.

There is nothing to stop anyone starting a thread on the bad, and helping out other members from learning the hard way... just tell people to PM you for the name.

In all honestly we're trying not to be TOO strict with all this kind of stuff and this forum is pretty good for not being over moderated... we're trying to keep a happy medium. Allow blatent workshop bashing and we're just opening the floodgates.

I'm really sorry to hear your story... I actually thought that particular place was supposed to be good, but there ya go. But I'm gonna have to edit the name out sorry Richard...

[ib6ub9]

I'm going to have to agree with Sinista32..

As there a not many workshops that these problems arise in, But the ones that are non professional and immoral in SO many ways should be named. Again, Facts like, I paid for this service for a certain dollar amount as per the quote, It was not completed to a reasonable standard should be able to be said. We all know that things may be found as a repair or rebuild is under process, But with in reason.

As many people know i have had some HUGE problems in the past 7 months with a repairer, No i haven't named him yet, but there has been at least on other person remove his car from the shop off this forum as well as 2 that i know of as yet on another from this particular shop, I personally have to now fight for 14 grand and the original parts on the car that were removed for the lack there of "attempted" effort of smash repairs... Now with the MTRIA... More time with out car...

This is something that has affected me personally and is currently affecting my life in many ways. And for the people of Canberra to know simple facts including the name i don't classify as defamation in any way what so ever...

But, on the other hand to monitor and police such a thread would be difficult and some people may use it unjustly. Hence the concern of SAU and moderators..

Just my too cents as this is awfully close to me at this current stage...

[leech_]

/start rant

I am pretty sure I know shop XXXXXX that you are referring to. I took my car there once because a lot of people including yourself (Richard) said it was a good shop. All I was getting was a fricking service not even anything spectacular and he tried to charge me twice as much as he quoted... when I commented on the price being a lot more he was like oh well I can't do it for that cheap it cost me more than that in labour... BS like I give a toss you completed only the stuff I originally asked for and if you can't get your staff to do an oil and air filter change and do a general check of the car in a set time TOUGH that's your issue not mine... anyways in the end I paid about 130 - 140% of the original quote instead of the 200%... the work done was fine but I never took my car back there...

The above issues in this thread are one of my concerns for the next car i was considering getting a in a few years time i don't want to be paying 40 - 50K for a car only to spend even more money modifying it and to have someone either do a half arsed job on it or severely overcharge just because it's not a commondore that anyone can work on...

I have dealt with Peter from Autotech and he was great. Advised me what he was doing and charged a reasonable amount for the work done. I think any mechanical work to be done next I will give Trojan a try unlike XXXXXX which has had a lot of mixed feedback Trojan seems to get overall better reviews.

/end rant...

[oscar32]

Amen Richard, I'm STILL paying off from when XXX XXXXXXXXXXX ripped me off in late 2004. Its not ok that workshops blatanley do the wrong thing, then get off scott free. We as a collective should encourage buisiness to do the right thing. I hope I've cost the workshop that ripped me off heaps of money. They deserve it as far asI'm concerned, and I'd hate to see fellow SAU'ers go through the pain of paying for things twice.

For those who don't already know....

Just for the record - this is MY story, and the total truth.

I got a quote from XXX XXXXXXXXXXX to get some work done to my '32.(Front mount, pump, regulator - the usual first stage mods). It looked ok and I thought I'd get it done (before I found the forums). When I picked my car up it had rubber in the rear gaurds. I was pretty suss of that, and wasn't offered an explination when I asked other than it must have been there already. They told me it had 176 kws (flywheel) which I doubt, it was running WORSE than before. I was charged $500 more than my quote, which was not explained - other than a general increase in costs. I paid though, and got the car out of there.

Then, on the way home my boost controller blows (power down, no lights). Im going WTF?? Get home, find there is no gromet for the wiring. Its of course shorted. There is no grommets on anything they'd done.

Get it on a hoist, no hi flow cat that I paid for, although mine had been gutted. Was charged $400 for this. They were not happy that I found this, and claimed it was a hiflow. After many calls (and legal threats) they sent me the wrong part (A cheap nasty cat, not the one I paid for), however I will not see any labour costs back ever.

Oh, also left 3 boost leaks, Boost gauge stopped working after 2 weeks. I had to take my car to another shop and spend the same money again. The only thing fitted properly was a bolt in cooler!

It caused a rethink of the way I wanted to make power, however it wasn't a cheap lesson.

All up, that cost me well over 4.5K - plus getting the work done again (total around 8K).

Since then, I was invloved with a Dyno day last year - a GTR turned up, freshly worked by XXX XXXXXXXXXXX and apparently making 280 RWKWS with a set of N1's and the backup stuff. A few guys I knew knew the guy, and had told me all about this "animal" GTR.

People here don't get how fast those things can be... anyhow.

It rolled out 235 rwHP!!!!! (Which is around the 170 -180 mark I think) I've never seen a guy look so sad about blowing so much money. I never found out how he went with them, but he peeled their stickers off while there! The dyno guy was suss they weren't even the right turbos.

I've named them before, and with a PM their name is also yours.

[R3sp3ct]

I think it is a load of crap that these shops can do shit work and get away with it because its their word against yours....if oscar32 says there was rubber in his guards when he got his car back this shop should be f**king named.

I was at hungry jacks about a month or so ago and I over heard some mechanic telling these chicks that some really nice FTO was getting serviced at his workshop and while the boss wasn't watching he did burnouts in it in the wet out the back of the workshop, I then heard him say his boss caught him and he got in shit but my point is that this shit goes on and god only knows what else they get up to with our cars while 'working on them'.

If these companys can brag that they do good work and repeatedly and blatantly f**k up I really dont see why we cant name and shame them.

Another thing is that if you start a business you would know that word of mouth is the best way of service, so wouldn't you do your best to please everyone to get more work???? WTF are they running a workshop for if they aren't completley customer focused!!!

[oscar32]

I think it is a load of crap that these shops can do shit work and get away with it because its their word against yours....if oscar32 says there was rubber in his guards when he got his car back this shop should be f**king named.

I wasn't so much worried about the rubber as the total lack of care, and lack of parts. I could have handled the rubber being there if the car was sweet. Not that you should have to.

[Grant W]

With any business, whether it be cars, electrical equipment and even medical procedures there a bound to be mistakes made even if a company has a platinum reputation. The best thing anyone can do it take their cars to a place that has a good name and just hope that their car is not worked on by the guy thats having a one off bad day. I think its wrong to single out a business unless it really does have a bad name from 1st hand accounts

[leech_]

Grant that is true everyone does make mistakes the issue that pisses most people off is that if/when you do make a mistake you should

A: Own up to it

B: Pay for anything that you broke

These two things above are what is not happening alot of the time...

[Stevie]

I hope this isnt a certain business that has long been a favourite around here??? A business that I have always had doubts about but was consistantly shut down?

Anyway richard good on you for naming names, pity they have been removed.

Personally John at Trojan is the only person i let work on my car. I encourage others to do the same.

[SKYLVIA]

With any business, whether it be cars, electrical equipment and even medical procedures there a bound to be mistakes made even if a company has a platinum reputation.

there seems to be more mistakes made then there should be, and even if mistakes are made, why should people be forced to have to pay for whats been done if it has turned out WORSE than what it was when they took it in? AND THEN they have the balls to try and jack up the price for something they didnt even do properly! its bullshit. if workshops wanna f**k people around like some of the stories above, then they deserve to be named, they obviously dont care about their work, their customers, or their reputation.

Me being a newbie to the whole owning a car thing, am scared to take my car to any workshops. i have a limited selection of where to go that actually know about imports and modification. yeah i havent had any bad experiences with mechanics yet, but that doesnt mean ive got it coming to me. i dont want my car worked on by anyone who has done a f**ked job on a car (i.e. SiN's, ib6ub9's, Oscar32's experiences). and i dont want to be prioritised over a higher paying customer with a better car just because im an 18yo P-plater with a car that isnt a RWKW beast.

[Sauce]

I think you'll find at first you'll probably be preyed on by some workshops for being young and having an import. They see a young guy with an import and think "here comes some $$$, let's try and get a bit more out of the sucker" because the same thing has happened to me. I had one place, won't mention any names, try to force thousands of $s in suspension stuff on me becuase I had a leaking shock, and then they didn't even do the bloody wheel alignment I put the car in for...

[leech_]

No need to gloat stevie This shop is still reasonably popular however as mentioned by others, word of mouth is the best way to get business and this person who runs shop XXXXXX is not going about it the right way quoting different prices to what he actually charges and doing some dodgy work... People make mistakes but when they don't own up to it or do anything proactive to fix the problems thats BS...

Either way if businesses act this way they won't be around for long. :sorcerer:

I see Triedentt was reading this post and I am pretty sure he had or is about to have some work done by XXXXX I would like to hear his comments if he is happy to post them. As unlike the three 32 gtr's he always worked on he wouldn’t have been spending stupid amounts of money at this shop so he shouldn’t be getting any of the special treatment these boys got

I hope this isnt a certain business that has long been a favourite around here??? A business that I have always had doubts about but was consistantly shut down?

[tridentt150v]

I had some work done there, I did a fair amount of the work myself last time {Mr X allowed me to do this which I appreciated, he coached me}.

The last time I was there we put in tomei cams and then had it dyno'd, but Mr X had set the exhaust cam to -5 deg. and it should have been at 0 for a gtst [he is used to working on GTR's more]. I drove home 200 km with 20 less rwkw than I drove over with. I found this fact out on the SAU forums later.

I ended up resetting the cam wheel to 0 myself, then I reset my evc and it all seemed pretty good [another dyno was still needed to finish it off], definitely had more power.

For this work I basically only paid for the dyno time at Autotech and a prorata labour amount. Much less than I would have paid.

The things I noticed:

Heaps of parts and muffler etc inside Sins car on the interior = dirt and grease.

Mr X is constantly being hammered by the phone, his personal life problems, other mechanics, and other customers. His concentration and ability to focus on the job at hand [the one he is being paid for] is compromised.

I had my car booked in for the day [because I have to travel to get there], and expected the whole day to be spent on my car until it was completed. This did not happen on any visit. I'd get there at 800hrs, they'd turn up after 9 [i was told to be there at that time each time I went]. They'd frig around moving vehicles, and doing rego checks etc. They'd start on my car after about 10. Then it would be all day - but with all previously mentioned interruptions etc phone, walk in customers, etc.

The mechanics get in and out of cars with dirty greasy boots, overalls, and hands [my car is bloody pristine inside, I don't need any texas gold inside on the carpet or seat].

Was I happy??? Well the work was done, the service was average, the results were patchy, the promises were to do better next visit, the atmosphere was most congenial and he did let me work on my car.

I can say that I was reasonably satisfied, BUT I would never ever leave my car there and come back and pick it up. They just don't have any respect for other peoples property - all cars are treated the same, good ones, and rust buckets alike.

[leech_]

cheers tridenntt appreciate the comments... also for anyone who is not in the loop shop xxxxx throughout this post is not all the same workshop which i think is getting some people confused i have had a few pm's lol... the fact we can't name businesses makes it hard but going off this post i know that 3 are seperate shops

sin, me p1r4t8r, and triddent are talking about 1

oscar another 1

and id6ub9 another 1

So i guess this thread does not really help people out that much all it will do is scare people into think all shops are dodgy

[Sauce]

OH GOD I CAN'T LET ANYONE TOUCH MY CAR!!!

[leech_]

haha sauce so true... i guess that will teach people to learn to work on there own cars.

all in all every place will have some bad comments you just need to judge if you trust leaving your car in there hands.