A shop has had my car 13 months... Lots of issues... help...

NeverBoneStck

Call your credit card company to see if you can charge back the amount you spent. Usually u pay half up front and the remainder when the car is complete. Start with the CC company first. If they can reverse the charges get that bitch towed out of there before they realize it.

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OptionZero

1) Pull your car immediately and take it somewhere else (i.e. a better shop).

Why would you trust a shop that's already lied to you, made mistakes out of ignorance, and made mistakes out of incompetence to fix the problems? DON'T

2) Save and document all communications with the shop, including receipts

3) Write down all the damage to your car and how much it's cost you. I'm assuming that thus far, it's equal to or greater to the actual positive work done on your car? I'd demand they pay all the transport costs and whatever the next shop pays you (they won't agree)

4) Contact a lawyer and sue them. When you found your car sitting there untouched FIVE MONTHS after you dropped it off and they've been giving you fake updates, you shoulda pulled it on the spot.


Observation:
Unfortunately, many of these shops are not run particularly professionally. They often don't have the front office staff to communicate with clients, keep track of records, and most importantly, plan out and follow a schedule.

These shops also don't have a ton of financial backing OR their owner isn't good with money. That means the issue isn't necessarily the competence of the techs/tuners, but the owner taking on jobs and accepting payment when they simply don't have the equipment, manpower, or simply the time to get the job done as promised

They take on a job, start, an issue comes up, then they take on a diff job just to get capital to fix the first one, or a diff job, and then you have a death spiral that inevitably leads to the business dying.

That's just talking about poor business practices - if the shop owner has a gambling or drug problem (who hasn't heard of THAT before), then the fall only happens quicker

A few more things:
1) The Z and VQ have been around long enough that turbo setups have been pretty well established, right? These days, it seems like you throw $10K at Fast Intentions and you get literally everything you need and it'll work. There's probably a couple options out there

Thats why it's so mind boggling that your shop couldn't handle this - it's not like they have to custom a bunch of stuff for a brand new platform that has no support

If possible, i always try to go to shops where I can physically travel to and meet the owner/staff face to face. If there's an issue, i can be there, and if there's a communication delay, i can walk up to the door and chat. I know its not possible in all areas, but if you can, do it.

or

hey, if you have the money, ship the car to Fast intentions and have them drop in a new engine and turbo set up. At least it'll work.

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sp911

definitely call the better business bureau. wow. sounds like the shop my son used to work for. places like that shouldn't be in business. good luck.

OptionZero

I think these shop owners usually start with the best intentions, enthusiasm for the industry/hobby

but enthusiasm don't pay the rent or salaries of your employees

Big jobs where you make real money don't come along often or regularly. if a couple come in at the same time you pretty much have to take them, then the logistics of making it happen hits. it's real rough

Good records and constant (HONEST) communication usually gets you by. I think a customer would forgive a mistake if you own it and fix it. Once u throw in lying and unexplained delays . . . ur done

Ideally a shop would have some sort of regular business that brings in revenue at a somewhat predictable pace, like oil changes and alignments for stock cars, quick easy jobs, you make a few bucks so you're not running such a thin margin

but hey, its hard out there

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URBiN~HURMiT

Sounds a lot like my experience with AAM in Annapolis Jct MD.
They had my car for an inch short of 2 years - installing their Twin Turbo kit and associated support goodies.
I 'signed up' for their sponsorship program which qualified me for a discount on parts.
The shady side of this deal was that I had to provide professional photographs of the car, and I also had to display their logo for advertising purposes and had to represent them at car shows and races...not too bad... but the big punch to the head tho' was that I had to allow them unlimited use of my car - and in effect - my car ended up being their test bed for development of the Air Intake - the twin fuel pumps (which don't work - I had to replace them) - and their Stage II Turbo's.
They had my car on the Dyno for 3 months and finally blew the motor - then tried to get away with it.
They had the unmitigated gall to send me an Invoice for $5,000+ to do a leak down test and disassemble the motor to trouble shoot the problem.
No - NO - NO -
All in All my experience with AAM could be described as being victimized by an unscrupulous con man.
Their Stage II kit is far inferior to the FI kit.
Their Professionalism and Customer Support is next to non-existent.

Their Twin Turbos smoke enough to rid the Everglades of mosquitos...it's a poor design not allowing the turbos to drain properly.

I feel your pain bro'

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SG4247

After drag racing for over 25 years, I've heard and personally felt this story many times before....

Go get all your stuff, figure out what you actually have in terms of work completed/components and re-group.

Cant really make any legal actions work, for several reasons. Dont waste your time with BBB, receipts etc... I will all be a waste of your time. Been there.

Cant squeeze blood out of a turnip.

Thesmoke90

I'd be freaking out at them after 1 month.

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Spooler

This is an old thread. This guy has already got his car out and it is actually in the for sale section. LOL