pennstatefootball

hi guys,


I wanted to ask if I could warn other Corvette owners in Northern Virginia/Maryland/DC of a shop. This would be an objective assessment of them and while at the shop I met 2 other people with Corvettes(one an Active Alexandria Police Officer) with similar results.

I'm not one for bad mouthing a business, but it seems this place makes alot of mistakes, and the manager(not owner) is shifty in getting extra cash out of Corvette owners.

"If" I did post something it would not be done in vengeance, but only to warn other Corvette owners to beware.


Thanks for any advice and input

Cordially,

David
94 ZR1 #150

jerkyboy

I'd probably post over in the Southeast section and have people pm you for the info. BTW, could you pm me the info?

Bluewasp

Let me guess, Corvette Specialists?

94ZR1

Ive seen that done here many times
Sooooo unles the rules have changed I would think you are OK posting what happened to you
Go for it

87 rag

Why don't you tell us your story and figure out whether you can post the name of the shop later?
The shop is a little far away for me to stumble upon it but I want to know what happened.

AZ_Matt

I'd be interested in hearing more about this... Can you PM details and/or the name of the shop if you don't post it here?

Matthew

AORoads

Me, too. Gimmeee, gimmmeeee, gimmmeee the name! please.

My take: cite your facts, your follow up, and who dunnit. If it's all legit and you tried and they didn't, hey! that's their tough. Facts are facts. I think citing someone else's experiences may be a bit less relevant. Just give us your story.

We got guys on here with no engine, blown engines, all kinds of cars in states of repair or disrepair telling who done what. So, you wouldn't be much different. Assuming, of course, it's all true.

pennstatefootball

hmmmmm


This happened back in August 06 prior to Carlisle, and as of now I have no "ill" feelings towards them, BUT only want to protect other unsuspecting Corvette Owners ONLY.


I have gotten a few Emails from owners with similar experiences, but I'm interested in maybe compiling a list of "complaints" BEFORE Flaming a company*. Again a few Vette owners know this business(without saying their name they knew who I was talking about), and I'm hoping to get more people willing to share their stories.

Feel free to PM me or email me @ pennstatefootball@hotmail.com

thanks!

David
94 #150

* a member posted the name of the company already

87 rag

So, your not going to tell us what happened?

Grenkepr

Susan_5

I hate it when people take advantage of other people. I guess they figure if you drive a vette, then you can afford putting some $$ in their pockets.

Bigredwing

I have to say in my opinion this thread is off to a bad start. The intent is good, but without any details for discussion it is all speculation or opinion. If it is your opinion then say so. There are alot of places I am cautious about but to make allegations and take no action seems a bit rough on the owner of the business. You say its management not the owner but has anybody made the owners aware of their concerns? If you have talked to them about your problem but got no satisfaction then say so. I think it is important to have details or a story to tell otherwise it may appear to be whining.

AORoads

This is on the point! If you, the original poster, are going to continue this vague reference, I ask the mods to shut this thread down. It will become pointless.

bacardioil

ovrebo1

pennstatefootball

ok......


The company is Corvette Specialists off Eisenhower Street in Alexandria, Virginia (never spoke with the owner, but he knew what was going on) I only dealt with the manager

I was looking to get my engine PowderCoated / letters put on(this included removal of Plentum/gaskets/etc), and told them I was willing to pay what an "expert" would charge(Marc Haibeck) IF they did it right. ((wanted it done in 4 weeks so I could take it to Carlisle and show it off))

The manager said they weren't that busy and could do the car in a matter of 1 weeks(sending the plenum to a 7 miles away), and I said to him I was NOT in a hurry and was VERY interested in it being done RIGHT. I must have stressed this COUNTLESS times.

Problem happened when they took the plenum/throttle body off and shipped it to the PowderCoater in Springfield(they did an AWESOME job on it FYI). They sent the Throttle body fully assembled and when it got there, he asked them what to do with it(I found this out later). The Powder Coater took apart the Throttle body himself and then reassembled it after he was done with it.

Once the Powder coating was done, they picked it up(took a few day's for them to pick it up), and said it would be put on right away. ** NO PROBLEM, TAKE YOUR TIME!@!! Well I waited a few day's and came by to check on my "baby"..... The hood was open and the plenum was next to the car, and it didn't look "perfect"(saw some bubbles). Well, let me call him... Called the Shop, they said NO problem bring it by and I'll re-shoot it! (great!) I DROVE it over there and picked it up when it was finished. * NO PROBLEM with anyone

Finally it is finished, I pick it up and take it to the shop. They install it @ their leisure (NO PROBLEM with me @ all), they were busy. 1 week to Carlisle and I'm a little concerned, but saying DON'T hurry Please(want it done right)! They finish putting the plenum on and test it on Tuesday(high idle issues and they have NO idea why). They figure it is a vacuum leak, but can't find any problems. They work when they have time(because the shop was busy) and I wonder if they can finish it by Thursday, because I am scheduled to go there for Carlisle..... On Wednesday the manager wanted me to pay the bill and said they were working ALOT more than he expected, and wanted more money for the work they are doing. I said I was paying him a VERY fair price, and the problems he was having wasn't my fault. He then Yelled that maybe he should stop work on the car and go back to work on Monday after Carlisle. I sat there in total shock and wondered what he was going to do.

They tried to work on the car for the next 3 day's and still couldn't figure out the high idle issue(while trying to work on 8 other cars). I said I would take the car with the high idle problem and take it to Carlisle and have some ZR1 friends see if they could find the problem(said this thursday). Friday came and they didn't paint the letters on the Plentum(he did try on Friday @ 6pm, but said it looked ****TY and didn't think it looked right)***

*** this should have been done when the Plenum was OFF (EASY TO PAINT!!!!!!!!!)


He sat me down and asked me to sign the invoice saying it had a high idle problem and he would fix it after the weekend(I paid $100 less than agreed).

Took the car to Carlisle and had some great guys look @ the problem.... With limited time they found out there were no leaks and gave a few potentials(throttle body/chip/ECM/and a few other possibilities), that could be the problem I was having.


When I returned the manager did call me, and said... "You buy the Gaskets and see if your 'friends' can get the parts to test out what the problem is......and I'll do the labor" ****I'm thinking WHAT? I pay for the gaskets, borrow parts(ha ha) and you do the labor!?!?!?!?!? I think NOT....

To be honest I didn't want my car to "sit" there while they try and figure out what the problem was(there were @ least 7 cars there sitting for MONTHS, one was there 2 years!). Basically the burden was on me to get parts to test and purchase gaskets so they could "test" it.

Later I asked a mechanic friend(who owns a ZR1) to look @ it and he figured out it WAS the throttle body that was the problem(when the powder coater put it back together wrong and damaged it).


I don't blame the Powder Coater @ all.... He shouldn't have been sent the throttle body fully assembled!


That is the story and I left out a few parts I heard from other Owners(while waiting there for 2 weeks).

SORRY it was a long story, but I wanted to explain everything....


Was I wrong?



Thanks!

David
94 ZR1 #150

5pinball

you are a helluva lot more patient than i am! i learned over 30 yrs ago, once out of warranty....do your own repairs! glad to know name of shop, thanks

SurfnSun

Were you the guy who pulled under the Callaway tent at Carlisle?

pennstatefootball

Yes sir...

Thank you Callaway Members!!!!!!!! Sorry for the inconvenience!!!!!!!!!!!!!




I'm sorry it was vague, but I didn't FLAME anyone, and was trying to see if it was OK to post here.

SurfnSun

Interesting.