I wanted to share my experience with others regarding Hennessey Performance.

Last Thursday, I walked in to Hennessey Performance on the way back from San Antonio. I wanted to get some info on a head/cam package and and a qoute. Tyler came out to help me, and was very polite. We talked about what I was looking for, possible cam specs, and a ballpark price. I told him that I was not in a rush and have no time table for my work to be completed. I gave him my email and he told me that he would send me an email with the details.

After a week of waiting, I decided to email him. He replied

Please correct me if I am wrong, but this seems like a "we no longer do 4-5k c5 jobs". I told him that I am not in a hurry, and do not have a time table. I can wait 6 months. Also, I know every other performance shop in the Houston/San Antonio area. I told him that England Green tuned my car, and I didn't want a reference.

I know that there is not a lot of profit to be gained on a head/cam swap, but I just find it amazing a company this big no longer will do a 4-5k job.

I will not be running my z06 at their track anymore.

 

I wouldn't get my feelings hurt over it man. Ask them straight up if they would take your job 8 months down the road. It sounds to me like you were really looking to get your work specifically done with them... if that's true, then pursue making a date with them at a later time. In my opinion, you're going to spend more $ than you need to with getting work done through Hennessey. There are A LOT of good places to go down there that will do a bad *** job, and probably for a better price.

Good luck w/ it all.

 

Thanks Dingo, yeah, not too upset, just surprised. I wasn't impressed by their track anyways. Also, something I failed to mention, is that another representative quoted me for installing an A&A vortech kit 2 months ago from Hennessey, and it was right where the other shops in Houston are doing it for. That is why I was curious about asking them as I have changed my mind and am going NA. I have used GForce, England Green, and Henderson Performance. All, with great success. I will probably be leaning back towards EG, though

 

You should probably thank them. Hennessey isn't regarded very highly on some of the other forums. Go with a quality company like England Green.

 

^ I tried saying that without saying it, but now that you said it..... +1

 

I would agree with the others. If you have had great luck in the past going another route why not keep at it? Even though their prices sound fair I would think that a big name like that would charge more somewhere along the line.

As far as their email back to you I think they could have done a better job at that. Their goal should be to make you feel like they want your business and they could explain hectic scheduling and then offer you a time frame when they would be able to get you in. Especially since you mentioned you were in no real hurry.

My only other thought was that they might not have taken you seriously. Think about all the people that come through their doors in a day/month/year and how many of those people ACTUALLY book work. I'm sure everyone knows someone who has "big dreams" for their car and all they talk about is how they will do this and that but nothing ever happens, right? Your casual time frame might have made you look like someone who isn't very serious.

Bottom line is they should have handled it differently and I would go with another shop who seems more eager to take care of you.

 

+2

 

+3. Do NOT have anything to do with Hennessey.

 

Bottom line is that there are lots of shops eager for your business and will do an outstanding job. I'm really happy for Hennessey that they have so much business that they can turn it away, and be selective about what they will take on....good for them. But things slow down for them as they inevitably do, the customers that they've turned away will have become loyal to someone else and won't come back.

Your lucky to live in Texas where there a lot of very good shops like EnglandGreen. If you want to drive to Arizona, I know my friends at Xtreme will not turn you away, and will be happy to help you!

 

thanks!

Do you have any hookups at any golf courses in the area? I always love a good roadtrip!

 

Google'em up. They're in Phoenix. There's plenty.

 

I know there are. Played outside of Phoenix years ago. Looking for a hookup, or a reason to take the other half on a vacation

Mark

 

Weatherwise, this is a fairly good time of year to go. Temps are moderating, etc. I've made the drive from Houston to PHX several times in the last couple years. It's a long trip but some pretty scenery along the way out in west Texas (not to mention the 80mph speed limits). Van Horn is approximately the halfway point and where I always stop for the night.

 

Be happy Hennessy turned down your work. I've read many reports about extremely disappointed customers who overpaid and didn't get what was promised. Things like taking people's deposits to finish other jobs already started, using used parts, and lawsuits from problems with cars staying together. Since I've never seen a negative report about England Green I would say you should just continue doing business with him.

 

There are well over 150 golf courses in the Phoenix area - I'm sure I could help you find a couple. Give me a call and I'll see what I can do!

 

Well, there ya go. Randy wouldn't steer ya wrong.

 

Thanks guys!

More than likely, I wasn't going with them anyways. I do, however, research, and contact all the shops in area, and keep my options open. I would have liked a quote, and would have been willing to take 3 hours of my time to drive back out there and have another consultation. I like to get a feal for everybody before I dump cash. In Houston, we have so many( Gforce, LMR, EnglandGreeen, Icon, Pavloc, Etc.). I have told Jason and Stephen, that I will probably be going with them for the work later this year. However, as a consumer, I still keep my options open. They do a good job of warming the customer, but unlike my experiences with Robert at GForce, and Mike and Stephen at England Green, they did not follow up.

This thread was never meant to rant on Hennessey. They did quote me work for a simple SC install, which wouldn't be much more, maybe less than a head/cam install. They did not want to have any part of doing heads/cams. Curious that they switched gears so fast on a within a matter of a couple months.

It's too bad that some shops become too big for their own britches. I remember a shop in Houston when I grew up. They had this philosophy. They shared the same name with another company in Georgia. "M" was the first letter or their 3 letter name. Unlike the company in Georgia, they are no longer doing business.

I remember reading about Hennessey's cars in magazines when I was young. Their Vipers, ETC. Nice shop, but I guess 5k and an old c5 Z no longer fits their company image.

Hope they keep it up, out there in Sealy. I sure as hell will not be driving out there to their track, and I will spread the word to other car owners. But what the hell, it's only a 4-5k job, they could care less when they work on vipers/gt 500's all day long.

 

Your in TX man go to LMR or Gforce or TSP lots of great sponsers in Houston.

I'm sure Hennessey are busy with all the New Camaro, new dodge, ford gts and all the
15+k projects.

 

callaway told me the same thing...just find a another shop that works on c5's...at the end of the day you will come out way ahead.

 

Isn't Hennessey the one who was using motors, parts, etc. from customer's Vipers to build other customer's Vipers?