Refer to the thread in c4 General Discussion

 

I don't know the answer but I'd post in Genl Disc and Tech also

 

My dad bought an '85 new and had to have the engine rebuilt a few months later. It was actually an injector problem, but the morons at the dealership decided to rebuild the engine. None of them knew how to work on Corvettes, and they basically rebuilt the engine out in the dirty, grimy main service bay. Then, to add insult to injury, they put the wrong size pistons in (too small). So there was a lot of piston slap and the car had to go back in for a rebuild again. Eventually, my dad got tired of dealing with them and made them buy the car back.

Never have the dealership do ANYTHING to your Corvette unless it's a routine tire rotation or oil change. Most dealerships don't know how to work on Corvettes, despite the service manager's assurance that "it's just a Chevy 350, how complicated can it be?"

 

Did they install a GM engine? Or build it in their shop? GM dealerships aren't engine builders. They may have a tech or two that are racers, independent of their jobs, but for the most part, the dealer is the wrong place to go for engine work.

RACE ON!!!

 

man,,

 

Actually... the dealer sub contracted out the actual engine rebuild to, what was reported to me as being, "The best engine builder in the area". The dealer was only to do the actual R & R and long block work. This is where problems arose. I was actually supposed to get a 3/yr/36,000 mile wrnty from the dealer.

ALL the vacuum hoses are routed incorrectly, the vacuum system is missing various parts such as a damper valve, etc; Timing is off; TPS voltage is incorrect; Fuel pressure adjusted incorrectly; They are so ignorant as to a TPI set up, they adjusted idle simply by turning the dead idle screw only; The fusible links and sensor wires were melted onto the exhaust, hence now I have no oil pressure sensor or coolant temperature sensor wiring; Defrost can't be shut off and is unswitchable regardless of the HVAC control head switching (Head unit functions correctly);

The main problems; They didn't use the original block and I don't know what is actually in there; They won't give me any engine specifications after repeated requests; They lost my flex plate cover; They used a cheap oil dipstick and tube that now hits the hood and is wearing a crevice in the hood underneath; They painted the TPI runner tubes black; They used different heads to which I have no idea what they actually are and the Corvette valve covers are gone to which they put "Chevrolet" valve covers on the heads; Oil leaks keep materializing; The chip the engine builder burned 3 times is incorrect; And... it runs like crap. They put the original water pump back on and when I picked it up, it started leaking

Keep in mind... I have over $30,000 additional invested in this vette and is in immaculate condition. 90% of all the factory original parts have been replaced and the vette looks as if new from the inside, outside and underneath. They scratched the hood severely and... that's enough for now. Hinesight... it is indeed easy to re-examine my errors in having them rebuild my engine to which I don't even have the original now.

 

A couple of things come to mind. Do you know, or can you find the shop that did the rebuild? They may be able to answer some questions. How good is your documentation? Can you prove, to a disinterested third party (a judge) all your allegations? I'd be talking to a lawyer. It seems the nicer the car, the worse the treatment. My ole POS probably would have come through the same experience with 500 hp and everything working perfectly.

RACE ON!!!

 

Don't avoid it, you will get your money back

 

Yes, I have a copy of the actual invoice to the dealer... I have tried to have this "engine builder" resolve these issues but he appears to be even worse than the dealer at resolving issues for the corvette. It's strange... no one wants to accept responsibility...! All I know is... I paid the dealer... no one else.

Yes... I will be able to prove to a third party all the problems as I suppose I will just have to pay for the problems to be corrected but I suppose my concern is.... just where in the hell to take it now.

 

I was hoping if you got with the builder, he might be of some help. In fact, he OWES you nothing. You dealt with the dealer, not him.

Write down every time and date of every phone call, who is was with, the subject, and the disposition. The mire and more accurate details you can testify to, the better you'll sound.

It sounds like it's time to buy a Helms manual and let the guy you trust the most, have at it.

RACE ON!!!

 

Yes indeed... that was my logic initially.... the dealer wanted me to pay the builder seperately... I said I'd rather keep this on all one invoice! Thankfully I did.

I have a Haynes AND the specific General Motors shop manuals to which I even left it in the vette hoping it would give them some clue.... nope! Kind of unbelievable that this garbage goes on.

 

$8500 for a sbc rebuild? Wow you really did get ripped off. I bought a new partial short block which is everything but the cam and the top end for $1400 from GM. End of project cost including trans rebuild was around $3500 including replacement of all sensors. This was my doing all the labor on engine and installations though.
Most states have a 3 strike law which means the business has three chances to get it corrected or you get your money back. Check it out with your att.gen office.

 

This disaster is not at all unsual. It happens to turn out that way more often than not and the dollar amounts often exceed the $8500 you mentioned. I've had this happen to too many friends who should know better and who do exacting work themselves when they can sqeeze in the time. Quite frankly the business practice of the industry are deplorable and they won't change because it costs too much to effectively sue the perps.

 

Where to begin? Did you name your car SatansVette before or after the engine misadventure? Usually I would expect most TPI engines to go into the 150,000 mile range before the engine gets tired enough to need replacement or rebuilding - how many miles did yours have? This must be a special car to have spent $38k to keep it going - good luck with getting it properly repaired.

Thomas

 

Yes, you have been screwed. You can buy a number of emmisions legal GM V-8 crate motors BRAND NEW for almost half of what you paid for your rebuild. The worst part is that you have used an incompetant dealership. You should probably talk to a lawyer, and also the Better Business Bureau. You might also want to tell everyone you know not to go to this dealership for mechanical work. I would even suggest naming them here on this forum, so we know not to go there for any kind of work. The TPI motors have been around long enough for the Chevy mechanics to have plenty of knowledge about them...and training, and service manuals. They were in Camaros and Firebirds as well for most of a decade. The work you received is not acceptable at all.

 

LOL... Actually... I named it SATAN due to various reasons and because the state said I couldn't have a personalized plate like that and I disagreed.... My vette now has SATAN as a personalized plate! The other reasons on how I came up with such a plate... I'll spare everybody the details of!

When I look back on this now... it seems so ridiculous to have spent soooo much money on this vette... but, that really is the wrong way to look at it. It was a hobby that became an obsession and seemed every summer I was replacing something...! THEN, I became **** about it... that screw doesn't look good... the wrap on the steering wheel looks faded... the leather seats are old... etc, etc, etc... REPLACE IT was my train of thought. It's wierd... I can't even imagine someone else doing the same... but at the time... it entertained me, keep my daily life stress in check and basically... had fun doing it.

This vette has 73K on it and although it ran fine, the oil pressure was too low and I wanted them to check the oil pumps. That was the mistake.... the next thing I knew, they had me talked into rebuilding the motor that would come away with 400hp, 360 at the wheel.

"We have the best motor builder in the NW and builds motor's for many Corvette enthusiasts...! Now keep in mind, this is a dealer that I knew everyone on a first name basis, had been going there for years... took my company vehicles to over the years... no reason to even doubt their word. I know, in hinsight, there are so many things I should have done differently, and protetced myself from but in real life... a contract really becomes feasible in hinsight... life just doesn't always worked that way.

Is this a special care... to many... it probably is just an extremly nice, almost new in appearence, '85...! To me... it is indeed a special car... it is mine. What's even stranger... this nightmare shattered what I had spent 10 years on and really devalued what I had done enough to the point to make me myself negate all that I have done. I mean I went and bought a new 2004 out of pure frustration...!

 

You know,, I don't know where you live but, the last time I had a car worked on at a dealer was my 95 Aurora, back in 2000, they had done some work and warrantied that work for GM standard 12/12,000 it was done to the brakes or something like that. I sold the car shortly after and right before delivery to the new owner the brake light came on again (same as original problem). This owner took the car because his local dealer was willing to honor the warranty of the original GM shop. My town being approximately 100 miles from the new owners location. I can't see why you couldn't take the car to another dealer and have them work it out. You may not get the original block back but you could possibly get it warrantied through another dealer. I'm wondering if your so called dealer is really a Corporate Dealer or not,, if so you shouldn't have any problems getting it warrantied else where. You may have to be with out the car for a while,, or heck send it to me I will work on it all winter if needed,, for a price LOL.

 

Have you talked to the owner of the dealership? I would start there. Most of them are very concerned about their reputation in the community. If you have and got nowhere then I recommend going to the local judical agency in your state or county. In Pennsylvania we have District Justices that hear cases such as yours and can make them held accountable to repair the problem or even refund money. In our state it cost you only $130 to file a civil complaint and you appear before the DJ and plead your case. No lawyer needed and your only risk is losing the $130 fee.

Just for the record dealers are independent businesses and some are good and some are bad. Technicians at dealers are like workers anywhere, cooks, plumbers, etc. some are great and some should find new careers. I happen to be a service director of a multi-franchise dealership group. I can tell you we have screwed up more then once however we always do the right thing and it usually costs money, but thats the cost of running a business.

Brian

 

Can anyone tell me why most of this thread has been discarded? I believe I may have someone at GM interested in this link but almost all the information I've written and the insight many of you have oferred, has been removed?

 

The above post I have quoted is post #19 in this thread. I have been following it since the beginning, and I don't notice anything missing. Are you reading post #20 right now? It is likely the first post of page 2. If not, I can e-mail it to you. Did you have another thread in a different section?

RACE ON!!!