Rodman wrote:
So wtf was this a cash job or some shit??
Rodman wrote:
So wtf was this a cash job or some shit??
No, I went there in February to get an estimate on the job I wanted done. He did a buddy of mine's turbo Grand Prix, and he's had no issues.
I told him I was going to bring every part in, so he didn't have to do anything but put it together. I even brought the filter and fluids.
I tried to convince him to let me bring the tranny there out of the car, so I could save money, but he told me he'd rather test drive the car before hand and take readings with his scanner to get an idea of what's going on. He also said he wanted to test it afterwards.. Basically, he told me if I wanted it done right, and that he'd guarantee the work, I'd have to pay him to do the removal/reinstall.
So, with that said, I visited once again 6 weeks later when the deadline was getting closer to do the work (was planning late May). We drove the car while he scanned it, said everything looked good. I had a 45 min consultation with him discussing why I was doing this, him asking the questions.. I told him the car worked immacuately, but I wanted to beef it up to handle the power, he said he understood and would be happy to tackle the job.
So, I was quoted 6hrs for removal/reinstall, 9 hours bench time. Total cost was $1100 before taxes. I said that's great and I agreed to have it done.
During this period, I had no spoiler on my car (I will get to that later).
So, I left the car there for a week, he called me at one point saying I needed a reverse boost valve and some forward bands (I asked if I needed these when I ordered my parts from TripleEdge, he told me they weren't needed). So, I ended up buying those from him so I would be confident everything was mint.
That added $175 to the overall cost, not too bad.
So, after a week (I had no problem waiting, if it was done right), I go to pick it up. We take it for a test drive, transmission feels tight and you can feel the shift kit doing it's work. He has the scanner onboard for this run.. Asks me if I had anything done with the PCM, because the shift times were ridiculously fast according to him (which he praised)...... So I was all "Sweet" in my head because it was working GREAT.
So, when we get back to the shop, he says there's a code on the scanner.. Cruise Control/Brake error of some sort... Tells me I won't have any converter lockup until this is fixed (by the way, when he told me, he mumbled this and I had no idea that what he said was a big deal and would affect driving, once again since he said it so vaguely, and I didn't know what all that jargain meant). So, I go inside to pay the rest of the bill (I put $700 down mid-week when I stopped by). He shows me the bill, it's now over $1800. I am like ??????.
He tells me the removal/reinstall actually took him 16hrs due to the turbo... Even though he knew I had it, did it before and said he could do it in 6hrs. So, him being a "nice" guy, he cut me a deal at 14hrs labour bringing the cost up another $450. I didn't argue it, but I wasn't too happy. I paid the bill in cash.
So, I left angry about the bill, but happy I had the car. Figuring the cruise wouldn't work due to something I had done wrong over the winter work, I'd look into it later.
Now, on the ride home, I could tell something was wrong... I am doing 50MPH @ 2100RPM. Looks to me like the car isn't going into 4th gear. I put the car in TapShift, it says I am in 4th... I keep driving, then I feel the car jerk and the car disables manual mode and dumps me back into D.
I get home, I call him and say I think something is wrong, I can't get 4th gear. He tells me, I just told you that you have an electrical issue that is preventing it. So, I am asking myself, how this is... I had 4th gear and normal tach reading prior to showing up and during the first test drive before we started the work (I didn't touch the car/modify anything before bringing in for the actual work).
So, I say okay, I'll look into it. I decided to start checking everything under the hood. I found he hadn't hooked up the EVAP properly, so I was like, maybe he missed something else. So, I can't figure it out, I leave it til the next day. I test drive it some more thinking maybe the car has to re-learn it's shift points etc.. I also realized during these drives that using the tranny spacers was a bad idea (had him install them on the reassembly, since it was already apart), and I can feel piping rubbing for the turbo etc.
So, on the 3rd day, I am out of ideas. Had a class-A mechanic friend look at it, had no clue. I go back to the shop, and say "I need your help, I can't figure out what the problem is. I had a working transmission prior to drop-off and now it's not working". "Also, can I pay you to remove the spacers since it's affecting the feel of the car". He says he'll do the spacers for $50.00. I agree and leave.
I get a call the next day, saying to come get the car. I show up, we go inside... He says he took the mounts out, and he figured out my cruise control/brake error was due to the spoiler not being hooked up. He then tells me the converter isn't locking up, and it's due to a bad converter. I am like, damn I have some really bad luck... So, at that point I am thinking to myself how I am going to resolve this....
I put my hand in my pocket to give him $50.00, and he says, no, you owe me $3xx.xx dollars. I am like ?????. He says he didn't troubleshoot the issue for 3hrs this morning for free. So I say to him... You just did a tranny job for me, and the transmission isn't working right... wouldn't troubleshooting it be covered under the warranty??
He tells me there's no warranty because he didn't supply the parts... I am like ???????. I am starting to lose my temper, but no yelling/swearing. I am like "You told me you wanted to drive the car prior/after the work, that you wanted to do all the installation so you could warranty the work... I could have taken the transmission out myself and saved $1100 labour". He responds "I am not warrantying that part". I respond to him "I know that, it's my luck it's a faulty new unit. But prior to figuring this out, you didn't know that was the problem, nor did you see anything wrong with it during assembly, so put yourself in my shoes, working tranny before, not working now, what would you think was wrong??" He responds, "You make a good point".
So I say, I'll pay him the $50.00 we agreed upon, he says no. We argue about the same point over and over for 40 mins. I gave him $70.00 cash again and I refused to pay to troubleshoot the problem since I JUST had the work done. He tells me I am ripping him off, which I felt was really unfair. I told him he bumped the quote over $500 with taxes and I didn't complain... You have to give a little to get a little, which he disagreed with. After pointing the finger at me for a while, he settled on taking that amount from me, once again reminding me that I am ripping him off. I say THANK YOU. I asked him if/when I had the funds available, could I pay him to swap the converter to fix the problem? He says, NO. Tells me he doesn't want my business, and that he would refuse to work on anything aftermarket anymore. I said fine. I told him I'd like to shake his hand for the work he did before leaving so I could leave feeling better about the situation. I shook his hand and left.
So, now I am at over $4000 in labour/parts. I have a brand new ATI converter in the tranny, I am told this is the reason it's not working right.
So, I wait a week to see if I can find a used one... No luck. I bite the bullet, buy a brand new ZZP unit. It shows up a week later, with $60 worth of duty and the amazing exchange rate of 15% to CAD funds. I install the spoiler in the meantime, to rule that out as a problem at this point.
I plan a day at work to swap the converter out with my buddy, he's helping me out so I don't have to pay someone $500~600. Eagerly waiting to resolve this issue that has made me sick to my stomach (put the funds aside/bought parts over the past year), we swapped it at my work within 6hrs, that is with making a make-shift engine support out of wood.
Crank the car over, the code is gone... We are both like "YEEEEEES". So, it's the end of the day, we need to get out of the shop. I drive him home, his wife not being happy with me...... I start driving home, and that all too familiar problem is back. Nothing has changed, same RPM, no lockup.
Now I am really PISSED/frustrated. Now I have two brand new converters, brand new everything in the tranny, and it's not working right. I am now convinced it's the TCC solenoid. After a week of research and talking to Dave @ TripleEdge, I am positive that it isn't the problem, since a DOA is uncommon as per vendors.
I need a scan tool, and I don't want to pay $100 to use it, so I worked out that situation above, but the pictures are bad. So, until I get my hands on the scanner, still confused. I had ordered a replacement PCM from Overkill with some adjustments to my tune. While waiting for this to show up, I wonder if maybe my PCM was the problem.... So all eager again, I swap it out, hoping to god something fried in the other and this is all fixed.
Drive the car home tonight after doing the swap, no fix.
I AM COMPLETELY frustrated. I don't want to spend another $1000+ to fix this issue, WHEN I JUST paid someone to do the work. IF I had a TCC issue prior to the job, it should have been FIXED during the rebuild. The guy who did the work made it clear he doesn't want to help me out and he said I have no warranty.
I looked at my receipt yesterday for the work, it clearly says on it "90 days or 5000KM warranty" in the printed section. Nowhere did he write "NO WARRANTY", he just wrote what I had done and "Customer supplied parts" under the removal/reinstall charges, rebuild and the two parts I bought.
So, do I try to go back and tell him what I did? Do I have him point the finger at me now for swapping the converter myself which he'll say I did wrong and caused the fault/problem? Do I call the Better Business Bureau and get their assistance???
So, that's MY situation. Nothing shady about the deal, he is VERY reputable in this town. I work with a guy who worked with him for 11 years, said he's top notch. My warranty manager at work says he worked with him at the local college teaching, and he was top notch, knows his shit.
My opinion is that he's old, tired of working on cars in general, pawns the work off on his apprentice and is extremely stubborn and will NEVER admit he is at fault or did something wrong. My co-workers agree he will never ever admit to being wrong about anything!
The end.
also unlikely. you also could of gotten a DOA solanoid it has happened to me when i built a trans.
