Anyone had experience with this shop?
07-09-2009, 09:10 AM
#31
And I haven't found the real job at a good shop lately. I'm always looking but I think M4 has black-flagged me or some ****. Which is fine.
07-09-2009, 10:18 AM
#33
My experience with Method 4 is from when Sam was running it. He's basically a lying thief, and I hope he DIAF. I haven't dealt with the shop since they moved to San Jose, and judging from other people's experiences, I won't.
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Last edited by kyoung05; 03-30-2011 at 09:51 AM.
07-09-2009, 10:50 AM
#34
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: San Leandro, CA
Posts: 3,856
Car Info: Forester XTi
Well.... The only thing M4 had to do with Stevens Creek was the business deal between Sam and the owner. As a whole, the dealership itself had nothing to do with the shop on their premises. From time to time, we did help out with the test drives ( we does not equal me ) but that was it.
And I haven't found the real job at a good shop lately. I'm always looking but I think M4 has black-flagged me or some ****. Which is fine.
And I haven't found the real job at a good shop lately. I'm always looking but I think M4 has black-flagged me or some ****. Which is fine.
07-09-2009, 12:09 PM
#37
Forester Specialist
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Sonoma County
Posts: 3,985
Car Info: '98/'04 Foresters (S & XT)
So, can anyone explain what Method 4 is?
From what I gather from reading this thread:
Method 1 - lie
Method 2 - cheat
Method 3 - steal
These are the methods that these people use to part customers from their money.
So what is Method 4?
From what I gather from reading this thread:
Method 1 - lie
Method 2 - cheat
Method 3 - steal
These are the methods that these people use to part customers from their money.
So what is Method 4?
07-09-2009, 01:12 PM
#40
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: santa rosa
Posts: 263
Car Info: old awd turbo thangy
M4 is the primary reason why in the evo community dumped norcalevo dot net and a bunch of members made evoEmpire dot org.. THE worst person ever in the history of time to do business with ever imo.
07-09-2009, 01:23 PM
#41
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Patterson, CA
Posts: 2,206
Car Info: your sister crazy.
I wish I found a thread like this a year ago... :/ Sounded like the perfect shop, but I was just fed what I wanted to hear.
Lots of lies and extremely shady. Wasted 3 months of insurance payments for my car to sit there.
Lots of lies and extremely shady. Wasted 3 months of insurance payments for my car to sit there.
07-09-2009, 02:09 PM
#43
iClub Silver Vendor
iTrader: (25)
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Participating in some Anarchy!
Posts: 15,494
Car Info: 2005 LGT wagon
Here's one:
I have an Evo customer.
Went to Sammy's place...FIA/M4 for a "smokin deal" on a tbe.
Customer showed up for install and after installation, was presented with a bill for substantially more than what Sammy quoted.
Alas, Sammy was not there to rectify the situation, so my customer had to pay up.
Plus, during install, the EGT gage thermo couple was destroyed...and he was told "Too bad."
I have an Evo customer.
Went to Sammy's place...FIA/M4 for a "smokin deal" on a tbe.
Customer showed up for install and after installation, was presented with a bill for substantially more than what Sammy quoted.
Alas, Sammy was not there to rectify the situation, so my customer had to pay up.
Plus, during install, the EGT gage thermo couple was destroyed...and he was told "Too bad."
07-09-2009, 02:31 PM
#44
Here's my experience, from when they were located in SF.
I had heard that a certain tuner was affiliated with the shop, so I went there to get a basic Stage 2 tune. They said the tuner charged $200/hr. and that a basic tune would take about 2hrs, so $400 for the tune. I also wanted to get a ported exhaust manifold. They said they didn't have any new ones in stock, but that they had a used one laying around I could have for $250-ish. They charged me another $150-ish to install it. Basically, I was quoted something like $800 for a stage 2 tune (I already had a Cobb Accessport) and an exhaust manifold, installed.
I dropped my car off at around 9am, and was told that (1) it'd be done by around 4pm, and (2) that my car would be towed to Gruppe-S as to not put any miles on my car (or to waste my gas). Well, I thought to price was a bit high, but I agreed to it nonetheless, not knowing any better. Well, I planned on spending the day in the city since it didn't seem worth it to drive home to to the south bay and back again. Well, around 12:30pm, I get a call from Sam saying that I actually need the 3-port boost solenoid, otherwise they can't tune my car. Well, since I was led to believe that no tuning could be done without it, I agreed. They charged me another $150 for the part + installation. All said, I paid about $960.
Well, 5pm comes and goes, and I don't hear anything from them. Then 6pm, 7pm, 8pm, etc. Well, at about 9pm I get fed up and drive to the shop and decide to wait for my car to be done because this is getting ridiculous. Well, no one is there, so I wait outside. At around 9:45pm, someone drives up with my car, telling me it's done. I then see the employee go around to my trunk and take out an STI shortblock which he had used my car to transport from Gruppe-S (or wherever) back to their shop. I ask for a dyno sheet or something to show what was done, and he says he doesn't any. He does tell me what numbers my car put down though.
Ok, so over the next couple of days, I speak to the tuner, who said my car was really laggy, and that he had trouble getting it to boost as quickly as it should. While speaking to the tuner, I find out that his labor rates are actually $175/hr, not $200/hr. as Sam had told me. He also informs me that he only charges $100 for the boost solenoid + installation. He also says he highly suspects a boost leak of some kind. Well, I take my car back to Sam, and have him check it out. I also mention to him that he over-charged me for the tuner's rates. So, Sam agrees to give me a $50 store credit, and to have his mechanic take a look at my car for any boost leaks. Well, his mechanic claimed not to find any, but he did mention that my DP-to-Catback gasket should be replaced. I agreed, since I guess it was leaking. Well, Sam then says that my $50 credit should just about cover the cost of the gasket + the labor, and so we're even.
So, I tell the tuner that I had Sam re-check everything, and that I'd like a re-tune. He agrees. I pay him a nominal fee (for use of the dyno) and he tries to re-tune it. Same result - super laggy, and he suspects a boost leak. Well, I figure my car must just be laggy, as I had Sam re-check everything and the only leak his mechanic found was my DP-to-Catback gasket.
Well, several months go by, and as I'm driving down 101, I hear a loud pop, and my car is making a terrible noise. I limp it back home, and take a look underneath. Well, turns out my uppipe came completely unbolted from the exhaust manifold and was just dangling there. When the shop had installed my exhaust manifold, I guess they didn't tighten the uppipe all the way on, and that was the source of the boost leak. Over time, the escaping gasses managed to burn through the gasket, and the bolts finally came all the way loose and fell off on the road.
Basically, I ended up paying for a tune that I could not use (because when all the leaks, etc. were fixed, the map the tuner created caused me to overboost), had been overcharged, had been lied to about there being no leaks, and had to wait an extra 5hrs for my car to be done without hearing any word from them during that time.
All said and done, I paid over $1000 for a 3-port boost solenoid + installation (which the tuner only charges $100 for), and for an incorrectly installed manifold. So yes, Sam a POS, and should DIAF.
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I had heard that a certain tuner was affiliated with the shop, so I went there to get a basic Stage 2 tune. They said the tuner charged $200/hr. and that a basic tune would take about 2hrs, so $400 for the tune. I also wanted to get a ported exhaust manifold. They said they didn't have any new ones in stock, but that they had a used one laying around I could have for $250-ish. They charged me another $150-ish to install it. Basically, I was quoted something like $800 for a stage 2 tune (I already had a Cobb Accessport) and an exhaust manifold, installed.
I dropped my car off at around 9am, and was told that (1) it'd be done by around 4pm, and (2) that my car would be towed to Gruppe-S as to not put any miles on my car (or to waste my gas). Well, I thought to price was a bit high, but I agreed to it nonetheless, not knowing any better. Well, I planned on spending the day in the city since it didn't seem worth it to drive home to to the south bay and back again. Well, around 12:30pm, I get a call from Sam saying that I actually need the 3-port boost solenoid, otherwise they can't tune my car. Well, since I was led to believe that no tuning could be done without it, I agreed. They charged me another $150 for the part + installation. All said, I paid about $960.
Well, 5pm comes and goes, and I don't hear anything from them. Then 6pm, 7pm, 8pm, etc. Well, at about 9pm I get fed up and drive to the shop and decide to wait for my car to be done because this is getting ridiculous. Well, no one is there, so I wait outside. At around 9:45pm, someone drives up with my car, telling me it's done. I then see the employee go around to my trunk and take out an STI shortblock which he had used my car to transport from Gruppe-S (or wherever) back to their shop. I ask for a dyno sheet or something to show what was done, and he says he doesn't any. He does tell me what numbers my car put down though.
Ok, so over the next couple of days, I speak to the tuner, who said my car was really laggy, and that he had trouble getting it to boost as quickly as it should. While speaking to the tuner, I find out that his labor rates are actually $175/hr, not $200/hr. as Sam had told me. He also informs me that he only charges $100 for the boost solenoid + installation. He also says he highly suspects a boost leak of some kind. Well, I take my car back to Sam, and have him check it out. I also mention to him that he over-charged me for the tuner's rates. So, Sam agrees to give me a $50 store credit, and to have his mechanic take a look at my car for any boost leaks. Well, his mechanic claimed not to find any, but he did mention that my DP-to-Catback gasket should be replaced. I agreed, since I guess it was leaking. Well, Sam then says that my $50 credit should just about cover the cost of the gasket + the labor, and so we're even.
So, I tell the tuner that I had Sam re-check everything, and that I'd like a re-tune. He agrees. I pay him a nominal fee (for use of the dyno) and he tries to re-tune it. Same result - super laggy, and he suspects a boost leak. Well, I figure my car must just be laggy, as I had Sam re-check everything and the only leak his mechanic found was my DP-to-Catback gasket.
Well, several months go by, and as I'm driving down 101, I hear a loud pop, and my car is making a terrible noise. I limp it back home, and take a look underneath. Well, turns out my uppipe came completely unbolted from the exhaust manifold and was just dangling there. When the shop had installed my exhaust manifold, I guess they didn't tighten the uppipe all the way on, and that was the source of the boost leak. Over time, the escaping gasses managed to burn through the gasket, and the bolts finally came all the way loose and fell off on the road.
Basically, I ended up paying for a tune that I could not use (because when all the leaks, etc. were fixed, the map the tuner created caused me to overboost), had been overcharged, had been lied to about there being no leaks, and had to wait an extra 5hrs for my car to be done without hearing any word from them during that time.
All said and done, I paid over $1000 for a 3-port boost solenoid + installation (which the tuner only charges $100 for), and for an incorrectly installed manifold. So yes, Sam a POS, and should DIAF.
________
Vermont dispensary
Last edited by kyoung05; 03-30-2011 at 09:51 AM.
