I want to first say that I run a business that is Michigan based and that has been owned by my family for 50 years. We know how to run a business and I understand that you cannot make EVERYONE happy. Myself, I am an easy going person when it comes to having work done for me as I know how it is dealing with the public, maybe this was my undoing in this situation. Now with all that out of the way here is the story...

I drop my engine components off back in NOVEMBER (Ls3 block, rotating assembly, and misc parts) I was in no hurry for any of it and I made that clear. So a few months go by..... owner of Victory even stops in my store once, never says anything about my engine, I figured whatever no big deal. Another few months go by and I start to think about my parts sitting on there floor or possibly getting robbed for another project, So I start calling for a timeframe. I get "well ill have the engine builder call you" ok another two weeks goes by. I call again "O ure that guy we lost your info.. I say the owner knows where my shop is how could he not know how to get ahold of me???? but again, I say whatever and give it to them. Another few weeks go by. I call again leave a voicemail. I call back a week later leave two voicemails in the same day. NO call back!!! So I call again later in the day. Someone answers I express my displeasure for the lack of communication, He explains hes new. I cant get mad at the new guy so I just say ok so whats the story on my engine?? He goes and checks comes back and tells me "You never left a deposit with your parts" Im like wtf you have to be kidding me, nobody told me I needed to leave money on top of 3k worth of parts????? Besides its been there for 8 months and Ive called countless times and nobody mentions a deposit. At this point Im ready to explode I get the owner on the phone and ask him wtf the deal is??? He says "you called me on my cell I have no idea whats going on" I say dude you've had my engine for 8 months now you want a deposit??? Well yeah... I need a deposit to start. I think that is the biggest load of bull**** that I need to leave a deposit along with 3k of my **** for them to do nothing buy straight labor on my provided parts. Either way I agree ill pay a deposit he says he'll come by and get the money (that was last monday.) Well he finally SENDS somebody else to pick up the deposit and she doesn't know the deposit amount calls him and he tells her $1500 Im like am I paying in full or something, shes like no its going to be more. Im like they told me less then $1500 for the whole thing back 8 months ago. SO im like **** this I send my brother over to pick up my parts and In the mean time I call another local machine shop, I come to find out they are the machine shop that does a lot or all of the work for Victory. So that's who has my business now and they are alot more on top of things and wouldn't you know it they didnt need a deposit to work on my engine.

Thanks for letting me vent,
Nick

 

just got a call, Main bearings are missing from my box.

 

That sucks man! Give 'em heck.

 

that's a great use of the word like my head is spinning...

First thing you should never do is send anyone other then yourself when something like this is going down.

Second you broke communication with the owner and started with a "new" guy? that's the last thing you want to do as he has no idea and now the owner doesn't either.

Their engine builder is a pretty notable guy here on the boards so hopefully he will chime in for you. Hate to see anyone have trouble with shops in the area but this is another time when everyone needs to know michigan shops are not liable for anything with you. If you have work done on your car now days in michigan you almost need them to sign a contract which no one will do.

Put timelines on everything. unless they are your friend you should never say whenever... and even then you may get burned. Hope this works out for you!

 

They got you to?lol. /they pulled the same **** on me when I droped off my car . It sat for but 7 mounths. I ask when I droped my car off do I need to put any money down. they Eric said no.

VRE has great fab work for cars and turbo kits hands down. but there mark up is just crazy. for a motor build , turbo kit is like $22k and install from them.lol.(not even including trans, rear end, drive shaft) ask for a quote. I am not trying to throw dirt on the guys. They are just for people who have tons of money and dont plan on having the car back for 1 year.

what is the shop that you used to build your motor?

they quoted me $1200 in block work and $800 to build the motor. then I am sure it would take a year for them to build the motor ( out source to other shops that is)

 

I won't even comment on Victory... the screwed my friend over (no names mentioned) so bad that it isn't even funny.

 

If you went right to the people who do their machine work, then I can see them not needing a Down payment. The down payment would probably be needed in order to pay the machine shop to do the work, and then they get it back. I could see it working like that if they are outsourcing it.

 

Hmmmmm... This thread just had to start right before I was about to take my engine/turbo to VRE... Now I'm having second thougts... definately don't want to wait that long to get my car back...or pay an outragous amount,( kinda why I was changing shops in the first place)

 

I tried to warn a few people on this board about Eric.
He worked at APE when they screwed customers from all over the world. He had no problem getting on the phone and lying for Gellineau.

 

hold on, whats APE ??? advanced something?????

 

Thanks, will not be going there.

 

any other recomendations for a decent shop that knows turbo LT1's ????

 

I've always heard good things about Aggressive and Vector. Vector does more of the C5s and what not but the tuner that works there - Steve - does an excellent job at tuning cars. I signed up to have him tune my car before he started working at Vector (which is why it says SB Tuning in my sig) but he now works there and does dyno tuning. Started tuning mine for me but my power steering pump started spewing fluid when he was doing the WOT tuning, gotta replace the fuel pump for good measure and then bringing it back to him to finish the tune. Definitely recommend but I'm not sure if they do the actual turbo installs and what not.

 

That sucks i had Stan at Engineered Victories build my car and i have nothing but good things to say. His fab work is hands down the best i have seen and his reputation is growing around Michigan fast. Here is a link to his website http://www.engineeredvictories.com/ He builds all the motors himself to make sure there done right. He just finished up a Twin turbo C6 Z06 LS7 build and it was sick.

 

I can vouch for Bruce at Aggressive... great guy, great mechanic and a great friend. This was the only shop I would take my car to.