GOOD/BAD Local car shops

[2000impreza]

Originally posted by HOK
its sad that subarus best performance support is probably the dealer

maybe i should open one up lol...

i found out superior does headwork for the subaru dealership.......... but no shop actually does subaru bottom ends. as the dealership puts it..... "we just replace the bottom ends, no point in rebuilding one if no one knows how to put it together". *sigh* i'm still looking for a shop....

[Joe Malms]

try magnusmotorsports.com (they're in T.O)
Talk to marco, they know a good deal about the 2.5 motors.

[LaserRS]

Originally posted by Toma


So you need a mechanic to be shop? Then go to Canadian Tire....they got more mechanics then anyone

Besides, knowing a Subaru inside and out doesn't mean you know a Mistubishi inside and out.....

Hardly any of the shops you list have "mechanics", or people that would have a clue about imports.

Western motorsports?? Yeah, if you are into Mustangs
Ground Zero? Chassis only (roll bars)
Guyons? Best chassis/suspension place in the city.
Sports Car Place? MG's and British stuff only

Would I let any of the above do engine work on my Honda, Mitsubishi, BMW? Subaru? etc... NO WAY.

Most the above shops farm out their machining. Once you get a good machine shop, anyone can screw a motor together. From what I hear, getting good import machining in the city is actually hard.

Running the dyno, I can give a BIG for Nelson and his tuning ability from Tunerworks. He knows his Hondata and others, and works fast to save you $$$ on dyno time.

Sooo, there is a different "shop" for all your needs. Go to one for parts, another for machining, another for engine "building", another for assembly, another for tuning, another for chassis etc... another for Dyno time :

Toma

Sooo when there is problem you can spend 2 weeks finding out whos problem it is, and who's warranty it is and watch them all point the finger at each other? No thanks..been there done that.
Take the car one place and let them do it, if they are a decent shop they can do it all, the cars may change but the fundamentals of automotives is a general concept, which any mechanic worthy of a mechanics license should have firmly under his belt, reguardless of make,model or year. I have had some pretty poor "specialists " butcher my prior cars.
The other problem is liability, if something goes wrong, your insurance company will give you the finger, if any work was done by a shop without a certified mechanic, I had an incident in which one of my tires came off on 16th ave last year, the tires was put on by a large chain store 2 days prior, my insurance refused to cover the damage to my car, and to another passing car that hit my wheel. I have court date with them next spring, now if a mechanic had put that wheel on, everything would be cool at this point in time.

[4wheeldrift]

Hey roland, why are you doing the bottom end at all? Unless you plan on making in excess of 400hp there's no reason why the stock bottom end shouldn't hold up. Shiv was putting out well in excess of 300hp and the bottom end held up just fine.

[2000impreza]

good question:p shiv did surprise a lot of people with how well the stock bottom end held together. but he is also a expert engine tuner, knows his stuff. i guess i'm a little paranoid about screwing up the engine since everyone that i've hear of installing a turbo on the stock engine had gone through atleast one bottom end.

i have a few things i have left to do before the turbo setup is complete. i guess i'll see how it goes after that.

some people tell me to wait till i get the engine built. others tell me to put the turbo on before i get old....... haha.

[Toma]

Warranty on performane stuff? Yeah right.... good luck.

Tires came off? Or wheels came off? Aftermarket aluminum wheels? Were they new etc? Same thing....good luck proving blame or wrong doing. It's is your car, you are responsible for its upkeep, unless you can prove negligence. If the wheels were new, you saw the big warning label that said "re-torque after 30 miles"??

Mechanics.....
Unfortunatley, that's not how it works. THE ONLY guy that works on my car has no mechanics liscence, trade certificate or ASE certification..... yet he would make any of the former look like baboons when it comes to DELIVERING the goods in terms of performance. Mechanics are tought how to fix things, change timing belts etc.... they got no clue how to tune a carb for performance, drill out PCVR's, and fuq with air bleeds.... they also are not tought how to map injection systems, or size turbos or J port rotary mazdas etc...

Mechanics are "jacks of all trades", masters of none. If you wanna go slow, go to a mechanic If you wanna go fast, go to the guy that does ONE thing, but is the best at it.

I'll make it simple..... you are not gonna go to your family doctor for a brain tumor or a bone marrow transplant....you are goona go to a specialist....

Toma

[impressive]

Very well stated ! I agree totally.

[importadrenelin]

I totally agree with Toma.
Even over here at Import Adrenelin we won't do installs or mechanic work because we are not licenced to do so.

We are more then happy to try out Davenport, Guyon or even Toma to have your car tuned, or parts installed.

I think everyone should just remember not to take shortcuts,
basically do it right the firstime.