Here's the deal, I want to have some motor work done to my R, but for some reason every shop I go to people just seem shady, or not trust worthy.

The other day I went to reputable shop to get my valves adjusted, and he asked me to drop my car over night so could do them in the morning, and I got paranoid because of some people around there seem shady to me..

I start to think like, they will steal my shift **** and replace it with a fake one, or steal my AcurA badges and replace them with fake ones, ect. ect. ect.. you know the drill.

Maybe I'm just paranoid, but then again our R's are getting harder and harder to find, I wouldn't put this **** past people these days..

So should I just bite the bullet and hope for the best, or listen to my GUT FEELING?

 

as what time they open and be there before they do

just tell them that you dont drop teh car off

I am paranoid about mine aswell but it is jsut a car and can be replaced wiht that in perspective
trust your gut feeling

 

The probably reason that he asked you to leave it over night is because the motor needs to be pretty much stone cold (the manual may say less than 100 degrees F), in order to properly adjust the valves.

Other than that, there alre a lot of shady shops and the good ones aren't cheap!

Ask me how I know.

 

Most shops want you to come back and spend more $. Talk to the owner and see if he is a good guy. Gut feeling is what I would go with. Ensure that if you leave it anywhere that its not outside. Good luck!

 

[QUOTE=zygspeed]The probably reason that he asked you to leave it over night is because the motor needs to be pretty much stone cold (the manual may say less than 100 degrees F), in order to properly adjust the valves.


Yeah that is the reason for that, /\ but still, the fact that there are those people with thier hatch craps and Ls integras wanting that motor, or carbon faux climate control in their Ls makes me just want to punch them.

Sorry getting myself worked up here, but I'm sure you guys know what I talking about.

 

Like I said, this guy seem trust worthy, and so are a few others that I met at different shops seem OK, it's just that the other people that work there too seem to be untrust worthy, and probably are.

 

Ask them to keep it inside the shop or something overnight.
Drop it off in the evening so it doesn't stay outside during the day.

But yeah, I know what you mean.

 

I woud say to check around H-T for reputable shops around where ever you live in CA. With all the shops out that way there must be one thats within 50 miles of where you live that people on here have experience with and would recommend.

 

if you do'nt trust somebody, either do it yourself or find somebody else you can trust..

you could make appointment and show up 3 hours early and wait
or you could buy helms manual, feeler gauge, good torque wrench and valve adjustment tool although my first time i didn't use one.. its not that difficult unless you have absolutely no desire to work on cars.

 

paranoia is the only reason my car hasn't been stolen yet.

if you aren't 100% with the shop, don't hesitate to bail!

 

if your anywhere near temple city, i'd suggest you go to raceline development. alot of people here can vouch for elton. he'll always keep ur car inside the garage, i left mine at his shop for almost a month once while rebuilding, never had a problem. if you leave it in the morning be prepared to come back for it at night as he tends to lag alot. pm if u want his number

 

being paranoid keeps your car safe, but if the place seems sketchy, getting little things stolen off your car should be the least of your concerns.

you should more worried about them looking through your glovebox, finding where you live, copying your key and snooping at your alarm install and making notes on how to disable quickly.

 

This is why I got rid of my ITR...too many people want to steal it because they are overhyped.

What type of work are you looking to get done? Valve adjustment is easy, you could have done that by yourself.

 

Ask if you can just sleep in your car at the shop overnight

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by vtec.dc2 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> you could buy helms manual, feeler gauge, good torque wrench and valve adjustment tool although my first time i didn't use one.. its not that difficult unless you have absolutely no desire to work on cars.</TD></TR></TABLE>

+1

or get a fellow R owner in your area to help you for a 6 pack or 2

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by koji126 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Ask if you can just sleep in your car at the shop overnight </TD></TR></TABLE>

haha

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dc24me &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">being paranoid keeps your car safe, but if the place seems sketchy, getting little things stolen off your car should be the least of your concerns.

you should more worried about them looking through your glovebox, finding where you live, copying your key and snooping at your alarm install and making notes on how to disable quickly.</TD></TR></TABLE>


Trust your gut....even when you do find a decent shop, remove some of the easy to steal things like the armrest (would be a PITA to replace with your #), shift ****, etc..

 

Or take a picture of your car before you release at the shop, and if anything goes wrong or missing the shop owner is responsible. And when they ask for your adress etc just put your parents or friends address. If they make a key they still have to get around the immobilizer

 

let your car sit at home and just have it pulled to the shop first thing in the morning.That way he gets the car in the mourning and you don't have to leave it their

 

just get up early and go drop the car in the morning.

or just pull your motor out and drop it off

 

Or do your own valve adjustment.
I wouldn't leave my car ANYWHERE like that. And the car does have to be cold.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by itr1244 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">just get up early and go drop the car in the morning.

or just pull your motor out and drop it off </TD></TR></TABLE>

Pulling the motor out just for a valve adjusment is insane. I would either do it myself, or if you must have a shop do it, have the car towed there so its bone cold and you can watch them do it.

 

WHAT. he only had yours for a month. im gonna kick his a$$. he had mine for 2 months. the best guy i dealt with in the industry especially here in south cal. you can't go whrong with elton at raceline development.
heres the secret with elton. a pack of malboro light and double cheeseburger with bacon combo from carls jr. or double cheeseburger at in n out goes a very long way with him.

 

i sent you pm if your in northern california or wish to travel a little bit to modesto, ca. i got a mechanic that opening a shop up in october or thats when he wants to have it open. he does everything hes the guy that did my k20 swap and did a awsome job. if you want me to book you a date with him or have him call you just pm me. i will stand behind this guy 100% and he does all is work in a garage by himself. he will not let anyone help unless its someone he knows and trust like a friend.

as he and i put things people will pay the extra dollar to have it done right then pay less and have to have it fixed again for more money.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by rjgerolaga &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">WHAT. he only had yours for a month. im gonna kick his a$$. he had mine for 2 months. the best guy i dealt with in the industry especially here in south cal. you can't go whrong with elton at raceline development.
heres the secret with elton. a pack of malboro light and double cheeseburger with bacon combo from carls jr. or double cheeseburger at in n out goes a very long way with him. </TD></TR></TABLE>

The alternative is a LARGE BIG GULP Diet coke, and a order of "Com Tam" (Vietnamese rice dish). The pack of malboro light is a must though. If it's early in the morning, a Caramel Machiatto, upside-down, works also.

I get all of my major and intermediate work done by Elton. He gets **** when someone leans on one of his customers car's in his shop. That's why I deal with him because if he's like that about someone else's car, he'll be that way about mine.