This is an email I sent them after I got dicked around by these douche bags for 2 months. Its my full story of the ordeal. F**K them forward a copy of this post to everyone you know... PEACE!!!
From:
joevelaz1@hotmail.com
To:
rob_nice@labjunkies.com;
l_c_padilla@yahoo.com;
trupunk13@hotmail.com;
saul1970@yahoo.com
Subject: 1990 Civic hatch JDM D15B Swap (THE LAB) (LABJUNKIES.COM)
Date: Mon, 9 Mar 2009 00:49:01 -0700
Hey what's up? I have to say that I'm really disappointed with you guys right now... I'll tell you my story and we'll see about your customer service that you say you take seriously on your website.
Ok..this will not be short as I want you to know everything I went through. I had my car towed there (Gold '90 Civic Hatch with blown engine) You guys said it went out because my fans stopped working and caused it to overheat.
No problem...I asked for a replacement engine and I think I spoke to James througout this ordeal. Anyway, he said he could not get that same engine anymore and could put in a newer JDM VTEC one for $950 "All wired up and ready to go out the door" (these were his words.) I said cool. I also told him that I wanted new NGK plugs and wires and he said "Don't worry about that, that is all included in the price. When he wrote up the paperwork the total price was not $950 it was $1200 and said that it was because it had to be switched from Dual Point or Port or something to MPFI...which didn't make sense as the whole entire engine was being replaced. and if that was the case, he should have told me that on the front end. I said whatever and also asked about changing out my exhaust cuz my stock one was really old and all scraped up. He said $160 on that, and this was cool with me. So total $1360...
I left a $650 check with him and went on my merry way, mind you he said that it would take 2-3 days. 7 days later, my car wasn't done, and I needed it, so you guys put it together, threw a P08 ECU in it and gave it to me making this loud ass whistling noise that you guys said would go away on its own it a week or two as it might be some butterfly valve or whatever. and I had my exhaust done all nice with new piping.. yay :0) I picked it up in the evening and handed James (who was kind enough to come back to the shop afterhours to give me my car) and gave him the balance of the $1360 which was $710 in cash.
OK that was the first time I took it there....after I took it home, I took it to my buddies pad who has civics and all our friends gather there and were all curious to see "The Lab's" work. They pointed out the whistling noise, the fact that the VTEC solenoid wasn't connected to anything, (the wires were run into the cabin through the firewall but were not connected to the ECU) and the RPM's were hopping around at 1800. Also, they pointed out that although, my exhaust pipe was cool, it was old and all scraped up, so I guess I got some dudes old ass pipe. I had to literally stomp on the gas to get it past 2000 RPM so that the car wouldn't jerk. I thought it was the clutch since I was told by you guys that you replaced the clutch.
I am sorry but I have reason to believe that you didn't change my clutch, as I found under hood, that I have some old ass Autolite (or some crappy ass wires) that were probably on that engine when it was first built in '92 and the oldest NGK plugs I
ve seen in a long time. I don't know about you, but I would think that when you put an engine in a car that you would fill it with new fluids, I only say this because when I checked the oil (since it had super old ass plugz) I found that the oil was thick and black, and dirty as f**k.
I called and Chris and James were like, cool, no worries, bring it back and we'll take care of it. I pointed out the whistling noise, (funny cuz when i rolled up to your shop, even your boys were like "What the fuck is that?" A little 'effin embarassing if you ask me, to roll around like that. I told Chris that the ECU was throiwn codes for Idle Control Valve, Knock Sensor, both VTEC codes (think it was 21 & 22) and one other one.
I left and said hey, I know I was rushing you guys cuz my wife was on my ass to get the car back since I was originally told it would take 2-3 days by James when I left the deposit. His words were " If we get the engine in the morning, we can have it dropped in by the end of the day and wired the next.
Anyway, I picked up my car the 2nd time, after another week of waiting (I waited to be called back this time instead of calling and calling to figure out when it would be done.) And all that was done was the ECU was switched from a P08 to a P06, which I was told by my Honda lovin buddies is not even a VTEC ECU (please feel free to correct them at any point cuz you guys are the shop and they are just guys who love their Hondas) I will admit that one of my budz defended you guys and said you might have put a VTEC converted P06 in my car but still doesnt explain why the VTEC solenoid was not connected as VTEC will not work without it.
The loud ass whistiling noise was still there and this sucks because I asked James if it was gonna stay that wat and he said "Pretty much, yeah" That you guys would let a Honda (your specialty) roll out like that is really disappointing. I told James that I was the guinea pig of my crew to test The Labs work to see if it was good. Chris said that all was good with my ride now and that all it needed was a dizzy that he would mail to me once he got it in and I gave him my address. James said if I didn't receive it in 7 days to call. I called (obviously didn't get it) Chris got my address again, and he said he would mail it and this was back in late Jan. I've tried to call (it seems over 1k times) and my calls are ignored. I know this to be true, because when you all used to answer the phone you knew it was me, James would automatically say "What's up boss?" which tells me you have caller ID.
Other shops, have told me I'm not the only one, who has these types of complaints...I'm sorry that I didn't have 5 or 6K to drop at your shop so that I could get VIP treatment cuz it seems that these guys are the only ones that you treat all nice and crap..
My friends and wife have all told me I am wasting my time with you guys but I backed you guys up and told my buddies that Shit Happens and you would make good but to this day I haven't heard anything about my dizzy and still the wiring in my car is not done. I didn't ask for VTEC, you guys offered it and said its better cuz VTEC is the shit.
Let me know whats up, and what can be done to fix my car. Your boys told me, hey try some WD-40 and see if that helps stop the whistling noise....if that would work why wouldn't you guys have done it...My wife is pissed and won't do business with you, my boys are talking about going to Swap Shop Racing in Covina or Import Tek in Upland for their work but I told them I would email you guys and see, misunderstandings happen, and shit gets overlooked but damn, I don't wanna end up feeling ripped off cuz right now, thats pretty much it.
I hope to hear from you guys, cuz short of going down there, I haven't gotten anywhere. Even when I did go down there the first time, you all just ignored me.. I had to ask you all where to leave my car and even then you all were like "ok, yeah, cool then, we'll call you when its done" That is not Customer Service...you all can laugh and shit and that's cool but its business and word of mouth goes a long way. Thats how I heard about you to begin with...
-Jose