[arpad_m]

Originally Posted by JSH

HPE just said, "we are close to 1000 vehicles a year now and expect to hit 1200+ next year after our new expansion is complete."

This isn't the flex you think it is. The more cars they work on, the less each customer matters to them, obviously.

Your car's success is a single data point, and it's equally possible that you got luckier than some others, you can't draw any conclusions from this either way.

[JSH]

I started this thread to discuss both good and bad shops in the context of my recent experiences with a good one turned bad. I did not start this thread to discuss seemingly inevitable Hennessey controversies. If you feel like criticizing Hennessey, you can just start your own thread, and I promise not to participate. Thanks.

[2023_ZL1-AUTO]

Originally Posted by JSH

I started this thread to discuss both good and bad shops in the context of my recent experiences with a good one turned bad. I did not start this thread to discuss seemingly inevitable Hennessey controversies. If you feel like criticizing Hennessey, you can just start your own thread, and I promise not to participate. Thanks.

Back to recent experience with shops: I'm all in on Katech! Yes, Katech has had mine (3) times since I bought it new, and they are getting this fall for a 4th time. This build will target +900rwhp, I'm taking it up end of October or first weekend of November, and will force them to keep it as long as possible so my wife can park in the garage during winter! I'll pick it up in March! I just wish they had more of a media guy that would document the build, that's my only gripe with them. Other shops do it for every build ! Well, maybe they will surprise me this time (Katech_Mike)

Good luck on your build and I'm sure no matter the shop you pick, it they are reputable and you have a good feeling about the shop having your car, you'll be fine!

[KingLT1]

Imo when you build enough cars there are going to be some negative experiences. It doesn't mean the shop is necessarily bad. A lot of people these days suffer from entitlement and if they pay someone money for a service, they expect all of their neat ideas to be entertained. The best way to avoid this is to only offer specific packages and do not install customer supplied parts. That is where most problems occur. Back in the 80's, 90's, 00's you never heard anything bad about the OG Lingenfelter in Decatur, IN. And that is because they only offered a few high dollar packages for specific cars. The only knock you ever heard about them was, they were expensive for what you get. But people often overlook longevity and reliability for short term power numbers. And then they are mad when their shit is blown up because the internet said it should have lived 300000k miles making 1200whp on 25psi with 93 octane. His uncles, brothers, cousin setup been that way for 20 years.

[RobZL1]

Originally Posted by KingLT1

Imo when you build enough cars there are going to be some negative experiences. It doesn't mean the shop is necessarily bad. A lot of people these days suffer from entitlement and if they pay someone money for a service, they expect all of their neat ideas to be entertained. The best way to avoid this is to only offer specific packages and do not install customer supplied parts. That is where most problems occur. Back in the 80's, 90's, 00's you never heard anything bad about the OG Lingenfelter in Decatur, IN. And that is because they only offered a few high dollar packages for specific cars. The only knock you ever heard about them was, they were expensive for what you get. But people often overlook longevity and reliability for short term power numbers. And then they are mad when their shit is blown up because the internet said it should have lived 300000k miles making 1200whp on 25psi with 93 octane. His uncles, brothers, cousin setup been that way for 20 years.

That's it right there. I know VR operates that way, where they offer only their packages that they are familiar with. I can't blame them a bit.

Other local, smaller shops will still do what the customer wants with customer-supplied parts or tuning customer-built cars. They fill a certain niche that is necessary. Those shops also probably get more negative reviews for all of the reasons you mention. They also could just be worse at what they do because they are just a small upstart or whatever.

I think the moral of the story is: if you are going to a shop, choose a big name that is respected in the industry and expect to pay a sizeable chunk of money, but then enjoy your car worry-free. The problem with that is if you already have a build from somewhere else. Some of these shops won't touch the car unless they deconstruct it and build it to their liking. Then you are out of pocket a LOT of money at that point.

[ZL1Atlanta]

Originally Posted by RobZL1

That's it right there. I know VR operates that way, where they offer only their packages that they are familiar with. I can't blame them a bit.

Other local, smaller shops will still do what the customer wants with customer-supplied parts or tuning customer-built cars. They fill a certain niche that is necessary. Those shops also probably get more negative reviews for all of the reasons you mention. They also could just be worse at what they do because they are just a small upstart or whatever.

I think the moral of the story is: if you are going to a shop, choose a big name that is respected in the industry and expect to pay a sizeable chunk of money, but then enjoy your car worry-free. The problem with that is if you already have a build from somewhere else. Some of these shops won't touch the car unless they deconstruct it and build it to their liking. Then you are out of pocket a LOT of money at that point.

Yep. It can be hard to swallow that initial investment, but more times than not, people are better off in the long run choosing a shop with a proven record of satisfaction. If I were looking for a shop again, I'd be just as curious to hear stories where something failed and how the shop handled it. Nothing is fail proof and people aren't perfect, but how it is handled, both in down time and final outcome, are critical to long-term happiness with a modded car. And if someone tells you "my shop never has failures" they are lying or just not that close to the shop.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by ZL1Atlanta

And if someone tells you "my shop never has failures" they are lying or just not that close to the shop.

I agree. In the case of shop #1, they made no effort to fix it while they had it. They've read my posts on FB, which are the same as here, and nothing but crickets.

I'm mainly referring to labor errors rather than parts failures. The more times you turn a wrench, the greater the likelihood of mistakes.

I told LME about the head gasket, but didn't expect them to say anything and they didn't. Jason and I agree the tune was likely too aggressive. Shop #1 did not supply my failed intercooler tank, but they made zero effort to fix or replace it. I texted the shop that supplied it, but they didn't reply.

The header welds that failed are Kooks' problem, and they basically said yeah it can happen as a result of too much grinding. I get it.

With all of the above said, my car is back together and should dyno on a moderate race gas tune this week.

[ZL1Atlanta]

Originally Posted by JSH

I agree. In the case of shop #1, they made no effort to fix it while they had it. They've read my posts on FB, which are the same as here, and nothing but crickets.

I'm mainly referring to labor errors rather than parts failures. The more times you turn a wrench, the greater the likelihood of mistakes.

I told LME about the head gasket, but didn't expect them to say anything and they didn't. Jason and I agree the tune was likely too aggressive. Shop #1 did not supply my failed intercooler tank, but they made zero effort to fix or replace it. I texted the shop that supplied it, but they didn't reply.

The header welds that failed are Kooks' problem, and they basically said yeah it can happen as a result of too much grinding. I get it.

With all of the above said, my car is back together and should dyno on a moderate race gas tune this week.

Hate to hear that. Word of mouth is critical in this industry and those that don't realize that likely won't last long, or certainly not be as successful as they could. Hopefully you'll have fewer issues on the rebuild!

[JSH]

In terms of competent shops, does anyone here know Florida High Performance? Tuner Derek Dunbar seemingly posts daily about the performance results of another car of theirs

[Z OH 6]

Originally Posted by JSH

In terms of competent shops, does anyone here know Florida High Performance? Tuner Derek Dunbar seemingly posts daily about the performance results of another car of theirs

Top quality shop but pricey. Those usually go hand in hand though.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by Z OH 6

Top quality shop but pricey. Those usually go hand in hand though.

Do you have any idea what their hourly rates are? They run $200-220 here.

[Z OH 6]

Originally Posted by JSH

Do you have any idea what their hourly rates are? They run 200-220 here.

No idea, just going off the Corvette forum posts when members inquired about having work done there. If I didn't have Vengeance Racing less than 2 hours away from me, I would travel 8 hours to FHP.

[Bangkok_ZL1]

After I left for the states for a year. I came back and drove my car around the corner to a local shop for an oil change... cause it's been a year and I didn't want to drive it 500 miles home on oil that had been in the car over a year. While waiting I noticed the guy tightening the new filter on with a wrench and using muscle. I came out screaming, but it was too late. ever since I've got a small oil leak on any new oil filter always. I'm sure he screwed something up. That's why I'd rather do it myself, even if I have to learn some new things. It's hard to trust anybody. I trust the guys here on the forum way before I trust these local guys....

[Patriot Motorsports USA]

Originally Posted by JSH

I started this thread to discuss both good and bad shops in the context of my recent experiences with a good one turned bad. I did not start this thread to discuss seemingly inevitable Hennessey controversies. If you feel like criticizing Hennessey, you can just start your own thread, and I promise not to participate. Thanks.

Well thank you for that clarification. I thought you had begun this thread to get support for changing to someone else and then many of us supported such by pointing out the good experiences with the majority of the support going to Vengeance and Katech, both shops I support and have been a customer of numerous times. In fact, I am ordering more Katech parts tomorrow... mostly to tune coil-packs as someone suggested.

However, as you had a good experience turn bad, I too am marveled by your good experience with Hennessey as I am from the Houston Area and for decades our shop was one to fix such FauxPas from said shop. As for the numbers they claim, its the many hundreds of Trucks & SUVs getting the floor mats and stickers at dealerships with a snazzy exhaust and a tune to make burble just a little bit more racking up those numbers.

I'm sure the big shop will be a huge push and I even had the fun to see his F5 this past weekend while at Hendrick Motorsports purchase for Rick Hendrick's wife as a birthday present.

I trust LME with all my engine parts as well, since they seem to have the most talented people I know personally making parts and assembling complete engines in racing.