MAC Autosport - Coming across sketch again....

[~Barn~]

Yeah... Aside from geographical convenience, it sure is becoming harder and harder to do business with this place. It bums me out, because Nick and Adam are actually nice guys.

Anyway, without going into a verbose rant and explanation, here is the email that I just sent to them. I think it about covers it:

[INDENT]From: ______[email="______@hotmail.com"]@hotmail.com[/email]
To:[email="info@macautosport.com"]info@macautosport.com[/email];[email="nick@macautosport.com"]nick@macautosport.com[/email];[email="adam@macautosport.com"]adam@macautosport.com[/email];[email="bill@macautosport.com"]bill@macautosport.com[/email]
CC: ______[email="______@hotmail.com"]@hotmail.com[/email]
Subject: Request for update on vehicle - 2006 Mazdaspeed6
Date: Tue, 14 Dec 2010 18:47:09 -0700

Hello, this email is for Nick, Adam, or the technician working on my vehicle.

Guys, I currently have my Speed6 in the shop with issues regarding (what appears to be) a mechanical malfunction in its turbocharging system. I am writing to find out what the current situation is, since I have not received an update since last week. I realize you're busy, but beginning this coming Saturday, it will mark the start of the 3rd week that MAC has had my vehicle. Thankfully the weather has been remarkably good here lately, because at last check you were having to keep it stored outside.

If there has been any progress at all, I would like to know where we sit. If there has not been anything done since I last spoke with Nick, I need to know what the realistic course of action is and an honest estimate on time. Sadly, as of the last update I was given, the only real diagnosis that had been done, was a cursory walk around by Adam looking for loose/chewed hoses (12/4), and Nick running a baseline, essentially confirming the problem (12/10). Nick was straight with me and told me that he wasn't going to be able to look at it this past Monday, but he did tell me that Adam returns to town today, and that he wanted to consult with him.

Again, I understand that a good shop is a busy shop, and that's why I go to you for service and parts. That said - I'm becoming increasingly anxious that my car is in a holding pattern with MAC right now, and increasingly bothered that I don't have my primary means of transportation. I just need to know what the plan of attack is, and a timeline. If the problem I'm having is better suited for another shop to diagnose and fix, I can appreciate that and respect the candor. If you have the engine in pieces, that's fine too. Regardless, please let me know as soon as you can. As you all are passionate about cars, I am passionate about being able to have mine available to me; I trust this email reaches you well.

Regards,
-Brandon Muniz-
720-935-6438
______[email="______@hotmail.com"]@hotmail.com[/email]
[/INDENT]

[geo2maz]

damn that sucks, 3 weeks is definitely too long... hope you get it taken care of soon!
Hey remind me where's a good place for an oil change?

[chickenwafer]

That's nuts man. I wouldn't stand for that. I also wouldn't email or call them, if it's at all possible get down there in person and DEMAND answers. Shops blow people off who don't show up in person.

Also, and I hope I don't come off as rude, but your comment, "If the engine is in pieces, that's fine too" can easily be viewed as a pushover phrase. Again, you need to demand what YOU want! Don't let them tell how it is or what to do!

Lastly, I would recommend Harvey at Boost Creep: http://www.theboostcreepltd.com/

I've been his shop dozens of times, he always remembers my name, and is a straight shooter. He knows his shit and when he doesn't he admits it and does what he can to get you fixed. Admittedly, getting work on a Speed6 is going to be difficult because they are rare, but mechanically not too complex (it's not a Rotary engine or a Miller cycle at least).

Give Harvey a call, tell him RX7 Dave sent ya, and he'll take care of you if he can.

[~Barn~]

Yeah, If I don't get something concrete here pretty soon, I'll probably just go grab the car, and ask them to bill me. =)

I'll check out TBC if that ends up happening.

[7th Heaven]

Man, ive had some issues with some performance shops in the past too. Thats why i became a mechanic myself so i dont have to play the waiting game. But ya from my experiance you have to show up in person and basically "bitch nicley" for lack of a better term. For stock turbocharged aplications i would take it to Mazda and have a mastertech diagnose it. They know manufacurer specific problems and can diagnose much better.

[Stealth01]

Harvey's busy as hell right now, or so I hear. But if you go, that'll be one more MS6 he's worked on by the time I get him to tune mine!

[speedjunkie]

Sometimes even if you show up at the shop, bitch at them constantly, do the work on your car yourself, and bitch at them even more, they STILL won't get to work on it...and they'll ask you for more money and it will be damaged as well.

At least that's what has happened in my experience.

Best of luck Brandon. I had thought about having them tune my car at one point but now I think I'll just let Dave do it at TBC haha.

[chickenwafer]

Harvey's busy as hell right now, or so I hear. But if you go, that'll be one more MS6 he's worked on by the time I get him to tune mine!

Yes, he is, and that speaks to how good of a tuner and shop he is. But he always finds the time and is very flexible.

Sometimes even if you show up at the shop, bitch at them constantly, do the work on your car yourself, and bitch at them even more, they STILL won't get to work on it...and they'll ask you for more money and it will be damaged as well.

At least that's what has happened in my experience.

Best of luck Brandon. I had thought about having them tune my car at one point but now I think I'll just let Dave do it at TBC haha.

True Eric, there are just some bad shops out there that will do anything for a penny, customer be damned.

Without getting too off-topic (sorry Brandon), there was a shop in Phoenix who put a prototype crank pulley on my friends RX-8. They took 2 days to do what would normally be a 30 minuet install, but it's a prototype so no big deal right? Wrong, they cross threaded the 4 allen cap bolts securing it to the e-shaft so it didn't even sit flush, this caused it to shred belts. My friend came and picked up the car and only got literally 200 ft from the shop before his car shut down beacause the pulley had ate all his belts!

He went into the shop looking for some assistance and they told him they were closed and kicked him out and locked the doors. He had to get the car towed home then called the shop back the next day, and they said because it was a prototype part he "knew the risks he took" and he was lucky since he got the part 50% off (big deal, saved $75 bucks). All-in-all, a shitty shop

[reconbygod12]

mac is so busy right now its not even funny though.....right now everyones getting their cars reset for spring, but they will never lose my service everythng they've done for me has been amazing...i tried getting back in for antoher tune since i got my turbo fixed...very easy problem it was just oil catch can causing some problems on my car

[kingtut]

I think you did well by beginning with a nice, well-written, and polite email- being honest, to the point, and requesting answers. I'm a fan of paper trails...

That said, I would also suggest making a visit in person (as a follow up).

It's poor customer service for sure and more importantly, not a good advertisement for MAC (note to self: don't take MS3 to MAC).

I hope you get things squared away; good luck.

[kingtut]

mac is so busy right now its not even funny though.....right now everyones getting their cars reset for spring, but they will never lose my service everythng they've done for me has been amazing...i tried getting back in for antoher tune since i got my turbo fixed...very easy problem it was just oil catch can causing some problems on my car

That's all well and good, but proper communication is the key (double meaning) to any business...and there doesn't seem to be any of that going on here.

[~Barn~]

The best part is, is that when I go in there (likely to just retrieve my ride), Bill will explain to me how they have been having email problems, and that the IT guy has been trying to figure it out, blah-blah-blah....

Last time I was there a few months back (having spark plugs changed as some of you may remember), I overheard a conversation he was having with another customer, going over that same spiel... I can already hear him explaining it to me now again... Ha!

:Sigh.... :

And for those of you keeping score at home.... Still no email reply. Still no phone call.

[datsun_d]

meh, there is a huge difference between a repair shop and a performance shop. 3 weeks at a speed shop doesn't seem like a huge wait to me, especially if they are busy. I always recommend MAC and only MAC. (if you are not going to do it yourself anyway.)

[I`m Batman]

I would go get the car back and have it parked in my garage. I do not like my car just sitting outside somewhere for weeks at a shop and not being worked on. I would take it back and tell them to call me when they're ready to work on it then I will drop it off. There's no point of it just sitting there for nothing.

[~Barn~]

Ha! That actually has some merit, but yeah... No. If I have to go reclaim it, baring them saying they'll fix it for 50% off or something crazy, it will likely never go there again. Not for service work.