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  #1  
Old 05-14-2002, 04:04 AM
Red SVX 92 Red SVX 92 is offline
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Long Beach, CA
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Attention LA SVXers (Long rant)

If you're into modding your car, do NOT go to Premier Autoworks. I just got the car back from their shop, for the Koni/Ground Control install. Now, I'm somewhat used to the typical business runaround... It's not a perfect world, and generally the time they promise is on the very optimistic side. But my experience with them was plagued with nothing but problems... First, some of you know that installing the Koni/Ground Control combo requires welding. It's the reason why labor is so much more for this setup, as opposed to getting the same kit put in for other cars. Otherwise, this would be a cheap, easy install. I went with Premier on a friend's recommendation, and because they offered a semi-decent price even with welding. They promised it could be done in 3-5 hours. Then the problems began...

After about 4 hours, I call them to see how far they've gotten on the car. First, they tell me that they have to grind the strut housing to unseal it and gut the strut. Immediately they tack on $100 extra labor... I'm not familiar with the SVX struts, I take it at face value, even though I've never heard of anything like this before with other struts.. If this was a normal thing, they should've factored this in to the original estimate... Price is getting to a near-unaffordable range. Now, they tell me that they're not going to do the welding, because it's not necessary. This cuts down a little on the cost, but it doesn't follow the outlined directions provided by Gound Control. After asking them to do it anyway, they insist that I don't do it, and that if I want to do it later, they won't charge extra labor, just the welding, which they say will be a minor cost. I agree to this, since I can go back to get the welding, without paying an arm and a leg. They say it'll be done by that night, so I drive nearly an hour to their shop that night, to pick up the car. After waiting for about 45 minutes just to talk to the guy in charge, he has a 2 minute conversation with me, explaining that it's not completely done, and that I'll have to wait. Of course, all this extra work delayed the completion for a day, something he could've told me 5 minutes after I came by. They promise it will be done the next day.

Next day, I call them up, and I get the typical runaround... they come up with a lame excuse for not finishing it... and they're closed the next day... So one more day. In the meantime, I'm having a hell of a time trying to run errands... I never realized just how hard it is to get around without a car....

Two days later, I call them throughout the day. They keep saying to call back in a few hours, giving random promised completion times, etc... Finally, they say it's done, and I pick it up late at night, after the shop is officially closed (they're usually there for hours after the store's closed, working on cars they didn't do during the day, etc.) I get there, and pay for the work, then I notice that the alignment they did on my car was done to different specs (They aligned the car to specs for a Subaru XT, not the SVX). During this time, I'm asking for a definite price on the welding, if it needs to be done. Now, the guy tells me that if I want it welded, I will have to pay the labor cost which he originally promised I wouldn't have to worry about. Of course, since it's the SVX, not a Honda, it takes more work, and will cost a pretty penny. Not just that, but they screwed up a simple alignment. I tell them my patience is wearing thin, and, instead of being apologetic for botching up such a simple job as an alignment, he tells me that I "can't do anything about it, because I've already paid." (Paying was a big mistake, I should've spotted the bad alignment sooner). In addition, he threatens to NOT do the alignment that night, by simply saying that the shop's closed for the night (even though he always stays later to work on the cars), and making me wait for another day, or week, or however long he wishes, and that I should feel lucky that he's willing to do it right now. So he tells me the alignment will be done in 35 minutes....

2 hours later, after the employees have eaten and talked on the phone for endless hours, they finally finish. AND they didn't even get the whole alignment perfect, the camber on one side is out of the specs provided.

So, 3 days and a buttload of cash later, I'm left with an installation that was improperly done, a heavy charge if I want it done properly, and an utter loss of respect for Premier Autoworks. If I wanted this kit put in without welding, I could have gone to a number of shops who offered cheaper prices, but weren't willing to do the welding. I can understand the nature of business, and I wouldn't have minded an extra day or two, if I hadn't felt like they were trying to give the runaround and just a general screw-over. A simple "We're busy, we'll work on it later" would have worked. Heck, most shops I dealt with have willingly minimized extra labor costs, even after they run into difficulties working with an uncommon car, just to hold true to their word. After an endless stream of false promises, I have no respect for Premier Autoworks, and I would suggest anyone in the LA area steer clear of the shop.
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  #2  
Old 05-14-2002, 05:46 AM
SVXtypeR
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Unhappy I feel for you dude.

As if the aftermarket situation for this car isn't bad enough...

...but I have to ask, who told you that the Koni/GC combo *reqires* welding anywhere, and what did they tell you to weld? I ask because if they said to weld anything *after* the Koni insert is in, you're asking for trouble.

Truthfully, the conversion requires *no* welding whatsoever.
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  #3  
Old 05-14-2002, 12:58 PM
Vern!
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Pray tell, why did you take your car to Premier? Even in LA there are several shops that specialize in Subarus, and dozens of competent shops that can do suspension mods. I have my alignment done at a shop that was used as a set in Fast & The Furious. Any place that does alignments on Shelby Cobras can't be all that bad.

What part of Los Angeles is Premier in?
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  #4  
Old 05-14-2002, 07:56 PM
Red SVX 92 Red SVX 92 is offline
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TypeR, The instructions provided with the Ground Control springs state that you need to cut the stock spring perch and weld on a ring provided by Ground Control. After lowering my car a little bit more today, you're right, welding isn't required for the conversion. BUT... it is useful, if you want to lower the car all the way. I tried to lower the front a little bit more today, and I realized what they meant. Access to the Ground Control ring/perch is blocked by a black piece, which was supposed to be cut off.

And yes, I do understand that it's only a *slight* bit dangerous to weld while the Koni's already been inserted. Yeah, the welding was supposed to be done after you gutted the spring and before the Koni was inserted. I kind of wish that the welding was done, just in case I wanted to lower the front end a little bit more. As it is, I have a newfound phobia for speed bumps, but I was hoping to tuck a little bit more in the front anyways, but oh well...


and Vern, I was going to go with Independent Subaru, since they have experience with the install. However, Premier's *initial price was half that of Independent Subaru's, and a friend recommended me to Premier. As it is, I had been counting on an install charge of $75-100, and the prices I was quoted just put me in shock, especially since I basically had no money for it, after dropping the $1000 on parts alone. Now, my friend refuses to endorse them, and is warning other message boards about Premier.

And Premier is located in La Habra... Yuck.
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  #5  
Old 05-15-2002, 05:39 AM
SVXtypeR
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Quote:
Originally posted by Red SVX 92
TypeR, The instructions provided with the Ground Control springs state that you need to cut the stock spring perch and weld on a ring provided by Ground Control. After lowering my car a little bit more today, you're right, welding isn't required for the conversion. BUT... it is useful, if you want to lower the car all the way. I tried to lower the front a little bit more today, and I realized what they meant. Access to the Ground Control ring/perch is blocked by a black piece, which was supposed to be cut off.
[SNL Chruchlady]
OOOHHHHH, nevermind!
[/SNL Churchlady]


Quote:
And yes, I do understand that it's only a *slight* bit dangerous to weld while the Koni's already been inserted. Yeah, the welding was supposed to be done after you gutted the spring and before the Koni was inserted. I kind of wish that the welding was done, just in case I wanted to lower the front end a little bit more. As it is, I have a newfound phobia for speed bumps, but I was hoping to tuck a little bit more in the front anyways, but oh well...
Sorry bout' that, I just wanted to make sure they werent' gonna do something silly to your struts (I've seen shops do worse to rare cars for custom work). It does kinda' suck that the perches sit so high. When I originaly took the measurments in designing this combo, I forgot to factor in the springs settling. I was kinda' cheesed when I found out that the shortest main springs were 8 inches and the shortest tenders were 4. By happy accident, tenders tend (no pun inTENDed) to settle much more than mains, so I ended up with about a 1.25" drop after she settled down (yes, you'll need a second alignment after a couple of months).

It's funny, of all people, I've *never* seen the GC instructions!!

Last edited by SVXtypeR; 05-15-2002 at 05:43 AM.
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  #6  
Old 05-15-2002, 01:14 PM
Red SVX 92 Red SVX 92 is offline
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Long Beach, CA
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Quote:
Originally posted by SVXtypeR


Sorry bout' that, I just wanted to make sure they werent' gonna do something silly to your struts (I've seen shops do worse to rare cars for custom work). It does kinda' suck that the perches sit so high. When I originaly took the measurments in designing this combo, I forgot to factor in the springs settling. I was kinda' cheesed when I found out that the shortest main springs were 8 inches and the shortest tenders were 4. By happy accident, tenders tend (no pun inTENDed) to settle much more than mains, so I ended up with about a 1.25" drop after she settled down (yes, you'll need a second alignment after a couple of months).

It's funny, of all people, I've *never* seen the GC instructions!!
Wait... your springs settled an extra 1.25"? Or was that the total drop? Shoot.... I heard it takes about a week or two to settle... does it take longer than that? Geez... another expense in two months.. grrr....

How much did you lower your car? Mine just barely covers the wheelwell gap in the front, and is tucking nicely, just a little bit, in the rear. not sure how much of a drop that is, but I like it. I still wish they did that welding though, so I could lower the front more... Hmmm... slammed SVX....
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