I usually don't post ramblings about my buying/ selling experiences, but after my dealing with turbonetics on Friday, I'm fired up to say the least. I purchased a T70 Dual Ball Bearing from them, and a NewGen wastegate, to the tune of about $2500 over a year ago. I had never used either part, and ended up having to send the T70 back to them because of abnormal play in the shaft, just upon inspection. I was able to send the turbo back to them in June, and sure enough they needed to replace the bearings and center shaft. 5 weeks later I got my turbo back from them, no charge to me, all covered under warranty. Perfect!
Well, stupid me never opened up the box when I got the turbo back until this tuesday. The original turbo I ordered from them had a polished compressor housing and ceramic coated exhaust housing. However when I originally purchased the turbo, I sent off the compressor housing to be micropolished and powdercoated clear, to the tune of about $95, and the exhaust housing was ported and the wastegate hole opened slightly to the tune of $165. I had also made clearance markings on the exhaust housing for the wastegate I was running. Needless to say, the parts were modified beyond stock, and I'd definatley be able to tell if I didn't get my same stuff back.
Sure enough, I open up the box from turbonetics to check out the turbo and I get back a stock polished compressor housing and a stock bare casting ceramic coated exhaust housing then looks like is was used once before, and then cleaned up. (even the coating is dull like it was ran before) Keep in mind I had never ran this turbo yet! So I call up turbonetics and after about 45 minutes of explaining the situation to 2 different tech guys, I ask for the manager, Reggie. Reggie explains to me that it would be impossible for me to get back parts that were not my own because they didn't ceramic coat exhaust housings anymore, and furthermore, they did not have to replace either of my housings, just the bearings. well, no sh*t.
Obviously the housings had to be taken off to replace the bearings in the turbo, so I figured it was just a mixup, and they gave me someone else's housings. Reggie assured me this did not happen. I explained to him that obviously I didn't get back what I had sent them, and he's trying to tell me its impossible. He then says "Gino, you got back exactly what you sent us. I'm sure you didn't send us anything that you didn't get back. Everyone's parts get put into a bin and assembled the same way. It would be impossible for us to mix anything up, I'm sure of that." So basically he's telling me I'm trying to pull a fast one on them. Now I'm pissed. For those of you who know me, I have been around the turbo buicks for 5+ years and have never had a bad dealing with anyone. If there ever was a misunderstanding, it has been made right. I told reggie I'm not trying to get anything for free, I just want my parts back! Long story short, he says theres nothing he can do for me. sorry.
I have receipts for the work I had done on the housings, but I guess that's not good enough. He told me if I don't have a picture of everything I had done, installed on that turbo, I have no leg to stand on. Which I don't. So basically it's my word against his. And I guess it's my fault for not opening up the box right away when I got the turbo back, but hell, this is rediculous. I understand where they are coming from, but he was not even willing to go check around in the shop to see if my parts might still be there. Probably a long shot, but he wouldn't even do that. I guess in the grand scheme of things $250-300 isnt a big deal, but now I have to go through all the BS of getting everything redone and have the housings re-coated. I'm just glad I wasn't in a pinch for the turbo right away, or I'd be steaming pissed. Regardless, I will never do business with Turbonetics again nor will I EVER recommend anyone go there for anything. I always had good luck with Precision and Limit turbos, but I wanted to try a dual BB unit which at the time, turbonetics had a good rep with those running their products. Never again for me, thats for sure. I'll stick with the guys that do right by me.
Ok, that's my 2 pennies, thanks for listening. Hope someone learned a lesson from my mistakes.
Well, stupid me never opened up the box when I got the turbo back until this tuesday. The original turbo I ordered from them had a polished compressor housing and ceramic coated exhaust housing. However when I originally purchased the turbo, I sent off the compressor housing to be micropolished and powdercoated clear, to the tune of about $95, and the exhaust housing was ported and the wastegate hole opened slightly to the tune of $165. I had also made clearance markings on the exhaust housing for the wastegate I was running. Needless to say, the parts were modified beyond stock, and I'd definatley be able to tell if I didn't get my same stuff back.
Sure enough, I open up the box from turbonetics to check out the turbo and I get back a stock polished compressor housing and a stock bare casting ceramic coated exhaust housing then looks like is was used once before, and then cleaned up. (even the coating is dull like it was ran before) Keep in mind I had never ran this turbo yet! So I call up turbonetics and after about 45 minutes of explaining the situation to 2 different tech guys, I ask for the manager, Reggie. Reggie explains to me that it would be impossible for me to get back parts that were not my own because they didn't ceramic coat exhaust housings anymore, and furthermore, they did not have to replace either of my housings, just the bearings. well, no sh*t.
Obviously the housings had to be taken off to replace the bearings in the turbo, so I figured it was just a mixup, and they gave me someone else's housings. Reggie assured me this did not happen. I explained to him that obviously I didn't get back what I had sent them, and he's trying to tell me its impossible. He then says "Gino, you got back exactly what you sent us. I'm sure you didn't send us anything that you didn't get back. Everyone's parts get put into a bin and assembled the same way. It would be impossible for us to mix anything up, I'm sure of that." So basically he's telling me I'm trying to pull a fast one on them. Now I'm pissed. For those of you who know me, I have been around the turbo buicks for 5+ years and have never had a bad dealing with anyone. If there ever was a misunderstanding, it has been made right. I told reggie I'm not trying to get anything for free, I just want my parts back! Long story short, he says theres nothing he can do for me. sorry.
I have receipts for the work I had done on the housings, but I guess that's not good enough. He told me if I don't have a picture of everything I had done, installed on that turbo, I have no leg to stand on. Which I don't. So basically it's my word against his. And I guess it's my fault for not opening up the box right away when I got the turbo back, but hell, this is rediculous. I understand where they are coming from, but he was not even willing to go check around in the shop to see if my parts might still be there. Probably a long shot, but he wouldn't even do that. I guess in the grand scheme of things $250-300 isnt a big deal, but now I have to go through all the BS of getting everything redone and have the housings re-coated. I'm just glad I wasn't in a pinch for the turbo right away, or I'd be steaming pissed. Regardless, I will never do business with Turbonetics again nor will I EVER recommend anyone go there for anything. I always had good luck with Precision and Limit turbos, but I wanted to try a dual BB unit which at the time, turbonetics had a good rep with those running their products. Never again for me, thats for sure. I'll stick with the guys that do right by me.
Ok, that's my 2 pennies, thanks for listening. Hope someone learned a lesson from my mistakes.
With good packing materials it shouldn't be a problem at all. They aren't as fragile as one might think.
oh well.
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