Motorex Special - Good Deal??

[Aoshi112]

I got a hold of LA Auto Guide recently and was looking at the Motorex ad for sr20 swaps. I just wanted to know if this is a good deal or not...

S13 Redtop - $2100 for Engine, Tranny, Ecu, Harness, Ignitor, Mafs, Radiator, Sidemount I/C & Piping. $1600 for labor

S13 Blacktop - $2300 for Engine, Tranny, Ecu, Harness, Ignitor, Mafs, Radiator, Sidemount I/C & Piping. $1600 for labor

S14 Blacktop - $3200 for Engine, Tranny, Ecu, Harness, Ignitor, Mafs, Radiator, Sidemount I/C & Piping. $1600 for labor

S15 Blacktop - $4800 for Engine, Tranny, Ecu, Harness, Ignitor, Mafs, Radiator, Sidemount I/C & Piping. $1800 for labor.

I was thinking of buying a cheap s13 and doing the s13blacktop swap and was wondering if that's the best deal I can get a trustworthy shop or not.. Any input guys? How much did you guys spend on your swaps?

[TopStreet_KA-T]

the labor seesm really high, but the motors are really cheap. Its motorex so im sure they do some good work, but 1600???? im not to sure

[Aoshi112]

Can you recommend a better place? And for how much will they charge the labor for?

[TopStreet_KA-T]

i dont live in socal... so sorry, i was just saying that is darn high. I work at a shop in Milwaukee and it would be about 700 labor for us.

[old_s13]

Support good companies like Phase2motortrend.

- Mike

[s0ldats]

Originally posted by old_s13
Support good companies like Phase2motortrend.

- Mike

yeah phase2 baby

[Aoshi112]

Can you guys post the price quotes? I hear a lot of this shop is good that shop is good, but what bout the prices?

[TopStreet_KA-T]

give them a call and talk to them, i would worry less about price than costumer support, you got to trust them... now i sound a litttle hypocritical but 1600 is still high.

[JasonNagra]

I agree phase 2 does very good work, but I thought they stopped doing motorswaps?:confused:

[nokeone]

Originally posted by TopStreet_KA-T
i dont live in socal... so sorry, i was just saying that is darn high. I work at a shop in Milwaukee and it would be about 700 labor for us.

damn..that is SUPER cheap on labor...in Cali it's VERY difficult to find a reputable shop that will do it for less then 1200-1500...

supply and demand i guess..all about what the market will bear..

[brage]

Originally posted by nokeone
damn..that is SUPER cheap on labor...in Cali it's VERY difficult to find a reputable shop that will do it for less then 1200-1500...

supply and demand i guess..all about what the market will bear..

Supply, Demand, Cost of living, etc. How much does a taco bell employee get paid in San Francisco vs. Milwaukee? :) $10/hr vs. $5/hr? Everything in cali is more expensive. Gas, food, shelter, water, power, everything. I suggest you move to AZ, hehe :)

-jeff

PS. If you are at all technically inclined, I'd say find some locals from socal240sx to help you out and do it in your garage. Swapping an SR isn't exactly rocket science. If you can work with your hands at all you can do it. Wiring, A/C, and Power Steering are probably the only difficult things to deal with.

[Aoshi112]

haha, I was born in Scottsdale, AZ and my cousins live in Chandler and Scottsdale area. I used to visit a lot and its much cheaper there. Houses are a great example. Weather is just horrible though. Can't take the summers there.

[boosteds14]

there are some performance shops located in Fairfield county, Connecticut which are up to $85-$95 an HOUR for labor.

Also Greenwich, CT is one of the richest towns.
Its all demographics.

[wylin]

Originally posted by TopStreet_KA-T
the labor seesm really high, but the motors are really cheap. Its motorex so im sure they do some good work, but 1600???? im not to sure

thats the going rate in southern california for sr swaps, 1500$ for labor + 100$ for supplies (plugs, oil filter, fuel filter, liquids)

phase2 charged that much when they did swaps, motorex always charged that much, etc.

[ciGARRETTsRbad4u]

Could you just buy Engine, Tranny, Ecu, Harness, Ignitor, Mafs, Radiator, Sidemount I/C & Piping for that price without buying the labor? or is that the price if you are going to pay for labor too?

[Aoshi112]

that's the price only if you have a car with the stock motor and tranny and if you get the stuff installed by them. I just got off the phone with them and they seemed really helpful and nice.

[Hawd]

I think it seems about right. I talked to phil at enonvativ force over the summer in torrance www.enonvativforce.com . He said about 2,000 for front clip s13redtop 1500 for labor and a few 100 more to get a/c funtional. This is into a s14. I think ima go with the s13 blacktop since its a few hundred bucks more for a newer engine. Give them a call and compare. They do extremely good work and thier shop cars are nice. They are like 5-10 mins from motorex

[NismoGear5]

motorex told me that they only bought cars from Auctions. They bought S13, S14 that actually ran and made those cars into front clips/motorsets. Sounds good to me if I were to every get motor from them.

If you ever talk to them, ask for Clay, he's a good guy and one of the main guys that work on the swaps.

[OptionZero]

Anyone know how much extra it'd be to go from '97 KA auto to SR 5spd?

[richardxfeng]

Originally posted by NismoGear5
motorex told me that they only bought cars from Auctions. They bought S13, S14 that actually ran and made those cars into front clips/motorsets. Sounds good to me if I were to every get motor from them.

If you ever talk to them, ask for Clay, he's a good guy and one of the main guys that work on the swaps.

Never ever trust Motorex,especially that guy named Klay.they are just trying to rip you off.Go to Phase2!!

[240silvia]

Labor is expensive!!!! Mine was only a grand and that was doing the full exhaust, the gauge, fuel pump, clutch, flywheel, BOV, FMIC and the turbo timer. Ask them to come down, and if they do, do the swap then.

[old_s13]

the saying has not changed: you get what you pay for.

- mike

[richardxfeng]

Originally posted by old_s13
the saying has not changed: you get what you pay for.

- mike


i didn't get what i paid for at Motorex.

[jdmrice]

people in so cal also have the option doing swap at GUSHI auto (http://www.gushiauto.com/top.htm) D1 driver Ken Gushi dad's shop

or you can have our very own D1 driver Ernie Fixmer do the swap for you for detail please contact him at [email protected] and tell him i send you

[Aoshi112]

I was recently told by Jspecusa that Ernie was working for Jspec as their swap mechanic. Would he still do the swap on the side?

Oh yea and does Gushi auto sell front clips too?

[Dousan_PG]

yeah ernie does swaps
email and ask him, he's super cool
but you might not get reply till after holiday so please note that and be patient

ernie is knowledgeable, helpful and super cool

same goes for Gushi.

no complaints or problems with either, both are great and have a reputation to uphold and build.

good luck.

check the gushi site and call them if you have quetsions and/or problems/inquiries.

email ernie and see when he is free and such. work it out with them, neither frequent online forums much (if at all) and can answer all your questions directly

[Aoshi112]

Thanks man, i'll do that.

btw Dousan, I'm in Irvine too. What part of Irvine you at?

[Dousan_PG]

a good part ;)

come out to dd10 at fontana this weekend
ill be there drifting around and goofing around. we'll talk then

ask jspec sam or mckinney motorsports who i am and they can direct you (or anyone) to me. ill be in the dd10 part of the lots..you cant miss the car