Migit240sx

I don't even know where to start...

I don't know how they have a loyal clientele with what I went through.

I originally contacted Spencer about swapping my built sr20det into my s13 coupe + 5 speed swap. I proceeded to tell him the condition that it was in. I told him that the turbo system wasn't installed on the longblock meaning no exhaust manifold, turbo, elbow, lines, gasket, etc and that I will provide everything needed, including all 5 speed parts and engine parts. I even told him that the original SOHC was still in the car. When everything was said and done, he quoted me $600 to install the SR20. Wow!!! That's a deal of a century!!!!

I rent a Uhaul truck, load the engine, and head over to Santa Ana which is 40 miles away from me. As I get there, with the 3 storage bins that house all items, Spencer proceeds to tell me that he didn't know it was going to be like this...... Are you kidding me? We talked about this! That is why I'm at his shop in the first place. Along with the SOHC engine still installed he tells me that he's going to charge me $1500 to get the job done.

That's out of my broke student budget so he tell me that he will work with me to lower the price down! yay!.....not. This was the beginning of hell. They give me permission to work at their shop to lower the cost of labor. I proceed to remove the SOHC and install the turbo components of the SR. Now, take note that this is my first time installing turbo parts on any engine and I'm going to have questions. Every time that I asked something, Robert replied with a smart answer..... like I was an idiot for not knowing.

I continue to travel back and fourth from LA to Santa Ana for about a week to get everything done. I tell Robert to give me a week and I'll have MY SOHC out of their shop before they know it. They say cool, a week is perfect.
With all my labor, the price iis $800 to install my SR+5 speed parts. Yay, still in my budget!

We run into a couple of minor problems with my engine/swap:
1) One of the studs on the head was broken off ($70 value)
2) My injector Orings were gone ($45)
3) He had his welder weld the part that the IC went on($70 bucks) (whatever this was??????)
4) MAF resistor on my tuned ECU was cracked. Needed another one to be soldered in (THIS ONE IS FUNNY!! READ BELOW!!)
This is all my bad and willing to take the hit for it

At the end of the day, when the swap was finished, it put me at exactly at $1000 for the ugliest job I've seen (I'll add pictures later).

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Now for the in betweens and fun parts!!


Day of Pick up: You know my SOHC that was sitting there and they agreed to give me a week to pick up? They sold MY automatic tranny, trashed my Automatic driveshaft, and "threw away" my ac components (knowing them, they probably kept it). I guess I let all the smart remarks build up because I lose it and get into it with both of them, ESPECIALLY with ROBERT, asking him why theyre selling/trashing my things. He justifies his reasoning by saying they are AUTOMATIC parts and no one will want them. Dude, that's besides the point! They are MY parts! This is moral issue and has nothing to do with auto/manual. Robert ask me why I came so early and says that I'm irritating him. I ask him if he wants me to leave. This right here, is when a CLIENT steps in and says Robert is just playing. A client tells me this.... not his business partner.... a client. (Client was trying to calm me down)

Remember that MAF ECU problem? Well Spencer was going to do it for free and solder in a new resistor. I overhear Robert and Spencer talking. Spencer says "I hope he reps the shit out of us", which I was going to do but Robert, knowing the situation I'm in, decides to take advantage and up the price. I can't afford this and he knows this. He basically says this $70 dollar job for your SOHC. I really can't afford to go over much more so I agree......

At the end of the day, they take $1k(which was originally going to be $600), trash my driveshaft/AC components, sell the automatic tranny when the engine was MINE, keep the SOHC, STEAL various items I had in the bins(check out the list below). I was dealing with them for 2 weeks after my swap was finished trying to get my stuff back.

Nonetheless, the most important item that was stolen was my Calsonic catalytic converter which cost around $400 bnib. I told Spencer that I wanted my cat back and he said he will have it within one week. Cool, I'll be back within a week. A week goes by, I go to the shop and he presents me with this bullshit cat






Ummm.... This isn't my cat. Apparently they took it from my bin of goodies and put it on another car that they were working on (didnt use it on mine because I had a straight pipe) only to present me with another cat... A universal MagnaFlow one? At this point Im TIRED/EXHAUSTED of dealing with them so I just take my loss and leave the shop. Other small items taken: rubber shift boot (I had 2, left with 1), lower harness, aftermarket blitz radiator cap. My boost controller wasn't even installed. Spencer said to come back when I was ready to get it installed. Nope, not in a million years.


Here's the universal magnaflow cat that I was then given



There are soooooooo many little details that I skipped over but to keep this short, I wont get into.

I really hope people think twice before deciding to give them business. I should have learned the first time when I found a weed medicine bottle covering a hole in the vaccum system on my 5 speed ka (the first time I did business with them). No one should ever go through with what I went through with them. Save a couple of more bucks and go to the SR20Store in Gardena or something.

BTW Spencer.... stop getting high off of wax in front of your clients. Makes you look bad, real bad. And Robert, I hope you learn how to treat customers better.







Tags for Sideways Performance in Santa Ana: Review, sr20det swap, 1jzgte swap, crap shop, steal, Rob, Spencer, Bad experience, horrible experience, shit

DALAZ_68

should have searched them... they have a reputation here...not a good one...

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ehp

they fucked my bros s13 by doing a 5 speed conversion that ended up in a bad 4th cylinder. isnt that a coincidence. i posted a review and spencer still has the nerve to hit me up about selling me 2jz parts... what nerve...

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Migit240sx

I finally found out why my sr was running like shit. They didn't even bother putting my the brand new exhaust gasket that I supplied them with and only put one bolt

Mind you, I've rarely driven the car since I've gotten it back. Maybe put less than 50 miles?


After fix

Migit240sx

Seems like I'm always finding crap they did



According to receipt above, I paid for fluids, "including oil"




Yea, I don't think so....

laurentj23

Any leaks?

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SRpetey

So today I took my car over to sideways performance in Santa Ana to have a y-pipe fabricated in order to mate my sikky headers to my Apexi catback exhaust and be done with the swap since my welder took a dump. I talked to him over the phone and explained what i wanted and he said he can fabricate one with no problems for $250 or a few bucks more. I towed my car over there because I was running with open headers. I got there and showed him a reference pic of what i wanted and he said that that was what he was planing on doing.

Heres the reference picture


And heres what i ended up with. They cut my catback.....WTF


Did I mention that he said that this is the best way I would have clearance and the best flow




and heres the clearance

iLagX

they also did a shitty motor rebuild for my friend black convertible.

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SRpetey

Apparently I wasted his time.

laurentj23

Damn.he cut your whole exhaust out. Now if you change your mind, you won't be able to sell it. I'll say take it back and it's not what you wanted. Did he even contact you first before he cut the thing?

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SRpetey

No he didn't. He just went ahead and assume it was a great idea and that it was ok to ruin an exhaust.

brndck

Lol why people KEEP going to shops with terrible reputations is beyond me.

You: "hey I need work done, and I know these guys have fucked over tons and tons and tons of my friends, maybe I should go there".

Me: SMDH

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Hatemy7

Damm. Are these guys vendors here???

OutlawLui

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Chops13

HAHAHA


Apparently I wasted his time also.