1992Lexus.. Complete build thread with pictures and links!
07-27-12, 08:14 PM
#1082
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Totally sucks cuz we all worked our asses off so we can enjoy what we love to do. Hard earned money to add that there also blood sweat and emotions. Dishonest shops sucks. Just a pretender so they can rob you face to face.
07-28-12, 05:55 AM
#1083
GGPIS3 from Zen posted on this thread during the inital tuning days of Mark's car... more than 30 days ago. A forum member who is also an unhappy customer of Zen told me he is Dan, the owner of Zen Motorshop. Well, let's see what's his excuse this time. A lot of things just don't add up , as mentioned by the builders of this car , the car had been running for more than 500 miles befofe it was brought to that shop. It was driven from the meet to that shop. Then all of a sudden freaking car won't run good the next day... with all sorts of problems. They had to use a lot of manhours and a few parts to get it going... all these being charged to Mark. Then on the tuning process, they blame the freaking stock lines for only making 338hp on a mustang dyno .. at ~12% I believe that translates to 379hp for the Dynojet. All the knowledgeable people who works on SCs and Supras very well know that the stock lines will easily provide for 450-500hp. But the tuner needed a scape goat . They made Mark spend on labor/materials by telling him that a -6an line should be installed (we all know that it was not needed cause stock is already -5an) . At this point the car now has a -6an line for feed and original feed line as return. How much time does it take to install a -6an line .. couple of hours ? Then the tuner resigns as they say and gets a job somewhere. But how much time does a tuner need to tune a car.. couple of hours ..? The car had been there for over a month now. And the current bill being presented to Mark now is even more than the cost of the car before it had a swap ... damn .. damn.. damn...all those unnessary work I would say. I would love to hear it too from the owner of the shop , GGPIS3.
Dan , I am being vocal here not to malign you or your shop. I am just trying to help our buddy here Mark, please do him right. He worked hard and spent so much and now has his car stucked in your place for more than a month . I know he will not say a word against you guys cause he has his car in your shop. But you are not doing him right. On the second day he had his car there, i warned him not to leave his car in your shop due to the unhappy clients I know . He gave you the benefit of the doubt and still left it .. He trusted you guys. In return , do him right. But keeping the car for over 30 days for a tuning work I believe isn't right in the eyes of many much more if he is being charged so much for unnecessary work done.
I know some other clients of yours who had brought their cars or still have their cars in your place and are also unhappy at this point. I hate to drag them here just to prove my point. You guys are not doing some of your customers right.
Man, I am all fired up when I get accross these kind of shops or individuals who don't do others right... especially in my backyard ..
.. cause I was on the same boat in the past.. too trusting . 
Dan , I am being vocal here not to malign you or your shop. I am just trying to help our buddy here Mark, please do him right. He worked hard and spent so much and now has his car stucked in your place for more than a month . I know he will not say a word against you guys cause he has his car in your shop. But you are not doing him right. On the second day he had his car there, i warned him not to leave his car in your shop due to the unhappy clients I know . He gave you the benefit of the doubt and still left it .. He trusted you guys. In return , do him right. But keeping the car for over 30 days for a tuning work I believe isn't right in the eyes of many much more if he is being charged so much for unnecessary work done.
I know some other clients of yours who had brought their cars or still have their cars in your place and are also unhappy at this point. I hate to drag them here just to prove my point. You guys are not doing some of your customers right.
Man, I am all fired up when I get accross these kind of shops or individuals who don't do others right... especially in my backyard ..
.. cause I was on the same boat in the past.. too trusting .
Last edited by gerrb; 07-28-12 at 06:34 AM.
07-28-12, 06:56 AM
#1084
Exactly why I decided to work on my toys myself even if I knew nothing .. lol...I know there will always be a lot of people like you, willing to help 
Unfortunately, If I got it right , Mark had already given them a sizeable amount. That is the reason I believe he is still taking his chances and giving them the benefit of the doubt to this day but had given them a final day till Thursday next week. Well, Mark's bill so far in this shop though high is nothing compared to what I know now about Zen's other clients. And I don't mind blurting out all the info I know coming from their clients themselves. I hate to see someone done wrong again by this shop.
I know some forum members will prefer to keep quiet about their experiences with individuals or motorshops. But letting forum members know the truth is one way of helping others not to be duped by unscrupulous individuals or motorshops... that is just me
Unfortunately, If I got it right , Mark had already given them a sizeable amount. That is the reason I believe he is still taking his chances and giving them the benefit of the doubt to this day but had given them a final day till Thursday next week. Well, Mark's bill so far in this shop though high is nothing compared to what I know now about Zen's other clients. And I don't mind blurting out all the info I know coming from their clients themselves. I hate to see someone done wrong again by this shop.
I know some forum members will prefer to keep quiet about their experiences with individuals or motorshops. But letting forum members know the truth is one way of helping others not to be duped by unscrupulous individuals or motorshops... that is just me
Last edited by gerrb; 07-28-12 at 07:35 AM.
07-30-12, 02:07 AM
#1085
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gerrb where the **** is the like button on your responses?
quicksc4 as a matter of fact my friends mom is now stafting a law suit against one of the dealerships here in spokane... she called me about a month ago saying that her 99 dodge dakota kept going in and out of the dealership for a "leaky" power steering "system"
the pump was running dry and the rack and pinion were binding on her
they replaced the pump, the lines, 2 more pumps, the rack...
just under $2k in labor $500 in parts and what i can only calculate out to be 3 gallons of power steering fluid and still not fixing the issue (well for about a week or so it would work)
drove over poped the lid on the power steering resivor wiped it off and gave it a blow... yeah power steering fluid not taste so good... the resivior had a crack in the back side just above the rubber seal gasket and fluid was leaking out the back side wherew you couldnt see it right on to the pump and then on to the hose and rack...
we took it in the next day... they replaced the resivor for $35 and 2 hours of labor... hum amazingly when you ***** and complain about this being the 6th time of having your vehicle worked on for the same reason they try and shut you up quickly... the labor and parts were free and she got 3 free oil changes... which she will never use...
i would understand 2-3 times to get it fixed with different parts but not replacing the same parts 6 times over...
this is wbhy i work on my own stuff
quicksc4 as a matter of fact my friends mom is now stafting a law suit against one of the dealerships here in spokane... she called me about a month ago saying that her 99 dodge dakota kept going in and out of the dealership for a "leaky" power steering "system"
the pump was running dry and the rack and pinion were binding on her
they replaced the pump, the lines, 2 more pumps, the rack...
just under $2k in labor $500 in parts and what i can only calculate out to be 3 gallons of power steering fluid and still not fixing the issue (well for about a week or so it would work)
drove over poped the lid on the power steering resivor wiped it off and gave it a blow... yeah power steering fluid not taste so good... the resivior had a crack in the back side just above the rubber seal gasket and fluid was leaking out the back side wherew you couldnt see it right on to the pump and then on to the hose and rack...
we took it in the next day... they replaced the resivor for $35 and 2 hours of labor... hum amazingly when you ***** and complain about this being the 6th time of having your vehicle worked on for the same reason they try and shut you up quickly... the labor and parts were free and she got 3 free oil changes... which she will never use...
i would understand 2-3 times to get it fixed with different parts but not replacing the same parts 6 times over...
this is wbhy i work on my own stuff
08-01-12, 06:14 AM
#1091
jgilk1 - am not sure what you mean...lol
Some are not even part swappers ... they are just pretenders .. lol..(pretend that they have the expertise or equipments to do stuff)...lol...After having a talk with Mark , I guess this car will be pulled out of Zen Motors this weekend without being tuned properly . And even if the job wasn't really done, he had incurred quite an amount of expense based on the bill given to him. I wish shops can just be honest to their clients. If they can't do a thing , they be honest and not give their clients false expectations. In that way their clients can move on. This car had sat in that shop for almost 6 weeks . A job that could have been done in 2 or 3 days at most given the small additional job they say they had to do even if it wasn't necessary. (Zen - if you didn't know , the stock SC and supra lines can provide around 500rwhp worth of fuel... so a -6an line replacement for the -5an stock line wasn't necessary. Even a cave man knows that
)
Let it be a lesson to all of us , avoid these kind of shops . Spread it out , so no one can be fooled again by Zen Motors. We all know there are other forum members who have experienced or are still experiencing their worst nightmare like Duwerke whose car had been there for 13 months for a 2jzgte swap. I can name a few more names if I have to .
This is just a shame for Zen Motors.
Some are not even part swappers ... they are just pretenders .. lol..(pretend that they have the expertise or equipments to do stuff)...lol...After having a talk with Mark , I guess this car will be pulled out of Zen Motors this weekend without being tuned properly . And even if the job wasn't really done, he had incurred quite an amount of expense based on the bill given to him. I wish shops can just be honest to their clients. If they can't do a thing , they be honest and not give their clients false expectations. In that way their clients can move on. This car had sat in that shop for almost 6 weeks . A job that could have been done in 2 or 3 days at most given the small additional job they say they had to do even if it wasn't necessary. (Zen - if you didn't know , the stock SC and supra lines can provide around 500rwhp worth of fuel... so a -6an line replacement for the -5an stock line wasn't necessary. Even a cave man knows that
)Let it be a lesson to all of us , avoid these kind of shops . Spread it out , so no one can be fooled again by Zen Motors. We all know there are other forum members who have experienced or are still experiencing their worst nightmare like Duwerke whose car had been there for 13 months for a 2jzgte swap. I can name a few more names if I have to .
This is just a shame for Zen Motors.
Last edited by gerrb; 08-01-12 at 07:14 AM.
08-01-12, 07:09 AM
#1093
Well, remember on the first day , Mark's car had all sorts of problems they say ? At more than 10 hours of labor I believe and $99/hr plus parts .. that was just the first day .. go figure .. add up the other days when it was brought to another shop for tuning , you got dyno time, tuner time .....then they had to install -6an line for feed and convert the original feed to return ..so you guys surely have an idea now why its costing him some money even if the work is unfinished. Damn, I hope they are not charging him storage time per day for 6 weeks...lol...I am all fired up again .
My stroker supra was already tuned when I got it.. Now I need a tuner for my SC once done. That is why I was interested on the results of Mark's tuning. But with this and other info I got to know, no way they are touching my cars.
My stroker supra was already tuned when I got it.. Now I need a tuner for my SC once done. That is why I was interested on the results of Mark's tuning. But with this and other info I got to know, no way they are touching my cars.
Last edited by gerrb; 08-01-12 at 08:25 AM.
08-01-12, 08:00 AM
#1094
Driver
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I've been staying quiet on this thread for a while, really just hoping to see results if nothing else, as I'm going on a nearly identical path with my setup. I feel I've done my due diligence in spreading word to my Georgia friends and Mark's experience at Zen. It seems Zen is a lot more widely known than I think we all realized because I haven't talked to anyone that hasn't heard of the place.
Remember to keep in mind the general rule of thumb as you would with any type of purchase to do your homework before going anywhere at all to have any service done, regardless of cost. Have a written estimate and time cost. I think its easy for us to lose sight of simple things when it comes to going to shops because it always becomes a car guy to car guy conversation.
Getting more and more anxious by the day to see this thing get done! Duwerke - Go get your car, bring it to NC and you and I will split a case of beer and knock that thing out! JZ swaps are not difficult in our cars, period. 13 months is lawsuit material.
Edit - for anyone interested in coming to the Charlotte area for a tune, the shop we work with for tuning is absolutely fantastic. Steven at 42 Autosports came to our house and set a basemap on the big turbo STi we've been working on so we could get it to the shop and have it tuned. He didn't take a dime until it was finished, even AFTER the house call!. You can't beat service like that. They are Subaru specific, but will do anything that fits on the dyno.
Remember to keep in mind the general rule of thumb as you would with any type of purchase to do your homework before going anywhere at all to have any service done, regardless of cost. Have a written estimate and time cost. I think its easy for us to lose sight of simple things when it comes to going to shops because it always becomes a car guy to car guy conversation.
Getting more and more anxious by the day to see this thing get done! Duwerke - Go get your car, bring it to NC and you and I will split a case of beer and knock that thing out! JZ swaps are not difficult in our cars, period. 13 months is lawsuit material.
Edit - for anyone interested in coming to the Charlotte area for a tune, the shop we work with for tuning is absolutely fantastic. Steven at 42 Autosports came to our house and set a basemap on the big turbo STi we've been working on so we could get it to the shop and have it tuned. He didn't take a dime until it was finished, even AFTER the house call!. You can't beat service like that. They are Subaru specific, but will do anything that fits on the dyno.
Last edited by SFrymyah; 08-01-12 at 08:05 AM.
08-01-12, 06:51 PM
#1095
1JZ Single SC400
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Update.......
I received a call yesterday from Dan at Zen Motors on the way home, while attending my aunts funeral. He asked me whats was going on in this thread. I told Dan not to be worrying about what people were saying on here and take it with a grain of salt. Everyone has an opinion, some speak of it more than others. He is very concerned with the negative feedback on here, because it strictly pertains to his business, his peers, and his mechanics there. He stated he worked very hard to get where he is at today in terms of his business and its continious growth. I told him not to worry what is being said on here and that I have been waiting very patient with my car to be tuned and picked up. I expressed my concern to them about waiting and the deadline has been moved not once, but four times now. Dan said he is NOT a tuner and he takes all of his customers cars with pride and that he goes with what the tuner is advising him. Collin, the tuner guy, did indeed take another full time job, which left Zen Motors currently without a tuner. Dan understands my frustration about the inspiration of my build, pictures, this thread, and the account that I cant even drive my car right now. I expected this tune to be done quite effortlessly, but indeed encountered some wiring and sensor problems along the way. Zen did fix these issues while I was there standing right there in their bay, along with Collin and Torrie. They both worked their butts off in the 120 degree heat in the shop, while I was right there with them. The first day was there over 11-12 hours in the shop. Even after I left at 820 that night, they still stayed to continue to work on my car, even after hours, due to my time and travel restraints. At the end of our 20 minute converstaion, Dan asked me straight up what did I want to do with my car, so he knew what to do. I told Dan I want my car fully tuned by Moe (their second recommended tuner), and it be ready to be picked up in about ten days. This ten days is due to my work schedule and the fact I have to leave again on my military orders for training. Dan assured me that my car will be fully driveable home and it will be to my satisfaction for the HP goals that I am after.
I want everyone to understand something and be very clear. I dont have the capability to drive down there every three days or so to check on my car. I also had to borrow a full size truck and car hauler, which I dont have access to at the moment due to my work schedule. Many people say I have the patience of Job in the Bible, but this has put me to the test. I have faith in Zen Motors to hopefully fullfill their obligation to me, do me right on the dyno price, tuning price, other clients car's in their shop, and will take into consideration that I have been without a car for nearly a month and a half now, which has really put me in a bind. Dan did speak about concerns on other SC's in there. Dan sounded very distrot and eager to get this situation handled and handled rather quickly. In the end, I just want my car back and tuned 100% correctly and safely. I also asked Dan to keep me in the loop on the dyno time, charts, videos, and the final results. He agreed that he would do just that. Time will tell.
I received a call yesterday from Dan at Zen Motors on the way home, while attending my aunts funeral. He asked me whats was going on in this thread. I told Dan not to be worrying about what people were saying on here and take it with a grain of salt. Everyone has an opinion, some speak of it more than others. He is very concerned with the negative feedback on here, because it strictly pertains to his business, his peers, and his mechanics there. He stated he worked very hard to get where he is at today in terms of his business and its continious growth. I told him not to worry what is being said on here and that I have been waiting very patient with my car to be tuned and picked up. I expressed my concern to them about waiting and the deadline has been moved not once, but four times now. Dan said he is NOT a tuner and he takes all of his customers cars with pride and that he goes with what the tuner is advising him. Collin, the tuner guy, did indeed take another full time job, which left Zen Motors currently without a tuner. Dan understands my frustration about the inspiration of my build, pictures, this thread, and the account that I cant even drive my car right now. I expected this tune to be done quite effortlessly, but indeed encountered some wiring and sensor problems along the way. Zen did fix these issues while I was there standing right there in their bay, along with Collin and Torrie. They both worked their butts off in the 120 degree heat in the shop, while I was right there with them. The first day was there over 11-12 hours in the shop. Even after I left at 820 that night, they still stayed to continue to work on my car, even after hours, due to my time and travel restraints. At the end of our 20 minute converstaion, Dan asked me straight up what did I want to do with my car, so he knew what to do. I told Dan I want my car fully tuned by Moe (their second recommended tuner), and it be ready to be picked up in about ten days. This ten days is due to my work schedule and the fact I have to leave again on my military orders for training. Dan assured me that my car will be fully driveable home and it will be to my satisfaction for the HP goals that I am after.
I want everyone to understand something and be very clear. I dont have the capability to drive down there every three days or so to check on my car. I also had to borrow a full size truck and car hauler, which I dont have access to at the moment due to my work schedule. Many people say I have the patience of Job in the Bible, but this has put me to the test. I have faith in Zen Motors to hopefully fullfill their obligation to me, do me right on the dyno price, tuning price, other clients car's in their shop, and will take into consideration that I have been without a car for nearly a month and a half now, which has really put me in a bind. Dan did speak about concerns on other SC's in there. Dan sounded very distrot and eager to get this situation handled and handled rather quickly. In the end, I just want my car back and tuned 100% correctly and safely. I also asked Dan to keep me in the loop on the dyno time, charts, videos, and the final results. He agreed that he would do just that. Time will tell.
Last edited by 1JZPWRD; 08-01-12 at 06:55 PM.