This might be lengthy, but these guys deserve every word and a few minutes of my time…read more
2007 honda civic si 2 door coupe with 80K on the odometer.
I was saving it for my son when he turned 16. Now he's 16, but the problem is that he's the kind of kid that I don't have full confidence in when it comes to using a clutch and stick.
Anyway, I (after looking around for about a year at new civics) decided, "Screw this. I'm not taking on a new car payment for the stuff they're offering. My '07 is awesome, it just needs a little tweak here and there. I'd rather restore what I've got for between $5-10k all in."
The first thing was the clutch, because a mechanic at Shell f'd it up a few years back.
So I buy the exedy racing clutch on Amazon and start hunting for someone to install it.
Just for giggles, I went to Honda in Kearney Mesa (San Diego) to get a quote.
Labor alone? $2,652 with a timeline of 24-36 hours.
Yeah. Right. I'm sure.
Literally TWO blocks away, I stumbled upon Car Tune after some online prowling.
Anyway, I found them, and I KNEW I struck gold the second I pulled up. I hadn't even MET anyone yet. All I had to see were the cars they were working on.
Fully 80% of the cars in the bay and parking area were what would be considered "street racers," and I know from living in San Diego how SERIOUS these guys are about their cars. They DON'T mess around. They're sort of like the car version of Harley Davidson fanatics when it comes to motorcycles.
That alone put a smile on my face.
Second thing I noticed? It may seem like a trivial issue to most people, but because I'm in the restaurant business for over 30 years, I notice stuff like this. But here it is.
Every guy working there was nearly SPOTLESS.
I don't mean they were decked out in matching uniforms or anything. They were just wearing regular clothes, but everything they were wearing had a MINIMAL amount (if anything at all) of dirt, grease, grime, oil and everything else that comes with the automotive trade. In other words, PROFESSIONAL.
The garage itself was basically the same way.
Think about it. If you went into the hospital to have your BODY "tuned up" and the doctor walked into the room with blood stains all over his outfit how much confidence would you have about his professionalism?
Anyway, those 2 factors made a really good first impression on me.
After telling them my problem and letting them know I've got the part, they quote me $1,600 LESS than honda, and at least $200 less than other places I had called. Plus, they gave me a 10 hour timeline as opposed to 1-2 days.
They came in well under the deadline, and my 8th gen is running like it's brand f'n new. There's more to that clutch story,but you understand the broad strokes so onto the next fix.
The air conditioner.
Sooo, of course I pull up to my new friends one morning after dropping my son off at his job a few blocks away. Once again, I explain what's going on to one of the guys who's outside and he tells me he isn't "..quite sure what the exact # is, but I think we charge around $250.."
That's fine with me, because I've had others quote me figures closer to $400, like Jiffey Lube who charges me $90 for an oil change. Keep those 2 #s in mind because they're relevant.
So, I go home and call the next day to make an appointment.
When I show up, I find out that the other guy was waaaay off on his #s because it wasn't $250....it was $135.
And, once again, I was told it would take about an hour and a half.
About 30 minutes in, one of the guys mentions that my oil is low.
I was getting ready for an oil change in a few weeks anyway so I said "Go ahead, whatever you think is best." They said it'd be $35 extra.
So, air conditioner fixed and blowing air colder than a witch's tit, and an oil change cost me $170 plus tax, and it was done perfectly.
Jiffy Lube would have whacked me for 5 bills and taken all day long to do it.
Car Tune did it in 50 minutes which is 40 minutes less than the time they quoted me.
One other thing and then I'm out.
It's not just that THEY'RE good, it's that birds of a feather flock together. In other words, they don't fix headliners, but when I asked them about it they instantaneously knew exactly who I should call, which again is the mark of a pro in any line of work.
I need some body work done. 20 years of little dents dings etc.
They'll know someone.
I eventually want to paint it.
They'll know someone.
It's people like this that make a difference.
There's a line from the movie Rounders that comes to mind.
"You can shear a sheep many times, but skin him only once."
The team at Car Tune CLEARLY understands that principle.
