I decided to give them a try, even though latest reviews were not that encouraging…read more
I have a new gen G8X BMW with a fair amount of mods.
I introduced myself to Sergio and told him that I am going to do a lot
more work to my car, and I would like to establish a relationship.
He seemed to understand, but when I asked him to take a look of their working area with the lifts, at first he mumbled the lame insurance excuse, then he reluctantly let me have a peek. ( Great guy ).
That was a red flag, but I thought okay the guy is Mexican he is still not familiar with basic social norms.(No racist)
So he did a brake fluid change, installed new spark plugs and performance ignition coils, in couple of visits while I was waiting. He failed to give me back the oem ignition coils which were fully fuctional. Not very professional!
Strike 1
Few days ago I asked him if he can install some turbo heat protection blankets, and after he went on the brand's website he told me he can, but it would take him 4 hours even though the seller says 1.5 to 3 hours.
Strike 2
Nevertheless, I gave him the green light and I asked him to change my eventuri intake filters as well.
He asked me to bring the car the day before and leave it at the parking lot. I said I am not leaving it outside, can you be nice enough and bring it into the shop? He agreed in a manner that I felt I am ludicrous that I don't want to leave my car overnight on an industrial parking lot.
I brought the car on a Thursday evening left it and I was supposed to get it next day. On Friday he calls me around noon and says he can not install the blankets they are too thick and there is not space in the engine and he will damage things if he forces it.
Mind you, we are talking about an item that is custom made for the oem turbos from Funk Motosports.
I suggested to give them a call maybe they give him an installation tip, he said "I am not doing it"
Strike 3
I said I understand, just do the intake filters.
BTW I visited the shop 4 times never seen any of the latest BMWs there.
They are servicing older generation BMW
They have not a faint idea of how to work on the new platform and trust me they are going to learn on your new car if you are naive enough-like myself- to offer to train them.
So, I pay them, drive my car home, and as I inspect it in my garage I discover a noticeable scrape on the lower front left corner that was not there before bringing the car to the shop.
After I sent a picture to Sergio, he said he checked all cameras and he is going to accept no responsibility and did not offer to repair.
I am not sure if this guy even has an insurance to be honest.
He was acting like a douche on the phone, he suggested that the scrape was there and I am trying to pull a fast one, that I am not a good client cause I asked for a picture of the installed ignition coils, I was using the reception room to wait for the car most of the times, and that he is not making any money off of me.
Obviously the place is for dentists or housewives with older BMWs who don't know the basics and don't ask questions.
They bring older cars, Sergio "discovers repairs" worth his time ,they just pay whatever he tells them to, and smile on the way home happy with their ignorance.
It is a good racket, don't get me wrong that is why he didn' t even flinch about losing me as a client and earning a negative review.
I uploaded the pix with my damaged car to AI and these are the probabilities of what transpired:
40% Lyft/Ramp while driving it on/off
30% Shop equipment contacting the bumper
15% Technician scraping it with a tool
10% Contact while maneuvering from to parking inside- outside
5% from road debris while I was driving it to my garage.
Anyway, the guy plays the numbers game.
97% of car owners do not know or have a clue how dishonest shops rip them off. One look on his positive reviews proves that.
If you do, if you pamper your BMW, if you don't like to be called names because you have questions that upset Sergio cause he has to use the conspicuously limited brain cells he is blessed with, then under no circumstances go there.
You have been warned!