GM Stage Kit Installed!!!
12-22-2008, 08:47 PM
#101
Senior Member
Join Date: 01-13-2008
Location: Washington State, where it rains
Posts: 4,708
This a question to the GM tech guys...Took mine in today for the install..they would never acknowledge the 1 hr install time..told them if theres any problems to call Tom @ Crateengines.....looked at me like I knew nothing.2 1/2 hrs later they say the time is all wrong that it'll take 3 hrs but would only charge me 2 but more likely will actually take 5 and tried to make it sound lke he was cuttng me a break.Told him there are plenty of shops out there that had NO problem with the install and told him again to call Tom.Well eventually he did and told me he had no comment on the discussion. All in all..at 5pm it was finally done(dropped off at 10 am and I was waiting for it till 3:30 when they gave me a loaner)When I went back at 6 the shop was closed but showroom open.They gave me the bill for $203.00!! In this bill was a charge for $15 for a splice kit! A kit to fix what they screwed up( was wired wrong,after install it wouldn't start)! Nite manager says maybe they didn't charge enough!So in the end I got charged 2 hours labor($168) $15 for kit and $20 for supplies(shouldn't that include kit?)Yeah they tried to follow the paperwork which we all know is wrong,they were told that and that there were bulletins out for it,but who am I,what do I know? They were not happy about the whole thing.Good thing he wasn't there when I went back.Anyways I really need your opinion here on what happened as I'll be going back to raise holy cane about the whole ordeal.At first he didn't believe me there was a kit at all.Then got pissy when it didn't go right.
Now..after all that,the kit works great! Definite difference! Didn't have time to really play with it since it was 20 deg and was in a rush to get home,but what I did notice was the instant boost..and how the boost immediatly drops off when the foot is lifted.It has more pep at part throttle,the car does'nt feel as "heavy" as before. On a side road doing about 30mph I floored it and she just flat out busted the tires loose(with TC on)! Oh I hope we don't get any ice this year! Tomarrow while I go and do some last minute shopping(good excuse huh!) I'll be,how shall we say,trying a few things out,yeah,yeah,thats the ticket! anyways,your opinions would be greatly appreciated as I think I'm dealing with a not so great service manager.Call it ammo. I'd rather go in with some knowledge from those that actually know the workings of the system....thanks.
Now..after all that,the kit works great! Definite difference! Didn't have time to really play with it since it was 20 deg and was in a rush to get home,but what I did notice was the instant boost..and how the boost immediatly drops off when the foot is lifted.It has more pep at part throttle,the car does'nt feel as "heavy" as before. On a side road doing about 30mph I floored it and she just flat out busted the tires loose(with TC on)! Oh I hope we don't get any ice this year! Tomarrow while I go and do some last minute shopping(good excuse huh!) I'll be,how shall we say,trying a few things out,yeah,yeah,thats the ticket! anyways,your opinions would be greatly appreciated as I think I'm dealing with a not so great service manager.Call it ammo. I'd rather go in with some knowledge from those that actually know the workings of the system....thanks.
12-22-2008, 09:00 PM
#103
Founding Member
Join Date: 11-23-2007
Location: Texas
Posts: 8,210
IgottaWoody,
What were you quoted before the work was done?
Did you sign the work order with a quoted price on it?
The shop supply charges are a standard charge on repairs, but most dealers don't charge them on accessory installs because normally everything is provided in the kit. Were you quoted shop supply charges before the work began? If not you should not be paying for them.
The splice kit was their screw-up and you should not be paying for that.
I know the parts screen states 1.0 hours, but I just don't know if too many dealers are going to be willing to charge only that. I think 2.0 will be close to the norm, but others can chime in on what they were charged.
What were you quoted before the work was done?
Did you sign the work order with a quoted price on it?
The shop supply charges are a standard charge on repairs, but most dealers don't charge them on accessory installs because normally everything is provided in the kit. Were you quoted shop supply charges before the work began? If not you should not be paying for them.
The splice kit was their screw-up and you should not be paying for that.
I know the parts screen states 1.0 hours, but I just don't know if too many dealers are going to be willing to charge only that. I think 2.0 will be close to the norm, but others can chime in on what they were charged.
Last edited by ChevyMgr; 12-22-2008 at 09:45 PM.
12-22-2008, 09:04 PM
#104
Senior Member
Join Date: 11-07-2007
Location: Southside of Houston Texas
Posts: 1,613
Mine will be a 1 hour charge Turbotech will be doing mine this Sat. morning, But he has experience now installing it, since he installed his last week...I'm PMing him now on his phone trying to get him to reply
12-22-2008, 09:26 PM
#105
Senior Member
Join Date: 01-13-2008
Location: Washington State, where it rains
Posts: 4,708
Hmm..a my bad is in order, I told him it should only be about an hour and he never acknowledged it.It was almost 3 hrs later that he said about the 2 hours charge though nothing was ever written down.Guess I'm more pissed about the add on and the time involved.And his atitude.When he said he was giving me a loaner all I could do was laugh.He said at least I was taking it good.I laughed because I got exactly what I expected.Hate to say it, but, I figured with what I read here that this lone shop ( not many shops avail here in this area unless I want to cross state lines and wait) would succeed to mess it up. I figured since the info was available at their fingertips they would use it.Its not a good practice to try to tell a shop how to do thier job, so I refrained from going too far and just fed them enough to try to get them going in the right direction.Its highly doubtful they will get another mod in that shop anyways as there really isn't a lot of SS's here. Its either classic hotrods or rice burners. Thanks again
12-22-2008, 10:40 PM
#106
Senior Member
Join Date: 06-29-2008
Location: Suburban Chicago
Posts: 527
"Well my stage kit was installed today and it is absolutely.......Oh wait I have not got the car back yet.
As I stated before I was having some warranty work done at the same time and I got a call at 7:30 tonight from the service department with "bad news". Apparently the small coolant leak and coolant smell in the cabin was not so small. I have a blown "turbo cooling system by-pass" Not exactly sure what this is, but I was told the vehicle is unsafe to drive and that the dealer could not release the car to me in good faith until it is fixed. Here is the kicker, The part is not available, so they have to have one shipped from the assembly line and it will be here Monday at the soonest. Probably fixed on Tuesday. I am in a rental 09 hhr LT until then. I got all excited about having an opportunity to test the stage kit before the huge storm we are getting right now and my hopes were ripped from me by a faulty part. My review of this stage kit will have to wait I guess."
No update on the part number for my car's repair, however I was told by the dealer that I would not be getting my car back before next year. It was told that the part could not be shipped from the assembly line because they are all on vacation for the holidays or they had stopped shipping parts because of the holiday. Weather this is true or not remains to be seen. But in any event my car will not be back to me until after the first and i get to keep the rental HHR LT until they are done. I will keep pestering the service writer for the part number and hopefully I can post it soon.
SPPD
RE: Turbo coolant bypass blown. Performance upgade complete. Car held hostage until the part comes in.
As I stated before I was having some warranty work done at the same time and I got a call at 7:30 tonight from the service department with "bad news". Apparently the small coolant leak and coolant smell in the cabin was not so small. I have a blown "turbo cooling system by-pass" Not exactly sure what this is, but I was told the vehicle is unsafe to drive and that the dealer could not release the car to me in good faith until it is fixed. Here is the kicker, The part is not available, so they have to have one shipped from the assembly line and it will be here Monday at the soonest. Probably fixed on Tuesday. I am in a rental 09 hhr LT until then. I got all excited about having an opportunity to test the stage kit before the huge storm we are getting right now and my hopes were ripped from me by a faulty part. My review of this stage kit will have to wait I guess."
No update on the part number for my car's repair, however I was told by the dealer that I would not be getting my car back before next year. It was told that the part could not be shipped from the assembly line because they are all on vacation for the holidays or they had stopped shipping parts because of the holiday. Weather this is true or not remains to be seen. But in any event my car will not be back to me until after the first and i get to keep the rental HHR LT until they are done. I will keep pestering the service writer for the part number and hopefully I can post it soon.
SPPD
RE: Turbo coolant bypass blown. Performance upgade complete. Car held hostage until the part comes in.
12-23-2008, 12:07 AM
#109
Member
Join Date: 08-31-2008
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 51
Just to chime in here about my experience. I too brought my car in at 9:30 am to get the kit installed. 5 hours later it still wasn't ready. Turned out they had to give me a loaner and my car wasn't ready until 3pm the next day! Completely unaccpetable. I do admit that the service manager was keeping me posted and very apologetic. They did let me inspect the car when I came in to pick it up and showed me what had to be done. I too got charged for the splice kit which I think is required to install this kit. I was charged $125 for the install.
Like woody after everything was said and done I couldn't be happier with the install. The difference is noticable immediately and the second gear performance is just outstanding. Yes, flooring at 30mph will break the wheels loose!
Like woody after everything was said and done I couldn't be happier with the install. The difference is noticable immediately and the second gear performance is just outstanding. Yes, flooring at 30mph will break the wheels loose!
12-23-2008, 05:58 AM
#110
Senior Member
Join Date: 11-07-2007
Location: Southside of Houston Texas
Posts: 1,613
Well I'm hoping and praying Turbotech has his act together and since he did his first, he should have this down pact now. Stay tuned for the record folks I will be timing him on Sat. morning with my install and calibrations....Turbotech is the one who figured out the paperwork was wrong and that it needed to be trimmed so now he should be able to knock mine out fast. Aaron I'm swinging by Secret Services on Fri. morning getting a bid on the I/C and piping...