Good News! I have a bad turbo!
Discussion
I know that sounds strange but I am glad that is why I have oil smoke under hard acceleration. My mechanic is installing my new WC Engineering turbo now. Apparantly he could tell the seals were bad after he removed it. That along with clean spark plugs indicates there was not a valve or ring problem. Whew! A leak down test and pressure test on each cylinder is next just to be sure. (hopefully I didnt just jinx myself).
Now a question. I can get a core refund of $500 on the turbo. I could get the turbo rebuilt for a reasonable price too right ($200-$500)? I am kinda inclined to just store it. Not sure why...kinda just want to have any original parts I replace. So what do you guys think? Is it worth holding on to? Is $500 a good deal for a turbo with bad seals? Should I fix it and sell it?
Also just installed, cross drilled rotors front and back from ramspott-brandt. Cant wait to test it out!
John
94 S4
www.skynetworks.gotdns.com
Now a question. I can get a core refund of $500 on the turbo. I could get the turbo rebuilt for a reasonable price too right ($200-$500)? I am kinda inclined to just store it. Not sure why...kinda just want to have any original parts I replace. So what do you guys think? Is it worth holding on to? Is $500 a good deal for a turbo with bad seals? Should I fix it and sell it?
Also just installed, cross drilled rotors front and back from ramspott-brandt. Cant wait to test it out!
John
94 S4
www.skynetworks.gotdns.com
I'm sure your turbo is bad -- that's a weird thing to reassure someone :-) -- but from my conversations with John I've decided to invest in head work before a turbo. I belive what he said was that he's never seen a 910 with over 25K that didn't need "significant" valve work. My low-ish compression numbers and slight blow-by help confim this.
Lucas.
Lucas.
It will cost you at the minimum, $600 to do a basic rebuild of that turbo, between parts and shipping, as long as it is just a basic rebuild. That number can go upwards of $1600 (WC Engineering turbo).
IMO, $500 for your core is a hell of a deal. In comparison, I bought a usable core to send out to rebuild (one day) for $200.
IMO, $500 for your core is a hell of a deal. In comparison, I bought a usable core to send out to rebuild (one day) for $200.
John
I don't know how I would be "sticking" you. I actaully paid you $500 for "my" turbo. I have a credit card statement to prove it. I understand that you would like it to put into line for a buildup, and more than likely you will get it to do just that.
However it is still my property and I will do with it as I wish. Isn't that the whole idea of core charges? To gaurd against not getting the core so that the financial differece will be negated?
I wouldn't have normally brought up the following issue but since you brought up the word "patient".
The turbo purchase wasn't the smoothest transaction I have had (to be fair it wasnt the worst either). Talk about patient? How many times did I try to contact you by phone to give you my credit card details so I could give you my money? You even seems a little aggrevated that I called so many times when we finally spoke. I understand your previous reasons that you don't like to answer the phone when you are working. But if you can't get money for your product from the customer, whats the use of doing the work? Quite frankly I was one day away from going to another supplier. From the point of giving the go ahead to start the build, to the point in which it shipped was about 3 months if I remember corerectly. I spent about 10 days calling and leaving messages, to give you my cc details once I got the email that it was ready.
You have a great reputation for the work you do, but I was willing to give someone else a chance to receive better customer support. By better I mean someone that would make it a point to be available to a customer who was spending $1600 (or $2100 if you consider the total up front cost).
I believe I was very patient and don't feel that keeping my property that I have paid for is "sticking" it to anyone. In any event, if I decide to sell you my turbo for $500, (which I am inclined to do just for the sake of the other Esprit owners waiting) it will be shipped to you. I just hope that there is more effort in getting my $500 returned to me than there was in completing the original transaction. In closing I think it would have been a better idea to contact me directly as opposed to posting here.
John
94 S4
www.skynetworks.gotdns.com
I don't know how I would be "sticking" you. I actaully paid you $500 for "my" turbo. I have a credit card statement to prove it. I understand that you would like it to put into line for a buildup, and more than likely you will get it to do just that.
However it is still my property and I will do with it as I wish. Isn't that the whole idea of core charges? To gaurd against not getting the core so that the financial differece will be negated?
I wouldn't have normally brought up the following issue but since you brought up the word "patient".
The turbo purchase wasn't the smoothest transaction I have had (to be fair it wasnt the worst either). Talk about patient? How many times did I try to contact you by phone to give you my credit card details so I could give you my money? You even seems a little aggrevated that I called so many times when we finally spoke. I understand your previous reasons that you don't like to answer the phone when you are working. But if you can't get money for your product from the customer, whats the use of doing the work? Quite frankly I was one day away from going to another supplier. From the point of giving the go ahead to start the build, to the point in which it shipped was about 3 months if I remember corerectly. I spent about 10 days calling and leaving messages, to give you my cc details once I got the email that it was ready.
You have a great reputation for the work you do, but I was willing to give someone else a chance to receive better customer support. By better I mean someone that would make it a point to be available to a customer who was spending $1600 (or $2100 if you consider the total up front cost).
I believe I was very patient and don't feel that keeping my property that I have paid for is "sticking" it to anyone. In any event, if I decide to sell you my turbo for $500, (which I am inclined to do just for the sake of the other Esprit owners waiting) it will be shipped to you. I just hope that there is more effort in getting my $500 returned to me than there was in completing the original transaction. In closing I think it would have been a better idea to contact me directly as opposed to posting here.
John
94 S4
www.skynetworks.gotdns.com
You are correct.. it is your property.. and you have the right to do with it what you please. I apologize for questioning you.
However, your phone records and calander compaired to mine obviously have a significant varience.
Calling 17 times in less than one hour while I'm in the middle of an engine build (you didn't know that at the time, no fault of yours) would be considered an agrevation by almost anyone.
In addition, I my records indicate that it was 7 weeks from the time you requested a turbo until it was shipped (a bit longer than usual, but certanly not the 3 months you stated, the unit shipped on 5/24/05) and it's been in the possesion of your shop since then.
Again, I will apologize for questioning you, you have the right to do with it what you will. The Lotus family is a small community, it is not my intention to make waves, but you brought this up in a public forum, not I.
If you do choose to keep your core, it is your choice, I would have prefered that you brought this up with us first, it would make planning for other customers go more smoothly. Not getting cores back, or delays getting cores back is what makes everyones transaction get delayed.
Regards
John
However, your phone records and calander compaired to mine obviously have a significant varience.
Calling 17 times in less than one hour while I'm in the middle of an engine build (you didn't know that at the time, no fault of yours) would be considered an agrevation by almost anyone.
In addition, I my records indicate that it was 7 weeks from the time you requested a turbo until it was shipped (a bit longer than usual, but certanly not the 3 months you stated, the unit shipped on 5/24/05) and it's been in the possesion of your shop since then.
Again, I will apologize for questioning you, you have the right to do with it what you will. The Lotus family is a small community, it is not my intention to make waves, but you brought this up in a public forum, not I.
If you do choose to keep your core, it is your choice, I would have prefered that you brought this up with us first, it would make planning for other customers go more smoothly. Not getting cores back, or delays getting cores back is what makes everyones transaction get delayed.
Regards
John
John
Our accounts do vary a bit. I recall the initial contact for a request to build, to notice of shipment being a bit longer. But being that I don't have a record of that, I will concede to your timeline. I apologize. I should have stated "From the point of giving the go ahead to start the build, to the point in which it shipped was about 7 weeks if I remember correctly." But, if you want to get into specifics, that is fine. Being that I am 8 times zones away, I advised it was difficult for me to be able to call you during your business hours. Having the ability to make international calls is not exactly commonplace where I was at the time, but that was not your fault so I made the effort to try to call when YOU said it was a better chance of getting you. This was also after you advised that you were going to be gone several days so if we didn't get this transaction completed then it would be several more days before you would be available. So when the opportunity arose, yes I called many times. Being that you won't take a break from a job to answer the phone for customers, I was hoping I would get you before you started or after you finished so as not to disturb you. Had I known you were there and just ignoring me, I would have not called back. So as you can see there is a little more to it than "calling 17 times in less than an hour". Heck, I wish I had someone so motivated to give me money for a product I market! I sure would be a little more accessible. It is interesting to remember the total amount of times we actually spoke on the phone....Once....and that was to give you payment info. All other discussion was via email. I can hardly see how that was aggravating or difficult for you to be bothered once on the phone to make a sale of your product.
If your business model is working for you (which it seems to be) then that’s great, keep it up. My experience has been much different when dealing with other Lotus suppliers however. It is obvious you have a quality product, but that is only half the purchase experience. I will still recommend your product (if it performs the way your reputation indicates) but I will definitely have to advise on the rest of my buying experience. The initial post was a request for views and opinions on what others have done or would recommend. I never stated that I wasn’t going to sell it to you. Regardless of this thread or responses, that was the most likely outcome. That has changed. As far as other Esprit owners needing this core, you can have them contact me on my email and if I decide to sell, I will deal with them directly. Heck, they may even get it cheaper.
Anyway, I didn’t want this thread to turn out this way, but I don’t know what anyone would expect when you accuse me of “sticking” or “rooking” you by not selling you my core (your apology noted non the less). My initial post had nothing derogatory about my buying experience and I even thought placing your business name in it would be of service. I apologize to all of this board for wasting your time with a “personal” issue. I considered just continuing this discussion via email. But then the rest of the story wouldn’t be available to consider.
John
94 S4
www.skynetworks.gotdns.com
Our accounts do vary a bit. I recall the initial contact for a request to build, to notice of shipment being a bit longer. But being that I don't have a record of that, I will concede to your timeline. I apologize. I should have stated "From the point of giving the go ahead to start the build, to the point in which it shipped was about 7 weeks if I remember correctly." But, if you want to get into specifics, that is fine. Being that I am 8 times zones away, I advised it was difficult for me to be able to call you during your business hours. Having the ability to make international calls is not exactly commonplace where I was at the time, but that was not your fault so I made the effort to try to call when YOU said it was a better chance of getting you. This was also after you advised that you were going to be gone several days so if we didn't get this transaction completed then it would be several more days before you would be available. So when the opportunity arose, yes I called many times. Being that you won't take a break from a job to answer the phone for customers, I was hoping I would get you before you started or after you finished so as not to disturb you. Had I known you were there and just ignoring me, I would have not called back. So as you can see there is a little more to it than "calling 17 times in less than an hour". Heck, I wish I had someone so motivated to give me money for a product I market! I sure would be a little more accessible. It is interesting to remember the total amount of times we actually spoke on the phone....Once....and that was to give you payment info. All other discussion was via email. I can hardly see how that was aggravating or difficult for you to be bothered once on the phone to make a sale of your product.
If your business model is working for you (which it seems to be) then that’s great, keep it up. My experience has been much different when dealing with other Lotus suppliers however. It is obvious you have a quality product, but that is only half the purchase experience. I will still recommend your product (if it performs the way your reputation indicates) but I will definitely have to advise on the rest of my buying experience. The initial post was a request for views and opinions on what others have done or would recommend. I never stated that I wasn’t going to sell it to you. Regardless of this thread or responses, that was the most likely outcome. That has changed. As far as other Esprit owners needing this core, you can have them contact me on my email and if I decide to sell, I will deal with them directly. Heck, they may even get it cheaper.
Anyway, I didn’t want this thread to turn out this way, but I don’t know what anyone would expect when you accuse me of “sticking” or “rooking” you by not selling you my core (your apology noted non the less). My initial post had nothing derogatory about my buying experience and I even thought placing your business name in it would be of service. I apologize to all of this board for wasting your time with a “personal” issue. I considered just continuing this discussion via email. But then the rest of the story wouldn’t be available to consider.
John
94 S4
www.skynetworks.gotdns.com
Gassing Station | Esprit | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff