This is a review in regards to several transactions I have had with AUTOcouture Motoring.
http://autocouturemotoring.com/
A few Facts:
1. I no longer get any service done at AUTOcouture Motoring.
2. Most of the transactions had taken place prior to February 2011.
3. I was not going to provide a negative review but after seeing some shady practices going on at this forum by one of the employees of this firm, I have decided to post my review to let everyone know of how I was treated.
Around October 2010, I had this shop raise my KW coilover setup for the winter. The Adjustment was performed by one of the shop's students and not the Master Technician himself. After adjustment my rear suspension clicked every time I went over bumps, potholes and any type of discrepancy in the road.
I had explained my concerns to Tom, The Master Technician, that the clicking sound was not present prior to the adjustment. Tom responded by telling me that there is wear in the rear shocks which is causing the clicking. The only thing that didn't make sense to me was that one day prior to the adjustment there was no clicking, did my shocks miraculously wear in one day causing such clicking? I think not and assumed it to be an install error.
However, the clicking was a minor issue so I ignored it.
On December 10th, 2010, I had written Sal a check for a deposit on Fabspeed downpipes for my car. The shop was very busy during the month of January and my downpipes were finally installed on February 3rd 2011.
As soon as my downpipes were installed I had taken my car out for a drive with my friend Scott (Username Scott135i). I had mentioned to him immediately that my alignment was significantly off but that i had needed an alignment anyways because i had my car raised in October. (Note: the steering wheel was perfectly aligned prior to the downpipe installation). I ignored the alignment being off and chose that i'll get the car aligned another day.
I drove off happily home with my new found power and went out to lunch with scott. After lunch I proceeded him and as soon as I pulled into my driveway DSC, DBC error lights popped up. The first thing that clicked to my mind is that whenever a BMW's alignment is significantly off, these systems deactivate because the steering angle may think you are turning while you are not. I had experienced this on my previous 325xi when i had springs installed causing the alignment to be off, and therefore throwing DSC codes. I knew this would be fixed with an alignment.
Just to be sure I call Sal up and he tells me to come by the shop. They pull my car into the lift and take off the underpanel to inspect the steering rack. They point out some damage to my underbody which I 100% can guarantee was there prior to the down pipe install. I had told them it was there before but they claim it wasn't suggesting that I hit something major causing my alignment to be off AFTER the downpipe installation.
Bart, one of the partners or owners at AUTOcouture motoring treats me with hostility and asks me to leave the shop and go to the waiting room. It was an odd thing to do since everytime i had gone to the shop i was allowed to be in the workspace but this time was forced to go to the waiting room. I respected his decision though and went.
After about an hour of attempting to diagnose my errors, Tom proceeds to tell me that I have a CAN issue and Sal tells me that I need to go to a GT1 scanner to get this cleared. They even call Up Vishnu Tuning telling them that i have a CAN issue.
I left the shop pretty frustrated. I proceed to call up my friend Martin, who also ones a TII 135i to show him my downpipes. As im' pulling up to a ramp to 711 and turn my steering wheel I hear CLUNKING from under the downpipe area. This is not right...
The next week, I call up Rogue Engineering who recommends me to North East Motorsports in Mahwah, NJ.
I take my car to them and explain my problems. Mike, the master technician there tells me that:
1. there is a bolt missing on my exhaust which is causing clunking everytime the steering wheel is turned.
2. The O2 cables were improperly and roughly placed.
3. The codes i was having were ONLY caused by the alignment being off.
4. The clicking from my rear suspension is because the boot on the rear shock was literally touch my rear control arms.
Conclusion:
1. I don't have much faith in Tom's work nor AUTOcoutoure Motorings. Had Tom been as knowledgeable as a master technician should be he would've avoided teh O2 cables being improperly wrapped, known the codes were thrown from a bad alignment, made sure there were no bolts missing on my exhaust, and knew the clicking from my rear suspension was because of the boot on the shock and not "wear."
2. I don't trust the shop because from my experiences it is a shop where inexperienced weekend wrenchers( not talking about tom but their assistants) will work on your car. If i'm paying labor rates of 100$/hour I expect Master technician work not assistant level work.
3. I will never go to their shop ever again. I have all my work done at NE motorsports. They are more expensive than AUTOcoutoure motoring but driving a 40k car i should be able to afford quality labor.
4. I did have a few good experiences with the shop, one time saving my ass after a connector broke from my ECU power harness. Sal's a nice easy approachable guy too, I have nothing against him. My gripe is with AUTOcouture motoring itself.
5. As a result of their negligence, I have had to spend additional money on correcting their mistakes with my downpipes and suspension. Along with an alignment that I could've lived without had the codes never occurred.