Forged Performance vs. Mainstream... An 8 month Turbo Tale of TERROR!! MUST READ!!
This is not meant to be offensive, or reduce/increase the business of either party, however there is a story to be told. I will stick solely to the facts and let you all come up with your own opinion.
I am the owner of a Turbo'd 2007 Civic Si named "Hurt Feelings Civic" (google for reference). I took my car to Forged in 2008 to be tuned, and they did great. Therefore, late last October when I decided to do another huge upgrade, I decided to give them my business, and after them having my car for 6 months, I realized that was a poor decision.
On Feb 16th, I dropped off my car to Forged, with a $2k deposit. The work to be done was to be a GT turbo kit upgrade (not going to specify turbo size), installation of injectors, custom 3" down-pipe, full-race 3" exhaust installation, and tuning. This work was completed on March 6th, with tuning "hopefully to be done" the following week.
March 22nd, another $2,000 deposit is made, due to a bill increase, which covered the new decision to run a full 3" exhaust and DP, and larger turbo. The bill went from $3,500 to $9,700. This bill (see below) included the following purchased parts thru Forged and the parts provided by myself:
Forged:
-New Turbo
-Full-Race Exhaust
-Custom DP
-New wastegate
-Tuning
-HKS SSqv4
Provided by myself:
-New Manifold (same style, the other was cracked)
-ID1000cc Injectors
-Flashpro, Hondata
Attachment 248507
Now here comes the waiting game... Watch out for the pattern...
April 22nd-Nick we are trying to figure out why your car was overheating while trying to tune it. Another $2k is paid...
May- Nick, we work on $100,000+ race cars, but your $18,000 Honda is completely confusing us. Nick we are trying to figure out why your car was overheating while trying to tune it. We are going to bring in tech's on the weekends to work on your car and other projects, since we are behind. We just lost two mechanics. Another $2k is paid...
June- Nick, we work on $100,000+ race cars, but your $18,000 Honda is completely confusing us. Nick we are trying to figure out why your car was overheating while trying to tune it. We are going to bring in tech's onthe weekend to work on your car and other projects, since we are behind. The remaining balance is paid in full for work not completed. Business terms, I did my part.
July- Nick, we work on $100,000+ race cars, but your $18,000 Honda is completely confusing us. We cannot figure out why it is over heating after about 10min of running.
August- Nick, we work on $100,000+ race cars, but your $18,000 Honda is completely confusing us. We cannot figure out why it is over heating after about 10min of running. You can come pick it up and take it to someone else because now we can't finish it until the end of the year (not fiscal).
August 20th (6 months after arriving at Forged)-my car is towed to Mainstream Performance.
At this point the rest is very quick... Read closely or you may get lost...
August 21st, Mainstream goes to pick up a new battery for me since my Optima Yellow Top was killed at Forged somehow.
August 22nd, my car is no longer overheating. Forged failed to bleed the coolant system properly (or even at all).
August 30th, the car needs "major work" according to Mainstream. The wastegate Forged ordered is failing, causing boost spikes of 22psi. New wastegate ordered.
September 13th, new wastegate and recirc'd dump tube installed, awaiting... still no overheating...
September 19th, car is tuned, done, and ready for pick-up.
Mainstream not only completed the job, but they did it in 17% of the time that it took Forged, and the final charges from them were 15% of what I was charged from Forged.
You do the math... but you have my story to help make EDUCATED decisions about work that is to be done on your cars... Go Mainstream!
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