Complaint Review: SVS Auto and Dyno - Cairns qld Alabama

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SVS Auto Repairs and Dyno Tuning

19 Muir St,

Bungalow Cairns Qld 4870

 

24/09/2017

 I had taken my car in to SVS by Tow Truck to get running properly & “repair the motor" due to negligence and sabotage of another motor mechanic company a few days earlier.

I spoke to the manager of SVS about a complete rebuild of my engine after he gave me the diagnostic outcome of my motor saying that it was recommended that it be rebuilt if I wanted it to have a clean bill of health and a warranty.

I gave him the understanding that I don't have a lot of money as I am on the pension, and the previous mechanics bled me dry of my personal savings, and acted with misconduct in the procedures of repairs to my motor and car 3 days prior to taking it to SVS.

The manager of SVS gave me a verbal quote of $6,000 in total for a complete rebuild, plus the diagnosis and troubleshooting cost of engine running rough.

So I gave the go ahead for the repairs to Leigh Holman the manager of SVS who gave me the verbal quote for a rebuild of my engine with a warranty, for the sum of $6,000. plus diagnosis to get engine to run properly! I paid him $1,200 straight away.

Then returned the next day with a further $2,000 all as a down payment towards the verbal quote for the rebuild etc.

I then also notified the manager of SVS at the time I was suspicious that there was foul play, and breach of duty of care with the software and engine in my car due to negligence and sabotage off the previous mechanics.

 

The manager of SVS responded that he could not see why or understand how the previous mechanics would do such a thing.

So I advised Leigh Holman the manager of SVS to check the software after the rebuild of my engine. He stated that he would check the software was not locked then check the software on the dyno when they tune it, which he agreed on.

He stated that if it was locked he could get a guy in to unlock it for $200,

Then SVS would either tune it up with the existing software or retune it under their own tuning software. But never the less check over the software after the rebuild of my engine which SVS agreed on!!!

Then five weeks later I went in to SVS to pick up my repaired car.

The manager of SVS said "We checked the software and it was not locked and we did not retune it’’ The manager said ‘’I think it is fine’’? - Before handing me a Dyno graph of 540hp.

Which It was missing 80 HP.

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When I looked at the graph I noticed the dyno was very irregular in its climb up to the diagrammed 540hp which drew to my attention that there was something wrong with the existing software tune from the previous mechanics.

I said to the manager of SVS I want the software checked because of my suspicions and it was as if my words fell on deaf ears!

The manager stated that they believe the tune in it is fine, without cross checking it?

Then proceeded to tell me that they had put special oil in my engine to run in my new engine parts and then advised me that I had to drive 1,000 kms to run in the rebuilt motor, and then bring it back on completion for a service/oil change, which was fine. And then handed me a bill for $12,000.

I was horrified and started to complain to the manager about the increase to the bill by double the amount of the - “verbal quoted bill” which I can understand 15 or 25% increase but not 100%.                                                     

So the manager dismissed $2,000 but refused to hand over my car without me finalising the bill that day, and until I pay the bill in full SVS will not relinquish my car to me.

So I came back a few days later and paid the remaining bill of $10,000 and picked up my car.

While I was there at the mechanics my car kept stalling so they went in to the software and fixed the stalling problem I then drove home, on the way I put fuel in my car and noticed my car would keep running after I turned it off at the servo station.

So I went straight back to SVS and they fixed it immediately.

It was just a wire in the wrong slot in my fuse box.

Then on the way back home I noticed something was still not right,

In comparison to the last time I drove it before the motor’s tie bar lifter failed.

I suspected then that my software had been involved with foul play by previous mechanics.           It certainly was not just a glitch?

Then a few days later I went for a long drive on the highway to clock up some km's to do my 1,000 km engine run in cycle, and realised that there was something wrong with the software tune in my car between the engine talking to my high stall converter and auto transmission. As well as noticing that the car was blowing blue smoke on start ups, and when I accelerated on the highway to overtake, it blows a big puff of smoke. 

I returned to SVS and spoke to Leigh Holman about my gearbox problem etc, and he said maybe my gearbox was on its way out, He mentioned to me that he had a spare auto transmission lying around for a rainy day. If anything went wrong with my current auto transmission and we could work a deal.

After doing about 200 kms out of the 1000 kms I notifying them that I am dead certain that there is a problem with the tuned software, due to negligence from previous mechanics.

I also made them aware that my car was blowing blue smoke on start up etc. he stated that it was blowing smoke because the motor might not have bedded itself yet, it could take up to 5000kms 

I knew my auto transmission wasn’t on its way out because of the diagnosis tests I had done with my cars driving conditions on the highway and also being mechanically minded and knowledgeable of engine rebuilding.

Any car enthusiast knows their own car

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The manager of SVS told me to still come back after doing my 1,000 km’s run in cycle! So I left and continued on doing the last 800 km of my 1,000 km engine run in cycle doing about 200 km ever second day or so.

Then I took my car back to SVS to do the oil change on completion of the 1,000 km run in cycle.

While I was there I still reminded them at the time, of the underlying problem.

They changed my oil and left it at that, Ignoring my suspicions or requests. They still did not check the cars ‘ecu’ etc software/tune in my car.

 

SVS assumed that my auto transmission could be on its way out?

A few days later the problem still exist, so I take it back to SVS for the 4^th time and complain about the problems I am having with my cars performance/gearbox issues.

 

The mechanic from SVS that does the dyno tuning took my car for a drive to diagnose the problem! I went for the drive with him.

When we got back to SVS the mechanic advised the manager of SVS that there was a problem with the software and that he suspects that the engine is not talking to my auto transmission properly via the apparent tuned software? And thought it may need a looking at the software for a tune. The manager said ok and they left it at that!  Still not checking my software or taking an appointment to do so?

 

A few days later while I'm driving back to SVS for the 5^th time because I am still not a happy customer about them not doing anything about the tuning/gearbox/problem of my car. My auto transmission blew up!!! I limped the car for the remaining 5kms to SVS, when I arrived to SVS I told Leigh Holman the manager what had just happened to my auto transmission. Then Leigh Holman said he would sell me his spare auto transmission that he had for $1,600 then buy it back for $1200 if I wanted to fix my auto transmission in the meantime etc and had to leave my car there to be repaired over the Christmas break.

 

I then went back to SVS a couple weeks later after they had installed the new second hand transmission and the manager of SVS told me that they had put my car on the dyno for a tune up and was able to tune it up regaining the lost 80HP and they noticed while checking over the software that the safety ‘switch’ to my transmission in my software was turned OFF!

That was why my transmission blew up! (My friend John Sifis was a witness to that statement) he was, ‘at that time’ a passenger in my car.

When John Sifis and I got in my car to leave SVS and go home, we both noticed that the tooth picks that were in the bottom of my coin compartment were now in my centre console;

So I looked in my coin compartment and realised it was three quarters empty about $60 out of $80 was missing. I drew this to the attention of the manager, whereupon he immediately reimbursed me $80 and stated that no SVS employee would steal the money but they had parked my car out the front for some time unlocked and a passerby could have stolen it. (In my opinion that is dereliction- - of duty.)   I returned $20 as there was $20 in coins left in the coin compartment out of the $80 that was in the car and we left

 

Then after a short period of time my car was starting to blow lots of smoke and consuming 4 ltrs of oil every 1000 kms. SVS topped up my oil and said to do another 1000 kms so they can assess the oil consumption problem. This went on for a further occurring 3000kms at 1000 kms intervals.

3000 kms later as I have now completed 5000kms since the rebuild of the motor the manager of SVS said he would look into getting their insurance to cover the cost of the rebuild.

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It had now come to the time to service my car, and as previously discussed, the rebuild of my motor with Leigh Holman the manager of SVS.

When I arrived at SVS the manager informed me that he had heard rumours that I told people in the town that their company had stolen money out of the coin compartment in my car.( he said ‘’quote’’- (I am f---ing pissed off with you as I heard rumours from a reliable source that you said we stole money out of your car) ‘’unquote’’.

Then proceeded to tell me that he did not want me as a customer anymore and he would not service my car and/or honour the agreement of rebuilding my engine after the oil consumption tests proved it was using a lot of oil.

Due to poor workmanship and/or parts.

                         

I personally feel as if there has also been a failure of ‘duty of care’ in the process of rebuilding of my engine with SVS.

 

1. I would like SVS to reimburse me for the cost of my auto transmission At the cost of $3000 for purchasing of the transmission and installation of same.

 

1. Reimburse me $10.000 for the cost of the rebuild of my engine as a

           warranty agreement.  (That you, Leigh Holman, from SVS, have reneged on)

           and now I have to send my car to Adelaide to be rebuilt properly.

 

If we cannot come to an agreement on these terms I will have no other choice but to go ahead with the legal proceedings for small claims up to the sum of $25,000

 

Through Office of Fair Trading, & the Queensland Civil Administration Tribunal and/or court. 

 

Via a Solicitor/barrister  

 

I Raymond F hereby give you 10 days as of the date you receive this letter by registered post, to respond and resolve this matter and underlying problem ASAP.

 

Thank you,