TheSamba.com :: View topic - Autosport International Vancouver

Mon Aug 29, 2011 9:32 am

Sent some parts to Autosport International and had them assemble an engine for me.
I was in good contact with them, which was encouraging since the last guy who had my parts kept them for a month, never called me and didn't lay a finger on them.

I also sent a long list of parts I was including and things I wanted done and not done.

The conversations on the phone, emails and the list were completely ignored and they just went through the build like "business as usual".

I asked them not to paint it. -they painted the entire engine Tijuana silver.
I asked for aluminum valve covers -they installed and charged me for rattle-caned factory ones.
I asked for a new cam -they installed a regrind..

They were apologetic and they were all very nice on the phone.

If you want one of "their" engines, off the shelf, I can't say anything bad about them, because I haven't heard mine run yet. Don't ask for anything that deviates from their normal build procedure though...you won't get it.

Mon Aug 29, 2011 9:49 am

Son of a bitch. I am so sick of crappy vendors. There are very few that can be trusted anymore.

Fri Dec 23, 2011 7:29 pm

Autosport is the closest parts house in my area but I won't go in there anymore.
They don't seem to care what their customer wants. They'll argue with you and tell you that you don't know what you need. If you push for it they'll pull an excessive price out of thin air, one minute the part is useless the next it's so rare they have to charge a fortune for it.
With my experience and the OPs report I've got to advise taking your business elsewhere.

P.S. I've been lurking so long that I lost my old login info, email etc.. So new account but not really a new member, for what ever that's worth. :P

Wed Mar 21, 2012 1:36 pm

Well I didn't read these until After I dropped my case off to be rebuilt. But I did call to make sure they wouldn't paint it "tijuana silver". :lol: (they didn't)
I had a good experience with them. I found them knowledgable and very helpful. I just went in for machine work and ended up leaving them my case to rebuild, stock 1600 DP. 6 days later it was finished, long block form.
I put the rest together and it started right up with no problems. I now have about 600 miles on it and so far, so good. Time will tell but I was real happy with the service and the price.
I'll go back there again. :D

Sat Apr 28, 2012 8:16 pm

Good to hear good things.
I was still angry when I posted. Never felt good there myself, maybe I look like a guy his wife used to flirt with or something.
That said, I owe good feedback elsewhere...

Tue May 01, 2012 12:09 pm

*Update*
Last summer my engine pulled the two rearward studs (around #4 cylinder) out and lost compression.
For our anniversary, my wife and I went to the Oregon coast in December so I took the engine with us and dropped it off to Autosport on a Monday, picked it back up on a Friday as we drove back through. They fixed it, but charged me and claimed that I had an intake leak and the engine had gotten hot. I put the engine back in this spring and installed an oil temp gauge in the pressure relief position. The engine has never got over 225 since.
Last week the passenger's side head started banging and I now have two more studs pulling out on that side. $800 to take the case apart, install the 8mm head studs I asked Autosport to use in the first place and replace all of the bearings and such since it's all apart again.

What caused it? Nobody will know for sure. Just FYI...