I feel a need to post this to help others avoid the problems I have had,
I hate being lied to and cheated.
Although the problem happen with my c4 this shop handles all years and I know some folks like myself might have more than one vette,
I was having AC problems with my Mallett Motorsports 86 I was told Corvette Masters of Orlando Fl was a good shop so I dropped my car off to get the AC diagnosed and the get my newly installed side window glass adjusted,
When they looked at the passenger door which was hard to close with the glass up they decided I had to have a new regulator, however I saw no difference in how it worked compared to the drivers side or any other c4 there, but I wanted my car right and gave the go ahead on the regulator replacement.
After several days I was told the glass adjustments was perfect and the story on the AC was they had run all the tests and as they put it "Jerry rigged" a ground wire for the cabin temp sensor,
However the AC still did not function properly, the tech and the shop owner said the next thing was to replace the controller that goes under the stereo in the dash, ( it appears they did check it since many screws are now missing and the needle for which gear your in no longer works) since this was the digital climate control unit it was about 325.00
The shop owner said they "thought" it would fix my problems however if it didn't I had to pay the money for the part I didn't need and they would try something else.
I didn't think it was right for the customer to pay to have the shop learn to fix cars so I took my car and left after paying well over 100.00 for an AC diagnosis that didn't definitely tell me what was wrong, and the going rate on the window regulator replacement, I took a closer look at the side window adjustments after I got home and the passenger door was still very hard to close with the window up, NOT how GM designed it, so the new regulator did not help at all,
I called the next work day and a person in the shop said no problem they stand behind all work and want happy customers to bring it back all would be fixed at no cost,
However when I got there the tech who adjusted the glass made all kinds of excuses, a top vette body man in a shop behind this one even agreed with me the glass and door closing was not right ,
The Corvette Masters tech would not listen to the top vette body man and walked off mad.
So I left the car several more days and got a call as it turns out they said that when I had the side glass replaced the curve was wrong, the glass was defective, they got a new piece of glass and it was perfect now, the original tech is no longer with the shop.
I addressed with the owner how displeased I was that I bought a regulator I didn't need and that I did not get my AC diagnosed he tried to be over bearing but said there was no way he pays for a part he changes if it doesn't fix the cars problem,
He made me a promise that if I found any shop that would diagnose the problem and then what they do fixes said problem he would return to me the AC diagnoses fee,
I have had poor health and it took me longer than normal but after calling many shops I learned he charged up to 3 times the going rate for telling me nothing, of course the window regulator I didn't need was my tough luck,
I did a lot of research and talked to a tech who writes for a vette magazine he insisted on what the problem was, a 10.00 plastic clip had broke I was told by the tech at Corvette Masters this was not the case that he checked said clip,
However I checked it out myself and the clip was broken I replaced it myself and the AC works perfect now, no help from Corvette Masters,
So I called Corvette Masters to give the owner a chance to make good on his word, about a diagnoses refund, I called 3 times over 10 days always being told I would get a call back from the owner which I never did, I even tried emailing him which was ignored, this was back in Nov so he has had ample time to get in touch.
I have decided he is a shady, businessmen who does not keep his word,
I feel he has cheated me, I am posting this to just give others food for thought in case they were thinking about dealing with this shop.
Thanks,
P.
Opps wrong pic,
here's the wide body,





I really miss that car....:(

|UPDATED|2/2/2004 9:56:50 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

I would call the better business bureau in Orlando and check them out for other reports,and make a complaint yourself.You'd be surprised how quickly some buisnesses straighten up there act,once the B.B.B. gets on there a-- they are there to help you for cases just like this.give them a call

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C3VR Lifetime Member #93

I will recheck but sadly I was told once that the BBB only cares about businesses that belong to them,
However there is a state consumer protection agency that might have interest in this.
P.

Quite a story. Sometimes local TV stations will have a 'consumer advocate' dept, that may wish to take these guys on.
It sounds like you only have $100 lost to these guys, and maybe that's not so bad.
If that's the case, I say you learned (now we all learned) a lesson about this particular shop.
I know 'It's hard to feel the lumps, when you don't get hit with the stick'.
A hundred is a hundred, but it sounds like it could have been worse.
Always ask questions at the shop. Don't stop asking until your satisfied.

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Hank |URL|http://users.adelphia.net/~hankb |/URL|

You're right it could be a lot worse but really I'm out over 300.00 for a window regulator I didn't need and over 100.00 on the AC check, the shop owner didn't care about the window regulator being good after all he only promised to make good on the AC check.
I am a person of morals and principles, a man is only as good as his word, well keeping his word,
I just called this shop again today in fact it will be my last call when you get blown off for months you learn the score, the poor kid that answers the phone didn't know why the owner never called me back, but the owner is out sick but he would tell him I called,
I told him that I have been posting this situation on vette forums and I would very much like to end the post thread with an update that the owner did keep his word after all.
I have two vettes and this shop has lost 1000.00's in my business.
Bottom line if I save even one person from this happening to them my posts are worth it.
Cheers,
P.

Thanks for the heads up. I was thinking of using them at one time or another for when I bump into something that requires vette specific knowledge. I will not use them now.

I have a local Orlando shop that I have used for years for all my cars. They also have done alot of general work on my vette. Bennett Road Auto, ask for Johnny or Gaylyn. They are honest, dependable, resonable, do it right the first time, and love older cars. I have also heard that for vette specific issues, Deweys Just Vettes is suposed to be good but higher priced (I have not personally used them).

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I just got a phone call from the shop owners phone man, he needed my address for sending a check,
I asked how much confused because no amount has been agreed upon
the phone man who is a super great guy, said the amount we agreed on, I told him no amount was agreed on besides the AC diagnosis fee, he didn't know anything more.
So it's to soon for me to party yet but I am pleased that it appears the owner is going to make good on his word,
I will update when I learn more.
Cheers,
P.

Tyla,
Kudos to you for being so persistant and thanks for this post for all the vette owners in Fla.Hope the check reaches you . cash it as soon as you get it

WOW that sounds like an experience I never want to happen to me. But having a mechanic as a hubby should make that ok for me. However for you I would contact the BBB, they have a website that you can go to and inquire about reporting them. I alos believe that you can contact your local news and they would do a story on them, as well as write an article for your local newspaper and have them print it up in there. You wanna pass the word around and tell eveyone how this guy is a terrible business and you wanna be sure that you can let everyone know!!!! I am so sorry for your loss! Being cheated out of something is just wrong.

Good Luck - and let meknow if you want any tips on how to burn his business!

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|IMG|http://www.mustangmods.com/data/10435/vette_bike_bannerb.jpg|/IMG| 1976 L-48, 1999 Suzuki GZ250 Suzanne Check out my webpage and see all the goodies |URL|http://www.cardomain.com/id/1funvet |/URL|

Haven't used them (yet) myself but Corvette Clinic in sanford does alot of the technical articles/work for Corvette fever magazine and I believe they are rated very high for their work. Try them next time???

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joey G|B| |/B||COLOR=BLUE| |/COLOR|

I wanted to post this finial installment of the story,
I received a check in the mail from corvette masters I have no idea how the owner came up with the rebate amount he sent me for the AC diagnosis since it's a fraction of what he charged me and he never had the courtesy to call me on the matter.
Don't get me wrong I'm very pleased I received anything from him but IMHO a phone call to discuss the matter and agree on the rebate amount would only have been reasonable,
My end thoughts on all this are I would never let him touch anything I own ever again and if asked would still share my story with a person thinking about going to this shop.
Cheers,
P.

Well, it's good to hear you at least got SOMETHING out of the deal. A few years ago, I had a similar experience with a shop in Decatur, IL (not Lingenfelter which is in Decatur, IN). I paid the guy to put my LT1 and 4L60E into my car, get it all hooked up and running. Mishap after mishap, I finally got the car back. I was $4500 or so poorer, and to a kid in college with no job, that is A TON of money! Then the real problems started. Skipping over the drama, I had problems with the car, phone calls went unreturned, and the vehicle was in and out of shops for almost two years. It got to be very frustrating when the first thing a new mechanic would say was, "Who did this to your car," not in a good way. Finally, I had the last of the original guy's work replaced in the form of a wiring harness. After trying several times to get this guy to own up, I chaulked it up to experience and a guy taking advantage of a "kid". Then articles started showing up in magazines about his "great work". I wrote him again saying that if I did not receive a full refund for services he rendered but did not perform (at least correctly), then I would tell everyone who would listen about my experience with him. He told me that was blackmail and that he, "couldn't wait to see me at a show so we could settle this in person." He also said he was calling his lawyer. That was the last of it. I guess my point is, it happens to lots of people! I know I felt like a moron after I let this guy steal my money, but hearing stories like yours make me feel a little better in the sense that I am not alone. I just think it's too bad we even have to bring up a subject like this in the first place! Again, congrats on at least getting a portion back what was owed you.

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Bryan Corbitt 1978 LT1 SA Last Ride |IMG|http://www.geocities.com/silvershark.geo/VetteSale7.jpg|/IMG|

Bryan,
Your story sucks far worse than mine, the big price you paid contrary to what some people may think I have very little $$$ my cars are old and to be blunt were cheap,
I feel the only way to make shops either do right or get out of the business is to share stories it's not blackmail, it's truth, and no lawyer can do a thing about a person telling the story of what happened to them at a shop, the owner of corvette masters didn't like me posting this story on forums but it's what happened to me, had he done me right I would have posted how great he was, he has a self proclaimed rep here in town and does some high end work but you can't base your whole shop on one or two cars built for people with bottomless wallets, in fact given the same shop and $$$ I at the risk of sounding pompous could have built the cars myself before my health failed. I built the wide body c3 bat mobile in my sig pic.
A different shop different car, cheated me a while back and the owner pulled that "I've fix you went I see you crap" I wrote a report to the state of Florida consumer affairs, 90 days later I had a full refund check in the mail,
Had vette master threatened me I would have done the same with him,
He was all overbearing to me and showed his true colors never calling me back, he picked the figure to refund me and it was not even close to what he charges for the service so I won in a way but lost in a way my prime goal was to get the word out there that this "could" happen to you at this shop.
It wasn't about the $$$,
I hope all worked out with your sweet ride,
cheers, p.

Weird, I have the wrong pic in that last post as of the moment the preview works the update doesn't,

so here's the wide body, the car in the last pic is a mako kit like on my 81....





I really miss that car....:(

Well, here goes. I have had mechanical work done on Corvettes, boats, trucks, regular cars, and everything else in between, things that I could not do.
I made the final move to FL, and lost all paint, electric, and mechanical contacts who I could trust.
Who do you go to when you have to spend bigger bucks?
I bought another C-3 after moving to south Florida. After settling in, I had to find out where to get the Vette worked on, as I am a little pickey.
One day a red 427 roadster drove by. I got on the bike and followed him the best I could. He pulled in the driveway a little from my home. After B S'n a while, I had to ask who works on his car. He informed me of a shop in Pompano Beach, FL.
I made the call, and found out that he works only on
68 thru 82 Corvettes, and knows more, does the best work, makes the right suggestions, and does not rape you for labor or parts. I could not believe that I found someone of this caliber. He also did his duty as a
judge for NCRS. Not only does he know how to fix C-3's the right way, he has the historical knowledge.

He also has his own C-3's and a very rare split window
63. If anyone in south Florida needs someone like this to work on their C-3 the right way, drop me a line and I will be glad to give you his name and number.

Hey Boatman,

If the guy is that good why not add his shop to the Mechanic Directory? He certainly sounds like a great resource.

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Jim Olson 

"The Toys"...!!!  Save the Wave!

Where I've been in a Corvette...!!!