performance imports/wendt motor sports in GA (terrible shop)

[csu15919]

Well...it's been a good little minute since i've posted an update on my car. to re-cap, i've got an 01 S, that had some engine issues and hail damage. well, back in march i took my car to a shop here in atlanta called PERFORMANCE IMPORTS/WENDT MOTORSPORTS. seemed like a pretty decent shop. i actually got some good reviews from my local dealer (who also uses the shop) and after visiting the shop and seeing the type of work he does, i figured this is just the place i needed. well, the insurance company went ahead and cut me a check to get the physical storm damage all taken care of (roughly $6k), and sent the check straight to the shop since he already had my car. when i took the car to the i told the owner that i was also having issues with my engine and he promised to take a look at it, fix that problem FIRST and we'll work out the details for the hail damage later. well, after pulling the motor, we found out #6 cylinder was trashed (had 2 broken valves, 1 bent valve, cylinder liner was cracked, and piston would just flop around in the cylinder). we priced out a replacement motor and came up with roughly $6.5k. after crunching numbers, we came up with a figure of roughly $10k to replace the motor, replace my top (hail put a hole in it), replace my tail light and 1 headlight. i went ahead and gave the guy another check for the remaining balance so that we could go ahead and get the parts...here's the fun part...

alright, so now this guy has $10k and my car. he promises me 2 weeks for my car to be ready. sounds good...so i wait. 2 weeks go by, i give him a call he tells me he ordered the engine and it hasn't gotten there yet, it'll be there the following week. i say cool, and wait until the next week. give him a call the next week...he gives me another story about how the shipper couldn't find his shop so it'll be there in the morning. give him another call 2 days later, same story. basically, this plays on for about another month (now he's had my car/money for 1.5 months) and everytime i call or go by the shop, it's the saaaame story (it'll be here tomorrow or next week). i start to get a little worried and decide to go up there one friday. i tell him that if the engine isn't there by monday, i want my car and money back. mysteriously, he calls me monday morning telling me my engine has arrived and my car will be finished by the end of the week.

alright, so i decide to pay him a visit that next week to make sure my engine is there and everything is square. i get to the shop, and he tells me that he installed the motor to make sure it checked out ok and removed it to have one of the mounts re-welded and it's at the machine shop. now i knew this was BS, but i decided not to argue. he also told me that he sent my car to the body shop to have the top installed so it wasn't on the property. alright, so this same story plays out for another 2+ weeks...with me coming by the shop...the engine being in the machine shop...my car being at the body shop....etc.

well in the meanwhile, i happen to talk to this other german guy who owns an transmission shop, and apparently the transmission guy and the guy who has my car have bad blood between them. the transmission guy tells me the guy is shady, he does great work but takes too long (which i see now), and he also tells me that he's involved in some sort of criminal type stuff. he gambles on porsche/bmw races (races that he actually participates in) and they like to race for cash and titles. i immediately go to the shop after hearing this with intentions of getting my car/money back THAT DAY. upon getting to the shop, the guy says "hey, your engine is back from the machine shop" and shows me an IMMACULATE motor which in-turn re-assured me a little...but my car still wasn't back from getting the top installed (2 weeks after he told me he sent it there), but the car will definitely be ready on wednesday of the next week (which is this week....YEAH 3 MONTHS).

Alright, so now we're up to 2 days ago...tuesday, and i have my dad give the guy a call, and he tells my dad "yeah, engine and everything is ready, i need your son to bring me the belly pan and braces so we can drive it to have the top installed..." i'm EXTREMELY pissed now. i'm thinking "DUDE! THE TOP HAS BEEN GETTING DONE FOR 2 WEEKS NOW!" i go up to the shop not expecting to see my car (thinking, damn...i might have to tie/gag everyone in there to get my car back), but i see my car on the lift, with the motor/tranny sitting on a cart and the car lowered on top of it in THE SAME condition it was in when i brought it 3 months ago basically...no top...no motor...i go in the office with the guy and basically tell him he has until friday to finish the car, otherwise i'm getting the insurance company and police involved. the guy then tries to tell me i'm probably going to owe him more money (mind you, we decided not to do the dents, just top, motor, and HE offered to give me a used tail/head lights). i basically told him that he's not going to get anymore money from me, because that wasn't our initial deal (i know i know...should've gotten it in writing). i basically told him that the only way he'll get more money from me is in blood, and i'll be there friday and i'm leaving with my car and that's that (i probably didn't say it that nice...). needless to say, he got the point, and we both signed a work order saying that i didn't owe any more money.

WELL...today is thursday...car is supposed to be ready tomorrow. my dad said he went by the shop today, and they still had it up on the lift messing with the engine...haven't even taken it to get the top done. 3 months man...and i haven't gotten anywhere with this guy. hopefully tomorrow i'll get to ride home in my car and not in the back of a police car. it's sad that there's people out there who run businesses like this. if ANY of you guys/gals in the atlanta area need work done, DO NOT go to this shop.

stephen

[rick3000]

I just skimmed it, but I am sorry to hear about your misfortune. You should file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, and if they have stolen your money you should contact a lawyer and the police.

[mmontfort]

Stephen, thanks I will avoid them like the plague.

Forget the BBB, worthless. If Georgia has an attorney general write that person a letter, no emotion just dates and facts. Then copy in the mechanic. I had to do it in NY with a boat once and I'll tell you it worked like a charm.

[csu15919]

so of course, my car wasn't ready when it was supposed to be last week. the guy claimed my clutch slave cylinder was bad, and he had to remove the transmission in order to replace it. i've never heard of having to remove the transmission for a slave cylinder, but i'm pretty sure that was an excuse for time. so i finally go up there today (6/17) with intentions on just going to get my car...finished or not. the car was running, but the new top still hadn't been replaced and the tail light. the owner told me he was on his was now to get the top installed and it'll be ready in the morning. naturally, i wanted to see how the car ran. i got in the car, it ran beautifully (finally get to hear my fabspeed system-from headers on back). i noticed all of this stuff all over the carpet that looked like grease/dirt maybe from the shop floor. i picked up a piece...and realized...IT WAS RAT ********************! my car was literally full of rat ********************....EVERYWHERE. smeared into the carpet and mats, in the map pockets on the doors....EVERYWHERE! this shop is the biggest joke i've ever seen in my life.

[insite]

god, this is one of the worst stories i've heard about them. they have an AWFUL reputation since the old owner split a couple of years ago. wendt has several criminal procedings against him for this kind of crap. take your car to jim ellis or something to find out if the motor is actually a factory reman. one of the things these guys have been accused of is installing used parts as new.

sorry this happened to you. if you ever have any other trouble, PM me here FIRST and i'll point you in the right direction.

[blinkwatt]

I hope you know a lawyer that can write a letter to the shop for you to let them know you mean business.

[vipola]

Woah. sad to hear your story.. to be honest with you, if this was my car, I would had it out of there a long time ago, I don't want anyone that I need to argue with to touch my baby. Good luck and I hope you'll end up with a mint car

[silver arrow]

Any updates on your situation?

[CJ_Boxster]

At this point... Definatly get your insurance involved in the matter and point out the entire interior is littered with rat pooh. That way the Insurance will bill the shop for the interior detailing and you will have the option of taking it somewhere else for the detailing.

[6speed]

Oh my god I had a very similiar experience here in miami with my rear bumper/rear left wheel . 3 months it took to get it done. Plus I only had the car for 2 weeks before the accident.But the guy does beutiful work it just takes him forever.

[csu15919]

well first, let me thank you guys for all the support. i finally got the car back today...with the rat poo still inside. the guy claimed that the detailer was closed. honestly, i didn't care anymore, i just wanted my car back. he also, never installed my rear tail light...he gave it to me and told me to do it myself. aside from that...my radio doesn't work, it just says "wait," and there's something missing from my dash. i brought the car home, completely detailed the inside myself (had to make sure i didn't bring home an unwanted guest), and installed my tail light.

on a happier note, the exhaust sounds absolutely AMAZING! i went ahead and notified the insurance company of how things went down, and basically told them i was going to get my car regardless of the stage it was in, and told them to basically do whatever was necessary to make sure they got their money straightened out. i'm doing some research to figure out what i can do LEGALLY to make him suffer at this point.

me being a mechanic, i have always had a chip on my shoulder when it comes to dealerships or even other shops in general that have expensive prices...BUT...i now have a new-found respect for them. it's hard to put your money under the level of customer service, but you can never put a price on customer service.