Opinions on bad service?

I want to start by saying, I am asking some opinions on how I should proceed. I am not a big advocate of sharing my dirty laundry, as there are always two sides, and typically we are hearing only one. For now I am going to withhold the second parties name as I am waiting for them to do the right thing.

I entered into an agreement with a "after market" shop to engineer and develop components for the 348. They wanted to have a car at there disposal for measurements, fit test and dyno comparisons. The agreement was all parts developed, labor and tuning needed to have the car run at its optimum would be given to me as a partner in this development.

What I asked for was to be kept "In the loop", not so much as where is my car, but as curiosity as an engineer and status if additional work was needed.

Communication with there engineer was painful, months went by with very little updates. I had to call, leave messages, call back and hopefully catch him at his desk. When we spoke he was very enthusiastic about the work being done, which always comforted me that they would make the car everything we both hoped for.

Winter was approaching and when I asked if the car was done, I was told It was still a few weeks away, they had gone as far as they could with the exhaust and felt the car was restricted on the intake. He wanted to develop an option to increase airflow to the engine, I agreed. As a result, they would keep the car for the winter.

I was also concerned about heat in the engine bay, they do have shields but I wanted the additional protection while doing this work I asked about ceramic coatings and they said it would help. We agreed that If paid the additional costs they would have the headers done. We were also going to change the oil as they felt with all the dyno runs it would be needed, but they wanted to use some new "super synthetic" oil the supposedly would boost power by a few HP, It was very expensive and the engineer wasn't sure the company would cover the costs for a test of this oil. I agreed to pay for it to show the community if it had any merit to its claims.

Winter goes by, spring is approaching and I am getting anxious. I call, but no response, I start to reach out to other engineers in the company, with take my calls.

I am told that the engineer that was handling our project is no longer with them. They are still developing the exhaust system, they no longer are working on the intake side of things. We make a plan for delivery for the weeks ahead.

I am asked about what was promised to me, I relay in kind. They offer to sell me at a discount parts of the system that were promised as part of the deal, after some agreement on there part they confirm that what will be delivered. However the heat shields are an upgrade from the stock offering, and my ceramic coatings should suffice.

We make plans for picking up the car on a weekend, I communicate with them that I will be there at a specified time. I am assured someone will open the doors and finalize this transaction

The big day arrives, I make the drive down, as we get close I call, no answer voicemail is full... OK maybe they are there at the shop. We arrive to an empty parking lot, I call again, text, not good. I reach out to the engineer that has be throw my project, he was great, he mad some calls and within 15 minutes someone was there to open the doors.

We ask about the spare parts (OEM muffler cats and headers, my capristo that was on the car when delivered, get the car started, drive it out) I am informed the don't know where the parts are, we agree they will ship back the following week. As we inspect the car, they close up the shop and leave (To be fair, she went out of her way to open the shop and wasn't intimately involved with this project)

We inspect the car to find that they hadn't put the parts on as agreed, but had substituted test pipes. The car was filthy, the headers had scratches in the ceramic coatings, and my rear bumper was scratched and cracked (minor).

With all the best intention still, We take it for a quick drive. It starts to sputter, running rough, I stalls. We try to get it started, nothing. We quickly conclude it is out of gas. So we push it into a neighboring parking lot an leave to go find a gas can. After putting a little gas in we get her going and do a few laps around the parking lot, I forget for the moment all the past problems and focus on just being in the seat again.

When I speak to the engineer about the problems I am told they will discuss it with the appropriate people and make it right, they will ship out the parts and apologize for the confusion with wrong parts being installed, gas etc.. We discuss the scratches to the headers, I am told that happens during installation, the scratch to the bumper "well it is an old car" quote... But they want to make it right all in the same. They offer to leave me with the test pips as reimbursement if acceptable by me. I tell them I will get a few quotes and get back to them. They asked that I send pics, which I did.. They were going to send parts out soon.

I left an email 1 week later to get tracking info, no response

As of today, I have called to follow up, still waiting for a return call.

My car is due for inspection in 3 days. It fails because no catalytic converters. Back to leaving it in the garage, until they send me my stuff.

What would you do?
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The company is a sponsor company to ferrarichat, and they have a great reputation. I am not looking to bash them, and as a matter of fact have defended them in the past when other people have made similar claims.

Most of there works appears to be top notch, there facility is wonderful. I just feel as if me and my project was swept under the carpet as it isn't a new Lambo, or F12. What stuck most with me is when he said, "well it is an old car" to me, that explained everything

 

I want to say once again, most of the engineers I had any dealings with seemed sincere in they were doing the right thing. I believe they will come through in the end, whether or not my bumper gets fix, water under the bridge. as far as being patient. They had my car for 7+ months. It has been a few weeks since I have picked it up.

Am I a little upset? Yes. I have some events planned that I am now cancelling because my car can't get an inspection on. It isn't about getting anything more than I deserve, or even what was promised, I have put that behind me. I want some communication, and a final resolution whatever that may be.

And for sure. When this is all said and done. I will let you know what shop it is, and what the outcome became of it.

I will also for the benefit of the brotherhood, post some great video of a few variations of parts, so you can figure out for yourselves which if not everything is a good buy for your cars