Kansas City area Ferrari tech | FerrariChat

Kansas City area Ferrari tech

Discussion in 'Midwest - USA (NE, KS, OK, MO, AR)' started by poreilly711, Dec 9, 2013.

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  1. poreilly711

    poreilly711 Rookie

    Dec 19, 2006
    15
    Hi, I live in the Kansas City area and am looking for a reference for a tech to take a look at my 93 512TR. I had it serviced at Ferrari of Denver not too long ago, but am having an issue with my clutch either being out of adjustment or needing the system bled. The inspection during the major service didn't show any problems. I don't want to have to send it back to Denver for an adjustment. Please let me know if anyone has any good references. I also am going to need my air conditioning looked at on my F430, but that won't be for awhile of course. Thank You in advance.
     
  2. deon.smith

    deon.smith Formula Junior

    Jan 23, 2009
    548
    Oklahoma
    Vince Hill

    Black Horse....
    20595 Metcalf Ave
    Bucyrus, Kansas 66013

    Cell: 620-870-1942
     
    Performify likes this.
  3. slm

    slm F1 Rookie
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 5, 2004
    3,759
    Near Lambeau field
    Full Name:
    Steve M
    ditto
     
  4. NSXER

    NSXER Formula 3

    Jan 4, 2004
    1,307
    Kansas
    Yup...Vince is the dude to take it to...

    Brian
     
  5. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
    Staff Member Admin Miami 2018 Owner

    Dec 1, 2000
    59,407
    Southlake, TX
    Full Name:
    Rob Lay
    1. Vince
    2. Vince
    3. Vince

    he saved me at Crescent Classic this year in the 355 Challenge.
     
    Performify likes this.
  6. deon.smith

    deon.smith Formula Junior

    Jan 23, 2009
    548
    Oklahoma
    Not just Ferrari. Porcshe, Maserati, Mercedes and Lamborghini.
     
  7. poreilly711

    poreilly711 Rookie

    Dec 19, 2006
    15
    Thanks for the replies, I will give Vince a call.
     
  8. kbritton88

    kbritton88 Formula Junior

    Nov 17, 2009
    399
    Kansas City, Mo
    Full Name:
    Kevin Britton
    I agree, he's a great guy and his new shop is really nice.
     
  9. ferrarisun

    ferrarisun Formula Junior

    Feb 13, 2011
    960
    The best in the K.C. area, Jeff McCormick, Rocket Motors, 5000 Mackey, Overland Park KS. 816-214-0033. Jeff has been working on exotics for 40 years, and LOTS of Ferrari experience. He started at Ferrari Beverly Hills, then Motorcars International in Springfield Mo. Then Jeff opened his own shop in the KC area. A very nice person, and a very meticulous mechanic. And Jeff does not bled the customers for every dollar, as sadly, as many shops do.
     
  10. tom46818

    tom46818 Rookie

    Nov 5, 2013
    26
    Overland Park, KS
    Full Name:
    Tom
    Vince Hill if the guy in Kansas City to talk to about Ferrari's.
     
  11. stevew3765

    stevew3765 Formula Junior

    Oct 27, 2012
    716
    Tulsa, Oklahoma USA
    Full Name:
    Steve Wool
    Aww did someone say Vince Hill Of Hill Automotive?
     
  12. fly275

    fly275 Karting

    Dec 27, 2009
    68
    Midwest USA
    I have a strong recommendation for Jeff McCormick. I have had Ferrari cars for more than 35 years. I have known Jeff the entire time. He has factory training on Mondial, 328, Testarossa, 348,355,430. This came from stints at Hollywood Sport Cars, and Newport Imports (Orange County-CA). He has a factory computer that can talk to an read codes on these cars (very important for service). He has complete and full Ins on any car in his shop during its visit. He has a very high level of skill and experience on Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Rolls Royce, Jaguar. He is very thorough and gives careful service. He cares about his clients and their cars. He has maintained numerous race cars for clients, (current SCCA and vintage) to contest events all over the country. He has many very happy Ferrari customers and I would only consider taking my cars to him! Dennis
     
  13. NSXER

    NSXER Formula 3

    Jan 4, 2004
    1,307
    Kansas
    #13 NSXER, Dec 23, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  14. slm

    slm F1 Rookie
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 5, 2004
    3,759
    Near Lambeau field
    Full Name:
    Steve M
    Ha! That pic should go in the "grumpy old (but very good) mechanics" thread in silver!!!
     
  15. Alfista1

    Alfista1 Rookie

    Jan 22, 2014
    1
    Kansas City, MO USA
    Full Name:
    Les Lyne
    I can speak highly of Jeff, too. I've known him since I bought my first Ferrari in 1978; as a young mechanic, he was quite helpful with getting it running (post-overhaul due to two dropped valve seats). 40 years might be a bit on the high side though; Jeff is younger than me and I'm 57. However that does not take away from his knowledge and skill.

    Not that anyone has asked for a further resume - but he's also worked on Indy pit crews, and at Aristocrat Motors (KC's premier Mercedes/Rover/Maserati dealership).

    The thing that stands out in my mind about Jeff... He's the only guy I've ever know that, while wearing a long-sleeve shirt, can open a hood and reach into the bowels of an engine compartment, make a correction, and retract his arms with - maybe - a spot or two dirt under his fingernails..! I can't even look at an old car without getting greasy.
     
  16. onboost

    onboost Formula Junior

    Apr 13, 2004
    758
    DC Metro area
    Not to take anything away from Vince, as I've never met him. However, I do remember Jeff McCormick from my time in Overland Park, Kansas during the early & mid 90's.
    I think Jeff had just left Aristocrat Motors and opened his new shop.. what I remember him as being very competent and thorough in his work, while being reasonable in pricing for what he was doing. I know several people in the Kansas area that use him.

    Paul
     
  17. ddurrie

    ddurrie Rookie

    Jun 8, 2014
    4
    Does anyone have contact information for Jeff? Can't find a Web site. Thanks.
     
  18. fly275

    fly275 Karting

    Dec 27, 2009
    68
    Midwest USA
    That contact information from above is all good. I believe he does not maintain a website
     
  19. onboost

    onboost Formula Junior

    Apr 13, 2004
    758
    DC Metro area
    I forgot about this thread. However, I did see & talk with Jeff at a wedding in May while visiting KC.
    So yes, as fly275 has said, the info above is good
     
  20. owudoin

    owudoin Rookie

    Jan 29, 2015
    3
    Manhattan, Kansas
    Full Name:
    Darrell Phillips
    I recommend Chris Hill in Lenexa. He is on the web at Autodino. Cell number is 913-707-1710. He just completed major service on my 355 and I am very pleased. Very knowledgeable and conscientious.
     
  21. Ferrari Kansas City

    Sep 7, 2016
    2
    I'll give you my experience with Jeff McCormick of Rocket Motors here in Kansas City. I called him a few months back to do a clutch on my Gallardo. He quoted me 12-15 hours and said he would get back to me in a couple days on parts. Well with no call I tried back and left a message, with no return call. I subsequently called and left messages a dozen times over several months reaching him once or twice with him saying he hadn't looked up parts yet. Then a couple months ago nothing, he would not return any calls.

    So I decided to swing by yesterday to chat in person. At which point he told me he would have to be in the upper 20 hour range. I said fine, and we came to an agreement on labor hours and cost. He said he wants to make money on the part as well, I said I was a dealer so I can get a good price and without sales tax, but to let me know what he comes up with.

    So today he decided to call me and tell me that he thought about it and he's not interested in doing my clutch at all. Even after shaking my hand on the agreement we came to he said that he's not going to lose money working on my car.

    Where I come from a hand shake is a mans word, and this guy is a liar! You don't shake a mans hand after negotiating a price and then just back off...

    The shop was horrible as well, no organization, his desk was piled with papers, tools scattered everywhere, and parts just sitting around uncovered, nothing labeled. I even saw a Testarossa with the engine out, uncovered with the bumper and parts in a pile! If I saw my bumper like that I would be pissed!

    This is a one bay shop, with one garage door in a seedy part of town, with just a street sign nailed to the door that reads Rocket Motors.

    This guy is no upright business man, he's just a dirty old VW mechanic that tries to make himself look good online, but where I come from a mans word means something.
     
    Rembrandt likes this.
  22. cmparrenzo

    cmparrenzo F1 Rookie

    Mar 3, 2002
    2,686
    Kansas
    Full Name:
    Chris Parr
    #22 cmparrenzo, Sep 12, 2016
    Last edited: Sep 12, 2016
    I am not here to defend Jeff, I have known Jeff for 20 years and he has his fans and he has people that choose not to use him.

    There is always two sides to a story and I know a bit more about this than the gentleman wrote in his post, in the spirit of full disclosure, let me add the additional information as it has been told to me by another party.

    This Lambo is a three peddle car, no E Gear. If you call a Lambo dealer, they will quote about 40 hours on a clutch, when you price shop a car repair red flags should go off when you are quoted a third of the hours that a dealer quoted you for the same service. Jeff clearly made a mistake when he quoted the hours on this Lambo, he is human, I suspect you knew he made a mistake and that is why you pursued him.

    I have not talked to Jeff about this but I am guessing Jeff elected not to return your calls after he realized it was a 40 hour service. When you did meet with him, he was honest enough to tell you that he could not do it for the price he originally quoted, its better he told you that before he started working on it than after he took the car apart and the bill was 4 times what you were expecting. At the end of the day, after all of those calls, he may have not been comfortable working with you.

    As for your desire to bring in your own parts, most reputable shops will not let you do that or if they do, will not warranty their work because they do not know the source of the parts. There is nothing more expensive than trying to short cut a repair or use non-Lambo parts to save a few dollars.

    I have been around exotic cars for over 20 years, I am always surprised when someone is shocked about the price of the repair on their $50,000 exotic they bought on eBay, they forget that they paid $50,000 for a $250,000 car and clutch replacement at $10,000 is reasonable on a $250,000 exotic, but it does seem high on a $50,000 used car.

    I have never price shopped a service on any of my cars, I "quality" shop my services, I use the best dealer or independent shop I can find and while the initial price might seem higher, in the long run it will always prove to be cheaper.

    My advice, send your car to an authorized dealer or an independent shop that will give you a detailed estimate upfront, this will avoid any confusion (I doubt Jeff intended to misquote this repair) and you will get a quote that tells you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear and let them source the parts...
     
  23. Ferrari Kansas City

    Sep 7, 2016
    2
    #23 Ferrari Kansas City, Sep 12, 2016
    Last edited: Sep 12, 2016
    Anyone who spends $50k on an originally priced new vehicle range of $250k is an idiot, and the car probably has a salvaged title. Price has nothing to do with this, value does. I could buy several Lamborghini's, that has nothing to do with it.

    You may pay what anyone asks you and that's good for you, I just so happen shop. I am where I am in this world because I get deals. That has nothing to do with what kind of service you should expect from a business. Are you telling me a shop can be complete snobs because they work on exotics? This car isn't pure gold, it's a car. Get out of here with that nonsense...

    I called once a month for about four months, I don't think that is in any way intrusive. I have air coming in the slave and just need to bleed it every once in a while, and still have 50% on the clutch, it's not like I need to be in a hurry.

    If I negotiate a price for labor to do a job, I expect someone to keep that agreement, well a man of his word anyway. And this is after he said he wouldn't do the job for the original 12-15 hours, we shook on high 20 hours. But then to come back and say, "Oh yea, I've got to make money on the parts too" come on, and I didn't even tell him no, I simply told him I can get a good price too, but to let me know. He said okay, and I left. Then to call the next day and decide he's backing out? Me being a dealer told him he wasn't going to make money on the parts, and since I'm not a lay down yuppy he's use to dealing with, but actually know the business, I scared him. We work on cars, we build hot rods and sports cars.

    I'm only planning to use factory parts, whether that was going to be through him or brought to him, he knew that, and I even told him I would sign a waver on any failure if I brought the parts, even though they would be factory. So no excuse there.

    No, he's just a con-artist looking to get over on the yuppies and doesn't deal with real car guys who are in the business, we actually understand whats going on, and that scares him. And if any of his out of state customers actually saw his work space, it would scare them too. He actually said, "It wouldn't be worth the risk."

    A man is his word and a handshake is his bond, therefore Jeff is not a man of his word.

    Simple as that.
     
    Rembrandt likes this.
  24. pm0ana

    pm0ana Rookie

    Jul 16, 2021
    1
    Full Name:
    Ahmad A
    I agree with this review based on personal experience. I have an exotic car and was given Jeff's contact information by a local dealer. I called and left a message and then followed up with a text to provide more context on the project. That was several days ago and I have not heard back. How we treat others defines us and any decent human being would have at the very least responded back. I am sure he has his fans as someone said in one of the posts but I would rather ship my car 250 miles away (nearest dealer) than to give my business to someone who has no respect for others.
     
  25. slm

    slm F1 Rookie
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 5, 2004
    3,759
    Near Lambeau field
    Full Name:
    Steve M
    Call Vince….
     

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