My horrible experience with EAG (European Auto Group), San Antonio.

“Mine was the experiment without my consent.”


What does that mean exactly? Are you saying they started a manual conversion on your 599 without your knowledge or approval? Sounds ridiculous to me.

 

You think it’s fine the way it is. Ok . You don’t know the entire story. And yes I’ve driven many Ferrari’s over the years all 6 speed manual. I currently own a 2001 456m , which is original 6 speed factory car. Also 12 cylinder. No noise no vibration. If this was minor adjustment why then while I was last there over two days couldn’t it be fixed. I was also told the car had the same problem 6 months ago. Also I paid for oem parts , 50 k yeah just get over it. I was told the conversion would be with oem parts, my contract states oem parts, not fabricated by him. It was a sham from the beginning.

 

I guess if u post a video it would help!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Yes a lot of 430’s and some are unhappy. Some are ok. However the point is he has never done a 599. He told me he did. Unfortunately I didn’t ask for references. I also believed stuff I read . Mine was his research and development car without telling me. Totally different animal. From having 19 ecu’s to only 2 in 430. The 430 is cable linkage, 599 solid rod . I invite anyone who wants to drive my car the way it came out to contact me outside this sight. You can judge for yourself .

No they started it without telling me they had never done one. Also they knew at the start that they couldn’t get all oem parts, but they charged me for oem, and stated on my contract that I would be getting oem parts.

 

This seems to be the thread that somehow keeps on giving.

 

The car left here in working order, baring some minor adjusts which may have been completed if the Client hadn't convoluted with 3 former individuals that left EAG for selfish reasons to form and steal EAG's work. They have band together to tarnish EAG and to claim product they were hired to install, stole client data and had reached out to every client to attempt to forcefully remove and steal work. This came into effect after Art hired a Manager to oversee workflow and they were unwilling to cooperate, demanding higher than usual salary's and equity in the business. The client has since moved his vehicle to this new formed group who are all now claiming "The conversion" is just getting started as referenced in this video.
Here is a video from July 1st of the car completed and running properly. https://www.instagram.com/p/CQzjGKAlCH_/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Currently we are seeking legal for ramifications and once it has been settled we may post complete videos and photo proof of the work that was completed by EAG.
If you have any further questions, feel free to reach out to us directly.

 

I don't know about that.

In my ten+ years of interaction with Algar's sales and service I had ZERO issues. Didn't have to bring back cars for follow up after a repair or annual service. Didn't have to wait 18 months for the work to be completed. I don't know about other folks, but dealer or independent, I've never had an issue with a service department that wasn't resolved to my complete satisfaction in the past 25 years, give or take, and any issue with sales promises that were not kept upon delivery? None. Recently bought a used car from a local Lexus dealer, they fixed what broke on my used car, even though it had NO warranty, without issue.

So your 95%, which is actually more like 93.75% (But who's counting, after all, precision isn't really important, right?) Seems low to me. The only Ferrari related issue I've ever had was with a couple of parts suppliers, and they made 100% good on the problems.

Am I an anomaly? I dunno. But I don't think bragging on a <95% satisfaction rate is where I'd be on this. I'd be working to get it to 100%, and then I'd be bragging on how I made it right for ALL of my customers.

Just my $.02, YMMV.

D

 

Not only are you an anomaly i wld say your lying or being paid to say that. Ive had 85 cars in 20 yrs and i cldnt remotely come to making a claim like that. And im rather easy to satisfy.

 

Just checking. You're saying I'm lying about the quality of service I got at Algar and other dealers or that someone is PAYING me to lie about it?

Tell ya what.

Here are the dealers that I can recall doing business with in the past years, that I can remember off the top of my head.

Algar Ferrari
Charlotte County Ford
Mercedes of Bonita Springs
Devon Hill BMW
Scanlon Lexus of Naples, FL
Mercedes of the Main Line
Devon Nissan
Land Rover Main Line
Main Line Ford
Scott Saab
Ardmore Nissan
Pacifico Ford
Wilke Subaru
Main Line Honda
Penske Chevrolet
Holbert Porsche
Sky Motor Cars
Holt Motorsports
Cloverleaf Auto
Rosemont Porsche Audi
YBH
Harbor Nissan
Mercedes of FT Washington
Del Chevrolet

I can tell you I am satisfied with the level of sales and service I got at each and every one of those dealers. (I'm sure there are more, just can't recall them all, and I'd suggest if I got bad service from them, I'd remember them especially well.) I'm not saying it didn't take any effort on my part, I'm saying, when the transaction was over, I was satisfied with the sale, or the service performed.

I've been buying cars for over 40 years, and not all of those experiences were perfect, but none ended so badly that I'd never try that dealer again, if they had a car I was interested in. I did have one service guy overcharge me for a part maybe 15 years ago at Rosemont Tire and Auto service center, but when I called them on it, they reduced the price to where it should have been and claimed it was a clerical error, for which I gave them the benefit of the doubt.

Given that my memory is pretty good, and that your statement borders on libelous, I'd be a little more careful who you call a liar or a paid spokesperson for some unnamed party going forward.

D

 

You are an anomaly amongst anomalies. Those are rare.

 

Pissed off customers, pissed off ex-employees, conversions gone right, conversions gone wrong. What a mess; who knows what really went down- not I, that’s for sure.

My take, such as it is, is that EAG have let themselves down in the past by not managing customer expectations at all well. This seems to be something that they have improved on in recent months. From what I can piece together from various sources is that it is true to say that EAG overstepped the mark by telling customers that “they could do 599 conversions” when they said they could. A more reasonable statement would be “we are highly confident that after some R and D we will be able to convert your 599 from F1 to manual”. I believe this is what has come to pass. It’s still a shame they weren’t more transparent from the outset.


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I'm always skeptical of "pissed-off" ex-employees banding together to become a competitor. Pissed-off because of the way Art treated them or pissed-off they weren't getting a cut of the profits, which I'm sure they were never promised, but decided to be more opportunistic.

 

Um. I’d like to drive your car. Let me know.

 

Glad you're enjoying it!

If you're able, you should post some sound clips, I am sure we would all love to hear it!

 

An interesting development in the Nomad / EAG saga.

Nobody coming out looking great from this. EAG let a car out the door that probably needed a little more work, and the Nomad guys come off (to me) looking like opportunists. Not at all edifying.

 

No one cares. Fatigue. Eag is busier than they can be and still the goto place.

 

Watched the video. Here is what they are missing. They didnt take the risk to hang their own shingle. Arr ddi. That guy comes off with zero credibility. But hey they’re doing gods work lol.

 

Can't disagree at all.

I still find the saga interesting though even if you don't. People are interesting, and this comes down to relationships at the end of it all.

 

Also they sound ridiculous saying they had no agreements in place. Very amateur.

 

If you watch it twice it becomes much more ridiculous

 

No they committed fraud. Told me oem parts were being bought with the money I paid up front. They didn’t buy any, they kept my car for a year and a half trying to figure out how to manufacture the parts instead of buying them from Ferrari. My contract says I would be getting OEM conversion or I would have never done it. After numerous lies about the car being done I had no choice but to remove the car. The car was removed and undriveable at the time. Severe vibration and not shifting into all gears. They even tried to use a shift plate from a 550, which is a different pattern. They didn’t even buy an oem 599 shift plate. Why ? it cost 2800, that’s why. If anyone is considering using them ask for references, numerous customers 599’s are still stuck in their shop and they can’t get them out. They will never be finished, they don’t know how. The linkage is totally different than a 430. Contact me if you want the true story of Eag .

 

599s are waiting for parts to be made because the oem parts became impossible to get. Go ahead and try ordering an outer shift box, or inner shift box, or even a clutch pedal. After trying for a long time it became apparent that manufacturing the parts was the only solution that would work beyond doing 1 or 2 one-off conversions. Scaling to 50, 60 or more cars a year isn't possible with oem. Plus Ferrari does not want people doing these conversions. I have the letter from their lawyers as proof. So people need to understand that oem parts are not an option.

I don't have any ownership in EAG, but my company has a considerable stake in Gated Six which is making the parts. So I'm somewhat aware of the situation. I'm sorry that you are unhappy with your experience at EAG. But I do believe they were trying hard to make you happy.

If you'd like to discuss privately I'd like to, even though I am somewhat a 3rd party.

 

So your are the one making the parts for the conversions? If so..we need to have a chat. I have a few customers who are interested here in Canada. 360 mostly.

 

Well, Gated Six is manufacturing the kits and selling to installers... Including EAG. My company Normal Guy LLC owns a significant portion of Gated Six. It's complicated... But I'm involved with that side of it. So I'm privy to a lot of the going ons at EAG.

Feel free to ping me on here or you can email [email protected]