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

Honestly did not read the OPs post or any of the replies, but the statement above sums my experience with trannys

 

Ha! Almost spit my drink when I read this

 

They got back with me today and provided some pictures on the status, we are trending in the right direction and getting back on schedule and I look forward to coordinating transport soon. I don't know the post history of Merrick but it seems like confusion all around, I have not worked with him or spoken with him before, I would welcome him back to this thread if he were allowed- just don't call me Peter!


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a few more

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I can add some color on why Dave may have gone dark. After reading this thread earlier this year and going through every single post, including those that had a lot of negative things to say, I went off line to talk to more people that had the conversions done. These are not people on Fchat. I found a completely different story than what you hear on FChat and these people I somewhat know socially. Thus, in early July, I called Art and contracted to have my F430 worked on the week of October the 4th, in my own garage in Western NC. Thus, Art, Dave, Jared, Andrei and Merrick spent that week at my home and they were there until Saturday.

I believe I'm the only person on Fchat to have watched the entire conversion process. In fact, I think I'm the only customer of theirs that has actually watched from start to finish the entire conversion. I posted a live stream of the process here on FChat in the 430/360 forum. Here is what I can tell you. Art and his crew packed up and left San Antonio Monday evening for NC and arrived around 5pm Tuesday. They brought all of their tool boxes and equipment needed for the conversion in a long trailer.

Beginning at 5pm Tuesday upon their arrival, their entire team started to work on my car and they stopped around 9pm. They got up Wed.-Saturday and worked 10 hour days non-stop. When one of them had a small break, they returned messages, but for the most part, they were working the entire time. In addition to the conversion, they also did some additional work on my car and replaced parts that are known failures in F430's. I've attached a list of all of their work below.

Sometime around 3pm on Saturday, they wrapped up. The conversion was successful, but we still need to replace the F1 pump as it went kaput. This is a very difficult part to purchase right now but Art did help me find a substitute and I hope to have that in this weekend.

Feel free to ask me any questions about the process. You'd be amazed at how much work is actually done to do these conversions. Often times, in addition to the conversion, they find other problems with the car that they try to take care of when its basically taken apart. I don't want to diminish anyone's concerns that have complained, but I read all of the complaints on this forum and then reached out to others that had the work done. I have full confidence in Art and his team.

Here is a list of work done beyond the conversion:

1. New motor and transmission mounts
2. New headers - Fabspeed with the blankets
3. New coolant and water pump
4. New plugs, serpentine belt, valve gasket and filters
5. Replace the stock instrument cluster with carbon fiber cluster.
6. New clutch and flywheel
7. New throwout clutch bearing, nuts and washer
8. New fluids
9. New Tune by 360Trev - added hp and more specifically +20% added torque beginning around 3500 rpm.

Here is the first test drive, when the F1 pump, which controls the e-diff started to act up.

 

^
Great post, thanks for sharing

 

@Kent Adams nice vid and thank you for the LiveStream!

I was able to tune into parts, is it gone once it's done? or a record of it somewhere? last time I tuned it was Sunday and it was no longer there?

congrats on the conversion, you're gonna love it!

 

Thanks. I've still got the footage for a few more days and then it will be gone unless I save it. But Nest only gives you 2 hours max of saved clips. I turned the camera off on Sunday.

 

@Kent Adams thanks for sharing, curious you need a new F1 pump? You are a 6spd now, isn’t that obsolete?

As a business owner, I still don’t understand the economics of the on-site conversions, even if you pay double the labor cost, how does it make financial sense to pull the entire team away from their home to go work in an unfamiliar environment, with the owner breathing down your neck like the YouTube conversion vid

glad you like yours and look forward to getting mine back

 

The F1 pump also lubricates the E-Diff. In the Youtube conversion video you're talking about I guess is the one with Kevin Scott? Kevin wasn't there as I understand it. Kevin was at work while they worked on the car.

As far as me, I wasn't breathing down anyone's neck, lol. I stayed out of the way and didn't bother them. That crew has a fun time and when you enjoy what you're doing like they do, I guess a change of scenery from the same old garage is motivating and a morale booster. Art's employees get to travel and see different parts of the country and in my case, work in high elevations with clouds rolling by in total isolation. Its a slice of heaven up there, especially with the leaves turning.

I don't believe they do a lot of these onsite conversions. Think of it as a bonding experience for his team, no different than corporations do with their sales teams.

 

Immediately before my conversion they were stuck in Florida for several weeks doing 4-5 cars there, they do seem to enjoy it in videos, no dispute there

interesting about the F1 pump, I wasn’t aware it remained, thanks for mentioning it

 

They have a shop in Florida so its more routine than going to the customer's house.

 

Fantastic...love the video as well!

 

Very nice and positive review!
What’s the premium of that compared to in the shop?


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@Kent Adams Was the conversion worth it? Better than F1?

 

Wow, amazing review and video.


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Thank you. I can appreciate the curiosity around the added cost, its a natural question. I'm sure it can vary based on distance and other factors involved, thus I don't want to complicate EAG's future discussions with owners if they should ask for that option. I can say it was a very nice option to have. I'm sorry for the non-answer, but I hope you understand my reasoning.

 

I was happy with the F1 until I wasn't. I'll be able to answer your question better once I have some time behind the wheel with the new pump motor and some good weather. I can say that the parts look and feel substantial. Fit and finish is fantastic. The clutch travel feels perfect and the gears shift exactly as you'd want them to. I can't imagine the OEM cars feel any better than the conversion. If you're a manual enthusiast, you won't be disappointed.

 

Great post Kent. Glad I could help in my small part (with remote internet based re-flashing!) for you to realize your passion! Forza Ferrari!!!

This is the thing about social media and forums. Most people don't tend to post when they are happy, they typically only post for negative reasons! Now as I've observed many Ferrari owners are very discerning people who demand the absolute best (and why not, if your into a Ferrari your likely to be a very successful in your own respective field). It does however skew the perspective significantly so its always great to see posts like this that can counter balance all that negativity out there...

 

Trev, I've been in sales for 33 years. One lesson I've learned is that clients I do the MOST for, are the least appreciative. When someone does a great job, I do as I would want others to do, recognize it! Because like you say, happy people are often quiet.

 

Understood I will venture to say it’s more expensive


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Well said. I found this thread useful even tbough its over a year old.

 

I had my 360 converted by Art and crew.

They had the car from October 2019 until December 2020. I just had the conversion done, without any additional work.

I requested and paid for the OEM parts, which were still available (AND more expensive) at that time.

Near the end of 2020, Art asked if he could send back the car with an aftermarket shift gate, as that was the only thing holding up my car. The pIan was to send out an OEM gate when available, and I would swap and return the aftermarket gate. This is also indicated on my paid invoice. I hesitantly agreed.

I received the car back in December 2020. I am generally satisfied with the work, with a few minor exceptions. (The tach needle was not pushed all the way on, and thus locked and hesitated. One of the screws affixing the cluster was cross threaded and needed to be drilled out)

Regardless, I have contacted Art NUMEROUS times in the subsequent 14 months. He has indicated several times that he was either receiving them, or actually had them in stock, and would ship one out to me. Yet he continues to refuse to complete our agreement.

The frustrating this is that I know several people who shipped their cars to him after me, received them back before mine, AND have the OEM shift gate.

I guess I'm going to have to write this off as lesson learned, and be careful who you do business with.

Kevin

 

History has and will continue to teach us, pragmatic, non-inflammatory, but direct language, within a review (exactly as you've demonstrated above) unleashed unto the inter webs, usually has a way of pushing the ball down the field.

Art will see what you've written, and then us, the audience, will see whether or not he responds positively and in a manner that a businessman should conduct himself, or not.

My haunch is, you get your OEM shift gate in hand before the end of this month...