Truboost = BAD BUSINESS

[slideshow]

I have noticed a lot of post showing up with people's bad experiences with truboost. About a year ago I dealt with them personally at their shop in Beaufort, SC and would just like to warn you folks to **STAY AWAY FROM THESE CROOKS!** Before you do any business with them please read my story. Hopefully NICO will reconsider them as being a site sponsor.

*** IF don't read the whole thing just read thelast paragraph for a quick semi-summary. ***

I brought my bone stock 240sx to truboost on April 16, 2004. Against my better judgment I purchased a very large amount of parts for the car from them and choose to have them install the parts as they came in. After having a long talk with Derek, he had me believing that this was a trust worthy shop. He wanted me to order all the parts from him instead of any other online web site (as I had originally planned) telling me that he gets better deals and would hook me up with a discount for buying so much. I went ahead with his plan believing that he was a cool and trustworthy guy. As time went by I noticed that the parts were coming in VERY slowly. Something like a part or two every few weeks. When I first brought the car to Derek he told me that it would be a two week start to finish job. Now he was saying that of the 30 or so parts I ordered (including the motor) only 3 or so parts were readily available. What eventually ended up happening, as months were passing by and we were still waiting on 90% of the parts to show up, is he just began trying to unload parts on me that that he could get better deals or that were laying around the shop already even if they weren't what I originally ordered. This usually meant UPGRADING and putting more money in his pockets. So at the end of 11 months (yes, that’s 11 months! Almost and entire year) they tell me that the majority of the parts are in and most of the parts have been installed on the car. After almost an entire year of waiting on parts to show up (some of which never did) they told me that the only thing left to do was to tune the car and I would be good to go. About a month passes before I decide to just go pick up the car. They were supposed to be tuning the car but when I showed up they couldn’t even get the car to start. They would say things like the car is just out of gas, even if the gas gauge was reading a half tank of gas. I picked the car up after it had stayed at Truboost for a little over a year and towed it to Epik Motorsports in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

The car wasn't at Epik Motorsports for longer than 3 days before I had a list of problems created by our friends at Truboost. Now, I won’t even talk about how Truboost hacked together some intercooler piping that had metal filings flying into the compressor housing of the turbo, or the charge for a new oil filter and spark plugs that weren’t on the car, or the dead wal-mart battery that wasn’t even sealed or bolted down to the floor in rear of the hatch and yet I was charged for a “battery relocation kit”. Hey, I’ll even let the fact that that battery relocation included having some 8-gauge wire zip tied to the fuel line that runs under the car. The fact that the car’s ignition timing was off a few teeth but yet they were still trying to tune the AEM EMS is fine also. The car also had oil leaking from the rear main seal. Since they had not notified me of that problem but, when I went and pick the car up they had some sand under the transmition to catch all the oil dippings, I’m guessing they had no plans of telling me about it or fixing it. But all that didn’t really get to me. The part that really got me was when they took a look at the injectors and the turbo kit. Now originally I ordered Nismo 740cc injectors ($540). Upon further inspection the shop found that he had installed some Holley injectors that can be picked up for about $50 a piece. On the turbo kit I gave truboost $2,800. At the time Enjuku was selling a t3/t04 turbo kit that consisted of a Garrett turbo a tial wastegate and a turbo-fab manifold. I told Derek that the enjuku setup was the one I wanted. Instead he throws an SS Autochrome kit (A.K.A: the eBay turbo kit) on the car with goes for around $450 for the turbo, mani, and, wastegate. The turbine shaft was already warped and had some serious play not to mention the ss autochrome wastegates are notorious for bleeding off excess boost fashionably late and the manifolds usually crack after a few months.

I tried to make things good between us by writing an e-mail to truboost saying that I was unsatisfied and didn’t appreciate the part substitutions he did. I didn’t mind the unfinished and sloppy work that was done but I wanted to receive the parts that I had paid my hard earned money for. He promptly replied back basically saying that since I pick the car up early and in “AS-IS” condition I was S.O.L (**** outta luck).

**So since I took the car "unfinished" (after it sat at their shop for over a year and now have parts on my car that I never ordered and that now need to be replaced IMMEDIATELY so that they don't jeopardize the reliability of my car) it is all my fault and everything would have been sunshine and rainbows if I let them finish this so called "work". Even though all I was told they needed to do was to tune the AEM EMS. Honestly I believe if I didn't go and pick my car up it would still be sitting at Truboost to this date.

Modified by slideshow at 4:28 AM 10/11/2005
Modified by slideshow at 4:39 AM 10/11/2005

[slideshow]

I attached some pics of the work that was done byTruboost and I'll let you be the judge of the work.

The intercooler piping was cut so jaggedly thatsharpnel was commngloose.

This loose shrapnel was chewing up the turbine hosing.The turbine houseing itself was made up of cheepmetals and couldn't have taken too much more of thisabuse.

Some rusy water that came out of my brand new KoyoRadiator

Some of the "professional wiring". This pic is of theunshielded wires Used for the Z32 MAF extention. Usingunshielded wires allows the signals to bleed throughfrom the other wires so it is no wonder the carwouldn't run

The leaking Rear Main seal

The battery relocation. Notice the un-grometed 8 gaugewire that is in a hole that was drilled in the floor.

That wire from the batter is then ziped tied to a fuelline. Not the safest way to go about doing it

Check out that custom hot pipe!


Modified by slideshow at 5:12 AM 10/11/2005

[w1ngzer0]

Dude thats just nasty . Take them to court.

[KDashy]

Sad to see a nico member ripped by a nico sponser.

[Deftec]

damn sucks for you, that's why you should research and get a little background info before taking your car to a certain shop.

[slideshow]

your exactly right. Sad I had to go through that to learn the lesson. Hopefully no one else makes the same mistake.
Modified by slideshow at 2:49 PM 10/11/2005

[Axel Grungy]

eeeeek

[97ka-t]

Damn man, I was thinking about visiting them when I got a chance too...

[slideshow]

Just hope someone is there. I've been by a few times in the middle of the day and middle of the week to find the shop empty. And don't even think of trying to get in touch with them over the phone or e-mail unless you like being ignored.

[slideshow]

If your looking for a decent shop in South Carolina check out the shop that did all the "clean up" work for me.

Epik Motospotshttp://www.epikmotorsports.comMyrtle Beach, SC843-457-3307

They are some real good guys. They are very honest and are some strong belivers in customer service.

[Deftec]

Yea, always sucks but around here...the nearest shop is a 4 hour drive. So mainly we do all the work ourselves and have some friends that are heavily into the swaps/etc so it's mainly a do it yourself type area where I live....so, to the others get several opinions about a shop or anything else for that matter(parts,etc)

[starscream6]

DAMN!!!!!

[Kenrik]

That's some Craptacular work...

[gabossie]

That's horrible. Very rarely would I suggest this, but take their asses to court. That's money hard earned by you, and not earned by them. The parts substitutions are inexcusable.

[nchopp]

Indeed, small claims court all the way. Costs jack **** to do, just some time in the paperwork.

[srdrps13]

dude.. they said i was the one scamming them. i wouldn't cancel the claim i had on paypal cuz i thought they were tryna scam me but they told paypal that i was trying to get the products and get a full refund.. now i have to sell my exhaust system to pay a friend off. this is some ****ed up ****.. very pissed

[GhostDriver]

It's too bad you got taken advantage like that. I never did like the thought of leaving my car with other mechanics because of these scenerios.

[DriftingJesus]

I don't mean to over step my bounds but what is NICO admin gonna do about this?

I mean I don't feel comfortable buy from sponsors knowing they aren't as reliable and honest as were led to belive.

Oh and enjuku rocks they're always honest and reliable

just my 2 cents

[scs13]

thats some hardcore suckage, i feel sorry for ya. id be busting some heads. i think the NICO admin should question them about it at the least. i smell a truboost boycott, whos with me .

[xyster]

I don't mean to over step my bounds but what is NICO admin gonna do about this?

I mean I don't feel comfortable buy from sponsors knowing they aren't as reliable and honest as were led to belive.

Oh and enjuku rocks they're always honest and reliable

Good point, it really calls the quality of all the sponsors into question, since apparently the criteria for choosing them is faulty. I've never done any business with Truboost, so I can't comment on them specifically.

All you can really do is ignore the sponsor list, and buy from vendors you know to be trustworthy and reliable, whether they're on the list or not. +1 for Enjuku. I'll only buy from them, Heavy Throttle, and PDM Racing. They all have phenomenal customer service, if not the best prices, but I'm willing to pay a little more for excellent, speedy service.

I'll no doubt get flamed for this, but who cares.

[DriftingJesus]

thats some hardcore suckage, i feel sorry for ya. id be busting some heads. i think the NICO admin should question them about it at the least. i smell a truboost boycott, whos with me .

Chill for a bit unless you want to deal with major flamage from the Admin and Greg

Lets wait and hear what the Azhitman has to say

Remember never fuk wit someones money

[scs13]

i was only kidding, i just know i wouldnt buy from them.

[DoriftWolf]

Hey, this is Derek from EPiK Motorsports.

I will verify that everything stated by slideshow in this post is an accurate representation of the condition of the car when we recieved it. The photographs he posted were taken by me, and I have higher resolution versions available.

I would be interested in hearing a response from TruBoost or one of their representatives on this whole subject. slideshow has approached them on a number of occastions only to be blown off by them.

[NoStickers]

I'm not saying that I don't believe slideshow but this is the only complaint against them that I can recall. I vaguely remember being warned against them but I only buy from "proven" sponsors like enjuku, phase2, heavy throttle anyway. Hopefully some of the admins have taken note of this.

[AZhitman]

NICO's stand on this is, and has always been, the same:

1) We do business with and recommend ONLY reputable companies. This doesn't mean that all problems with delivery, quality control, personnel, or occasional crappy conditions are forseeable or within our control. Should these types of problems go unaddressed or ignored, we certainly have no problem with dropping a sponsor for that reason.

2) We provide a forum for feedback on those who provide services to our members (both good and bad) and encourage discussion of your experiences with those companies. Unfortunately, as in the media, the bad stories get a lot more attention.

3) We ask that ONLY current or former customers of the company being discussed post in these type threads. Mob mentality gets us nowhere.

We will be doing our part here to ensure a representative from TruBoost pops in to address this matter. Until then, please see #1-3 above.

Thanks all!

[Mr1der]

yeah probably....

Greg DESPISES shady sponsors.

[slideshow]

I would be interested in hearing a response from TruBoost or one of their representatives on this whole subject.

[sensibleS13driver]

on the upside slideshow I love what you did with your bumper, I might do it one of these days

[slideshow]

I'm not saying that I don't believe slideshow but this is the only complaint against them that I can recall.

Exhibit A.)

so yeh.. i got dereks sn to ask him a few questions and he seemed really nice, gave me all the information i needed for my sr project. I then sent a payment for 370 dollars for Greddy rocker arm stoppers, walbro fuel pump, cometic head gasket and arp head studs. It takes him about a month before he tells me that the head gasket is on back order. So im saying to myself, what the hell why did it take him so long to tell me that. I filed an item not received with paypal since He didn't answer his phone nor reply to emails. He then takes a few more weeks to send me the fuel pump and RAS. To this day he has not sent me a refund. He told me cancel my complain, but i didn't want him to screw me of my refund. He then calls Paypal and tells him i received everything. I have yet to receive my 209 dollar refund.

Derek was cool as hell, he helped me with all the info i needed to get my sr put in. Dont know why he would put 209 dollars before a satisfied customer.

Im new to the forums. Let me know about any events in the Tri state area. Pennsylvania, Delaware and New jersey. Ill try my best to make it

Exhibit B.)

also had a problem with TruBoost. I ordered from them since they are a forum sponsor, but I'll stick with Enjuku or Phase2 from now on. I ordered a set of SR20det head studs and a Cometic head gasket for a STOCK 86mm BORE (which means they should have sent me one that was either 86.5mm or at most 87mm). I ordered this back in July when they claimed they had just got a shipment of the headgaskets in. They screwed up my order and didnt get it processed until August 3rd. I got my head studs around the 11th and didnt get my gasket til a few days after that. They claimed they had a problem with the shipment....

Anyway, I opened the package and they had sent me a head gasket that was 88.5mm in bore. There was no way in hell I could use this. I called them somewhere around 20 times and only twice did i get them to answer. The phone would usually go to the voice mail, which was always full, so I could never leave a message. Other times, it seemed that a fax machine was hooked up. They also didnt respond to emails.

So I spoke with Derek about this issue and told him the gasket was too large in bore and he kept telling me I was wrong. I told him to check the FSM and it clearly shows the stock bore is 86mm. He continued to argue that he was correct and claimed he went into his shop and measured the bore of their block with a micrometer. I explained to him that if thats the measurement he was getting, then his block was not on a stock bore anymore. I explained to Derek that I wasnt necessarily looking for a refund, but just the correct parts. I would have been perfectly content with exchanging the head gasket for the correct one, but he was not willing to listen.

In any case, he later admitted that he was the in house SRT-4 tech and that he didnt know as much about the SR20 motors and he would have their supposed in house SR20 tech call me back. Of course I never heard from them again. I filed a VISA dispute and it is still pending since I had to supply some more information to my bank.

I would definitely NOT recommend this shop to my worst enemy. What I gave above is just a general rundown of what went on. There are a few more details involved, but I wont get into all of that.

Had they helped me to resolve the issue rather than keep telling me I'm wrong and insulting my intelligence, I probably would have left a positive post about them. Seeing as how they did not try to resolve the issue, or even contact me, then I have nothing good to say right now.

I also had a chance to speak with a friend of mine whose car was in the shop with mine and was going through the same thing. I still don't think he has his car back...

[slideshow]

on the upside slideshow I love what you did with your bumper, I might do it one of these days

haha, thanks mang