Never take your car to Z fever in Tampa Fl

[myS13wantsaVQ35]

Here is my story!

This is how it all started; I found the number and information for Z fever on line and gave the owner, Doug Mitchell, a call. I asked him about doing a motor swap: 2004 Nissan 350z –VQ35DE in my 1990 Nissan 240sx S13. He said it would be easy. We talked about it for a little while and he told me that he had done them before. He said there was an S13 in his shop at that moment with the same swap done with a twin turbo set up that he put on himself. We talked about all of the parts needed to do the swap and he said he would use all of my stock parts to include the ECU, throttle body, wiring harness, and dash cluster. He said that his shop would custom make all of the other parts needed to do the swap. Then we talked price; he said that it would not exceed $2500. The last thing we talked about was time frame to do the job; he said he could have it done in three weeks. We set a date for me to drop off the car.

I took the car, motor, transmission, and all of the extra parts I have for the swap to his shop one day late of my appointment. I had already called and said I was running late and he said to bring the stuff in the morning of the next day. We got there to drop off the stuff and Doug is not at work and no one there knows a thing about my car or that I am dropping it off. I unload all of the parts and unload the car. I spoke to an employee named Major until Doug showed up. Major told me that they had never done that swap before. Yet when Doug got there he told me they had done one before. I tried to show Doug where all of the parts were, but he tells me that Major already knew. Again, we talked about price and he told me that it would not go over $2500 and that he would have it done in three weeks. I pay Major $2000 in cash, which is what Doug told me to bring. I ask once again about the bill and I am told that it will not exceed $2500.

I started calling after about a week to see if things were going okay and if I needed to send him any parts I did not take him. I was told things are going fine and to send him an e-mail for him to keep me up to date via e-mail. After about a week and a half he tells me that I am missing a security ring on the steering column. He said it was a light where you would put the key in to start the car. I knew this was not true because I was driving my 2004 350z at the time and looked to check - there was no light around the key. I also took the complete steering column to Tampa with the car. I told Doug this and he asked where the column was; if he had even started on my car at that time he would have already known exactly where it was – in the trunk. Then I got an email saying I was missing the rear cam sensors, which I know were there when I took the car and parts to him. He said he had found an extra set and would keep going with the car. After this incident, he started getting really short with me when I called or sent emails asking for any updates or pictures.

About one week after the date I was told the car would be read, I called and talked to the employee who was working on my car to ask how it was going. This employee informed me that he was wiring up an AEM stand alone e.c.u. and not using my stock e.c.u. I told him right away that I did not pay for this $1950 e.c.u. to be put in my car. He told me that Doug told him the whole time to wire up the AEM e.c.u. He had not said a word about the stock one being used in the car. The employee then told me that it was not going to affect the amount of money that I had to pay - Doug just wanted that car out of his shop. After another two weeks of waiting I was told my car was ready to pick up. We headed for Tampa, Florida from Augusta, Georgia (a 10-hour drive). I took all of the Nissan parts I own with me as a previously discussed trade. We got there around 5pm and the car was not there - Doug had to go pick it up from an alignment shop. We waited for him about an hour at the shop. He pulled in with the tires rubbing in the fender wells. He wanted to roll the fenders and change out the exhaust that I had brought him to put on my car. However, he wants to do it the next morning and asks if we can just get a hotel room nearby, then pick the car up in the morning. I agreed to be there at 9:30am.

The car was still not ready when I arrived at 9:30am. We had to be on the road no later than 11am, and we were told that would be no problem. At this time I was told that the cam timing was not working properly because they did not have the correct program for the AEM e.c.u. I was also told that it would be retuned for free by Glenn in Atlanta, Georgia whenever I could take my car to him. This would be a three hour drive.

Then I got the bill which I was told would not exceed $2500 the whole time Doug had my car. The bill was $6500. I was not ready for that at all. We discussed everything. Then Doug told me that all of the extra work is what caused the price to increase. I gave him all of the parts he did not use for the swap and all of the extra Nissan parts I had. I gave him parts for an S13, which is a 1989 to 1994 Nissan 240SX; and an S14, which is a 1995 to 1998 Nissan 240SX, which included: 2 motors - KA24de, two S13 5 speed transmissions, one S14 5-speed transmission, one S13 e.c.u., one S14 e.c.u., one 350Z e.c.u., two 300ZX wheels, one S13 dash cluster, one S14 dash cluster, one 300ZX dash cluster, one 200SX dash cluster, one 350Z steering column and steering wheel with air bag, three 350Z digital gages, one S14 driveshaft, one S14 master clutch cylinder, one set of S14 clutch had lines, one S14 slave cylinder, one 350Z radiator, and many more small parts. He then took $1500 off of the bill. I paid the rest of the bill with two credit cards: $2000 on my employers credit card (which is being disputed), and $1000 on my personal credit card.

I get in my car to drive to the gas station because the tank was empty. It ran out of gas before I could get out of the parking lot. They put some gas in it and it still would not start. They replaced a fuse and it was up and running. I tried to get gas again but the car does not make it across the street to the gas station before it shots off. I waited about 20 minutes for them to walk over and get it running again. After they worked on it for an hour or so, I tried again to get some gas. It shut off in the same spot. Then I waited 30 minutes before they came to tow my car back across the street. After they worked on it for another two hours, I tried again to get some gas. I made it to the pump, but it would not start after I put gas in the car. We got it back to the shop yet again and they spend about 3 hours working on my car. The mechanic finally figured out that when Doug had drove my car he bottomed out so hard that it ripped out the fender liner and destroyed the body wiring harness in the driver’s side fender well. They did not fix this, but patched it up good enough for me to make it home. About the time that was finished, it was 6pm – we had a 10-hour drive home. After I am well on the road, I notice what all is wrong with the car, but we made it home some how.

Here is a small list of things that do not work and should: Cam timing, speed odometer, temperature gage, front and back defrost, reverse lights, horn, electric fans on radiator (the ones he put on the car are falling apart). The car is out of tune and not many people know how to tune it so I will have to go to Atlanta to get it running correctly. Also, when he rolled my fenders Doug put two big dents in the rear panels of my car and destroyed my front two fenders. I was a quoted $1889.57 to have the body and body harness fixed that Doug messed up. Glenn, the guy who is supposed to retune and rewire the e.c.u, is working on a quote for that. He said after buying the correct fuel injectors for my car and wiring up the cams, which was never done, the bill should be around a $1000. I will send in the paper work as soon as I get one from Glenn at Vision Performance (706-896-0030).

To recap: Doug lied to me from the start. He had never done this swap before and all of the custom parts he was going to make on hand at his shop he actually bought from a web site (vqswap.com). After all of this, my car needs a lot of work to the body (which Doug damaged) and the engine needs to be re-wired and tuned to run correctly. I am only asking for $2000 of the $4000 I was overcharged. The bill went from the original $2500 to $6500.

$6500 Amount of Bill: Paid as follows$2000 cash 07/31/07$1500 credit for parts 09/07/07$2000 Platinum Plus #3706 09/07/07$1000 Personal credit card 09/07/07

The original agreement was for $2500 after the deposit of $2000 cash. I should have only been billed an additional $500. Instead, I was billed for additional repairs/parts that I did not authorize. At this current time, I have paid more then I was obligated and my car is not drivable without further necessary repairs. Communication between Z-Fever and myself is non-existent.

[IanS]

Wow, that sucks.

[marlin29311]

holy wall of text batman!

Wow, that sucks dude. Have you thought about filing a complaint against this guy?

[dickie]

no shortage of cockscukers out there willing to take your money and give you nothing in return.

spread this around as much as you can. maximum exposure equals maximum pressure on this ***.

[ScrapMetal]

I read your story a while back ago on another forum. What has happened to you and the car since then?

[DrifterXRPS13]

dude, not to sound like an ***, but i read this story before, same exact word for word on nico quite awhile ago...either your re posting this and it's really old or you just took somebody else story and posted it...i'm assuming it's the first one.

[myS13wantsaVQ35]

yeah it has been about a year since I posted it the first time. I just don't want this to happen to anyone else. I still have my car and I am still trying to fix all of the stuff that Z fever messed up.

[ScrapMetal]

So whats been up with the car since then?

[DrifterXRPS13]

ahh, see i knew i had seen it before...well sucks that happened.

[etschell]

i didnt read the whole book of what you wrote but did you sign an agreement with him detailing the scope of work? . i can say the guy seems shady, but failure to protect yourself is the reason for this circumstance.

[r34 gtr]

If it makes you feel any better, your car is ridiculously hot. If your car was a woman, I would wine and dine that sh in a heartbeat.

[myS13wantsaVQ35]

well thank you, and I am sure that my car would put out on the first date.

[Murdered_T]

I thought you posted this like four months ago, yea that sucks and I am sorry, but DIY next time.

[myS13wantsaVQ35]

I always have worked on my own stuff, just don't have to much time these days. As they say live and learn!

[Murdered_T]

is there any update, like getting your money back or anything?

[myS13wantsaVQ35]

I did get 2k back on a credit card.

[Murdered_T]

thats good, i love your z man.

[RCA]

I was also interested in the VQ swap so I spent 5 hours researching it.And the price for a DIY one with prefabed parts was like $6K-$8K.I also knew that it was necessary to use a stand alone ECU.

So basicly when "Doug" tells you it will cost $2.5K and he will use the stock VQ ECU this didn't strike you as weird?That plus the fact that he BSed you when he said he had done one previously?

That didn't make you nervious in the least bit?Doug is still a total a$$*le but I think consumers need to protect themselves as well.

I hope you get this WHOLE situation gets resolved. Best of luck with the whole situation and on getting her (S13) in running shape

[VMPhil]

I was also interested in the VQ swap so I spent 5 hours researching it.And the price for a DIY one with prefabed parts was like $6K-$8K.I also knew that it was necessary to use a stand alone ECU.

So basicly when "Doug" tells you it will cost $2.5K and he will use the stock VQ ECU this didn't strike you as weird?That plus the fact that he BSed you when he said he had done one previously?

That didn't make you nervious in the least bit?Doug is still a total a$$*le but I think consumers need to protect themselves as well.

I hope you get this WHOLE situation gets resolved. Best of luck with the whole situation and on getting her (S13) in running shape

CO-SIGNED. a typical VQ swap runs about 6k. It sucks that dude lied to you flat out, but ask travis the guy who pioneered the swap. it runs ATLEAST 5-6k.

[PoorManQ45]

LOL, cash only = gonna rape you.

That's why towing companies want cash only

[myS13wantsaVQ35]

Well in the end I came out pretty much even, beside the loss of extra parts I gave him it worked out okay. What's killing me now is all of the extra work that I have to do just to fix all the stuff he f-ed up.

[r34 gtr]

Yeah, and that was $2500 for labor only. You provided all the parts. I'll bet you could do a VQ35 swap pretty cheap if you had someone handed you all the parts.

Glad you got it at least somewhat sorted out.

[ramman434]

that really sucks man

[myS13wantsaVQ35]

well I got my car back and I learned something out of all of this. I just don't want that shop - ZFEVER - to rip anyone else off.

[infinitgkid]

I'd give you my personal opinion but there isn't a sparknote version of that novel of a thread you just posted.

But from what I read in the subject line and little parts throughout the thread: That sucks man, there are a lot of people that try to rob you. You just gotta watch out next time...

[myS13wantsaVQ35]

it happens.

[Beancooker]

I swear that this story is almost exactly (word for word) the same as one that was posted up here a year or so ago. I'll have to find the other article and see if it's the same business.

[myS13wantsaVQ35]

it might have been an old post of mine, I just posted it again just so that more people know about this shop and do not take their cars to Zfever

[myS13wantsaVQ35]

just want to spread the word