Prestige High Performance Engines

[shawnmil]

Hey All,

Just giving you a heads up that as of now I have not had a good experience with Prestige High Performance Engines. I found them on Ebay and they turned out to be a local shop here in Phoenix, Az. My order was completed (and payed) back on Feb 11th and I still have yet to see my engine. The shop informed me that it would be around 4 weeks to complete my "Turn Key" 350...

Since I ordered the engine they have converted their phone system to not even have a live person answer because of "increased volume" of calls. No matter if you are placing an order or checking on status you need to leave a voicemail and wait for them to call you back at their convenience. I have had several individuals at their shop tell me they would get a status via email but never responded after that... I have also received feedback such as "your engine is in build phase 2" without even explaining to me what that meant.

I am a very reasonable person and as along as the expectations set by the vendor are met I am pleased. If the expectations change I expect that information to be communicated to me in a timly manner and new expectations to be set. I can understand if things get delayed because that's just how it is when building a car... but come on... Communicate it to me and make it right some way or another.

Thanks for listening to me vent!!!

P.S.
My project is coming along very well and I hope to be getting some pictures out to yall!

Shawn

[dlsnfl]

I'd say it's time for a trip down to their shop for
a personal tour.

[shawnmil]

Yeah, my buddy and I are wanting to go down there and see how things are going... If I can ever get any of them on the phone!

[Caps57]

:mad: I have always found that a FACE-To-FACE works well! It should also be noted that if you are 6' 5" or so it can Smooth the Process! Letters to the Editor or local Chamber of Commerce can also be helpful.

[johns 56]

i wouldn't wait to get them on the phone. just show up. that way they are not prepared for u with some lame excuse. ask to see your eng and write down ser no in front of them. be nice to start with.

[chevman57]

I agree with Johns 56, i would go down there and see for myself. And i wouldn`t call and let them know you are coming. I like the surprise attack approach.
Terry

[57 sedan delivery]

Shawn - Where are these guys located and who runs the place? You said 'down there' so that makes me think on the south side, I wouldn't call them either but just show up.

[garlok]

Shawn - for what it's worth I've heard nothing but good things about Five Star in Phoenix. They can build a no-frills get it on the road motor or a fairly zooped up job, good rep for being honest and fast.

[dseale4888]

Like every one else I'd just show up. That will put them on the spot.
Dave

[Bruce Valley]

There are a number of engine builders here in the valley that sell on Ebay. Most of them imply that they have the engine in stock, ready to ship.
I don't think I've ever heard anything about Prestige, but I'd be a little concerned. Unless it's one or two guys working by themselves with a ton of engines on backorder, they should have had your motor ready in a couple weeks at the most. I think I'd go visit.

[shawnmil]

Thanks for all the input everyone. I am going to try to go down there next week. They called and left me a voicemail letting me know that it would be ready on Monday... I'm crossing my fingers because I have heard a lot and not seen anything yet.

[trifive]

When you get your engine, share some photo's of it with us.

Good Luck

Otis

[55fazzi]

Good luck with the Monday deadline,
Keep records of all contacts and attempted contacts. Keep your plans to visit the shop this week should they not deliver as promised. Good luck and post pictures when you do get the engine.

Tom

[shawnmil]

Shawn - Where are these guys located and who runs the place? You said 'down there' so that makes me think on the south side, I wouldn't call them either but just show up.


They are off of Indian school in central Phx. I finally recevied a direct line to someone at the shop, who I will be calling tomorrow.

[johns 56]

let us know how it turns out.

[johns 56]

any resolve to you problem?

[NickP]

Yeah, my buddy and I are wanting to go down there and see how things are going... If I can ever get any of them on the phone!

Don't warn them you're on the way. Just show up for a look see. Don't tell them up front that you are a present customer. Ask to see some work in progress. Take the tour. See if your engine is anywhere visible. At one point in my life, I worked for a company in Midland, Texas - Race Engine Service. Every customer had a complete build cart even up to the final Dyno stages and beyond. Labeled with a shop ticket defining the project and customer. Ask questions, a lot of them.

Do you have a receipt for payment. Canceled check or other proof of payment? Might be a good thing to have with you.

[Rick_L]

No reason to act like a mail order or internet customer if you're local. Get down there and see what's going on.

Let this be a warning to the rest. You are always better off doing business with a shop you can deal with face to face. Engine builders, welders, and painters are notoriously optimistic on schedules (read that as late as hell sometimes). If you are not a customer with a real face and a persistent reminder you will always get left in the dust by the guys that do show up, pester, and re-iterate their deadlines. It's just normal human nature for a business that has a few cash flow problems to take on small jobs that deliver this week and put off the absent customer with a bigger job.

If they are for real they will have something to show you and at least a reasonable story for when they'll deliver.

[shawnmil]

Well, I am totally fed up with this company at this point... I was called and informed that my engine was pretty much ready and all it needed to do was be painted (which they told me was going to be done two weeks into the project). They informed me that they could not find an engine enamle that matched the PPG color code that I gave them because the code did not exist. I confirmed with my paint shop that it was in fact a color... I ended up driving down there last Monday and bringing my glovebox door so they could find an enable that matched. (I was planning on having the engine painted the same color green as the darker of my two tone)... I was called the next day and informed that they could not match it because there was no enamle close enough... So, I told them just go ahead and paint it chevy orange. (I just want my engine at this point... It could be pink for all I care)... Not really but just trying to show my frustration...

I forgot to ask to see the engine while I was there on Monday so I took off work early on Tuesday and my buddy and I went down there... After I had called the owner of the company who I have been working with three times and not gotten a single call back. I aksed the guy in the shop if we could see my engine and he showed it to us... He brought be back and there it was, just a block sitting there on the ground with 6 or so other blocks... Nothing put on it whatsoever. He didn't even know which one I was going to get. He told me they didnt get started on it because there was no paint code. The owner never called in to the shop and gave them the info to get started...

On my way home I called the owner and he answered his phone... I told him that I went down to the shop and saw that my engine had not even been started. He appologized and let me know that it slipped his mind to call in and get it going... and told me that he would deliver it for free because of all my problems (as long as I had a way to get it off of his truck)... This is crazy is all I was thinking. He then told me that it would be done by tomorrow and he would bring it over after I got off work...

I get a call and come to find out something was wrong when they did the "spin test" after it was all put together... He left me a voicemail with this info and informed me that he would be upgrading me to a aluminum water pump at no charge due to the problems we have been having... and that he would still be delievering it that night after everything was straightend out. I called him three times that evening and never recieved a call back.

So, it's now Friday and I still don't have my engine, it's going to be painted a different color than I wanted, and I get a free aluminum water pump... yay!

If anyone can think of anything I should ask for to get due to the problems please let me know... Stuff that won't delay me getting it :)

Take care and wish me luck...

[dlsnfl]

I hate to ask, you probably paid already.
If not then maybe you could DELAY payment
to him.

[shawnmil]

Paid in full... FYI - This is the ebay name - aandnengines

[johns 56]

i would sure report it to bb after i got the eng. don't know if you can take him to court or not but that might be an option. if this is supposed to be a trick mtr i would pull the pan and valve covers to make sure i got what was promised. if not then court for sure and maybe cops for fraud. on a side note. you can paint the eng yourself with base/clear coat and it will stand up. so if you have some of that ppg paint clean the eng real good, primer it and shoot the color you want.

[shawnmil]

Well, the owner of the shop brought the engine over yesterday and we slid it into the back of my pickup because he didnt have a way to get it off his truck. It ended up being black somehow, the sparkplugs were missing, and the wires were the wrong color... But I have the engine!!!

He informed me that he upgraded it to aluminum roller rockers which is a $200 option but I have no way of telling this unless I take it apart.

See the pics below... Even though it's black could I sand it and paint the color I want, or should I just leave it?

Thanks again for listening to me vent on this one!

[ETriggs]

I think it looks great! What intake is that?
Eldon

[johns 56]

see above post.

[ETriggs]

Shawn - for what it's worth I've heard nothing but good things about Five Star in Phoenix. They can build a no-frills get it on the road motor or a fairly zooped up job, good rep for being honest and fast.

I think Five Star (if it is the one I am thinking of) is the one that turns out Ford engines for Cobra replicas. If (and I really stress IF) it is the same guy I am thinking (Max) he does a spectcular job for a good price.
Eldon

[shawnmil]

I think it looks great! What intake is that?
Eldon

Thanks Eldon! It's a Hurricane Intake