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[OC] Reputable shops?

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Old Dec 7, 2012 | 01:08 PM
  #1  
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[OC] Reputable shops?

I'm looking for a very reputable shop because Neptune Speed is busy until January. I know there's Lucky 7 all the way in LA, but I was hoping for something closer if possible. Just about every other mechanic has screwed me over including the classic "ya try my mechanic he's great!" So I'd rather wait a month unless it's someone who has been around a long time, with good opinions from several different people.

Again, if you can't give me a good answer just say so, no harm. Better than a fuzzy answer. Say "Naw those two are it bro." No harm done. I'd rather wait than get screwed, or maybe I'll make the drive to LA.
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Old Dec 7, 2012 | 02:23 PM
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Being in Huntington Beach, you're a relative short drive from both RRR and Mazdatrix.

Not to take anything away from Lucky 7 or Mazdatrix, but I've been going to RRR for over 20 years and is always my first choice. The hands on mechanics have rotated over the years, but Nicks watchful eye is the constant that always seems to get to successful solution finding. Having one of the best tuners on the west coast (Nelson) in residence certainly adds to my positive view.

The underlying issue to the few complaints I've ever heard about RRR is the customer restricted RRR from fully doing what they recommended. So resultant problems are more on those customers than on RRR. I've always fully followed their advise, many times having them do what I don't have the skills or tools to do and (if I have the luxury of time) the balance myself to save money (Nick gets that), and I've NEVER had a problem on the rebound in all of those 20+ years. Moreover, their labor and parts costs are very very fair.
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Old Dec 7, 2012 | 02:37 PM
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Ya they are close and I've heard of them. Thanks man.
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Old Dec 8, 2012 | 10:52 PM
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+1 for RRR
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Old Dec 10, 2012 | 06:12 PM
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I agree with using RRR. I've known them now for five years and have always gotten good advice as well as service.
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Old Dec 17, 2012 | 01:42 PM
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since you're in Huntington Beach, why not just go to NeptuneSpeed?
Yoshiya knows his way around a car and specializes in everything RE.

I've been going there for almost 8 years and have never had a bad experience.
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Old Dec 17, 2012 | 02:09 PM
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Because they're busy.
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Old Dec 19, 2012 | 12:11 AM
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busy is good, it's the empty rotary shops I'd be worried about.
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Old Dec 19, 2012 | 12:00 PM
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+1 for RRR, they'd be my #1 choice now since the other shop i used to recommend seems to have taken a nose dive in quality and honesty. if a shop has been around for at least 10 years you can usually bet they are doing something right.
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Old Dec 19, 2012 | 09:21 PM
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I was going to say Neptune when I saw the title but just read the actual post. I'd also like to hear more about RRR for future reference. (I just landed a job 5 minutes away from Neptune Speed too!!)
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Old Jan 1, 2013 | 07:22 PM
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FASTFREADDY'S are the real deal and are always willing to help out and work with you
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Old Jan 3, 2013 | 03:17 PM
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RRR and Fast Freddy's is the same thing.

Mazdatrix- got my irons and housings street ported and lapped here as well as the rotating assembly balanced. I have also bought parts here a bunch of times. Very nice people, they even gave me a whole tour of their shop. Only downside is it is expensive but you get what you pay for.

RRR- Got my car tuned here. Nelson knows what he is doing and I am very satisfied on the drivability and power of my tune.

Lucky7 (not oc) - My go to shop for everything I can't do by myself. Louie who used to work at RRR now works here (highly recommended)

J-auto (pomona not oc)- Juan can handle all your suspension bushing needs

neptune speed- two thumbs down, wayyy down
I think I am the only one with a bad experience from this place and probably will never come back here. I was having problems installing BNR's after getting them converted back to sequential so I decided to take it to Neptune speed. The BNR"S had the dynamic seals so synthetic idemitsu was to be used; I left a case on the drivers seat and specifically told them to use it. When everything was installed they put in regular castrol gtx and already tuned it. They charged me for the oil used and Yoshiya is one of those people who think they know everything and says, "no using castrol gtx is fine even with dynamic seals". Umm no.... I also had bought a bunch of working solenoids and he kept telling me that they are the wrong ones. I told him, "you don't know what your talking about and just put them in, they'll work". And yes they did. So the car drives fine but my turbos start to leak like in one month, most likely because non synthetic was used on dynamic seals. Yoshiya knows how to tune a Power FC but I can say its not as good as Nelsons. Nelsons tune may cost more but when you drive it you'll know why.

Another thing Yoshiya scammed me on was he said he could get my car to pass smog by making a custom smog tune on the power fc for $200. I agreed only if it was going to pass and he assured me it was since they have a smog check place right next door. He tunes it and guess what the guy next door doesn't want to comply because I got no air pump. Yoshiya makes up some dumb excuses why I cant get my $200 back and I ask for him to email me the tune since I paid $200 for it. Says he emailed it but I never got it.

Very depressed I was contemplating on selling my car after this fiasco since I just lost how much money taking my ride to neptune speed but I decided to get it done right. The only reason I took the car to Neptune speed is because I was going to UCI at the time and it was nearby (wrong move). I still question myself to this day why I just didn't go to Lucky7. I now take my car to some LEGIT mechanics at Lucky7 and get everything fixed right. Send off my turbos to comp turbos to get rebuilt. When the crew at Lucky7 were going through my vacuum lines they tell me its all wrong (thanks Neptune speed). From this whole experience I can clearly say Neptune speed does not know crap about the twin turbos and routing it's intricate vacuum lines. Sure you can take your car to Neptune speed for easy stuff that ANY shop can do (i.e. brakes, oil change, bolt ons..) but if you want something rotary specific like the twin turbo system they don't know crap.
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Old Jan 17, 2013 | 12:44 AM
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Rotary Power in Gardena is also a very good shop.
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Old Jan 19, 2013 | 12:01 PM
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+1 for RRR. They did my FD right. Nelson did a legit tune.
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Old Jan 20, 2013 | 10:25 PM
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I also need to take my FD to a shop, what about JRX?
Haven't heard anything from them.
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Old Jan 22, 2013 | 04:24 PM
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Jrx is good. They got my car running a few years back. No complaints.
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Old Jan 22, 2013 | 08:25 PM
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I'll drive my car 50+ miles to Lucky7 for service if I had the need to.

Or if I had a running FC still
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