Reasonable or rort? Opinions wanted.

[savage1987]

Dropped my diff parts off to a shop here in Townsville today.

I had been quoted "not much more than $440" for the job.



Having a look at the parts I dropped in, he revised his quote to "I can't quote this til it's finished, wouldn't be surprised if it ends up over $2000"



The only parts included in his cost is a kit of bearings and seals. Everything else I have provided.

VN 28spline BW w/snapped LH axle
spare LH axle
Harrop Truetrac centre
2nd hand set of 3.9s



His reasoning is that he wasn't aware of the ratio change. SURELY even with the small amount of machining required to get the 3.9 ring gear onto the Harrop centre is not worth an additional $1500 in cost?!!


Opinions wanted, particularly from people within the industry. Honestly I hadn't even expected to pay that price if the gears were completely rooted and he had to supply new ones!


Help, want this sorted out ASAP.
Sam

[Alt_F4]

Clearly doesn't want the job and is giving you the "too hard basket" price

[MrSparkle]

Go elsewhere.

I have had complete diffs built with aftermarket gears and lockers plus bearings - everything for $500


It isn't even in a car is it?

[-Luke-]

Pick up parts, walk away.

[savage1987]

Nope it's not even in a car.

Trouble is the only other diff builder I have spoken to up here has quoted me a similar price. Worth freighting to someone to build this?

[wormbo2]

Google how to do it yourself?
I try everything on my own car.
Or Surely some kid in a machine shop would be able to knock X.Xmm off on a lathe or whatever need doing. FUCK THE SPECIALIST, cheeky overpriced wanker.

[Bombaman]

Road freight it down to Brisbane.

Chances are he doesnt know what hes doing (hence he counldnt quote it right) and you are just going to end up with a whiney expensive lemon of a diff.

[savage1987]

I'll call him in the morning and have a long chat about exactly where that money's going.

I'll also call Phil Purser @ Final Drive and think about freighting it there and back - at least I know he does good work! That whiney expensive lemon is a concern of mine, especially with 2nd hand 3.9s in it. Mind you, how long was it ever NOT going to whine, considering 6spd + drag work?

[Bombaman]

If the gears are Genuine and had a good contact pattern before they should be setup to not whine. My new RTS gears whine (3.9, M6) but only after 80KM, but given my setup (no dampners) most likley a harmonic whine (doesnt sound like Pinion bearings or pre-load)


Phil @ Final Drive should do it fine (he built my HD Tailshaft), or WA Diff.
Im sure there is probably a cheaper option in Brissy, maybe call Phil and get a recommendation? If hes done work for you in the past he should be more than happy to oblige if there is anyone he would recommend

[PHIL]

I'll call him in the morning and have a long chat about exactly where that money's going.

I'll also call Phil Purser @ Final Drive and think about freighting it there and back - at least I know he does good work! That whiney expensive lemon is a concern of mine, especially with 2nd hand 3.9s in it. Mind you, how long was it ever NOT going to whine, considering 6spd + drag work?

could ask my bro in cairns if he would be interested in doing it. hes very good with diffs and cars in general and has a workshop full of tools.

[SLY346]

dont mean to hijack but whats a non crackpipe spec price on getting some 3.9s installed into my vz's diff?
I've got the gears, I just need to get them installed and get the diff reshimmed or whatever else.
Was thinking of trying Cowley Automotive in Cannington..

[savage1987]

If the gears are Genuine and had a good contact pattern before they should be setup to not whine. My new RTS gears whine (3.9, M6) but only after 80KM, but given my setup (no dampners) most likley a harmonic whine (doesnt sound like Pinion bearings or pre-load)


Phil @ Final Drive should do it fine (he built my HD Tailshaft), or WA Diff.
Im sure there is probably a cheaper option in Brissy, maybe call Phil and get a recommendation? If hes done work for you in the past he should be more than happy to oblige if there is anyone he would recommendYeah Phil modified and rebuilt my tailshaft for the LS1 conversion. I'll talk to him and go from there, as you say.


could ask my bro in cairns if he would be interested in doing it. hes very good with diffs and cars in general and has a workshop full of tools.Has he built BWs before? They are a bastard apparently :)

[Turbo2.6L]

Google how to do it yourself?
I try everything on my own car.
Or Surely some kid in a machine shop would be able to knock X.Xmm off on a lathe or whatever need doing. FUCK THE SPECIALIST, cheeky overpriced wanker.

Maybe explains why you have a few different 'help' threads on here after fucking your shit up?? :p



dont mean to hijack but whats a non crackpipe spec price on getting some 3.9s installed into my vz's diff?
I've got the gears, I just need to get them installed and get the diff reshimmed or whatever else.
Was thinking of trying Cowley Automotive in Cannington..

WA Diff Centre. Was quoted $1200ish last week to smash some 4.11's in my VX Diff, supply & Install. Gears are worth $450ish for non-genuines iirc, so $750ish for the labour side...

[180SXTCY]

dude contact a bloke call greg dally aka dalspec on the forums. he is a diff guru and will be able to sort it out.

[stumps.]

Google how to do it yourself?
I try everything on my own car.
Or Surely some kid in a machine shop would be able to knock X.Xmm off on a lathe or whatever need doing. FUCK THE SPECIALIST, cheeky overpriced wanker.

Whilst i apply this theory to most things i do on my car, diffs are not one of them. Everything has to be precise with backlash and loading etc. No room for error.

If you haven't worked on a diff before don't do it yourself. i would look at freight options.

[savage1987]

Just rang Phil @ Final Drive in WA, he doesn't do the Borg Warners any more but gave me the number of a guy in Brisbane who he recommended.

I spoke to this guy (Ray @ Western Suburbs Differential & Gearbox Services) and he's quoted me $795 plus maybe another $100 in machining costs. I'm happy enough with that if it means I end up with a good diff out of it.

They both agreed that $2000 is far too much for that job.

I'll look into freight later, and I'll pick the parts up from the shop they're at now when I get a chance.

[-Luke-]

Price sounds a bit more realistic! I would ring the shop the parts are at now thought and tell him not too proceed so you dont get a bill anyway. I reckon inc frieght you'll be paying less than $1500

[cplagz]

Rip off. I paid $500 for the exact same job to be done here in Belmont.

Use e-go depot to door to save on freight costs if you are concerned that much.

[savage1987]

I have used e-go a couple of times before, I definitely rate their services!!

I have called the current place and put a hold on any work until after the boss gives me a better quote and a breakdown of costs (which he hasn't), they hadn't started yet.

[b/rad]

what shop ? PM if you want


"Trouble is the only other diff builder "

i no of at least 3 in town so your missing someone

[savage1987]

Town Automatics is where the parts are now. Other shop was out near Ingham Rd, can't remember name. Unaware of another shop, they were the 2 recommended to me up here.

[PHIL]

spoke to my bro in cairns he said no on borg warners. sorry mate

[savage1987]

All good, a lot of shops don't do them because they are too much effort :p

[turboedsloth]

They arent that much effort, but with installing the Harrop centre, do they have to machine the crown wheel to get it to fit over the centre or machine the pinion down so it doesnt hit like it does with the KAAZ upgrade?

[savage1987]

They arent that much effort, but with installing the Harrop centre, do they have to machine the crown wheel to get it to fit over the centre or machine the pinion down so it doesnt hit like it does with the KAAZ upgrade?
Sorry I missed this question - here's the info Harrop gave me on the subject:

A heads up on one possible modification I did forget to mention with that particular TruTrac ..If you want to use a gear set higher than a 3.7:1 you MAY need to shave a small section off the top of the pinion gear to accommodate, this will not affect the gear set and is a common practice.

Standard diff centres taper off (where the red arrow is in the below picture) but due to the internal helical gear set, TruTracs housings are straight. This means that some larger aftermarket crown and pinion sets can possibly fowl on this part of the centre. Hopefully this won’t be an issue for you at all though but just incase you run into it over the Christmas break and can’t get onto us!
http://i42.tinypic.com/jsbtrr.jpg


Hope that helps.



UPDATE


so I got a better reception from Brinks Performance (http://www.brinksperformance.com.au/workshop.htm) here in Townsville, decided I'm happy to take it to him and he actually wants the job so that's already a good start.


I stopped in to Town Automatics today, to pick up the parts that I had left in their care, only to discover them sitting out in the weather EXACTLY where the guy had me put them when I dropped them off.

My brand new Harrop Truetrac centre has rust on it.

I spoke to him (fairly politely, considering the circumstances), he flat out does not care, and sees nothing wrong with leaving thousands of dollars of (potential) customer-owned parts out in the rain for weeks on end.

I asked him would it really have been that difficult to bring it inside a workshop, he said "I sprayed it with WD40" as if that made it all OK somehow.



Seriously, where do I go from here, am I just being a bitch or is it reasonable for me to be a little bit fucking angry that my $1300 BRAND NEW diff centre has rusted due to the laziness of SOMEONE WHO SHOULD KNOW BETTER? Frankly I'm disgusted with the service, especially given I was dealing directly with the manager the whole time, not just an errant staff member.

[duste]

Erm, why did you leave the parts there?

[savage1987]

Agreement was I'd leave the parts there for him to build the diff, he said he couldn't get around to it for a while. Meanwhile, I found somewhere better after he quoted me an enormous figure, see post1.

[savage1987]

That's what reviews (http://maps.google.com.au/maps/place?rls=com.microsoft:en-GB:{referrer:source}&oe=&redir_esc=&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=town+automatics+townsville&fb=1&gl=au&hq=town+automatics&hnear=0x6bd5f8dbd573d1e7:0x500eef17f20feb0,Townsvi lle+QLD&cid=9263248811028761426&dtab=2&action=openratings&ei=j8s4T4PWGuuziQfmxJj3AQ&sa=X&oi=local_result&ct=write-review&resnum=1&ved=0CDYQtwQwAA)are for I guess, hopefully some people see it before they use the shop.


Since had a dude on LS1 forum contact me and say he wished he could have warned me about Robin @ Town Automatics earlier, apparently did some work there a few years back and he's no good.


:(



edit:

LOL google the business name. Now a sub-link of THEIR OWN WEBSITE LINK, titled "1 google review", sends you directly to that.

Fucking winner.

[b/rad]

A shame you had a bad experience with him I've only ever herd good things and have plenty of mates using diffs built by him in 400+ hp cars