English or Pina???

ozzie_1978 · 05-06-2008, 10:55 AM

To make a long story short.... I just got my car back yesterday and its in horrible condition. If you want to see the back story here is the link.

HID Tuning - Car stripped and parts stolen - WiDSM Forums - The Official Wisconsin Club DSM

I come in about page 13

He put the car on a trailor to be shipped out here without plugging the sparkplug holes or covering the turbo or anything and it was towed through a huge snowstorm. so.... yeah... not to mention its missing almost everything except the engine, tranny, and turbo. I'm not sure if he used the internals he was supposed to and it looks like he might have even swapped out the tranny he built for me with a crappy one since its all torn apart looking compared to the last pic he sent me. He probably yanked everything he could ecxept for major components. I could do a lot of the work myself but being in the army and in school full time, i dont have the time.

I have read a lot about pina and english on here lately and I am still having a hard time deciding who to take it to. Pina is 50 miles away and in driving distance after work, English is about 117 and i'd have to get off work to go. it's only going to cost me $150 to tow to either place. Which one of these guys would be less likely to charge me up the ass for every little thing and be more willing to work with me? From reading on here I see Pina's rep might have gone down a little losing some employees and might be a little more expensive. Will the benefit of having them so much closer be worth it?

fjm9898 · 05-06-2008, 12:08 PM

from what i have herd english it all about quality. he is not afraid to hold your car for a few extra days to make sure its done right.

SonySlave · 05-06-2008, 01:19 PM

Hey, I live in Lacey also! Whereabouts in Lacey?

Anyway, Lucas and his team can literally make anything with a DSM into a reality. Go with English Racing and you'll fall in love with your car all over again! Their customer service is top notch, and their tech skills are 2nd to none. Welding, motors, trannys, exhausts, cages... Anything you need, they can do.

droppinbottom · 05-06-2008, 01:22 PM

I will just say it like this.

I had to trailer my car 240 miles to get it to Lucas this past Saturday. Yes I am biased because I originally met Lucas several years back and he is just like the rest of us when it all comes down to it. He loves racing and he loves dsm's. Anytime I have something I don't feel 100% safe doing myself I let him have it and he has not let me down yet.

I think if you give your car to Lucas and get the chance to meet him you will not be dissapointed.

sicktsiboy · 05-06-2008, 01:22 PM

English racing...I agree with every one else.

97MitsuEclipse · 05-06-2008, 02:40 PM

English, he's the best I know and the only one that i let work on my car. He'll make sure you get what you pay for.

thorlief4g63 · 05-06-2008, 03:21 PM

I drove from Bellingham to camas, rode a train back and forth between bellingham and camas just to get my car serviced by him. I would only take it to Lucas because he is honest, fair, and does better work then anyone else.

Meklo_4G63t · 05-06-2008, 04:19 PM

This is the second time this story has came up this year but I want to say looking at what u want is Quality and distance. Andre and one other guy works at Pina. Hes smart as shit when it comes to a DSM and has his knowledge on other brands to. English is a bigger shop so what u want because to many hands on a really is what tends to F#@K up a car. By buddy for example with his subbie with a shop in Portland. Anyway I would go for pina if u have the time for a build and hes right there. Even he lets u in there to gain knowledge own your on stuff.

MY1GDSM · 05-06-2008, 04:43 PM

IMO Go to english one of my freinds bought a car that had the tranny rebuilt from him and he broke a shift rail in it like a month after he got the car and lucas replaced it for the cost of the part if I remember right or at least real cheap even charged him less then he said it was gonna cost, I've only talked to him a few times but he's real honest...Only big plus to pina over English IMOA is the Dyno But a dyno isn't everything..(dont get me wrong there).. then again I don't know anyone from PINA so I can't say anything about them

When did lucas's shop Get Real BIG?

Unles hitting 1014 Awhp in an EVO makes the shop get bigger

First time I went down there I thought it was gonna be alot bigger then it was but a BIG shop?

Not to thread jack but I got to ask

Hey sonyslave what boost where you running last weekend down at PIR? A better 60' Say 1.745 and you could have hit 11's

SonySlave · 05-06-2008, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meklo_4G63t

This is the second time this story has came up this year but I want to say looking at what u want is Quality and distance. Andre and one other guy works at Pina. Hes smart as shit when it comes to a DSM and has his knowledge on other brands to. English is a bigger shop so what u want because to many hands on a really is what tends to F#@K up a car. By buddy for example with his subbie with a shop in Portland. Anyway I would go for pina if u have the time for a build and hes right there. Even he lets u in there to gain knowledge own your on stuff.

Not to be an ass, because I like you, but you obviously have never seen Lucas' shop before. His shop is out in the ass end of nowhere in Camas. His shop is tiny. You would really never even know it was a shop if it weren't for the numerous Evos and DSMs out front. Yes, Lucas may have 3 or 4 other guys that work for him, but he has never had a true complaint EVER come out of his shop. He also has hired some extremely top notch workers that have done a lot of good things in the import world. TJ has a CRX that went 10.0 at BOTI last year. Lucas has a 506awhp stock turbo Evo VIII, built Paul Nelson's 1079awhp highest HP 2.0L Evo in the world, and he had a 1G that ran 10s also. And his newest member, Aaron AKA Midget AKA JohnBradley on EvoM is one of the premier Evo tuners in the Northwest. Lucas has a couple other workers that I'm not as familiar with, but they all are awesome guys that want nothing more than to have people haul ass. It isn't about the money, or the big expensive dynos. It's about having fun doing what you love and sharing it with others...

/RANT

SonySlave · 05-06-2008, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MY1GDSM

Hey sonyslave what boost where you running last weekend down at PIR? A better 60' Say 1.745 and you could have hit 11's

My setup is all of the mods listed in my profile. I was running 28psi spikes that were falling and holding to 24-25psi. My two-step was acting up a couple weeks ago, so I unhooked it and was having some difficulty getting the car off the line on Saturday. But yes, I agree, 11s are in my future soon...

Unfortunately, on my last run of the night, at the 3-4 shift, my car started shuttering really bad and the engine started missing really bad. I think it's only a burnt valve, but I'm starting to think my rings are done as well. The bottom end has 138k original miles, so it's about that time for a good freshening up. We'll see what I'll need to do when I pull the head off.

droppinbottom · 05-06-2008, 05:22 PM

^^ When did Lucas get 506 out of his evo? Last I talked to him it was 434 and pauls was at 1014 IIRC. No flaming or mis intentions meant by that question.

As far as his shop being big. It is not but the amount of cars that he works on is. If you want him to get to your car OP I would get ahold of him soon and get something scheduled. I know I will probably be taking up a full week of the shop with mine but man I can't wait for the first time I get to drive it when it comes back.

As far as a dyno goes, He has never had a problem getting my car on the rollers. I don't know if it is functional right now but ETS should be finishing up their dyno very soon and I know Lucas will be using that one alot.

As far as any complaints. I had one with Lucas but it was due to work that a employee did on my car. That person is no longer with him and that was done over 2 years ago. When Lucas saw what was done he appologized and made it right. Also just so everyone knows the problem I had was a simple weld on a exhaust system he made for me. What I thought was so cool was the fact that when Lucas saw it he made it right even though the work was done 2 years prior to him seeing it. Now that is what I call a great shop owner.

MY1GDSM · 05-06-2008, 05:23 PM

Cool... I p/m'd to say out of the thread....

droppinbottom · 05-06-2008, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MY1GDSM

Cool... I p/m'd to say out of the thread....

I should of probably done the same thing.

Either shops have a good reputation and can do what the OP needs.

MY1GDSM · 05-06-2008, 05:35 PM

I was talking to Sonyslave about his run last weekend
I can't say anything about pina so I'm just saying what I know about english

But ya I,
Heard that ETS was getting one but did'nt know if it was true or for sure...That's cool Since TQ freaks is closed.........LA center is only 15 miles from ME if that!

We'll there is'nt a reson IMOA that anyone can come up with why not to take it to Lucas... besides the distance,after ETS's Dyno's in

SonySlave · 05-06-2008, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by droppinbottom

^^ When did Lucas get 506 out of his evo? Last I talked to him it was 434 and pauls was at 1014 IIRC. No flaming or mis intentions meant by that question.

Both HPs were made within the last month or so.

2 World Records Set Today! - evolutionm.net
506whp Stock IX turbo E85 - evolutionm.net

This is the kind of work that comes out of English Racing!

OneLove · 05-06-2008, 06:09 PM

I have never been to english. But Andre at Pina is a great guy, and i always go to him for any specialty work on my car. The shops 10 minutes away lol.

Meklo_4G63t · 05-06-2008, 10:37 PM

Yeah i never been to Lucas' shop but the crew he has on that evo is all I hear about..I dont have that much time to see whats the better shop so Im going to stay outta this.

Brianawd · 05-06-2008, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SonySlave

Hey, I live in Lacey also! Whereabouts in Lacey?

Anyway, Lucas and his team can literally make anything with a DSM into a reality. Go with English Racing and you'll fall in love with your car all over again! Their customer service is top notch, and their tech skills are 2nd to none. Welding, motors, trannys, exhausts, cages... Anything you need, they can do.

Nice MPH and ET you have there

SonySlave · 05-07-2008, 01:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brianawd

Nice MPH and ET you have there

Haha true, I never said I was the one driving when it got 117...