First 996. Really bad Experience with Pacific Power MotorSports (Walnut Creek)

I'm posting this because I just bought my first 996.2, and I don't want anyone else to go through what I did with Pacific Power Motor Sports in Walnut Creek. I brought my car to them based on recommendations from the previous owner and because they sponsor the Diablo Region PCA. I am also curious if this is a typical experience. After talking to others and at other shops, I have been told no. I think this place was amazing when Eric and Wayne ran it, but it's changed. TLDR: Front Desk Lies, but the mechanics are great. I also tried to reach out to John, one of the owners, before going on social media (both via LinkedIn and Facebook) and heard nothing. AVOID THIS PLACE AT ALL COSTS. Brian (front desk manager is actively shady, will agree to work verbally but will refuse to do it in the end, on top of lying to you about when your car will be ready.) Please learn from my experience. Especially if you are a newer Porsche owner. I bought my first 996.2 in June and brought it here for the PPI upon the owner's suggestion. He usually goes to S Car Go, but had heard good things about Gabe the mechanic here. Looking back, that's when red flags with Brian started to show up. He promised multiple times to send me the PPI write-up within 24 hours, but he sent it 4 days later. Red Flag #1. I actually had to drive over and talk to the mechanic (Gabe, who I love and is awesome!). Gabe advised me to buy the car, so I did. I then contacted Brian about the following things: 1) RMS/IMS/Clutch/Sway bar install 2) Convertible smart top module install 3) Shift **** install/sticky window seals. I stressed that I wanted to build a relationship with the shop, as I plan to buy a few more P cars and want one place to have them serviced. I asked Brian when I could drop off the car, as I originally wanted it done by my birthday, July 18th. Brian agreed to fit me in the week after. Then ended up pushing it to the week of August 1st. (Red Flag #2). In that email, he promised to give it the "best attention we can offer". He noted they were busy. I'll post pics below. So I drop the car off and afterward realize the vent foam problem is annoying (typical 996.2 stuff). I go over to discuss it verbally with Brian and send over the eBay part and a video walkthrough. Brian tells me he will have Gabe look at the video to see if he can do it. (Find out later, her never had Gabe watch the video, months later). Red flag #3. However, he verbally agreed to do this for me. After that, I'm going over every Friday, and my car is never actually worked on. I ask the mechanics what's happening, and they tell me Brian keeps pulling people off my car for newer cars. By this time, they (the mechanics and I are friends) are also a bit frustrated that they can't work on my car. So I headed into the front to sit with Brian and see things from his POV (2 sides to every story). He *constantly* brags about how much work they have and how happy he is to turn cars away. I have never heard anyone talk so dismissively of customers behind their backs. I learned through conversations that Brian was a mechanic, but he was slow and ADD, so they moved him to the front desk in the hope of improving efficiency and making money. (BIG MISTAKE). For 4+ weeks, I go over every Friday and realize my car isn't being completed because Brian pulls people off to do other jobs. I thought this was normal until I started talking to other shops. It's not. So I finally snapped and emailed Brian, saying it's been months and my car shouldn't take almost 2 months to complete. He responded back, and I quote " A large job like this takes time, especially as we are a small crew and still have other clients and deadlines. To say a job like this doesn't take 2 months can be true; however, again we are a small team that still have promises and other projects to keep progressing on. I think moving forward you may need to find a shop that can give you the extra care and attention you need on your other upcoming projects." Remember what he said about giving my car the best attention? BULL****. By his own words. Turns out, talking to other shops, this job should take no more than 3 weeks tops (including the blend doors). After receiving this email, Brian went back on his word about the blend doors and seals because "we aren't doing any work that's not on the estimate". We had verbally agreed to the blend doors; I had talked to the mechanics about doing it, and I was going to probably pay an extra 2-3k to the shop no problem. So he's costing the shop money (note to owners: run a report- did you make more money this year with Brian's management or not?). My bet is not. So I'm sitting here on 9/25 hearing that the car is partially incomplete and that it's "all done and ready to pick up." I dropped the car off 8/4. So, over a month later, it still isn't done. If I was having things fabricated, or specific custom work done, I'd understand. I am not. This is typical maintenance, and all stacked, so while the trans is out, the rest of the stuff could be done. I have emails where I asked for the seals to be fixed (again, Brian verbally said yes, and they didn't do it). So be aware. Brian lies and cannot keep a schedule properly. Brian's response screen shotted. Original email. Also late. Now the shop will likely respond and say the following: 1) They never agreed to do the blend door install/ shift **** is not their responsibility/ they are busy and said so. Do you want a shop that works with you? One that can handle their workload and properly quote timing and the work done? Thanks to Brian, PPGMA is not that shop.

Something important to remember when dealing with shops: they're small business owners for the most part. Even if they miscommunicate or do sloppy work, you live in the same community & may need their help down the road. A bit of grace is usually warranted, followed by taking your business elsewhere. This kind of thread isn't all that productive. GL with the mk2 though

Quotes source post: 20751895

Why should you enable bad actors? There is no excuse for bad communication like this. Thanks for posting your experiences OP -- sorry this happened and hopefully someone finds this before they make the same mistake you did.

That's really frustrating... I'll make sure I avoid that place, they sound terrible. Too bad you didn't just take your car back and go elsewhere after the first few weeks of it just sitting there.

I would join the PCA if you haven�t already and get to know folks at the breakfasts or other events find someone that has a 996 and ask for any advice on who they have used .. I was once a tech for one year in a Pontiac dealership� it sounds to me like the SA is on a commission and is trying to turn work quickly for his own benefit .. mechanics really just do what they are given .. it sounds like he has seniority and is as they said pulling them off to do other work.. they may also have a large client base of newer cars where they can make good quick money.. so it�s quite likely his P&L report looks good.. I would move on even if you have to drive 50-60 miles for the right shop.. one litmus is to see what�s in the parking lot for service.. if it�s all modern stuff thy one indicator they are spoiltfor work.. also it might be worth checking to see if any Porsche dealerships have taken on classic status.. Porsche is making a concerted effort to gain back business as the EV craze is taking away some service work .. you may pay more by the hour but it�s possible the hours spent and size of the team available would Move your car through service quickly.. Good luck in your search ..

Quotes source post: 20751651

Well... Not certain with your public post here on Rennlist what you are trying to accomplish other than to vent about Brian. Best advice I can give is to find another Porsche shop that knows their way around a 996. You have carpet bombed any future relationship with your current shop. For sure, it may be justified, but you are done. Yeah, I would be pissed as well.

Quotes source post: 20753023

When someone treats you that way who cares about any future relationship, you'd be dumb to try and have one. The other guy saying you live in the same community and may need to rely on them in the future is also a terrible statement, very easy to write them off and find someone worth while. I had a roofing company screw me over for thousands with never completing work per quote, so I left a terrible review on Maps to advise anyone else in the area that may consider them for similar repair work. Do good work and be honest, whether a customer is large or small. I'm in sales, everyone gets the same amount of respect, honesty, and integrity. It's a very basic level of decency so these people can and will lose business by not following that principle. Making these situations known to other people in the community is always advisable.

He is in a pickle if they have begun any work. Especially if the car is in pieces at at the shop. Hindsight is always 20/20. If the car isn't in pieces i would get it the hell out of there asap. But before he does that, he will have to pay whatever they are going to charge him or they wont release the car. Regardless of what should have been done by both parties, its scorched earth for everybody involved.

I had a roughly similar experience with a highly respected local shop. They didn't go as far as taking on the job, they just gave me a date 8 months in the future when they would be able to get to it. Having just spent a considerable amount of money on work at their business, I was pretty pissed. After I calmed down I realized it was probably a sign of them simply not wanting the job. Sure enough they later announced that they weren't going to take on any water cooled work anymore. Go get your car. Take the 'join PCA' advice. Also look here on RL for a regional forum. Good luck!

Quotes source post: 20751651

Just a little suggestion/advice for future shops you may use, from an old timer thats dealt with more auto shops than I could ever remember. Also have run a service oriented business for 40 years. Take it or leave it.... Try not to confuse/complicate the service visit with multiple unrelated repairs at a new to you shop. Stick to 1 major repair per visit, especially if this is your first time at that particular shop. What I'm suggesting is, a major job like the imsb/rms/clutch should be 1 visit all by itself. Maybe add in ' while you're in there stuff ' when the access with tranny out makes the job easier, like a AOS replacement, flywheel replacement/etc. Try not to add in totally unrelated jobs in the interior like HVAC blower door repair thats a major job for most shops that like to take out the dash to get at the HVAC blower, Especially if this is your first time at that particular shop. Trying to give the mechanic instructions/vids on how to do his job is usually frowned upon by management and just a bad idea. Most larger shop don't even like you in the work area of shop or even talking to their mechanics. If the mechanic doesn't know how to do the job or where to look to learn how, that shop is the wrong place for you. What I'm saying is, get 1 good visit/ (1)major repair done, see if you're happy with the shop and then go from there. Yes, it is more inconvenient to have to set up multiple appointments to get all the work done you want, but it is the way to go until you have a great working relationship with a particular shop. Otherwise you could be in the position you're in now thats tons more inconvenient. Best to try and not complicate/confuse the service visit with a 2 page list of things to do. Get 1 thing done at a time leaves little room for confusion/misunderstandings/etc. Best to keep your instructions/requests simple, short and concise. Then go from there. After you know the shop somewhat, with a good working relationship, If your car is in for service, and you have a small service you want done also, like a brake fluid flush, You can wait till they are done with whatever service you've got your car in for and they tell you its "done and time to pick it up". Then you can ask nicely during that 'come pick it up' phone call if they have time to do a brake fluid flush. Most will do that type job quickly and gladly add in another couple hundred$$. For first shop visit, might be best to just get car back after original service is completed and check out their work see if you like it, then go from there. All the above might not makes sense to many here, but if you've run a small service oriented shop with a busy big client base and many techs controlled by service writers, you'll probably agree. jmho