Elite, FT, Franks Auto, and Will FTMFW

[G ZILLA]

OK, grab some food, this might take a while.
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Tuesday night I head up to American Lube to get my car serviced before I head to St. Louis. Yes, I drive there all the time. It is a 12 hour drive with stops. Anyways, so I go to the shop pick up the owner’s son and drive home. (I live like 2 miles from the shop so getting my wife and kid into the process is silly). He drops me off and takes the car back to the shop. I love American Lube and they do all my exhaust work and remove and replace work. Serious shizzil goes to FT, Elite, Frank Hill, or JE Imports (had to do my local shop shout outs….lol)

Wish list:
Change the clutch fluid
Change the rear diff fluid
Tighten squeaky AC belt
Check fluids

They call me on wed and say the car is ready, but I’m too busy on G35driver and my350z to answer my phone, so I missed the call. Lol. I call them Wednesday night and they say that my headlight is out but the bulb is 225 dollars! WTF? He says I will sell it to you at cost (107), because you are a repeat customer blab la bal. I say get it. He says it will be here in the morning. I leave for St. Louis Thursday afternoon!

Time 1130am
Thursday comes and my wife is packed headed to Williamsburg for a retreat with her Church. She asks…do you want me to wait to make sure your car is OK? Plus we debated about me taking the Jetta because of snow that could hit the Midwest. I say naaa…American Lube has never failed me…go ahead Babe; I don’t want you and GZilla Jr. to hit any traffic on my account. (4.5 month old breast feed baby…time is critical).

So I get to the shop (they came and picked me up) and pay my 220+ bucks and head home. I don’t get out of the parking lot and I feel something up with the car. I turn the VDC off (because that’s how I roll) and the clutch is all jacked up and slipping.

I go back in and tell them, they immediately pull the car in for an inspection and bleed. The owner says it’s your clutch. I’m like man my car was fine… the only changes have been the fluid, it must have a bubble in it. Now keep in mind my clutch is 40,000 old and 17K of which is boosted.

Time: 1230pm
Since they didn’t have the best bleeder I decide to take the car and get it done at the dealership real quick. I call them all and every Infiniti is booked. Passport Nissan has room of walk ins but the manager is gone to approve Nissan Techs to work on an Infiniti (WTF!) the panic and frustration builds.

I send Dave at FT a text which said. (Do you have any clutch, new, used, OEM, whatever that I can buy today?)
I call Chris at Elite
I call Karl (Mistress)

I’m like my Jetta is halfway to Richmond and my car is broke… I am hosting a High school Reunion Saturday at 4pm St, Louis!

Dave text me back and says call me ASAP. His thoughts wear basically, it’s your clutch. Although I know he is a master technician…my head can’t process…car fine, change fluid, car not fine... so my stubbornness is still in denial. Plus Dave is supper busy and has no time for my whip on a Thursday afternoon last minute… I’m like urgh!

I talk to Karl and it’s the same thing… “its sounds like air in the system or your clutch”…yes there is hope… he said air in the system!

Karl says, “Did you talk to Dave”, I said yep, and he said “what did he say”. I said throw out bearing… Karl said, well there you go. But I'm still in denial.

I talk to Chris from Elite: “Could be air, but sounds like your clutch, I have a bleeder come on up” yes….could be air…yes…air, yes air!

I load the car up and head to Elite. Time now is about 225 and traffic is building. Every gear slips but ironically if I punch it grabs and spins the wheels…so I’m thinking the clutch grabs after a certain about of pressure…this has to be an air bubble!

Frank Hill calls me and is like…Karl called me, what’s up? I explain that I have no clutch at low RPM, but full clutch at high rpm…he says it could be a few things…but leans on the clutch and slave cylinder….Now I have three possible things it could be…thanks Frank! LOL. I tell him that I am going to try to get a clutch (since everyone is saying that) could he work me in today. He says I have to run home and put my little girl to bed, but I can meet you back at the shop around 730pm. I say cool let me see if I can get a clutch.

I get to Elite about 315-330pm and Chris is like…”I think it’s your clutch man, after a quick drive” I’m like Noooooo… so I start to say how much?

Ask Dave is there ANYTHING lying around I can get. He says he has an OEM clutch, but keep in mind its 330 and I am in Laurel MD, and Dave is waaaaay down in western part of Fairfax county...leesburg county! URGH!

Chris makes a call to JRP and they have a clutch master’s stage 1.

Mad props to Will, he was at the shop and was like, hey man I can run you up there. I am so frustrated at this point; it felt good to have a fellow car enthusiast to help me out. We just in his G (clean as shizzil) and head up to JRP. But before I go I ask Chris can I used my VISA, he says yep.

Get to JRP and they have the clutch, mad friendly, but look at me like a dear in headlights when I hand them my VISA. We take check or money order only …not even cash! I am like WTF; my day can’t get any worse.

Will says relax man I know a 7-11. We get there I ask for a money order and hand them my check card… “I’m sorry Sir; you can’t get a money order with a VISA.” I am so freggin livid at this point I just smile and ask do they have an ATM.

Pull out cash and get money order…while standing at the counter I realize I haven’t eating lunch and I am weak. I buy a gang of chicken wings and about 4 monster cans of Red Bull! Will is starting to look at me in despair and feel sorry for me. I’m so weak and frustrated I looked like the little thing on Lord of the Rings that saying “my precious” all the time.

We get back to JRP and I swallow my chicken wings hole. Will said that its ok to eat in his car, but its so clean I feel guilty, but after a few minutes the smell over took my patience and I gobbled a few up in the car.

Grab clutch and get back to Elite and I start to feel a bit better. I have an appointment with Frank and I have a clutch, but what if it’s something else… I’m still not settled completely. Then I decide to do some maintenance on of my own and screw down my Amp that came apart. As I remove my luggage from the trunk. I realize I still have a 12+ drive! It’s getting dark and I’m tired already.


ELITE FTW!

1. Chris is wrapping things up for the day but I beg him to throw it in for me. Not only does he agree to do it:
2. After hours
3. No appointment
4. After hooking me up on the clutch price
5. He knocks a bit off the install because he knows my azz is broke and still has to get to St. Louis and back!

[G ZILLA]

Frank Hill FTW
I call Frank and say how grateful I am for him being willing to come back to the shop to help me out, but Chris is unbolting exhaust as we speak!

Will and I go to get some Fish next door to Elite and we miss the opportunity to see Morgan! Im like WTF! My day is just not going well. It would of been good to see her smiling face and grab some of that positive attitude she always has. I begged her to turn around but she has to work.

When the old clutch comes out it’s totally shot and obvious it was the culprit.

FT FTW:
Dave remembers installing the replacement OEM clutch 3 years ago… I can’t recall if I was the first FT customer, but Dave did the work in his garage…this was before he had the shop. After thinking, I could tell by his text he was laughing when he said, hell the way you drive I cant believe the stock clutch lasted that long NA, let alone with boost. You got your moneys worth out of it! LOL

An old co-worker lives down the road, so I was texting her and telling her my MIDA drama, she said well stop by and grab a bite before you head out. I do so and ironically I see a red G35 with red work rims on it. I text said owner and we got a change to talk before he headed off out of the country.

Time now is 1045pm Thursday night.

I hit the road with a new clutch, killing the engine at every stop because it’s so stiff and I am so tired. Lol.

I arrived in St. Louis at 11am Friday morning. I sleep from that time until Saturday morning at 10am.

Clutch is fine, thanks to all the support and contacts that I have made through the years from this forum. I am forever grateful for the love and support.

Special thanks to Chris@Elite, Dave@FT, and Frank@HillsGarage, and big Will. I don’t know anywhere in the country where you can loose a clutch, find a clutch, and get one installed in the same day (within 4 hours); with enough information and support to know that you are not wasting time or money.

I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, KNOWLEDGE, AND SUPPORT!

[EM3RGY]

wow, you def got lucky.

id say we are pretty fortunate to have these kinds of relationships with local shops.

its good to hear you got to st. louis okay. hope your new clutch lasts just as long, lol

[jayremix]

wow so touching, it sounds like a love story hehe

[DrewQ1]

Wow...big shout out to all you guys! You cant go wrong with either one of these shops!!! Elite, Frank, Chris, Will....You guys Rule!!!

I may need to put you guys in my Fave 5,lol.

[DrewQ1]

Originally Posted by jayremix

wow so touching, it sounds like a love story hehe

Yeah, makes me want to cry...

[G ZILLA]

^^^ yall a trip... the mountains coming back was off the hook with the new clutch...look for the 80-160 video in under 20 seconds soon! OMG!

[XBrisk202]

glad to hear everything turned out alright

damn, you slept 23 hrs? lol crazy

[G ZILLA]

Originally Posted by XBrisk202

glad to hear everything turned out alright

damn, you slept 23 hrs? lol crazy

since my son was born I havent gotten much sleep at all... I got up to eat a sammich then I went right back to bed. I didnt even turn on the TV.

good thing because sat I didnt get home from sat night until sunday morning at about 9am... STEAK N SHAKE BREAKFAST FOR THE MIDWEST WIN!

[Ralph0064]

damn, what a mess. Glad things worked out for ya. Props to all those shops who support the G community.

[Salvanicca]

lol funny thing i had some food with me while reading this. Glad to hear everything turned out on your side after all the running around you had to do.

[r0csfinest]

Good thing everything worked out for you buddy!

[AggressiveG35]

Big ups to all those shops, Especially Chris at Elite. Glad all went well Corey, When I hit you up, you were pressed for time bro and I could sense your frustration, You were just trying to get to your destination, LMAOOO at Drew with the FAv 5 comment, LMAOO, had me rolling. But damn, What a network we have. +1 to all the shops named!

[MaxGsII]

Let me put all the cards on the table, Chief - - if it weren't for Elite (Chris, Will, Bret, Park (back in the day), and Mr. Y)i, my Momz, Pam and I would be lost as SH!T, plus broke azz. Every chance I get, I refer Chris and the Elite Team to Friends and Coworkers...they LUUUUUUUUVVVVV the service!!!!!!!!!!!

Glad you made out well, Chief!!!! Ready for the next Sandy Point Run now I hope!!!!!!

[snavematt]

Originally Posted by MaxGsII

Let me put all the cards on the table, Chief - - if it weren't for Elite (Chris, Will, Bret, Park (back in the day), and Mr. Y)i, my Momz, Pam and I would be lost as SH!T, plus broke azz. Every chance I get, I refer Chris and the Elite Team to Friends and Coworkers...they LUUUUUUUUVVVVV the service!!!!!!!!!!!

Glad you made out well, Chief!!!! Ready for the next Sandy Point Run now I hope!!!!!!

Claude I agree, I havent been anywhere since the first day I went up there, well except for aligments.
I hope everyone see's how Elite works