St. Louis, Mo. Guys

[len3.8]

For all of you that are considering using St. Louis Acura as a service center for your NSX, I would seriously consider somewhere else.. You guys would not believe the carnage that was done with the transmission of my car, Half shafts, clutch, ect.
The wrong bolts used, major bolts left out, stripped threads, just pure negligence all aoround. I know that it was done by them because they were the ones that have worked on the the car for the replacement of the clutch, Servicing the half shafts, CTSC, and other things.. It's a shame that we have no one in the immediate area to work on the cars with the care that paying customers deserve. I will not let them touch my car ever again... Mr master NSX technician is a complete joke... (SM)

 

[nsxtasy]

Sorry to hear that; that makes life difficult for St. Louis folks. Fortunately, NSX transmission work doesn't need to be done frequently. When it does, there are good options a few hundred miles away, including Acura of Brookfield (Milwaukee) and Barn Man (Nashville), as well as Woodfield Acura and Pauly Acura in the Chicago area. (I recommend the first two if an aftermarket transmission/clutch is involved, or any of these four for stock setups.)

 

[len3.8]

Thanks Ken, your recommendations will most definitely noted by me. A few of us have infact used Barn Man (not me unfortunately)
for service. I will not hesitate to drive or ship my car at great distance, to a very competent mechanic...
Thanks

 

[MarkB]

The guy that does my work in KC is extremely competent and conscientious when it comes to the X. His name is Paul and he works for Superior Acura.

 

[matteni]

Hey Len - as you know the only guy I let work on my car these days is Frank at Import Specialists.

He replaced the clutch, the tranny 2x with the ACR debacle and just did my valve timing, rebuilt my calipers, fuel filter, end link replacement, replaced my spark plugs, and replaced my fuel injectors.

They have also done the snap ring fix, an NSX timing belt, and other work.

They are not NSX specialists - just good, honest, hard working people that stand behind their work and have been working on cars for 25+ years.

By the way - I save thousands using them.

Import Specialists

Bob, Frank Duane

64 Boone Hills Dr.
St. Peters, MO 63376

Bus: (636) 928-5699

E-mail: [email protected]

I know you have used them in the past for simple stuff and they aren't in the same league as Barn Man (who is) but for stuff here in town - they are the ones I trust.

Also - not everything they ever did for me has been 100% perfect but they stand behind the work, no BS, tell you whats going on, and make it right. That is why I like them - they do it right most of the time and make it right when I have an issue.

 

[len3.8]

Nick, yes I have used them. Just got off the phone with Tony, he was just picking his car up from them. He was happy with them.
I had no problems with them when they did my brakes, I plan to let them do some of the basics again... With the complexities that will now be involved with my car, I will definitely be very selectful with whomever I let work on it from here on out...
I am glad to continue to hear good things about those guys.
My brother took his Supra to them and was satisfied as well..
What makes me mad as I think about St. Louis Acura, was the ridiculous price that I had paid for service. Then to find out that I was driving around a track at high rates of speeds with a trans that was not as secure as it should have been.
They will never get to mess over me again.

 

[matteni]

The rates they charge are incredible:

St. Louis Acura = up to $110 / hour
St. Louis Honda = up to $130 / hour

They say up to but I haven't had them bid on any work that was less.

They are negotiable but you have to wear yourself to get a deal. The only reason I use them at all is for warranty work or some of the fixed bid work (mounting tires) - but even that I am finding alternates for.

Len - you can always bring your monster to "my shop"! I don't know if I can "fix it" but I promiss it will be a LOT LIGHTER when you get it back (after I wrench off a few goodies!!!)



I am 3 weeks and counting waiting for my transmission to be back up from the snap ring. We are waiting for the JDM parts to ship/clear customs. I am dying! I even had a dream last night that everything was fixed and I woke up and realized it was all just a dream (depressed).

 

[len3.8]

Nick you know I know the anticipation thing. I am in severe withdrawal... I am insisting on Driving my car from Cali when it is done. A nice long therapy session with Dr. NSX. I have missed 4 driving events that I would have normally gone to.

quote:Len - you can always bring your monster to "my shop"! I don't know if I can "fix it" but I promiss it will be a LOT LIGHTER when you get it back (after I wrench off a few goodies!!!)

Not knowing, it wouldn't be any different than the other shops, They were leaving off goodies or breaking goodies.

The dreams have subsided, I am now experiencing failure to thrive....

By the way, you don't want to hear about the problems I have been having with the Audi allroad... 2 1/2 months service time.
To put is short.. They are giving My wife a Cayenne as a trade.
I don't know if it will be any better, but at least I get to start over...

 

[nsxtasy]

The rates they charge are incredible:

St. Louis Acura = up to $110 / hour
St. Louis Honda = up to $130 / hour

Hourly rates at dealers in the Chicago area have risen dramatically in the past year or two. A couple years ago they were in the $80-85 range. Now they are around $100. And that's everywhere, even at the dealers for domestic brands. Woodfield is $98-100, and Pauly is usually slightly higher (although Woodfield offers coupon specials for discounts to its regular customers, usually for 10 percent off). Acura of Brookfield has been significantly less than the Chicago dealers (usually by $10-15) but I'm not sure exactly what their rate is now.

Even the independent mechanic near my house now charges around $80. (And I find that just as shocking as the dealer rates.)

Of course, I would expect St. Louis rates to be lower than Chicago's, not higher, due to the lower cost of living (primarily housing prices) in the Gateway City. Which means that those St. Louis rates are even more shocking...

Hey Len, how much are the Porsche dealers and mechanics in St. Louis charging these days?

 

[len3.8]

Hey Ken, I think the St. Louis dealerships are postioned in the western parts of the County.. They are in highend districts, as far as houses and the cost to do business is concerned. Therefore they are definitely charging more.... Someone has to pay for that bagel and juice the provide to everyone waiting in the service lounge... There are not many places in the Downtown area, that will most likely change, a lot of people are flocking back to the city.
The dealerships are very far out for us people in Northern north County. We have the American dealerships and a Mazda dealership close to my home....

To look at an Acura, I have to drive about 40 miles round trip.
Mercedes about 65 miles.... They are the farthest west , that are still considered in the St. Louis area...

There are a lot of dealers in South County as well. All of the percieved Highend stuff is a good drive for everyone. Unless you live out west.

Porsche service rates 115pr hr. Parktown, 110 Plaza
I honestly couldn't tell you which is better, Parktown works on my Audis, they both have competent mechanics, it's just a matter of what you would want to get done...

The independent that Nick is speaking of is in the St. Charles and St. Peters area, they can run their business cheaper than the western county guys. Much less overhead, and they appear to pass it on to their customers... I have found, like you, that the independents are starting to raise their pices to the 80 - 90 dollar range as well... The jeep dealer wants 95 per hr as well.
The BMW motorcycle shop here charges 70 pr hour....They are the only authorized dealer here...

Sorry to have rambled.

 

[NSX01]

St.Louis Acura quote me $430 for labor to replace my clutch master/slave cylinder. I went to import specialist in St.Peter to get the work done for $200.



Tony

 

[nsxtasy]

I think the St. Louis dealerships are postioned in the western parts of the County.. They are in highend districts, as far as houses and the cost to do business is concerned. Therefore they are definitely charging more....

Just by way of comparison - the same thing is true of the nine Chicago-area dealers. All are in the suburbs, and generally in the affluent areas. None are in suburbs adjacent to the city. So if you live in downtown Chicago, the closest Acura dealer is roughly a 40 mile round trip, just like in St. Louis.

The independent mechanic whose rates I quoted is located in the first town on Lake Michigan north of the Chicago city limits. It's a town which is extremely diverse, economically and almost every other way as well; the cost of doing business there is probably slightly lower than in the pricier 'burbs due to the proximity for employees living in the city.

 

[matteni]

IMO/experiance in St. Louis - the biggest difference I have found is not the rate so much as if they charge a set rate vs. actual time.

Many times the dealer quotes me a fixed rate. If the tech finishes the job quicker then the fixed rate - all the better for the tech and the dealership.

Most good independent shops quote a job based on the actual hours it takes them - not the book rate or quoted job rate time.

So if the book says 8 hours and they can do it in 4 hours then you pay the 4 hours.

Anyway - that has been my experiance with St. Louis Acura and Import Specialists.

 

[jlindy]

I took my car to St. Louis Acura in the beginning and it was an absolute joke. Misdiagnosing my problems, quoting high prices and suggesting complete replacement of entire systems instead of actually figuring out exactly what was wrong because they were too lazy or too imcompetent to determine the problem. They quoted me $1500 which wasn't even guaranteed for the labor on a snap ring tranny rebuild when they quoted another NSX owner $700-$800. Unbelievable. Never again would I go there.

Import has always done me right, cost effectively, trustworthy, and without a hitch. He has become really knowledgeable about the NSX with all the work he has done over the last few years. I don't have a bad thing to say about them. He even gave me my car one time when I didn't have enough money pay him that day he repaired it and told me to pay him when I could. That is going above and beyond what he needs to do.

 

[autobody tech]

[
Where is this "IMPORT" place if you dont mind? I have always taken my nsx to St. Louis acura, I've had my timing done ,and lifters adjusted by (SM) and now I'm concerned,considering your comments.

 

[KGP]

Where is this "IMPORT" place if you dont mind?

From Nicks post above
Import Specialists

Bob, Frank Duane

64 Boone Hills Dr.
St. Peters, MO 63376

Bus: (636) 928-5699

E-mail: [email protected]

I have used them as well, although just for header install. Heck, they saved me more than $500 based on the quote the StL Acura gave me. I think Bob has earned a spot as the local go-to shop here in St. Louis.