minty

Here is my thoughts concerning ARE....after some thinking and a LOT of reading....
First of all...
With all the people who have problems with them...there is no way in HELL they can pay all the people back overnight....We are probably talking in the ballpark of 100k if not more. I understand that everyone needs to make a living and everyone wants there money back but theres no way EVERY situation can be taken care of tomorow or next week.....This does not mean that I am on their side. I think they dont deserve to live with what they have done. BUT....Everyone wants to get squared away....
I think
Nick should come on here and state maybe how he intends to take care of everyone and post it so we can ALL hold him accountable.....There is too many people with he said she said stories...He needs to come on here or there needs to be a post for ARE customers "owed" with a up to date progress report on every customer.....I think thats a great idea..Just an idea.....Who knows how many people we are REALLY talking about.......

Pro Stock John

iTrader: (34)

I remember seeing Roman's red SS for the first time, it had that crazy cage in it and those 28W's. I remember thinking that it was the meanest looking F-Body I had ever seen.

My old ARE 422ci iron block was a 4.060 bore x 4.075 stroke, and it was used but refreshed. I believe it may have come out of Snowman's Vette. I dynoed 475rwhp/505rwtq with the S1 cam, thru dual exhaust with the verter locked. I had to pull it because the reluctor wheel had come loose from the crank and .030 endplay and .125 sideplay. I kept losing crank reference and the car would shut off. Stuff happens and they tried to help me out but once I pulled it I parted out the motor and the new owner of the shortblock sent them the crank for fixing.

I had a lot of fun hanging out with Nick, Dave, Barry, and the gang on and off from 1999 to 2001 or so.

I've thought about situations like this over and over again. What will make folks happy. In the end, probably only new parts, or money back. What else would get folks to stop bringing up past examples.

To the extent that anything comes of this, keep us posted guys.

romanss

iTrader: (3)

Hi bickelfirebird.

I've been around. I've just been a little lower key for the past year.

In the end I had to leave ARE, I couldn't afford to run their motor anymore.

BTW, nice looking car you got there.

Roman

romanss

iTrader: (3)

Daren, that's great to hear. But as I'm sure that you've learned, beware!!!

I'm sorry that I didn't answer this in my last post. There is no way that you pimping ARE and the issues that I have had, would ever cross my mind with hard feelings towards you. I used to hold that flag high right until the end.

Good luck, Daren.

minty, I am not expecting anything overnight. I have been away from ARE for about 15 months now and still nothing. Is that not long enough? Maybe try forking out money for 2 complete motors, and then let me know how you feel. Oh yeah I lied, I have got a set of copper head gaskets and a pair of motor mounts.

Roman

WIKIDTA

Just what options I'm talking about. I came to a very reasonable amount to settle on to make things right on my part.

His option...Trusting them to build me a new motor is very hard option to do at this point. I'm looking at Dave Underwoods situation and thinking I would end up the same.

Either way... Nick has my two options I discussed with him. We will see what he says after he thinks about it.

minty

Im on your side end of story on that aspect...I just think that he should make a list NOW and put it up on the boards so people know where everyone stands and start making good on all the useless promises is all....

romanss

iTrader: (3)

Awwww shucks, thanks John.

I enjoyed myself whenever I was around them too. Maybe thats what bothers me the most is that to my face we were buds and make all kinds of promises but as soon as I left, I was a thrown on the backburner and lied too time and time again.

Roman

Race Car Driver

Thanks. The problem as I currently see it is that no one can "afford" to do business with ARE, but many unknowing customers are unaware of ARE's recent history and walk blindly into a problem situation, particularly because, like most shops, ARE will require money up front before proceeding with the build.

I am in the litigation business and have analyzed many companies with law suits, cash flow problems and pass due accounts payable. Unless a company can afford to apply all unused cash and transactional profits to their accounts payable, which seems unlikely to be the case at ARE, such companies rarely work themselves out of these situations and more often end up bankrupt to avoid their creditors.

T/A man

I'm waiting for a call from him this weekend about my "issues".

SPEED DOG

I'm going to jump in here; I've posted on this stuff before but been pretty much ignored. Perhaps I don't have enough cred for the LS1 crowd.

I'm an old IMSA/FISA road racer who took his 2000 c5 coupe to ARE for a Head/Cam package in 01. Despite tuning and all the bolt on goodies it never put out what many other packages were doing at the time. Bought new LS6 heads, had ARE build their "stage II" setup for me; promptly dropped a 918 spring while driving in traffic with about 200 miles on the package. Sent the engine to ARE intact; they offered to build me a 436 at their cost to compensate. Foolish me, I bit. Spent 11K, got a partially assembled engine back without all sorts of stuff (sensors, gaskets, etc. etc.). Installed the latter, had no end of problems since: incredible oil consumption since day one, detonation, problems with tuning, on and on and on. Nick emailed an offer to make things right: two years of calls followed, no followup on their part.

I got fed up: car is now at Cartek, findings as follows:

1. Crank is not what I purchased, rings also. Pistons, rods OK. Sleeves poorly prepared and now scratched. Heads cracked and welded where overground for large springs; ATI damper never clearanced for the double roller timing chain, so damage to front covers, oil pump, etc. And on and on.

In essence I'm about to build a new motor at what's probably my cost. I spent a lot of money with ARE, never got the package I contracted for, and despite trying to support them on the forums, was ultimately blown off. I guess caveat emptor but one of the reasons I went with them was due to glowing reports on the forums at the time. Seems to me the 'net isn't serving us too well: AS heads, JPS, Hennessy, ARE all looked good for awhile and had a following on any number of forums, to the misfortune of many of us who may also be at a disadvantage as the shops are far away and cannot be visited in person (as in my case).

I'd love Nick to chime in and offer me compensation for the harm done but I'm not going to hold my breath.

Good luck to all!!!

romanss

iTrader: (3)

Good luck in getting your motor straightened out.

even though I know that there must be a huge amount of people with similar stories, it's always a shame to hear another.

just don't let them win.

Roman

ss rally red

iTrader: (8)

I have been fortunate that I haven't lost a dime to any vendors, but things like this that have happened to so many, it hurts all enthuesists, A lot of people on this board have much more "disposable"income for this hobby than I do,but crap like this makes those wanting to enhance their projects think twice or maybe 3 times before spending their hard earned dollars. I manage a service maintaince/repair shop and could never think of treating my customers the way some of these shops have done members on this board. Its no wonder some automotive repair facilaties have the same social status as the lawer community(PS. I know there are a lot of honest lawers/law firms out there) but it just goes to show how we are all "grouped" together

taner

iTrader: (6)

Daren,

did you tell him to throw my cash in there? lmao!!!!

99 Black Bird T/A

iTrader: (4)

Some of us knew the true about ARE a very long time ago. There were known problems with ARE in 2001 for exactly this sort of business practice. Of course any mention of it and one was labeled an ARE basher.

Pro Stock John

iTrader: (34)

Back then there was that guy with the 93 Pace car. But in 99-01 I also was hanging with Chris Endres and Mikey and their combos were pretty fast. By 2002 things had changed and ARE became controversial. Speed Dog, what crank is supposed to be in there, and what do you have? You were vague.

SPEED DOG

John; sorry to be vague. Supposed to be Lunati; ended up Crower which the guys are much less happy about. Also, all sorts of things wrong with the heads: non hardened spring seats, variable preloads, spring heights, cracks due to over machining, and so on. I think I also detailed other issues above.

Obviously these flaws reflect a company running out of money and cutting corners as well as one perhaps cutting corners because they didn't know better. Again the net both helps and hurts us. ARE was clearly in trouble long before I got to them or else this sort of behavior wouldn't have been present. Unfortunately that very fact hadn't yet made it to the web. By the time it did, it was too late for many.

I gather Nick and/or ARE has filed for bankruptcy: if so people like me will get little or nothing in recompense.

If you're inclined to take this up I would of course be greatful. I figure I'm out a good $20 to 25K before the engine's made right.

Regards

badjuju342

iTrader: (3)

The one really good quality of the internet is exposing people like this. It can be your best friend for your business or your worst enemy. I sincerely doubt you'll see any LS1tech members letting ARE do their engines.And rightfully so.
ssrallyred, you bring up some good points. Losing 20k would put me right out of the game. I do very extensive research but buying anything from a vendor or shop and I make small purchases first before shelling big bucks in my first time dealings with a particular vendor. They treat me bad the first time , I don't come back.

10.5 Dave

iTrader: (5)

Nick how about a $20,000 cashiers check for me.Send me one and if it clears I'll post up.It would be alot cheaper than the business you're losing daily.I know it will never happen.I guess I'll have to settle for helping you stick a fork in your company.I'll never stop slamming you and your company.10 yrs from now I'll be telling people about your thieving ways,if ARE still exists.

For the record I didn't get a complete engine from ARE when we parted ways.The hammered alum block they gave me is sitting in my garage right now collecting dust.I had to buy a new block,pistons,rings,connecting rods,main bearing caps and extensive work to the intake manifold I got from them.As far as the engine goes the only things we used from ARE was the C5R heads castings and the crank.

I have been told some incredible stories by people in confidence.It is hard to believe that someone hasn,t went caveman on Nick yet.

I wouldn't be able to sleep at night if I treated my customers the way ARE does.Doesn't it bother you Nick to take peoples money and not deliver.Don't you have any pride or self respect?You stole people money that trusted you and thought you were a friend.Your a worthless SOB IMO and you thieving ways are and will come back to haunt you.

ARE employees how does it feel to work for a shop that has ARE's reputation.I have nothing against you guys,but it must really suck to be associated with this company.Personally I couldn't do it.

Dave

WIKIDTA

Well, Nick and I are working on a solution to my situation. We have come to an agreement and will be working towards that goal. He has till the end of Feb to make good on his promises and if he makes what we discussed work... then I'll post more later.

As for now, it seems like he's trying to do the right thing, but still has to show me some results.

I'll keep everyone informed as time nears the completion date.

taner

iTrader: (6)

he told you that before didn't he?