[Guest]

Just had my HKS GT Extension Kit and Exhaust fitted by Ralliart UK and what an ordeal. I was told to bring the car in first thing (8am) and the job would take 2-3hrs at the most. As I was travelling up from Bristol I thought I would wait..... which I later regretted.

After 3hrs of pacing up and down the showroom and drinking copious amounts of coffee, hot chocolate, tea, knorrs cuppa soup they were still no further with finishing. In fact by that time all that they had managed to do was assemble the exhaust. 4hrs passed....Nothing! 5hrs passed... Still Nothing! 6hrs passed... Still no sign of the car. By 3 o'clock not only had I virtually emptied their drinks machine and my bladder God knows how many times! but I was ready to take the train home and pick up the car the next day.

Don't get me wrong, the guys at Ralliart were very understanding. In the end they charged me for 4hrs of labour as they couldn't justify the 7 and a half hours and being a lancer register member I also got 10% knocked off parts and labour and full use of their canteen (which by the way had a PSII with GT3... but even 7hrs on that thing is enough to do your head in). The problem they had was with the fitting of the Gt Extension Kit... it had only been their second fitting!

The moral of the story is: Don't ever attempt to drink more than 30 cups of coffee in a day (even if its free) as you'ill find you'ill be stopping ever five minutes on the way home!

 

[Guest]

But was it worth it in the end ?

I am an HKS dealer, but being a tight b4rsterd, bought the magnex front pipe (£130odd)
instead of the HKS front pipe (£450|PLS|v); ive always wondered if I should have gone for the
HKS 8-(

Justin
www.torqueic.com

 

[Guest]

Yesterday I was at Ralliart for my 4500 service and also had a short shift gear lever fitted. I arrived at 8.15 and finally left at 3.00pm. In this time they also checked and bled the brakes. I know for certain that they did more than just change the oil and the AYC fluid because of the notes that they have made regarding things to watch at the next service. I also believe they checked the geometry, or at least thats what it looked like.

I waited for the car. Big mistake! Lesson learnt. However, I was treated very well, lots of coffee and games to play plus got to drive the Extreme S again. This leaves me with the biggest problem. My Extreme just isn't fast enough and doesn't stop quickly enough. What is needed is the S engine and the AP brakes. No problem, only money! However, it would be cheaper to change my car for an S. This is based on the RS so no AYC, ABS, 150kgs lighter - you all know the score. However, having driven the S for a while, it is bloody noisey! and the gearing does make it a pain on motorways. Also no aircon but I could manage without electric windows.

The ideal would be an S based on a GSR with no AYC or ABS but that is not available. OR based on an RS with the longer gearing and soundproofing, also not available. So hoiw do I get my idael car. what should it be based on?

Finally, as my wife is not at all keen on me spending money on tuning (NO, you are not spending any more money on that *$% ?!* car) do I

a) risk divorce and go ahead anyway ( all who sellect this option get no points for helpfulness, lots of points for grin factor!)
b) do it by stealth - brakes soon and leave the engine a while
c) get the S and put up with the noise (how much are ear plugs)
d) stop winging because I have a great car already (not really an option)

 

[Guest]

definatly D. you lucky son of a ..... could always buy a robin reliant drive it for a week then go back on your evo, that would then feel like the best car ever.............hang on, it is

 

[Guest]

If you do go down the RS route, Ive got a GSR box, AYC rear diff,and pump, and abs sensor brakes, that I would be happy to swap with the ones off your new RS. They are more use to me as spares for my RS rally car, than gsr parts. Happy shopping in dudley!
Roger Rally

 

[Guest]

Dudes,
Whenever u next have 2 endure prolonged waits at R/Art , get them 2 give u a lift 2 Merry Hill shopping center , this is about 10 mins away , and have a browse etc.

Or , give me a call and I'll bring u back 2 my humble set up 4 a chat etc. I'm only 10 mins away from R/Art.

Better still , let me do yr servicing , parts fitting etc , I have plenty 2 keep u occupied while u wait or I will have u dropped in Brum 4 a wander .

 

[Guest]

Whaddya know? I was in Ralliart yesterday too!

Gung-ho, was that you in the white TME that pulled up just before 8am?

Simon7Extreme, I must have missed you by 10 minutes or so, thats all, as I left just after 8am. And in response to your question, definitely D!!

Dave

 

[Guest]

4 hours of labour to fit an HKS exhaust with GT extension kit! That is simply SCANDALOUS! It was only their second fitting. So what? Have these guys never fitted an exhaust before??

The guy at my local Rallye Team did it in like 1,5 hour approx: take off lower strut bar, take out the old muffler, take out turbo air intake, take out turbo, undo turbo elbow, fit HKS one, put turbo and elbow back in, fit extension pipe, fit muffler. Put lower bar back on, make engine run / rev up to let the glue dry.

It is simply unbelievable to hear this from Ralliart. I cant believe it. Or did they have other stuff to do and just let your car stand there? Arent you allowed to watch them do it to see what they do to your car?

I changed my tires yesterday. all 4 of them. Took less than 30 mins (1 guy).

 

[Guest]

Claudius

Why did it take you so long. If an F1 team can do it in 6 seconds with 10 people, shouldn't you take 10 times as long - 1 minute

 

[Guest]

Simon

Remember this is a rallye team, they dont work as fast as F1, they go have a coffee from time to time, talk some shít for a minute or two etc. Plus I did not own a second set of wheels, so they had to change the tires etc. The muffler / exhaust thing took so long because the guy was alone and concentrated. 1 hr would have been normal, 30 mins 2 guys concentrated.

I know you are in love with the people at Ralliart, and it might be totally justified, but please, stop defending them when it takes them 7 hrs (4 of which they charged!) to fit an exhaust system to their most popular car! I think they should have made an apology and charge for the parts only (provided Gung-Ho'S story is true).

 

[Guest]

Claudius

My post wasn't about Ralliart. It was a joke with you about you changing your tyres! Don't get so sensitive.

 

[Guest]

Yes, the story is true and f**king unbelievable... which is why I posted the message in the first place (well maybe the 30 cups of coffee was a bit of an exaggeration!!). The guys at Ralliart did apologise and maybe I should have haggled the price down further, but all I was interested in at the time was hitting the highway. I was champing at the bit to try out the mods..

In the end was it worth it?.... I'm not sure whether the good part of £1300 and 7.5hrs wait can justify the end. But then who cares when the car sounds ten times better than before and responds hundred times better. As the exhaust and GT Kit were fitted together, its difficult to tell which part is making the biggest power difference. All I can say is that it feels like I've been driving around with the handbrake on for the past two years.

Daz

P.S No I'm afraid that wasn't me in the white Evo.