US Legends Engine shop

[NJRacer510]

The purpose of this message is not to bash or talk trash about US Legends Engine Shop but to inform everyone else about our situation and their poor business. Before I explain this year I would like to start with last year because that's when this all started which is continuing to put a bad taste in our mouth about US Legends.

Last year we made arrangements for them to pick up my brothers engine and rebuild it. They told us they would inform us about a time and date when R&L will be picking up the engine. The next day in the early morning they knock on our door wanting to take the engine which was not completely ready. We never received a call from them and two weeks later our engine is back at our door with a receipt. They went ahead and charged our credit card without authorization which they kept on file from a previous purchase. We did not know nor did they ask to keep our info on file. Last year they were giving a 15% discount if you had your engine done prior to Jan. 1st which they never gave to us and they also put new parts on the engine like engine mounts and so forth that we took off before shipping. We had to argue with them to get them to give us the discount and take off the prices of the parts we did not ask for.

This year, we send my engine down and they call us up with a price of $2500.00 but they suggested we add steel sleeves and new pistons which brought the price to $3700.00. Next thing we get is a phone call saying that the engine is done and on the way back. They once again charged our card without asking and they charged us $4244.00. When we asked where the extra money came from they could not tell us. After several phone calls with Ken Regan and the Engine shop they agreed to take off the shipping and give us a 5% discount to bring the engine back down to $3700.00 to make up for the mishap last year. We find out today that the $4244.00 already included the 5% and no shipping, so if you add that in the engine would have been around $4700.00.

A brand new engine with fully loaded race ready is $4995.00 so how could a rebuild cost nearly the same price. Throughout our phone calls and emails their customer service has been very poor. Their attitude towards us has been very poor as well during this situation. I can't see paying this price for a rebuild and with their poor customer service how do I trust this engine and how strong it will be. We have also informed several of the dealers we purchase parts from and they are very frustrated with US Legends as well.

If you look into the Fast Trak Dirt Late Model Series a crate engine cost $3500.00 which is a Chevy V8. I know we would be spending more money on parts and tires but the poor attitude and service of  US Legends is pushing us away. We are speaking about the idea of selling everything and moving on if they do not straighten their issues out and also resolve this problem with us.

Once again this message is not to talk trash or call them names but rather to inform people about their poor business relations and why we are starting to think about moving onto something else. This is not the complete reason for tossing up the idea of moving on but it does not make us want to stay either.

Sincerely,
Todd

[LJ81]

I strongly agree! I'm new to the legends and I already hate calling and talking to them. They surley dont make you feel welcome. JMO

[thunder938]

I understand some people upset with US Legends and or any other shop at times.  Please do not turn this into a hammer US legends.  If you dont like the US legends shop you can run a open motor, as I do.  I broke a sealed, broken crank, I went into a open motor.  I know the rule will change some day to run only sealed, but as of now you dont HAVE to have a sealed.  So, do what is best for you maybe sealed...maybe open..whatever. 

[NJRacer510]

I did not post this message with intentions of creating a hammer or bashing US Legends. I wanted to simply inform others about the situation that we are currently going through with them and I don't want to see them do this to anyone else. In my opinion the Legends Division is a great Division but US Legends is definitely driving people away. They told us that this sealed engine program is going to save everyone money but this is the 2nd time we sent an engine to them and had nothing but problems. Also, each time the price has been more than what we paid our old engine builder who never and will not cheat. But US Legends hired the first guy who got caught cheating with a sealed engine to run their shop, go figure.

[Gimpster]

 I can only imagine how busy they are being the only engine shop in the country.
Myself in my shop, I build open motors and am also busy busy busy so I can relate to their situation.
I will agree though that an estimate is an estimate.. they should stand behind the quote.
When the sealed engine builder program was in effect across the nation the same type complaints about a lot of the shops arose among other issues. Myself, I think there are a lot of unused seals out there being hung on 1250 sealed engines not built by 600 racing that were left over from the old programs. I still hear tales of blue sealed engines being installed. 600 had a bad system for keeping record of the seals under the old program.
Sorry I wondered off topic

----- Gimpster -----