I've been searching for a C4 / C4S a while now and thought I found a possible candidate at pristine motorsports in Huntington Beach CA. Based on a search here on the list I found and make arrangements to have a PPI done with Factory Werks (Gary Topal).

When I called Pristine, to make appropriate arrangements, he was immediately defensive about the choice for the PPI. Asked me pointedly how I arrived at my choice, and suggested that I have a PPI done at a place of his choosing. Am i missing something, or are PPI's not necessarily independent?

 

Sounds like they have history.

 

As long as his place of choosing is Vision Motorsport or Hergesheimer (which are 20/30 mins away respectively) I'd say fine. Other than that, I would ask him to pay the difference between where you want to take it and Newport Auto Center.

No affiliations with anyone, but that sounds very protective.

If you are a ready and willing buyer, don't be rash and cave in to what is an unreasonable request. That's like buying a house and using the Sellers Home Inspector.

Just my thoughts.

 

imho, if you're paying for the ppi, you should be able to take it wherever you want. But on the other hand, they still own the car and if they don't want you to take it very far then that's their prerogative. I'd probably look elsewhere for a car from a more motivated and flexible seller.

 

This is fishy. Have a thourough PPI at a place of your choice or walk away. It can safe you a lot of money.

 

He just saved you $500 on a PPI. Now you don't even need it to figure out this is the wrong car.

 

I bought my car from Pristine and I too had problems with the proprietor, we'll just call him DT. I thought that everything was cool when I set up an appointment for a ppi and told DT about it. When the morning came for the PPI, I showed up at Pristine to take the car to Vision, DT became extremely defensive about the ppi. It was about to the point where I was going to walk on the deal. But I wanted the car and did my best to convince him to let it happen. DT reluctantly agreed but stated that anytime he wasn't happy with what they were doing to his car he was going to take it and leave. I drove the car with him in the passenger seat, critiquing my driving the whole time, over to Vision. When he recognized most of the staff at Vision, he eased up quite a bit.

Overall, DT was not easy to deal with as his personal interelation skills are a bit askew. My wife couldn't be in the showroom and took a walk down by the beach while I conducted the transaction. It's like he'd rather sell to the uneducated than us enthusiasts. Gloria was quite pleasant though. He does get a nice selection of drivers though. I've been happy with my car for the past 6 years.

 

Run as fast as you can in the other direction!!

 

It sounds like you've been looking for quite a while for a car you like. That being the case I would not quickly walk or run away. I would however politely insist that the PPI be done at a location of your choosing. If the seller continues to balk at that, then I would look for another car.

 

Yes it's his car and he can refuse to let the PPI be done at any shop he wishes but it's your money, you can just as easily spend it elsewhere.

I went through much the same thing a year ago, the dealer eventually took the car where I wanted. The shop only got to the point of putting it up on the lift when they called, leaking steering rack, nice size rock chip in windshield, extensive paint work, none of this had been disclosed. I walked.

Our "buddy" in Texas is famous for having cars "inspected" at his shop, there are some very extensive threads on what buyers actually end up with.

 

Walk.

 

It's his car and your money. He can dictate the rules but you don't have to follow them because you can just walk away.

I was interested in a car in your neck of the woods. I requested that the dealer take it to Hergies but they pushed back and tried to have me go to "their guy". Which to me, meant that I should avoid "their guy" at all costs. Anyway, the car was at Hergies for all of 30 minutes before the tech called me and told me what a POS the car was.

+1 for Hergies, they only charged me 30 minutes of labor instead of a full PPI.

 

As if it needs to be said again:
If the seller refuses to allow you to perform a PPI at the shop of your choosing, then you should choose to buy from the seller of your choosing (ie: someone else!).

 

blow him off, try TruSpeed instead

Craig

 

I would be inclined to walk as well, but it is possible that the dealer had a bad experience with this shop in terms of damaging the car in the course of the PPI. I would not accept the dealer's recommendation, but perhaps come up with an alternative. If he balks at the alternative, don't walk, but run!

Good Luck