1 /5 kai has: Avoid This Shop at All Costs!!
I don’t usually leave negative reviews, but I feel compelled to share my experience. A few months ago, I took my 2007 Infiniti G35S to Extreme Auto Works for an engine replacement. I initially spoke with Cal, who quoted me around $5,800, and we agreed on a 3-week timeline. During the few initial calls, I mentioned wanting a lower-mileage, good-running engine to replace the blown one. The final price came to $6,500, which I was fine with and fully understand small outside costs.
However, things went downhill fast. Before I went to pick up my car, I was told by an associate on the phone that the engine had a clacking noise at certain RPMs. They couldn’t tell me where the engine came from, but mentioned on the phone it was from B&R Auto Wrecking or some sort of junkyard. The issue was said to be with the timing chain tensioner but there was no check engine light and I was given two options: a warranty with a $1,500 refund (~$5,000 out of pocket) or paying an extra $2,000-$2,500 to fix the issue, bringing the total to atleast $8,500.
I decided to take the car home without further work done. Upon picking it up, the car wouldn’t start due to a dead battery. After charging the battery, and taking it home I found that a check engine light was on—likely not initially on because the car had been dead when I picked it up. The code was for camshafts positioning sensor errors.
As a full time working student within the engineering field and a mechanical background, I decided to remove the timing cover and found serious issues. The timing parts (tensioners) were within spec, but the engine showed signs of poor maintenance—oil sludge, clogged galleries, and stained parts. With this in mind, the engine looked like it had very high mileage or was previously poorly maintained, which would have been obvious with proper inspection. I discovered that the VVT sprockets, which are crucial and cost $1,800 in parts to replace, had been starved of oil due to sludge and old gasket buildup within the galleries. Despite my best efforts to clean and flush the engine, the issue persists. Now the car sits in the same condition the shop left it.
In short, Extreme Auto Works sold me a poor-quality engine and did not inspect it properly before installation. I wish I had known this earlier, as I now have a totalled car and wasted thousands of dollars. I’ve tried to contact Cal and Extreme Auto Works for details on the engine’s mileage, but of course, I’ve received no response. If you (Extreme Auto Works) are reading this review I would still like these pieces of information about the engine.
Thanks, Kai H.
