How Good is Southern Automotive

GeorgiaSnake · #1 (**permalink**) 11-09-2003, 07:12 AM

I had my car down at Southern last week for a little service work. During my visit John noticed that I had done a somewhat half assed job on my radiator hose support. We discussed what I could do and I left it at that.

I told them that I really wanted my car for the big event we had planned for Friday night but that if it came down to crunch time I could live without making the event. My work schedule prevented me from picking up the car Friday so what did Southern do ? Lewis put my car on a trailer and drove over 100 miles, through Atlanta rush hour traffic, in one direction and delivered my car to the drag strip.

I didn't look at the car I just took it to tech and started making runs. Well this morning (Sunday) I decided to go up and try to figure out how to make a bracket to support my hose. I opened the hood and low and behold, my hose is supported by the slickest aluminum bracket I have seen.

If any of you guys are in the market for a motor and the service after the sale strike everyone off the list and head to Southern.

OneFastRide · #2 (**permalink**) 11-09-2003, 10:19 AM

Thanks for the heads up. I love to see folks that go the extra distance get credit. I have never done business with Southern Automotive, but you can bet I'll remember this story.
Steve

EarlsflyinCobra · #3 (**permalink**) 11-10-2003, 12:38 PM

More info on Southern automotive, please???

Phone, address, etc.....????

Jamo · #4 (**permalink**) 11-10-2003, 12:41 PM

GS

Excellent backup by great folks. Glad you posted...the good ones deserve it.

PSB · #5 (**permalink**) 11-10-2003, 12:44 PM

EarlsflyinCobra,

http://www.southernautomotiveengines.com/

GeorgiaSnake · #6 (**permalink**) 11-10-2003, 01:15 PM

Jamo seems like all we ever get is the bad news on people. These folks deserve the credit and that little bracket they put on is sweet.

They even followed up today with a email telling me how I need to jet my Holley after Lewis watched me run Friday night. Show me another engine shop that will do that and I'll - no on second thought I won't do that - I heard yours is rather large

Randy

HIQ · #7 (**permalink**) 11-10-2003, 01:26 PM

I will good news traveled as fast as bad news did. Thanks for the feedback.

Jamo · #8 (**permalink**) 11-10-2003, 09:40 PM

Doggone it Randy...and I was looking forward to a nice smooch!

HighPlainsDrifter · #9 (**permalink**) 11-10-2003, 10:20 PM

Randy,
Great to see a shop do fine work on your awesome ride, need to see more of that.
Glad to see your out putting her through the gears, what ET did you turn?

Perry.

GeorgiaSnake · #10 (**permalink**) 11-11-2003, 05:21 AM

Perry all of the details are here - even the part about me beating the BB

Atlanta Dragway Cobra event[/url]

CSX 4027 · #11 (**permalink**) 11-11-2003, 11:17 PM

It's always nice to hear when a vendor does a good job. I found when shopping for one to do work, I will never ask for references of those they did good for because that's a jaded reference. I will ask for a list of a few they pissed off and how they handled the situation. If they are not willing to give that then, I usually run for the hills. Let's face it, they all piss off someone. The really good guys know how to change a bad thing into a good thing. That's important.

Alex Donghi · #12 (**permalink**) 11-12-2003, 05:45 PM

Most of us down here don't just think of Bill, Susan ,lewis et al as a vendor. More like good friends or familly.

casaleenie · #13 (**permalink**) 11-12-2003, 06:20 PM

Don't quote me on this, but I've heard that Southern Automotive was contracted to build the engines that power the Gates of Heaven... IT DON'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THAT!!!!!!

If my engine went south tomorrow (broke), I'd be on my way down to Georgia for another one... not a doubt in my mind....

COBRAMAN 484 · #14 (**permalink**) 11-13-2003, 07:18 AM

The motor I got rom them (a 484fe) burned oil and fouled plugs from day one ( see my post dated 12/24/02 ). After no satisfaction and alot of runaround from Bill,I ended up pulling the motor to correct the problem. I also discovered that the valve springs were to weak for the cam they had installed according to the Reed camcard they sent with the motor, causing the valves to float. The new motor which I did myself runs great. Oil consumption is about 350 mi. a qt. But the main thing is the plugs run clean with no fouling.

COBRAMAN 484 · #15 (**permalink**) 11-13-2003, 10:06 AM

This is my post dated 12/24/02:

I also have a problem like you. In April of 2000, first time out with the car for that year I had a rod bolt let go and holed the oil pan. The motor was a 454 using a 428 crank. Being that it was so early in the year I did not want to wait around to locate a crank and have pistons made. I located someone who had the parts in stock they would not sell them separately but said if I sent them the motor they would rebuild it. Ever since I got the motor back now 484 in its gone through more oil than the Exxon Valdez avg. 200 miles a qt. I called the people but got the runaround. After my last three calls with no returns I gave up on them.
I’ve done everything to try and locate the problem. Leakdown test, pvc system, numerous valve seals checked for pressure in the crankcase and tried different manifolds, all to no avail. It’s not that I don’t know motors. I raced fuel dragsters for seven years and always did my own engines.
Finally this fall I pulled the engine to find two dimples in the cylinders, the worst one in #7 the other in #1.These were the cylinders that were showing oil on the plugs,#7 would foul between 600 to 700 mi. These dimples sometimes occur when you seize a motor. The engine shop should have gone larger on the bore but probably only had that one size in stock which was a weird size 4.258. The worst dimple was only .002 deep so we honed the block to 4.263, .030 over. What I think was happening was even though the dimples were way down in the cylinder they were still above the rings at BDC and would pick up oil that was in the dimple and push it back up Anyway that’s what I think the problem is and am in the process of having new pistons made.

GeorgiaSnake · #16 (**permalink**) 11-13-2003, 07:10 PM

Cobraman 484 I'm really shocked that you didn't get a reasonable response. I had what I thought was a major problem, complained like a short changed whore and still got great service. I said some things to Bill that I shouldn't have and gave him several reason to tell me to go pound sand - he was never vindictive and answered my complaints in a very professional manner. He is a different sort to be sure, but he is not the type to short change or cheat anyone.

As it turned out Southern went far beyond the norm to fix what I preceived as a problem. The culprit seems to have been a faulty oil pressure gauge, but they re-built the bottom end, replaced the oil pump and fixed numerous little things that I was not aware of (missing header bolt, throttle return spring, choke block off, radiator hose support, etc.).

Sorry to hear you are not happy.

Randy

BigEasy · #17 (**permalink**) 11-13-2003, 07:21 PM

Obviously you can please some of the people some of the time

But not everyone all the time

Buyer beware, and leave each to his own power of negotiation

I know that all here in ATL seem very pleased with SA.......

BigEasy
Charlie

BigEasy · #18 (**permalink**) 11-13-2003, 07:24 PM

OH;

And btw, I have zero work done by Southern Automotive, and know no one there.......Just listen the guys that have

Charlie

Alex Donghi · #19 (**permalink**) 11-14-2003, 05:09 PM

I agree with Charlie and Randy. In fact some one complained to me about them and I mentioned it to Bill instead of blowing it off he asked me to track the guy down so he could fix the problem. Which I did.