THSCC Forums

Just posting to pass along a seriously positive experience I've had with Absolute Automotive in Durham, across from existing club sponsor T Hoff.

Evan, who I'll call the "chief mechanic" (and shop owner) is tremendously skilled. He replaced the failed power steering hose on my (new to me) S4 - an impossibly complicated job involving removing the intake manifold - in very little time. He took obvious care to not leave fingerprints on the car (I watched him brace himself, while rounding a corner, on a rubber hood bushing instead of the paint; there were towels all over the place), and make sure that it came back to me in better condition than when I gave him the key. I know - I watched basically the whole process. He even helped clean up the power steering fluid that was all over the trans and the center diff as a result of the problem...a problem, BTW, that we think another shop may have caused.

Oh, and I forgot...they've got an all wheel drive capable Mustang dyno. This is *not* like a Dynapack where it attaches to the hubs, with the car's wheels removed. This is a roller dyno. So you guys in Subarus now have a somewhat local place to go tune, if you like.

He's also a Motul, AWE, and GIAC distributor. Motul affects all of you - you can get the really premium motor oil and brake fluid straight from Absolute. The AWE and GIAC stuff is more a European car thing, but it's nice to have a local guy who knows this stuff.

They specialize in Audi, BMW/Mini, Porsche, VW, and Volvo.

http://www.absoluteautomotive.com

Very, very top shelf work, for not a lot of money. And then there's that AWD dyno...you Subaru guys listening? The closest one other than Absolute's is in Charlotte...

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Karl S.
2014 Baby, 2014 House, 2013 Ford Focus ST, 2013 BMW 328i, 1994 Mercedes E320
(Insert passive aggressive signature line here)

I used Evan's dyno last year. He was a pleasure to work with and had very resaonable pricing for the exhaust work and dyno runs that I did. I've recommended him to the local Subaru community for dyno pulls( I don't believe he's tunning Subies). The work area, an old brick building, is pretty cool too.

BTW, he'll threaten to stop doing pulls if it looks like you're going to throw down higher numbers than his Audi

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Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.

Yeah Evan is the man. Infinitely flexible on work schedule, was willing to let me basically watch him work the whole time, and enormously skilled. He re-diagnosed a leak I had that another shop diagnosed that was completely wrong. Other VW/Volvo/Porsche/Audi owners would be foolish not to do the same. I'll most certainly be back.



Well, he'll threaten, but I don't think he'll stop you. He's as curious as any of the rest of us.

Should I ask him about a dyno day? You guys (esp. you AWD guys) post here and let me know. I won't promise anything, but he is the closest AWD dyno, and does seriously know his chit.

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Karl S.
2014 Baby, 2014 House, 2013 Ford Focus ST, 2013 BMW 328i, 1994 Mercedes E320
(Insert passive aggressive signature line here)

Wait, so you've had this car for less than a month, and you've already broken it?

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In need of car.

Yep, i know Evan and he and the shop have always been top notch. Good guys fo sho

Technically, it broke on the day I bought it. And the windshield's already taken damage too.

Yeah, it started coughing up power steering fluid. Turns out, a power steering hose that runs through the valley of the motor, and under the intake manifold, had given up the ghost. A hose that Evan says he's "never seen fail before." He expects that the people who did the turbo swap somehow tweaked it.

Don't worry though Jason, it's still an awful lot faster than your 240, in a straight line anyway

He's found a couple other things he doesn't like about the way the turbo swap was done that I'm having him put right. He's definitely a perfectionist, so if that's important to you, he's the guy to take your car to.

Jason, I think I've become the Jason of a few years ago, hooked on AWD turbocharged cars. Here's hoping this thing doesn't develop an appetite for center torsens...

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Karl S.
2014 Baby, 2014 House, 2013 Ford Focus ST, 2013 BMW 328i, 1994 Mercedes E320
(Insert passive aggressive signature line here)

Just be nicer to the transmissions and it'll probably be fine. Of course, that means no fun runs for me.

I'd love to see how that thing would handle a 5K rpm clutch drop!

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In need of car.

I think the answer is "expensively."

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Karl S.
2014 Baby, 2014 House, 2013 Ford Focus ST, 2013 BMW 328i, 1994 Mercedes E320
(Insert passive aggressive signature line here)

Shoulda got an STi, then. 7k RPM clutch dumps with 275 Hoosier A6's on grippy concrete at Wendover. Still running fine.

Noticed a big difference in launch when I fluttered the throttle between 6500 and 7k and then dumped rather than putting it *at* 7k. Keeps boost built that way. Was worth a tenth of a second to sixty *feet*.


--Donnie

Removed, PM me if you must know.

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Karl S.
2014 Baby, 2014 House, 2013 Ford Focus ST, 2013 BMW 328i, 1994 Mercedes E320
(Insert passive aggressive signature line here)

I'm not sure how to take that.

It's got nothing to do with what I can or can't afford. If I thought launching the car that way was going to cause me $1500 clutches fairly often, I wouldn't do it, either. Sure, it'll probably shorten the life of the clutch, but I'm still guessing I can go into five figure mileage with a good many autocrosses on it with no problem.

You sounded as though the clutch might be somewhat more fragile in your car. Sorry if it sounded like a pissing contest I was trying to start...I wasn't. I would just find it odd if you couldn't launch that thing pretty damned hard without fear of parts falling off. It's no Harley, after all.

But yeah, I could see how you'd think that just because I have money I don't mind going out and just tearing stuff up regularly. I've got such a history... *shrug*


--Donnie

My apologies Donnie. I misinterpreted what you wrote. But...



Yeah, that is, at the moment I read it, how it sounded. "Just go buy another car." Or, "You should have bought a [Donnie's perhaps?] STi." That is how it came across, at least to me.

My most public of apologies. I apparently misinterpreted.

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Karl S.
2014 Baby, 2014 House, 2013 Ford Focus ST, 2013 BMW 328i, 1994 Mercedes E320
(Insert passive aggressive signature line here)

got dyno'ed today at Absolute and once again they ruled. Evans a good guy who takes interest in what youre trying to do, etc. In other words he'll sit there and play w/ your car on the dyno for a few more runs if needed to get things sorted out.

A+

Damn good to know...

Thanks Karl !!

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Stacy King
Midlife Crisis Participant