Classic Customs and Hot Rods Vancouver

To those seeking professional mechanical and customer service, please do your due diligence and continue to seek elsewhere. The below noted are excerpts from an email sent to Classic Customs and team yesterday, with absolutely 0 follow up today. I feel as though it provides an excellent, albeit lengthy summary. "Guys, I have to say I am not impressed with the service your shop has rendered, as the owner of 4 classic cars and this countach replica, I can comfortably say that I would not utilize the services rendered by your shop ever again. This was a test and I realize it has failed. My mechanic here in North Vancouver wound down operations as of last summer, I was seeking another go to shop and will now continue my search. Upon arrival of the vehicle, the interior passenger seat and floor were soaked...I know that the car was washed and the passenger door does not fully close due to alignment, but this was well known and is the final show of neglect. I spent over $6600 with you folks and yet the individual who dropped off the car managed to convey to my concierge who is a gear head and good friend that my car "sat around your shop with really nothing done to it" and "spent the rest of the time at other shops"...am I missing something? My work order says differently. From the get go, the significant lack of communication provided to me was a concern - as a loyal and forthright client I was initially roped into a $1500 deposit which thereafter I provided a go-ahead to work up to $3000 total....by the time you next connected with me next the total bill was at $5229..... Thereafter there were variables of which were not your fault but issues commonly faced by custom / classic car owners - failing parts. Once all was then repaired, the car was dropped off at Bermuda Auto Glass only to flood his shop floor with oil... due to axle seals that were recommended to be replaced if I was keeping the car but would not be a short term issue or concern. Upon notification of this, the thereafter fact that the hood emblem was missing and a new scratch on the passenger door was present....it took your shop over a week to pick up my car from Bermuda Auto Glass, how this could ever be the case? I have no clue. Likely due to the fact that your shop had another project on the go, at the mercy of their shop for allowing a leaking vehicle to sit there producing 0 revenue. This type of service is not acceptable. I had come to terms with my luck and your service, it was apparent it would not get better, best to be forgotten. And then...as I inspected the car for the first time today I fired her up and checked up on the work done only to be disappointed that even the simplest of fixes was bobbled: 1. The rear deck lid latch popped once and does not now close... 2. The passenger door scratch was never addressed.. You guys worked on the rear deck lid struts, solenoid, and trunk all of which are functioning at 50% of a proper job. I want and need these fixed asap. I've paid for a job and it needs to be done properly. Please figure out how you will handle this, the car will be here at the condo and I would be happy to see your mechanic here or the car can be picked up and driven back to your shop, your call. I have no issue contacting the better business bureau and filing a small claims case, this is the worst experience I have ever had. I have remained professional throughout this process and incredible lack of service, these last few items have now put me over the wall. Please provide me with an update and course of action asap. " *** Add fuel to fire, I had asked for an update on the vehicle for over a week as of most recent, the next contact a week later indicated that they were working on the car, then immediately thereafter I was told in the same day that work was complete and if I did not come to pick up the car by end of business day that I would be charged a storage fee of $50 a day. I trust this review speaks for itself and helps others make better decisions than I.

I've done my best to hold back this review, being patient and understanding for a year, but there's just nothing for it. The owner, Ken, has promised to return my calls, start work, give a quote for work, among many other things, non of which have materialized. I've left dozens of messages and emails over the course of this past year, and have been consistently ignored and put off. Sometimes there are reasons given (if I am lucky enough to have somebody pick the phone up or return an email), but usually I am just completely ignored. Here are some examples: "Hi Sean, I know you called today. Sorry for not getting back to you, its been a bit hectic here. we are getting a few vehicles ready for the BC Classic Car show in Abbotsford on the 21st. I will call you sometime tomorrow." Three days later, having received no calls, I emailed again and received: "Hi Sean, I am so sorry, its just I have been swamped and short staffed lately and I am behind on all my estimates. I just haven't had the time to put together a estimate yet. give me until the end of next week and I'll have something for you. Thank you, Ken Powers" That was April 2017 and I haven't received anything yet.. my attempts at following up via email have been ignored. I called once a day for several weeks once but was unable to get through to ken. Eventually I was successful, and he again said he would get an estimate the following week. I'm sure the reader can guess whether he followed through or not. There was a list of 12 or 13 items to be done when I dropped off the car. I was hoping for the work to be done in a month or two. It's now been a year or more and nothing on the list has been done. They did manage to break my key off in the ignition though. I left them a thousand dollars when I brought in the car as an advance. Gee, I wonder what will happen to that? I like to think there's a possibility they will ultimately come through and do a stellar job on the car. If they do I'll update my review.

Not surprised they don’t remember me. They don’t remember what they even quote you. If you go here you’ll need to watch that they install what they quote, the real bill will be double for the parts (of course labor can be more once you get into it and discover things, but they under price parts just to get your business then jack up the price later) and you’ll need to take it somewhere else to get everything they did, redone - there’s a reason there isn’t much of a wait for them to work on your car. It’s worth the wait to get someone else. Lol just looked at all the positive reviews on here. Funny how many of the positive ones it’s their first ever review, makes you wonder if their reviewing themselves...

Totally happy with job done. I bought a canopy for my truck and it wasn't the right color. ( canopy grey , truck black) I was in a pinch for time as I needed to head outa town. The owner ken was awsome he got me into the shop right away and the job was done ahead of my schedule, professional, courteous and quick, the finished product was outstanding. I will be back for future jobs.

I was amazed at the finished product. A 1970 Mustang Sportsroof from a shell. The number one complement I receive is on the paint job of my car. The quality of the work was outstanding. But great work takes time. More than I ever expected but the quality shone through. My car has won numerous awards including the GVMA Car of the Year.

I read the reviews on here but I figured those were just angry people. I took the chance and brought my 1971 mustang in for a paint job and a few mechanical issues. Ken the owner was super helpful, completely up front with everything that was happening. Yes it took a bit longer than I anticipated, but he went over my car in great length and fixed everything. He was very meticulous with the paint job and I couldn’t be happier. I would highly recommend this shop. Jim

These guys really produce amazing cars. Like a real life hot wheels factory. Definitely bringing my next car to Ken.

Fantastic shop, very welcoming staff. Techs are wildly talented and also very good at explaining what they did. I took my 62 Pontiac in and they got it running just as it should, definitely would recommend to any hot rodder or classic enthusiast.