Lightning Motorsport

[SNWMAD]

Well i have just been givin the great news, that what i thought was a reliable place to send my car to get the boost brought up, was in fact a company that enjoys destroying their customers cars.

Apparently they had just finished changing the boost setting and was travelling back at 95km in a straight line when bang the diff blew. The whole side of the caseing is ripped to shreads. Ok, sure i think, their fault, they fix.
WRONG.
Funny that apparently it is not their fault and they will not be fixing or paying for the damage.

*Background info, Had two rear wheel bearings replaced by Marshells transmitions three weeks before in which they inspected the diff and said that there was no noise from the rear, and a little from the front. I was in Wellington for 2 weeks after that in which the car sat in the garage.

Also it was serviced a week before Lightning Motorsport got hold of it and they have quoted that their was nothing wrong with the car. Hammish from H&N automotive at least do a great job as ussual and so the car has been trucked to tauranga.

Will be seeing Lightning Motorsport in court and would not recommend anyone using them for their abuse of peoples property and not admitting their mistakes.

[Paul Beazer]

Man thats poor! Hope you get it sorted.

Take 'em to the cleaners!!!

[ShadyNZer]

is this in hams? took my car there when i first got it to see how much to get some super low kings put in..they said around $700...
catch that up!!

yeah last time i went they were in a sh!t location too

[VR4 MAD]

Well that bloody disappointing.

Had thought of using these guys to get an exhaust system made up - turbos back. See this listing of theirs on TradeMe
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=55824094

But maybe not now......................... Also thought that the pipework between turbos and Cat maybe too tight to make by bending and $650 seemed pretty cheap..............cat back maybe but not turbo back.

Oh well, another outfit to avoid.......thanks for the heads-up on them.

VR4 MAD

[Kenneth]

Well that bloody disappointing.

Had thought of using these guys to get an exhaust system made up - turbos back. See this listing of theirs on TradeMe
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=55824094

But maybe not now......................... Also thought that the pipework between turbos and Cat maybe too tight to make by bending and $650 seemed pretty cheap..............cat back maybe but not turbo back.

Oh well, another outfit to avoid.......thanks for the heads-up on them.

VR4 MAD

$650 for an exaust system is actually very good. They state that it will be made from mandrel bends rather than press bent, so should have no worries with the front pipes. They have legnum listed there also.
What I assume you wont get is any form of resonators, which could leave you with a drone that drives you mad. Solution to that is to drive everywhere at 5000RPM and make sure its everyone ELSE that goes mad instead ;)

[SNWMAD]

I talked to him about the front pipes that they supply, He said that they are a waste of time and that the turbo's are too small. Was also told by Ralli-art Auckland that they have been having real trouble with the turbo's on these cars when dump pipes have been added.

[Kenneth]

I believe that they might just have turbo problems... but that would be because people thrash them. With front pipes I can make 10psi at 2500rpm (maybe more, but with standard boost control wont go higher) so anyone who tells you they are a waste of time is eithier talking crap, dont want to do front pipes for you or just doesn't know their ass from a hole in the ground.

But then, with small turbos running like this would you expect them to last? Especially if you turn up the boost.

[VR4 MAD]

$650 for an exaust system is actually very good. They state that it will be made from mandrel bends rather than press bent, so should have no worries with the front pipes. They have legnum listed there also.
What I assume you wont get is any form of resonators, which could leave you with a drone that drives you mad. Solution to that is to drive everywhere at 5000RPM and make sure its everyone ELSE that goes mad instead ;)

Thanks for that feed back.

I've recently (last weekend actually) just got a Fujitsubo cat-back exhaust so was only contemplating the dump pipes and a decat.

Collecting the exhaust and some other goodies was the reason I was up in Aucks and stopped in at the Torque Performance dyno day to see UC and others run..........but I digress.

But I do worry about the very tight radius bend (see photo).

Can you really bend something that tight with pipe bending machine using a mandrel? It's also quite a complex 3D job to make that whole thing I would have thought.

Also if you can bend it, why then was the one in the photo made using lots of little sections welded together? Surely that's harder than getting it bent up?

Anyway if these guys aren't to be trusted with looking after our prized vehicles then I probably won't be going to them anyway.

Cheers for the help,

VR4 MAD

[Springie]

I also got work done at Lighting Motorsport for my older car (GSR), i just wanted a simple intercooler pipe made up, to go from my throttle body to just behind the headlight, where it joined up to the evo piping.
Simple job i thought?

WRONG, they made the pipe too short and used crap joiners, in fact i didn't even make it 1km from the workshop until the joiner came off (due to the pipe being to short) and me breaking down in the middle of a round about. Luckily i had some tools with me and i nursed it home. I then had to fork out $60 bucks on top of the $250?? i think for a crap pipe, to get a decent and long enough joiner to make up for them making the pipe to short.

Anyway i told them and they didnt want to know, i swore i'd never EVER go back, and i haven't. I was contemplating going back as i heard they where under new management, but i think it may have been a ploy. Anyway thanks for the warning, i will definatly never go back there ever again now.

P.S They welding sucks too.

[Kenneth]

Thanks for that feed back.

I've recently (last weekend actually) just got a Fujitsubo cat-back exhaust so was only contemplating the dump pipes and a decat.

Collecting the exhaust and some other goodies was the reason I was up in Aucks and stopped in at the Torque Performance dyno day to see UC and others run..........but I digress.

But I do worry about the very tight radius bend (see photo).

Can you really bend something that tight with pipe bending machine using a mandrel? It's also quite a complex 3D job to make that whole thing I would have thought.

Also if you can bend it, why then was the one in the photo made using lots of little sections welded together? Surely that's harder than getting it bent up?

Anyway if these guys aren't to be trusted with looking after our prized vehicles then I probably won't be going to them anyway.

Cheers for the help,

VR4 MAD

oohhh, thats MY front pipes in that pic ;)

For that price, you will NOT get pipes like that. Those pipes are supposed to be equal length, which is why they are that shape. The reason it is welded like that is because you cant bend stainless as much as mild steel without it collapsing. Probably cant bent mild steel like that eithier though.
For $650 you would get pipes in the standard configuration, which is unequal length. In essence, you will have front pipes which look the same as standard but flow better.

[VR4 MAD]

oohhh, thats MY front pipes in that pic ;)

For that price, you will NOT get pipes like that. Those pipes are supposed to be equal length, which is why they are that shape. The reason it is welded like that is because you cant bend stainless as much as mild steel without it collapsing. Probably cant bent mild steel like that eithier though.
For $650 you would get pipes in the standard configuration, which is unequal length. In essence, you will have front pipes which look the same as standard but flow better.

Right, that explains that then/pan :speechles

Thanks for that insight Kenneth. Saved me asking some rather dumb questions/help

BTW, have you noticed any real performance improvement/difference with the equal length front pipes? Would you say they are worth the effort?

Cheers,
VR4 MAD

[Kenneth]

Right, that explains that then/pan :speechles

Thanks for that insight Kenneth. Saved me asking some rather dumb questions/help

BTW, have you noticed any real performance improvement/difference with the equal length front pipes? Would you say they are worth the effort?

Cheers,
VR4 MAD

I don't know if the equal length makes any difference, would have to try unequal length pipes of the same diameter to compare.
Could be an idea to take it to the dyno and do 2 runs, one with equal length, one unequal (ie: swap downpipes with Brad between runs)

I can tell you there is deffinatly a performance increase over standard pipes.

If you want more info, please create another thread... we are hijacking this one :P

[bradc]

Who cares about hijacking this thread, we know that lightning motorsport sucks, we may as well continue with the downpipes discussion :)

My downpipes are unequal length, there is a picture in my gallery of them. They don't have that sharp bend at all, and are all mandrel bent. I would be quite interested in doing runs with Kenneths type, mine, and the stock ones, just to see what the differance is.

The stock turbos are very small, and i don't think you could really expect them to last forever if you are running them at increased boost. Very few people in the club have had problems with them though.

[Kenneth]

Who cares about hijacking this thread, we know that lightning motorsport sucks, we may as well continue with the downpipes discussion :)


I would like to point out that the idea of these forums are for expressing personal opinion. As such, a generalisation like this cannot and will not be supported by Club VR-4.
Please try and keep personal opinions personal, rather than using statements that may misrepresent Club VR-4.


Don't take the above statement the wrong way, but please be aware that you aught to be careful when saying statements that may show a business in a poor light and may do harm to their potential revenue.

[bradc]

point taken :)

[ShadyNZer]

how much was it for your twin exhausts bradc? soz off topic but yerrrrrrrrrr....

[bradc]

$1550, including fitting the lowering springs. That was for the whole setup, downpipes, mid section, both mufflers, etc.

[You See]

Darnit.....sorry to hear that SNWMAD, these are places we just don't need! ...I myself have had my fair share on Joe Blogs garages, but I've learnt my lesson! Good luck in getting a successful resolution!

[SNWMAD]

Good to here everyones opinion on the dump pipes, i got a mandrel bend exhuast from the flexi back and have been wondering about the next step. My boost is already running 12psi at 2500rpm even with the massive front mount,this is only in 4th and 5th tho. in 1st the boost only kicks at 4000rpm.
Oh the joys of it. What is the normal price for a good dump pipe?

[bradc]

Pitstop's price is about $500, including removal of the cat.

[Xeroid]

Just read this thread through and have a question. How does does a boost modification blow the diff to bits, they don't seem related. In which case I can understand why Lightning don't see any obligation to pay. Unless they thrashed the car in 'test' and won't admit it or something or am I missing some hidden connection here ,,,,?? anyone ?

[Springie]

Thats the point, how does a seemingly healthy diff break when you put a boost controller on? unless they were thrashing it. And i wouldn't put it past them to give it a thrash either. They should have insurance for this kinda of thing and at the very least offer some type of compesation as it did happen under their 'care'

[SNWMAD]

Thats why i'm taking them to court, getting them to pay for the repairs, transporting my car from ham to Tauranga and also compensation for the loss of transportation. I drive to tauranga and back every week for work, so it affected my income to.

Guna clean them out. You would think they would just pay as it alot to go thro now and it giving them a bad name. Esp when i know alot of people with the types of cars that would go there.

Oh well, now i just gotta source a mint rear diff and the car will be sweet again.

[mpau009]

:sad3: Sorry i'm gunna be a bit of a downer. I can see why youd be upset, i would be too, - and the only info i have is from this thread, iv never been near the place, but i think you might well be turned down in court. Firstly a lot of places have a variety of waivers and things for when they take possession of your car, i know mitsi have a thing saying they aren't responsible if it gets nicked from their yard and the like, same as a lot of carpark buildings. Often it might just be a sign up in the workshop.

Also, i think because its a mechanical thing you might struggle. Surely if you asked them to increase the boost, they would have had to do at least one run at full boost, and the accompanying extra load it would put on the driveline. Now assuming you can't prove that they were neglectful in their actions, they could just say that it was an almost 10 year old car part doing a job above what it was meant to, and it could have just as easily crapped out on the way to the dairy.

I'm not saying you're wrong, and i don't know all the facts, if theyd crashed it sure, but the diff? who knows.

Also, there does seem to be a bit of negative feedback out there, so they may well have thrashed it.. but if no one saw../help

Anyway, its easy to sit here and say that, but i really hope it works out for you

[Pescha]

Not defending Lightning Motorsport.... BUT I got my carbon fibre bonnet from them for a very good price, service was awesome and the boyz were helpful... maybe because I had boobies... I don't know! Just my thoughts!

[SNWMAD]

Well considering i had a noise in the back of my car 3weeks earlier and got it inspected, which came out to be wheel bearing and not the diff. The company also tested the diff's and it is written down on their reciept as doing so. So the diff was in good condition before they drove it.
I know it will be a stuggle but will be worth it i hope.

[mpau009]

Well considering i had a noise in the back of my car 3weeks earlier and got it inspected, which came out to be wheel bearing and not the diff. The company also tested the diff's and it is written down on their reciept as doing so. So the diff was in good condition before they drove it.
I know it will be a stuggle but will be worth it i hope.

I didn't realise they/someone had already looked at the diff, might be an idea if it was somewhere different to go back and have them give you an opinion as to what happened.

You might want to try FairGo as well, that sort of thing is right up their alley, especially if there is a lot of others who have been burned by these guys, which might shame them into at least acknowledging that you feel cheated.

If they can't do anything, at least they may be able to clear up some advice on the legal issues, and where to go from there.

I'll be keen to hear how it turns out.

Also, heres my dyno sheet from the club meet a while back, i did one at 8.5psi (about stock), and one that peaked at about 13.2 you can see how much extra torque is produced for a small Kw gain, and it didn't explode, also UC's latest run had rediculous amounts with his 19psi, and again no worries? Youv got me thinking.

[Kenneth]

Also, heres my dyno sheet from the club meet a while back, i did one at 8.5psi (about stock), and one that peaked at about 13.2 you can see how much extra torque is produced for a small Kw gain, and it didn't explode, also UC's latest run had rediculous amounts with his 19psi, and again no worries? Youv got me thinking.

I believe UC doesn't have an AYC diff.

[You See]

Nope none of that fancy AYC here! :P

[i3ooyah]

Not defending Lightning Motorsport.... BUT I got my carbon fibre bonnet from them for a very good price, service was awesome and the boyz were helpful... maybe because I had boobies... I don't know! Just my thoughts!

its a lot different when there trying to make a sale to them auctually working on a car, dont think you can compare the two.

ps wanna sell me your carbon bit off your boot?

Goodluck dude, i hope you teach them a lesson.

[TRO]

Man that sucks, Good luck with the case... Loving this site, finding out the good people to get work done with, and the people not too.

Oh well atleast even if you dont win, I doubt that anyone reading this thread would consider taking there car there, so they lost a bit of potential bizzo.

You would think that they would come to the party somewhat and offer even somthing towards repairs considering it was in their care.