If by any chance you have been following up with my thread in Mid-Atlantic sub-forum "Hard at Work" you may have caught my Build-Up of the Black Nugget thread - including a build-up of my car from date of purchase until right now.
If you have, or even if you haven't you may know that a while back I shipped my head to Alaniz Technologies to have a Competition Head Package performed.
Things are now cleared up with Joe @ Alaniz now and everything is finalized - however I only felt the need to atleast post up my dealings with Alaniz, including everything in detail from start to finish.
Its rather long, I perfer to have too much than not enough data!

Here is the story as to what has happened:

Late September I contacted Joe @ Alaniz regarding his Competition Head Package telling him that I would like to have this performed and would like to know how to go about it. Shortly afterwords I received a reply email from him stating how to go about doing this : I first get ahold of him to arrange when to have the work performed, Joe did state that he has time slots & I will need to sign up for one. He stated that once I sign up for one I need to give a $500 deposit and then the head must be received 3 days prior to that time slot start date. He advised me that the beginning of October he does have an available slot.
Shortly following this I contacted him letting him know that funds were tight and I would not be able to fund the work in early October, however I will be in contact. Around late October I contacted Joe again and told him that things were looking better & I was hoping to have the work performed rather soon. He told me that his schedule was looking pretty clear! I then asked him instead of sending him a deposit, if I could just get the time slot available, pack up the head along with a check for the full amount and ship everything together! He agreed this would be okay and told me to contact him as times got closer.
The very end of October I contacted Joe again with some problems. As I was taking the head apart we noticed some major problems. My intake camshaft had actually lifted up, cracking the first cam cap. As well, where the cam gear meshes with the idler gear, the sprockets were actually sitting ontop of each other versus meshing. I told Joe that from what I've heard I need to replace the entire head as I can not purchase just an individual new cam cap. He stated that he has a set of brand new cam caps sitting in his shop that he will sell me with the work! So we agreed that I will ship him the head & we will get the work done!
The very last day of October, the 31st I shipped my Head out from Virginia Beach VA through UPS to Gardena CA with an Estimated Delivery Date of November 7th. That afternoon I got ahold of Joe and told him that the head was shipped and he should receive it on the 7th.
The day of the 7th I received a call from Joe telling me that he has received the head. At this point he did ask me a few questions regarding the head - what type of forced induction i was using, how many psi i'd be running, and what other modifications I had. After this he did tell me that some extra work has come through and that he is a little busy with work right now. He did ask how soon I needed the head back. I then told him that its no major rush, however I'd like it back as soon as possible so I can have my car put back together. We agreed he would ship the head back Monday, November 28th.
During those three weeks I decided to just leave Joe alone & let him do what he does - build an absolutely amazing head! Monday November 28th I sent Joe an email asking how things were coming along and to verify that the head was shipped back to me. That afternoon I received an email reply stating that something has come up, a family emergency and he had to leave the office. He stated that he will be back the following Wednesday/Thursday December 7/8th and will be shipping it then.
The following Thursday I decided to drop Joe an email ask see how things were coming along, to verify we were back on schedule! That night I received an email reply from him stating that he just arrived back in town the previous night very late and he will be giving me a call the following day.
By 7:00 pm Eastern Time (4:00 pm his time) I had still not heard a reply from Joe, so I decided to give him a call and check in. Unfortunately he did not answer his office phone, so I simply left a voice mail letting him know I am still awaiting his call.
The following Tuesday the 13th I still had not heard from him. I then dropped him another email just to check in and let him know that I still am looking to hear from him.
The following Thursday the 15th I still had not heard back from him, a little bit frustrated - while also worried I decided to drop him another email. In this email I basically let Joe know that I am a tad bit worried, not only about my head but also about him himself. Understanding there was a family emergency I just want to make sure things are okay.
That afternoon I received a reply back from Joe. He stated that we are still awaiting for the locators to come in. He stated that they are on back-order! Being in the automotive industry I can understand this, so I replied back thanking him for getting back with me & asked when he expects the locators to come in.
He replied back shortly stating that they were suppose to be in the previous week and that if he did not get them in the beginning of the following week he would give them a call and see whats going on. At this point I replied back letting him know that I understand and will be contacting him the following week around mid-week to see how things are going.
The following Wednesday the 21st I dropped him another email, asking if the locators have arrived and how the head is coming along. The very next day, Thursday the 22nd I received a reply! Joe stated that the head was done!!! He stated that he will try to ship it out that day, but most likely will be the following day - Friday the 23rd. I replied back thanking him & stating that I suppose I will receive a tracking number that day.
Friday came and I heard nothing. Then Monday past, then Tuesday past. Tuesday Night, December the 27th I decided to drop Joe an email. In this email I had asked if he had the tracking number to the item, letting him know that I work during the day & need to arrange someone to be available to sign for the package.
Friday the 30th I received an email from FedEx labeled "FedEx Ground Pre-Ship". My eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas morning, I was finally getting my head back! My S2000 will be running again.
That afternoon I decided to send Joe another email. During that week, Dec 26th - 30th I was sitting around contemplating some things. Just about the direction that I was heading in my car, how I'm trying to squeeze soo much power out of a Supercharger setup. So in the email to Joe I did do what was important first. I let Joe know that I appreciate the work that he performed and that I can not wait to put the head back on the car & see the power gains. However I also asked that if perhaps I did decide to swap down the road from Supercharger over to a Turbocharger, what would happen - since he was building this for a supercharger application.
The following Monday, January the 2nd while looking through the email that I received from FedEx I did see that the Head had an Estimated Delivery Date of January 6, 2006! So I figured that I'd probably just give Joe a call when the head arrives to let him know I have received it - as well ask the question regarding the swap from Supercharger to Turbocharger.
The morning of January 5th I was looking through FedEx's online tracking program again and noticed that the packages Estimated Delivery Date was bumped to today, January 5th! I immediately lit up again, very excited!
However, I then noticed under the "Location" Field the only places the package has been checked was Gardena CA. A tad bit worried, I called FedEx. While on the phone with the FedEx individual I was informed that back on December 30th the shipping label was printed, however the package was never received by FedEx for shipping.
After this came to my attention I immediately sent Joe another email. Letting him know that I contacted FedEx giving them the tracking number provided. I informed him that they stated the shipping label was printed, however no package was ever received for shipping. I asked him if perhaps there was a small mix-up and the package was shipped under another tracking number - or if perhaps it hasn't even shipped yet. Shortly after sending this email I decided to double-up, I then called Joe's office and left a voicemail re-iterating this and ask that he either reply to my email or give me a call.
The next morning, Friday January 6th I decided to check things again - so I logged into FedEx website and ran my tracking number again. Apparently my phone call and email did something, the item was picked up by FedEx at 4:51 pm the previous day, Thursday the 5th!
The following Tuesday, January 10th I get home to see that FedEx has delivered my package! So I go ahead and open the box to see my head all nice and done.
Unfortunately, I have come across a new problem - my Rocker Arm Shafts, Rocker Arm Followers, Rocker Arm Spring Tensioner, and 4 Cam Cap Bolts are missing. That night January 10th I sent an email to Joe @ Alaniz letting him know some parts are missing and I need them shipped back priority so I can get my car running again. As well, I followed this email with a phone call and left a message on his machine.
The following day, Wednesday the 11th I received an email reply from Joe stating that he has found the items and he will ship them out ASAP.
One week later, Wednesday the 18th I still had not heard anything back from Joe regarding my parts - so I decided to drop him another quick email. Basically in this email I asked if he had shipped my remaining parts yet and if he had not, I'd appreciate it if he could do it either that day or the following day.
A few days passed by, still no word from Joe @ Alaniz. The following Sunday, January the 22nd I decided to give his office a call and leave him another voicemail. I again let him know that I am still awaiting my remaining parts.
The very next day, Monday the 23rd I received an email reply from Joe stating "The parts listed below will be sent tuesday. The box is in front of me and will be shipped out tomorrow. What a major screw up on my side. Parts being sent to the wrong places and tring to get them back....... I promiss you, you will have a tracking no. tomorrow and I will sent the parts 3day air so you can have them for the weekend."
The very next day, Tuesday the 24th I received an email from FedEx letting me know that the item has been shipped - just as Joe said it will be delivered on Friday the 27th! I sent an email over to Joe letting him know I had received this email from FedEx & apprecaite it!
Two days later on Thursday January the 29th I got home from work to a nice package in my living room - from Alaniz Technologies! All of the remaining pieces were there!

So finally, after months of waiting - my dealings with Alaniz Technologies is complete.




Cliff Notes: - He received the head on November 7th & told me that he would have it shipped back to me on November 28th. With lack of telephone communication and delayed email responses I finally received the head back on January 27th.

 

Thank you Steven King

 

I feel your pain Hopefully I will have all my stuff monady from Joe.

 

thanks for the cliff notes



laskey > alaniz

 

so when does this come out on dvd? thats way too much to read.

 

i had to stop and take a sh!t in the middle of that - luckily I hadnt missed anything when I got back

glad you finally got it all sorted out though Chad

 

cliffs?

 

I'm surprised anyone is still dealing with Joe these days.

 

[QUOTE=Black Nugget,Jan 28 2006, 03:10 PM]
Cliff Notes: - He received the head on November 7th & told me that he would have it shipped back to me on November 28th. With lack of telephone communication and delayed email responses I finally received the head back on January 27th.

 

Yeah, it made me sick to the stomach too