RE: Pacific Rim and John Lane (long)

["Darryl Tinnerstet" <darryl@xxxx>]

John Hervey recently posted this comment following an earlier negative posting, and I'm sorry but I just can't let these slide:

>>I also had a bad experience with Mr. Lane, He didn't read the instructions 
with the alternator I sold a person and he burned up two of them. He didn't 
hook up the brown/yellow light wire and burned up two regulators. It seems nobody could tell him anything. He may be good on engines, but on other things I would 
watch out.<<

Since Mr. Lane is a valued customer of mine, and he does not moniter this list, I forwarded this comment to him. Here is John Lane's response:

>>I remember all too well dealing with this guy [Hervey] and his junk alternators. A customer brought in one of his 'turned up' GM alternators for us to install. It (like almost every GM alternator) uses a total of TWO wires, one of which goes to the amp light, the other to the battery. Even I would have a hard time getting that wrong. If I remember correctly, [after two failed Hervey alternators]the customer purchased a 90 amp Bosch alternator from me and has had no troubles since. It also uses two wires.....Somehow I was unable to fry it. Hmmmmmmm.........The source (John Hervey) was trying fairly hard to not come across as a jerk (dealing with him and his 'turned up' alternators), but failed. Somehow I am not surprised at this noise on the internet. Everyone with a keyboard is an expert on the internet. This is why I generally stay away from the internet lists now. I don't care for the mudslinging. 

I have never promised anyone that I wouldn't make a living at the work I do. I go to great effort to make certain that I do a nice job for my clients. I do make a living doing it too. I have never claimed to be any manner of 'expert' at dealing with DeLoreans. I am quite able to find and fix those things that go wrong with them. As it goes, DeLoreans account for less then 1/2 of 1% of what we do here at Pacific Rim Automotive. I will gladly pass on a job that I don't care to do for whatever reason, or for whatever individual. I can't make everyone happy, but I work hard for those who can be pleased. 

I am way too close to saying to hell with working on DeLoreans altogether due in part to this kind of garbage. If you people are wanting to lose an individual who is willing to work on these cars, keep it up.
John Lane, Pacific Rim Automotive, Seattle<<

In my opinion, Mr. Lane is being way too polite. He is probably one of the most knowledable PRV mechanics in the country, having successfully off-road raced his 500HP twin turbo Volvo for years. I have seen the car at his shop, and those who have ridden in it or watched it race say it is incredible. And you don't think he knows how to hook up an alternator? Pacific Rim is one of only two PNDC-authorized DeLorean repair facilities in the Seattle area. We certainly don't want him to turn DeLorean owners away because of unsubstantiated negative comments made here by Mr. Hervey. If failure to hook up the light wire caused two alternators to burn up (which I highly doubt), they are way too jerry-rigged, over-stressed and fragile to be used. 

In Mr. Lane's opinion, Mr. Hervey refused to acknowledge that his alternators were faulty. Personally, I would tend to respect the opinion of the proprietor of a major NW import repair shop over that of a relative newcomer whose most memorable previous post was that, as a former fire marshall, he felt it was unnecessary for novice mechanics to have a fire extinguisher handy when working on the DeLorean fuel system. Remember that? As they say, consider the source. 

Darryl Tinnerstet
THE ORIGINAL Specialty Automotive
McCleary, WA 




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