Elite Automotive Group AZ

[svensk]

Has anyone delt with Elite automotive group in Phoenix AZ?They list a red 97 GTS for sale that I might be interested in.Is anyone familiar with this car?Any info would be appreciated,Thanks Jan.

 

[Hockeysnake]

Svensk- My Swedish brother, here is a link to their website(which you probably already have).

Let me know if you need me to check anything out for you.

http://www.autotrader.com/dealers/view/index_view.jsp?dealership_view_name=EAG

 

[PhoenixGTS]

I have never bought anything from them, but I have been there and can make some comments. It is an odd place in that it is not a regular delaership with a lot. The space they are in is an office front with shop space out back in a little industrial park. They probably have 20,000 square feet that was packed wall to wall with non-exotic cars when I was there. For example, if you wanted to test test the RT that someone posted about where the roll hoop had been removed, if they would have had to move ten cars to get it out. There does not appear to be any hard-core salesman there. I talked to someone who was more of a lot boy without much knowledge about the cars. They seem like a wholesaler that just tries to buy cars cheap and resell them with as little overhead as possible. When I was there they has a perfect red RT-10 and then two or three beat to heck Vipers. No Ferraris or similar. Like Hockeysnake, if you are serious I might be able to make it down there to check a car out for you.

 

[svensk]

Here is a link to the 97 for sale It's on E-Bay Red 97 with a Roe+N2O.http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem

 

[PhoenixGTS]

Here is a link to the 97 for sale It's on E-Bay Red 97 with a Roe+N2O.http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem

Invalid link when I tried.

 

[svensk]

I don't know how to get it to work with this link thing ,,,,,but the item # is 4538516278 on e-bay under Viper GTS

 

[PhoenixGTS]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4538516278

 

[Hockeysnake]

Svensk,

First off, wherever those pics of the GTS were taken it is not in Phoenix. So I would wonder if those were taken awhile ago or what? Second, if these guys are as shady as Phoenix says(and I belive him 100%), I would find a different car.

There are too many good, legitimate people associated with this community to not find a great used Viper from a reputable source. It is well worth it in the end....trust me.

 

[PhoenixGTS]

Svensk,

First off, wherever those pics of the GTS were taken it is not in Phoenix. So I would wonder if those were taken awhile ago or what? Second, if these guys are as shady as Phoenix says(and I belive him 100%), I would find a different car.

There are too many good, legitimate people associated with this community to not find a great used Viper from a reputable source. It is well worth it in the end....trust me.

To be clear, I see that a lot of there pics are in that same location so it might be an entrance to a Tempe/Phoenix industrial park or similar (we do have some grass and water here), and I did not get any sepcial feeling that they are shady, only that they are not what you would call a "regular" dealership. Looked to me like the quality of cars was hit or miss. I mean I was drooling over one RT-10 they had when I was there wishing my car was in that kind of shape. My concern is that any car with those mods has been beat to heck (I mean line lock - come on!) and 60k miles might be a lot. I say Carfax the car, see where it has been titled, then post here or those state's local clubs to see if anyone recognizes the car. Plus, maybe Hockey and I could drive down there for you.

 

[peakcompletions]

Hello All,

I am a new viper owner and was going to post my first thread when I saw this one. It ties in real good as I bought my first and only viper from the Elite Auto Group in Phoenix.

I had been looking for my dream car, a Graphite Grey GTS for a couple of years now off and on, when I stumbled on one on ebay from the EAG (Elite Automotive Group). I emailed them a received a prompt reply from Cable, the owner.

Here is the ebay auction link so you can all see what I was looking at.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4522146599

I drove out to look at the car and instantly fell in love.
I agree with PhoenixGTS that something was different there and had something in the back of my brain saying "warning warning" but refused to listen... the car was so nice.

First thing I should have clued into was that they would only start it for me, not take me for a ride even until I bought it. Car started fine, sounded awesome, and appeared to be running really rich.
I was told by Monty, the manager I believe, that the car was the personal viper of the owner Cable, and that he had had all the work done, supercharger etc.. Gave me a stack of papers that were supposed to show the work being done on the car etc...
I bought the car and drove it across town to a trailer place as I planned to buy an enclosed trailer to haul it back to Texas. On the way to the trailer dealership (10 miles approx.) I noticed a ticking noise which I assumed to maybe be a header leak and on the way there the check engine lights came on. I tried to call the EAG and got a message. Left a message for someone to call me back. Concern was overcome a little bit by driving this awesome machine.... bought the trailer and hauled it home. Received a call from Monty saying that the owner was the only one who knew anything about the car and that he would get back to me.
A week later, I had not driven the car due to bad weather, I still had not heard any replies from the "owner".
Bear in mind I am not a complete dumby even though I may sound like it in this post. I checked it out on carfax and the car was immaculate inside and out. No scratches or paint chips, interior was perfect etc...
I took a customer out and we cruised around for about 1/2 an hour before taking her out on the hiway to stretch it out. While in Phoenix I had to fill up the tank as I got the car on empty. I put in premium and octane boost from autozone. Anyway, I was putting the car through its gears and at about 4000 rpm in 3rd gear I heard a loud BANG underneath what seemed like my drivers seat. I pulled over and checked under the car and hood and everything seemed normal. Took off again and the same thing occured. Pulled over and shut it off checking all fluids and temp etc... Everything from what I could tell was the same as the day I bought it. Took off back to my shop to check it out and on the way, cruising at hiway speed, I noticed a long white smoke trail in my rear view mirror. Pulled over immediately and called a buddy to bring my trailer. We pushed the car on the trailer and I started calling.
Could not get an answer from EAG. I was getting worried they had gone out of business! Still had not heard anything at that time.
Talked to [******], RSI and Roe racing before deciding on taking it to David Weaver. He was more than accomodating and fit me in the next day. I hauled the car down to Austin and he tore into it. He found that the pistons were stock and shot up from detonation. Many of the things advertised were not true. Cam was stock from a 97 GTS, not custom CNC ground as I had been lead to believe. The heads were not CNC ported and polished. Fuel system was stock and not suited for the mods that were put on the car. He asked me for a dyno sheet as he did not believe the power ratings as well.

Long story short ( i don't want to bore you all with my sob story) - I put 70 miles on the car when it cratered. I finally received an email from EAG to which I replied and still not heard back from.
I have spent over 15,000 just to get the car in the shape I thought I had bought it in. I cannot get EAG to help.

 

[peakcompletions]

To follow up on that last post I wanted to add a few thoughts:

David Weaver is awesome and I am really impressed with his expertise and advice. I cannot wait to get it back!! He is adding some of the goodies you can see in my sig.

I was hoping my first true post to be more positive but I really like the things I have seen in this club and am proud to be a member.

I hope to ask lots of questions and get some advice from "ya'll" concerning my car. Some things to think about are the rims. What do you all think I should go to? Any feedback would be appreciated.

As well, for all the members out there, living in Midland Texas, which club do I fit into. There is a North, South and East Texas Viper Club I think. I am assuming the north one but am not sure.

I looked at the pics of the red one EAG is selling right now and it looks beat up. Here is what Cable said about it...

Did you see this one we are selling?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4538516278
It's pushing 10PSI with stock pistons and is bulletproof, even with nitrous.

Don't want to bad mouth anyone but I have not had a real good experience initially on this deal.

I am pretty sure that apart from the money I have had to spend, David Weaver will turn this around and I will have the car I dreamed of.

my 2 cents.

thanks,

 

[Hockeysnake]

Phoenix- Did not mean to put words in your mouth. I just hate seeing people get hosed by scumbags like this. I speak from experience in getting hosed...BAD.

I'll be more than happy to take a ride down there with you and we can see if we can get some answers for our Viper Brother who got screwed. Plus I think there is a place or two to get a beverage on the way.

Svensk- RUN! away from this dealership!!!!

 

[txlen]

i can tell you there is an elite dealer here in san antone...they were trying to sell a 94 SILVER R/T to a guy from up around arlington..said the car was immaculate..it was not..once they brought it over for me to look at for the customer we saw it had been wrecked on the left rear and the rear toe link bracket was broken off...for grins i ran the VIN...the car was orig black....lol...and i listed and showed the future owner...they called them and they denied all of it...i told them go find another one...they left and didn't even take the car back to elite...when i called elite it took them 3 days to come get the car...last i heard it went thru the auction in S.A. and brought $17,000.00....what was really funny was the car had been titled in 4-5 diff states...i figured they were washing the title that way...prob a rebuilt wreck...

 

[svensk]

Thank you all!! That's why I hang out on the viperforum all the time.I had never heard about EAG And I did a search and it came up with nothing.I did send EAG an email asking for additional information on the car,no answer.I will follow the advice from Hockeysnake and keep on looking.

 

[peakcompletions]

Did I hear a beverage stop??

HockeySnake, maybe I need to make a trip back as well once my car is fixed...

I am a Canadian living in the USA and beverage stops are our national past time. haha

 

[Hockeysnake]

Peak- You got it. There is an open invitation to go anytime. Most of my drinking buddies are Canadian....as a matter of fact all of them are.LOL

 

[PhoenixGTS]

Phoenix- Did not mean to put words in your mouth. I just hate seeing people get hosed by scumbags like this.

Hey no problem. Just as a lawyer I wanted to clear up that I only visited there. But given the later posts, looks like I did not need to bother.

 

[viper spray]

Peakcompletions: You took your car to a great Viper tech who has done everything on my car and knows his vipers inside and out. I have seen your car and D. Weaver is doing it right this time. My car was on the dyno last week and your GTS was a few feet away, so I checked it out. It should be a monster when done. spray.......

 

[peakcompletions]

thanks spray! you just made me want it back that much more

Maybe we will have to go cruising when I come down to get it... last time I was in Austin I never got to take it down to Sixth street... At least not out of the trailer...

 

[98viperGTS]

AT Elie Auto was there a guy named Alex? Just wondering.

 

[peakcompletions]

only one i actually met was monty, the one who did the paperwork and sold me the car. sorry.

 

[Vic]

Sounds like someone put a Roe blower on, without tuning it at all. Sorry to hear about your troubles. At least you will have a really hot car when all is said and done.