San Bernardino Machine Shop

San Bernardino Machine Shop, located at 2397 Cabrera Ave, San Bernardino, CA 92411, USA, operates within the "Auto Repair Stations" category, specializing in engine machining and rebuilding services. They can be reached by phone at (909) 213-2247 or via mobile at +1 909-213-2247.

This establishment offers services critical to the deep-level repair and restoration of vehicle engines. However, the provided customer reviews reveal significant and consistent concerns regarding the quality of workmanship, customer service, and warranty practices, which are important for any potential customer to consider.

Based on the customer reviews, the physical environment of San Bernardino Machine Shop is described as a "mess." This implies a potentially disorganized or unclean workspace, which could impact the perception of professionalism and attention to detail. The negative comments about the owner's professionalism and attitude further suggest a challenging customer interaction environment within the shop. One customer explicitly states, "he takes no pride in his work," which, if true, could reflect poorly on the general upkeep and organization of the facility and the quality of work performed there. While the shop's specific equipment is not detailed, the nature of its services (engine machining, cylinder boring, align honing) implies the presence of specialized machinery required for such precise tasks. However, the outcomes described in reviews suggest potential issues with the maintenance or proper utilization of this equipment.

San Bernardino Machine Shop primarily focuses on critical engine-related machining and rebuilding services. Based on the customer reviews, these services include:

• Engine Building/Rebuilding: The shop undertakes the full assembly and rebuilding of motors, as evidenced by a customer's experience with a blown stock motor.
• Cylinder Bore/Hone: This is a fundamental machining service to prepare cylinder walls for new pistons, ensuring correct sizing and surface finish.
• Align Hone Mains: A crucial process for ensuring the main bearing bores are perfectly aligned and round, critical for crankshaft rotation and oil pressure.
• Head Rework: Addressing issues with cylinder heads, such as internal problems leading to VTEC engagement failures.
• Block Deck Height Adjustment: Machining the engine block's deck surface to achieve the correct height and flatness, which is essential for proper head gasket sealing and timing cover alignment.

These services are foundational to restoring or enhancing an engine's performance and longevity. However, the effectiveness and quality of these services, as perceived by customers, are highly contentious.

The provided customer reviews highlight several critical features and experiences at San Bernardino Machine Shop, predominantly from a negative perspective:

• Workmanship Quality (Major Concerns):
  • One customer experienced repeated issues with a rebuilt engine, including "Vtec issue where it wouldn’t engage correctly," "internal issues on the head," and recurrent "smoking from the turbo" due to "contamination in the motor" and "debris" found in the oil. This indicates potential fundamental flaws in the engine build or machining process.
  • Another customer detailed severe machining errors on a Nissan VQ35 engine, including "mains that looked like they got hit with a mallet and a screw driver (literally the main bore has a groove 1/16” deep)," "bores were also undersized for the pistons," and an uneven "Block Deck height... now the front timing cover will not line up." These are significant quality control failures that can lead to catastrophic engine damage.
• Customer Service and Professionalism (Highly Negative):
  • The owner, Alberto, is explicitly described as "extremely unprofessional" and getting "irate when you ask about warranty."
  • The same customer noted that the owner "lied about doing an align hone on the mains until I pointed it out," demonstrating a lack of honesty.
  • The interactions described are confrontational, with the shop refusing to provide refunds or compensation for alleged faulty work, leaving customers to incur significant additional costs at other shops.
• Warranty Practices (Major Concerns):
  • A customer was allegedly told that the warranty was "just start up and dyno," a very limited warranty that offers minimal protection for a rebuilt engine, especially one costing significant money. This suggests a lack of confidence in their long-term work or a policy that offers little recourse for customers.
• Timeliness (Negative):
  • One customer reported that it took "2 months to give me back mains" that were improperly machined, indicating a significant delay for unsatisfactory work.
• Pride in Work: The review directly states, "he takes no pride in his work," which is a severe criticism reflecting on the overall dedication to quality.

Based solely on the provided customer reviews, there is no positive promotional information to share. The current reviews emphasize negative experiences and strong warnings to other potential customers. Instead of typical promotional benefits, the "promotional information" conveyed through these reviews serves as a public service announcement to exercise extreme caution.

• Warnings to the Community: Customers actively share their negative experiences "for transparency in the automotive community" and urge others to "do more research, read the reviews."
• Implied Lack of Warranty Support: The refusal to honor reasonable warranty claims or offer recourse for alleged faulty work is a significant deterrent to potential customers, suggesting a lack of post-service support.

For individuals in San Bernardino, CA, considering engine machining or rebuilding services, it is critically important to be aware of the detailed negative feedback available online regarding San Bernardino Machine Shop. Prospective customers are strongly advised to conduct extensive due diligence, seek multiple quotes, thoroughly inspect any work performed, and ensure clear, written agreements regarding service scope, expected quality, and warranty terms before engaging with this establishment. The phone numbers for contact are (909) 213-2247 and +1 909-213-2247.