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Shops with knowledgable autocross staff?
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 9:42 am
by Yimin Lai
Hi guys,
I was wondering if there's any shops I could take my Miata to to get teched before an event takes place? Was at the Dubfest autocross this past weekend and tech felt some of my wheels had a bit too much play. I took the car to just a local auto shop downtown, but the mechanics said they didn't find excessive play in the bearings after inspection. Was wondering if there was an auto shop with SCCA guys who could take a look at my car this week. Wanted to take the Miata down to the SD novice school this weekend and didn't want to fail tech down there.
Thanks in advance!
-Min
Re: Shops with knowledgable autocross staff?
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 9:48 am
by Steve Ekstrand
No guarantees in life.
Who at Dubfest teched your car? If it was part of Doug's crew then they are experienced autocrossers. If it was the speedways safety people they are buffoons.
Re: Shops with knowledgable autocross staff?
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 10:22 am
by Yimin Lai
Doug's crew, the good guys =)
Re: Shops with knowledgable autocross staff?
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 10:27 am
by Robert Puertas
For a Miata I'd go to Hiro's in Costa Mesa.
Koji, the owner, is a great mechanic, and often autocrosses with us in his Miata. He also works on alot of the other Miatas that run with us.
Hiro's Auto Repair
http://www.hiros-auto.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
3042 Enterprise St # D
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 545-5090
Re: Shops with knowledgable autocross staff?
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 10:51 am
by Bill Schenker
Robert Puertas wrote:For a Miata I'd go to Hiro's in Costa Mesa.
Koji, the owner, is a great mechanic, and often autocrosses with us in his Miata. He also works on alot of the other Miatas that run with us.
Hiro's Auto Repair
http://www.hiros-auto.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
3042 Enterprise St # D
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 545-5090
Ditto. Koji & his staff are the only mechanics that I will let touch my precious Christine. They are great and know Miatas inside and out.
Re: Shops with knowledgable autocross staff?
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 10:58 am
by Nicole Wong
Or, you could go the other direction... here to Tri-Point Engineering. We are in Canoga Park.
Re: Shops with knowledgable autocross staff?
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 11:17 am
by Mako Koiwai
Yeah ... you didn't tell us where you're located. I've got a "regular" Mazda (non-authorized) place in Alhambra that I like.
Re: Shops with knowledgable autocross staff?
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 11:26 am
by Yimin Lai
Thanks for the suggestions guys, I'm actually located in Koreatown, pretty close to downtown LA, so somewhere closer like Alhambra works better during the week, thanks!
-Min
Re: Shops with knowledgable autocross staff?
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 11:31 am
by Mako Koiwai
see ...
HAINES (Mazda Specialist)
2233 West Valley Blvd
Alhambra, CA 91803
Tell Haine that Mako sent you ...

Re: Shops with knowledgable autocross staff?
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 11:34 am
by Mako Koiwai
btw. on some cars (rear STI bearings) it's just a matter of tightening up the big hub nut ...
Re: Shops with knowledgable autocross staff?
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 11:42 am
by Jason Flores
Mako Koiwai wrote:see ...
HAINES (Mazda Specialist)
2233 West Valley Blvd
Alhambra, CA 91803
Tell Haine that Mako sent you ...

Or...set up a time to meet mako and "give him beer" and he can re-tech your car to make sure that its something that you need to even worry about...
Re: Shops with knowledgable autocross staff?
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 11:45 am
by Mako Koiwai
sending you a PM
Re: Shops with knowledgable autocross staff?
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 1:00 pm
by George Schilling
Bill Schenker wrote:Koji & his staff are the only mechanics that I will let touch my precious Christine.
Enough about Christine...........what about your car?
Yimin, If you ever get to the Long Beach area, I'm right off the freeway @ the 405 and Lakewood. I'd be happy to check it out for you.
Re: Shops with knowledgable autocross staff?
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 1:03 pm
by Mako Koiwai
Weird, Christine ... Karen's is named Charlene, and she has her own facebook page!
Re: Shops with knowledgable autocross staff?
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 1:43 pm
by Bill Schenker
Mako Koiwai wrote:Weird, Christine ... Karen's is named Charlene, and she has her own facebook page!
Talya named her, after the S. King title character - after Robert Puertas pointed out that after the Vail Tour, where my brake rotors catastrophically failed, my car was actively trying to kill me.
And the irony? After breaking @ EVERY national event, and nearly all local (the few I did) races & practices, this year, the car worked flawlessly for both the Pro & Nats. not a hiccup - just the driver s*cked!
Re: Shops with knowledgable autocross staff?
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 1:56 pm
by Giovanni Jaramillo
Bill Schenker wrote:just the driver s*cked!
What else is new!
:gpower: :gpower: :gpower:
Hi Bill !

Re: Shops with knowledgable autocross staff?
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 1:57 pm
by Yimin Lai
Thank you all! Autocross people are the best! Mako's helping me re-tech it tomorrow night (I'll make sure to bring beer =P) so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it's an easy fix.
Best,
Min
Re: Shops with knowledgable autocross staff?
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 2:08 pm
by Aaron Goldsmith
Robert Puertas wrote:For a Miata I'd go to Hiro's in Costa Mesa.
Koji, the owner, is a great mechanic, and often autocrosses with us in his Miata. He also works on alot of the other Miatas that run with us.
Hiro's Auto Repair
http://www.hiros-auto.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
3042 Enterprise St # D
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 545-5090
I'll be there this evening picking up the Supra for it's freshening up.

Re: Shops with knowledgable autocross staff?
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 2:31 pm
by Mako Koiwai
Putting in new FRONT bearings on the Miata was one of the easiest things I've ever done on a car.
Re: Shops with knowledgable autocross staff?
Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 2:34 pm
by Mako Koiwai
Bill - Christine has been upset with you for a long time. Now that you're treating her properly and not anonymously she's treating you better
Re: Shops with knowledgable autocross staff?
Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 9:56 am
by Jason Flores
Yimin Lai wrote:Thank you all! Autocross people are the best! Mako's helping me re-tech it tomorrow night (I'll make sure to bring beer =P) so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it's an easy fix.
Best,
Min
Hey Min...so how did it go? is all good?
Re: Shops with knowledgable autocross staff?
Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 3:49 pm
by Mako Koiwai
Good to go ...