Another Vargas GC lite failure

[2008135i]

Let me start by saying that this is my first post on spoolstreet, but normally post on n54tech and wibimmmers. My point in posting this isn't to bash a company (believe me, everything on my car is VTTO brand), but to inform any potential customers of Vargas business practices... Its possible that Tony will make this right for me, but whoever I've been in contact, with via email, has pretty much told me to pound sand.

Well after less than 1 year and 4000 miles my Vargas GC lite turbos are shot / burning and leaking oil (of witch turbos have only seen over 20psi for 3 months)… Some research has shown me this is a common issue with v1 GC turbos and that the turbine wheel cracks / fins brake resulting in unbalanced turbo and oil burning.

I was a big fan of Vargas products, and use to think all the bad reviews were just internet / web forum bull****, but now I believe them! It's a shame that a customer can spend over $5000 in the past 1.5 year and they wont cover them under warranty as I'm over the 1 year purchase date (even when this is known failure and turbos have all of 4000 miles on them).

The only option Vargas would give me is to spend $1000 to upgrade them to v2's, witch I feel like they should be covering under warranty. Or I could send them into Turbo labs of America and have both of them rebuilt for $250 but im worried the same issue will happen again.

My question... What should I do? Send them in to get rebuild by Vargas ($1000), rebuild by turbo labs ($250) and hope for the best, or ditch Vargas and get MMP 1k's? Pics to follow of issue.

 

[Rob@RBTurbo]

Not sure there is really any reliable fix wherever you go, and the product quality seems to be very hit or miss to say the least. In short you are rolling the dice no matter what you do.

 

[2008135i]

Not sure there is really any reliable fix wherever you go, and the product quality seems to be very hit or miss to say the least. In short you are rolling the dice no matter what you do.

Maybe just go single turbo is best...

 

[Mikejones1208]

Do not send them to turbo labs of america, ive replaced a set of their twins twice because they started smoking within 2 weeks of installation, and mmp's arent the most reliable option either from what ive seen and dealt with, what is your power goals for the car? That might help us here point you in the right direction

 

[Rob@RBTurbo]

You'd really want to start with someone who at minimum has some of their own, HIGH QUALITY, balancing equipment. For some willing to do their due diligence on these things would find that many of the "big names" out there are really using low quality cheap junk that quite frankly just does not work well. So start asking around, you'd be amazed at what you will find; in that not all turbo builders are created equal (to say the least).

When you get mixed up with builders like these, you basically get a crap in/crap out product... or at best hit or miss. In order to be successful in this business there is absolutely no margin for builder error, and to get to that point you need to have a firm grip on what you are doing and have the best machinery to help you along the way.

Rob

 

[2008135i]

Do not send them to turbo labs of america, ive replaced a set of their twins twice because they started smoking within 2 weeks of installation, and mmp's arent the most reliable option either from what ive seen and dealt with, what is your power goals for the car? That might help us here point you in the right direction

well at first I was just going to run about 400whp, but my original / factory turbos started rattling, so i upgraded to the GC lites. Long story short, the car is currently running at 553whp (dyno it last month) at 25psi... I don't plan on upping the boost any more.


UPDATE: Chris sent me a return form / it sounds like Vargas is going to cover them under warranty, so that's good! Ill make sure to update with how the whole process goes and how the replacement or rebuilds look.