Gotham dead Charlie help

[carl]

You know Charlie it would be really nice if you fixed my gotham. as I said im happy to pay, you sent it back to me un opened after having it for 6 weeks. I was very supprised and dissapointed,this seems out character for you as you have a great reputation and integrity. As it is now I have a $1000.00 paper weight. I said I'm sorry if you don't want to fix it who can? thanks carl

[charliex]

I didn't break your ecu, nor did it being a gotham cause it to be broken. If we're talking integrity, why don't you post how it got 'broken' and then what exactly you told me had happened, given that i offer to fix accidental reflashes for free ? I'm sure given the whole story, people might be less 'suprised' by unusual and apparent lack of integrity.

As for how long i had it, it just turned up on my doorstep one day,. Note the $1,000 he is talking about is the cost of the spare ecu, not how much was paid for the gotham.

[andrewgotanelise]

gimme some popcorn

[exarkun1178]

is this related to the thread on monkey?

[charliex]

nope, different people, but i'd imagine its no coincedence, since this isn't the first time karls posted this on ET and i've responded. his ecu is a paperweight because he had someone overwrite it with a different tune.

[carl]

Ok i guess i have to be punished it's your ball and you can play the game any way you want. interesting way to run a business but thanks for the reply. the end carl

[qball]

his ecu is a paperweight because he had someone overwrite it with a different tune.

Is that true, carl?

[Bavarian Motorist]

This thread is a ticking time bomb.




Can the ECU still be flashed or is it mechanically 'broken'? If so, just send it to charlie and pay for the Gotham again

[ZTEC]

Carl, I have always respected your input on this forum, Would you please explain how/why your Gotham tune was reflashed and what happened?

[charliex]

Since it was a personal favour to jack, its not business, and yes its the way i run things, i put integrity over money, you weren't exactly forthcoming about what happened to the ecu, but you didn't know that i already knew what had happened to it. Once you found out that i knew what had happened, you then offered to pay for the fix, i informed you that i felt it'd be an unfair cost to you since it'd require some discovery work.

A couple of people called me about it since, and they told me the interesting chats they've had with you about it, you've failed to mention that it was done as a favour, and that you had the flash deliberately overwritten by someone else.

I think to question my integrity like this and put up a post basically looking like i'd screwed up your ecu and telling people i put you out $1,000 is where the real question lies, i can point you to a dozen or more people on ET that i've helped out beyond the call of business, my car is currently offline because i sent out my own ecu to help them out, something i've done a few times now.

When you intially asked for the favour i spent many hours on the phone helping you out (about 6 in all) and talking about it with it, you also wanted it as a next day even though i was leaving town, which i did, and i paid for the express shipping. when you had a problem with your DBW, i helped you with that and again checked the ecu for you,and i paid for the express return shipping and looked at on your time schedule and not mine, even though it was a fault with the DBW, no charge for checking it or shipping it, again.

[charliex]

For those curious on the story, here's my last reply when it was asked.

Gotham 265 and Lotus Warranty

for the record, i have no problem doing accidental reflashes for shipping costs (not that i usually charge for it), i've even done 'i just broke my ecu pins' flashes for free, and if the dealer screws up, or if your ecu just mysteriously dies, i've done 3 like that this month alone. or if you turn up at my house, or need it in double quick time etc. i've also repaired peoples ecu's for nothing, and i've retuned custom tunes as often as the customer wants at no cost, i've even paid for my own flights and hotels to do that.

[Matt in Houston]

Wow....there's always someone out there isnt there!?

No worries Charlie, I dont think anyone here is concerned with your integrity and I can see how frustrating it must be to do what you do...

All I know is I can personally vouch for all the help Charlie has given me with my Katana and I'm sure I'm not the only one!

[lotusforsale]

Shouldn't it be 'Gotham Dead, Batman Help?'

[jhnmdahl]

Originally Posted by charliex

For those curious on the story, here's my last reply when it was asked.

Gotham 265 and Lotus Warranty

for the record, i have no problem doing accidental reflashes for shipping costs (not that i usually charge for it), i've even done 'i just broke my ecu pins' flashes for free, and if the dealer screws up, or if your ecu just mysteriously dies, i've done 3 like that this month alone. or if you turn up at my house, or need it in double quick time etc. i've also repaired peoples ecu's for nothing, and i've retuned custom tunes as often as the customer wants at no cost, i've even paid for my own flights and hotels to do that.

It doesn't get said often enough, but thanks for all that. I haven't taken advantage of your knowledge yet, but I upgraded my clutch this month and will be joining the supercharged community eventually, thanks to your work. I may have to give you a ring next time business brings me to Vegas,

John

[Serebo1]

Not sure exactly what's going on, but as for Charlie's integrity, I can say that I hold him in the highest regard. After I dropped by G4 Powerbook on the floor, Charlie saved what he could, gave me a portable hard drive case with the contents, and repaired the Powerbook. No charge. He also incurred a speeding ticket on the way back from LOG, as he split off from the group to wait for me. That's the kind of guy Charlie is; rare indeed.

I know Carl from a couple track days, and he's always been very kind and helpful.

Hopefully this is just a misunderstanding, and everyone can shake hands and move on.

[Darth G-F]

Don't mess with the ECU master. He's smarter than you.

It's beyond me that people will try to outsmart the only guy that actually cracked the Lotus ECU and has total control over it.

Why don't you just tell Charlie, sorry, but I ****ed up. Now, how much it is to fix this for me?

[carl]

Originally Posted by Darth G-F

Don't mess with the ECU master. He's smarter than you.

It's beyond me that people will try to outsmart the only guy that actually cracked the Lotus ECU and has total control over it.

Why don't you just tell Charlie, sorry, but I ****ed up. Now, how much it is to fix this for me?

i did many times. carl

[CalBears92]

I have seen Charlie several times this year to have him fine tune my ECU (all issues mechanical related, not caused by ECU).

To say that Charlie took care of me is an understatement. Just like Serebo said, I respect Charlie in the highest regard.

I know Carl also and find him to be a helpful friend.

Treat Charlie the way you want to be treated.

[carl]

Originally Posted by CalBears92

I have seen Charlie several times this year to have him fine tune my ECU (all issues mechanical related, not caused by ECU).

To say that Charlie took care of me is an understatement. Just like Serebo said, I respect Charlie in the highest regard.

I know Carl also and find him to be a helpful friend.

Treat Charlie the way you want to be treated.

I don't have anything against Charlie I just want the ecu fixed and I'm willing to pay that has been my position from day one. carl

[Darth G-F]

Originally Posted by carl

I don't have anything against Charlie I just want the ecu fixed and I'm willing to pay that has been my position from day one. carl

The way I see it is Charlie is pissed because you tried to have him do work on your ECU that requires more work than just a reflash. This extra work was because you asked for a reflash that messed the ECU. But you didn't tell him that, you just tried to have a free reflash. When Charlie realised you deliberately had your ECU messed with and didn't tell him. He didn't feel like he owed you anything and felt you actually try to take advantage of him.

Now debugging the ECU would take so much of his time (and cost so much), that he feels you better buy a new ECU and get a new Gotham reflash.

That's how I understand it.