I've had great experiences with Mike Meron and Ryan Lore at Kinetic, as well as Lowell and Tommy at L&R. I was treated with respect at both shops (which, in my experiences, is quite rare... am I just unlucky?!?) and got what I needed. I am not a great mechanic myself, so finding an honest performance shop that won't treat me like an idiot was a priority. I got a great price and quick service with Mike M. Tommy's a fun guy to deal with. Last thing I had done at L&R was have my steering, AC, and alternator belts changed; it seemed like something "petty" (i.e. it was no complete turbo system swap or anything big like that), so I was impressed that Lowell took me in on a few day's notice. However, when I showed up, Tommy wasn't expecting me and Lowell was off site (maybe it was a miscommunication between Lowell and Tommy). Yet, I was impressed when Lowell called me on my cell back to the shop and they performed the belt swap promptly.
I've actually heard about a few disgruntled DSM'ers complain about L&R not being prompt enough or giving them the cold-shoulder, but based on my personal experiences, I'd recommend both Kinetic Motorsports (Port Kells) as well as L&R Racing (Port Coquitlam); I wouldn't hesitate taking my car back to either shop! They'll be seeing me once my dispensable income is replenished. :wink:
Also, note that Lowell and Mike follow these forums, which to me means that they're interested in and care about the DSM community and not just about business.
Good luck, Alex!
Fred