Del Val Miata Club

Serving Miata Owners in the Delaware Valley Region

NA Mechanic in No NJ needed.

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  • May 13, 2017 3:23 PM
    Message # 4831626

    I have two Miata's,  including a new RF. I am looking for a mechanic to replace my  1990 NA engine oil gasket. Mazda is charging far too much money. I reside in Morris County.

    Thanks.

  • May 14, 2017 12:48 AM
    Reply # 4832063 on 4831626
    Anonymous

    The best Miata guy I know is Dave Deerson(T&Z Automotive) in South River. I met Dave more then 14 years ago at Pocono Raceway when I 1st started road racing my 1990 Miata. He helped me repair a few breakdowns on the track. I did not even know he was a mechanic and owned a shop till 2 years later when we were at Watkins Glen race track talking and I asked him what he did for a living.  He's serviced all my Miata's since then and my Corvettes. There is nothing Dave can not repair.

    He's not your ordinary mechanic and I even feel bad calling him a mechanic, that word belittles his skills.

    Any ways, he's about a mile off of Rt 18 in East Brunswick. There's absolutely nothing he does not know about Miata's. In addition to regular every day Miata's he services everything else.

    He's built multiple Miata's  for road racing. When I say built I mean from the ground up. Starting with a bare chassis and bare body and he's absolutely 100% honest.

    I obviously have 100% confidence & trust in Dave.

    T&Z Auto 113 Whitehead Ave, So. River: 732-257-2664

    Morris West

  • May 22, 2017 9:56 PM
    Reply # 4846773 on 4831626

    Thanks very much Morris. Ill give Dave a call. Appreciate you taking the time to respond. 


    Bob Ingoglia 

    Flanders Nj

  • May 23, 2017 8:18 AM
    Reply # 4847290 on 4831626
    Anonymous

    Bob

    Let me know how it works out with Dave. For me he's not the easiest place to get to, but still well worth the inconvenience.I have a few cars that Dave services, my wifes street Miata, my street Corvette ant the 2 cars I use for the track. Spec Miata & another Corvette. After a while my wife got tired of following me there or picking me up there. I started using Enterprise Rent A Car. They were convenient. Now I use Uber. For me they are cheaper & more convenient  

  • May 26, 2017 8:58 PM
    Reply # 4854966 on 4831626

    Will do. Ive placed a call and am awaiting his call back. Will let you know. 

  • August 23, 2017 9:15 AM
    Reply # 5043575 on 4831626
    Gail

    I just had a WONDERFUL experience with Dave Deerson!  T & Z motors.  Can't say enough great things about his professionalism and his reasonable prices.  He has a real passion for Miatas.

  • August 24, 2017 9:36 AM
    Reply # 5045402 on 4831626
    Bob Ingoglia

    Gail. You probably saw my red NA in Dave's shop?

    The license plate said "MIATA 1"

    Based on Morris' recommendation I contacted Dave, left my car and he Is working on it now.  He does seem very knowledgeable about anything Miata. So t that's what I was looking for as in 28 years with the car I have spent virtually nothing on it!


    But I do expect a high price tag for the work he is doing now. Probably around  $1k. 


    I.met a couple from PA who was picking up their basket case Miata ( red iof course) and they gladly spent $1,600 b/c Dave redid everything for them and their car had over 175,000 miles on the speedometer. 

    Money well spent if you want to keep this classic car.

    Plus, this is a fraction of the cost a dealership would charge. 







  • August 25, 2017 6:29 AM
    Reply # 5047292 on 4831626
    Hail

    HI, Bob!  I was the female half of that couple and that was my Miata!!  Dave did a great job, and my baby is running like a top.  Worth every penny of my $1,600.  I'm confident you will feel the same way.

  • September 13, 2017 7:41 AM
    Reply # 5093107 on 4831626
    Morris

    I just now saw everyone's posts about Dave @ T&Z, Glad it ll worked out. By the way he's also a great all around mechanic. Straightened out my friends Audi A6 after he'd been screwed around by Audi service and another private shop. Dave fixed him up and at a fraction of the Audi dealer cost. Aside from  having brought all my Miata's to Dave my track and street Miata's. Dave also works on my track Corvette and street Corvette. I had driven my street vette to the car show in Amelia Is Fl.  3 years ago. My trans went while there. Had it replaced at a Chevy Dealer in Jacksonville. Car did not run right once I got it back. At highway speeds it kind of wobbled. Brought it to Chevy Dealer in Jersey. They could find nothing. They did a new alignment. Brought it to an STS near me. Nice guys, they checked it out and found nothing. I swapped tires with my other Vette. Still got same wobble at high way speeds. Told Dave I was going to replace suspension with coil overs which would have run a minimum of $2k. He said that probably won't change anything and a waste of $. Got it to him and he figured it out. The spec alignment was causing the wobble. He wound up coming up with his own alignment set up and now it drives perfectly straight on the highways and I no longer have my wife asking is it very windy and why's the car feel like it's moving from side to side.

    At the end of last years track season my Vette transmission would lock in 4th gear. Called dave re: this. He says, he can probably do it but it's not his thing and above his pay grade. He offered to take the trans out and ship it to a place--but suggested it would be better to give them the whole car so they could diagnose any other potential problems. Wound up shipping the car to Maryland.

    He turned down a $4k job. As Dirty Harry once said, A Man Needs To Know His Limitations. And dave knows what he can & can't do. There's not much he can't do.

    So, what I'm getting at here is, Dave is not just a Miata guy.


  • September 14, 2017 9:11 AM
    Reply # 5231432 on 4831626
    Bob Ingoglia

    Dave was EXCELL ENT to work with. He is the first mechanic  I  every met who is. Honest and  takes the time to listen and then explain your options. More importantly, he suggests the least expensive option first. 

    He has a huge shop with more equipment than I have ever seen and while he works by himself his prices are fair. 


    Thanks Morris  for the recommendation. I'll definately go back. He is a great find.

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