This review concerns the expert advice and consul I received from David Butzi guiding me through a full engine rebuild performed by another shop.In early 2021, I experienced a catastrophic engine failure while driving my 2001 996 (911) Porsche Twin Turbo Coupe on a toll road near my home.Was referred to an esteemed local automotive shop who agreed to perform the work. The shop identified a blown head gasket, one damaged piston and liner, a hole in one head and barrel. The shop wanted to replace only the damaged piston, liner, repair the head and barrel, and perform a valve job.I felt, with 134,000 miles on the car and engine, a full bottom to top engine rebuild, with all new Porsche parts or Porsche OEM supplier parts was warranted. Since we had a disagreement over how to proceed, the shop owner reluctantly concurred with a full rebuild. Consequently, I began to source and procure the new parts I wanted installed in my engine.I was in way over my head, having never previously sourced Porsche engine components. However, noticed David Butzi regularly offered advice on engine building in his Instagram posts. Since I follow Butzi on Instagram, I took a chance and contacted him through Instagram direct messaging. I was pleasantly surprised he immediately responded, and understood the dilemma. Butzi explained the philosophy of many Porsche shops was only to fix or replace broken parts.With Butzi’s advice and counsel, I began to identify all the parts that should should be replaced in an engine of this high milage. To begin with, I bought a complete 6 piston Mahale/Porsche piston and liner kit from a Porsche Dealership ordered from Germany.Under Butzi’s guidance, I aquired virtually every moving part, brand new, from Porsche or their OEM supplier.Since most parts were very expensive, I wanted to be sure parts most likely to fail would be replaced with new parts.It was a good thing I insisted on the full rebuild. When the case halves were split, 4 bent rods and completely worn out intermediate shaft bearings were discovered.Had we proceeded with the shop’s original repair plan to replace only the single broken piston, liner, and weld up the damaged head and barrel, the bent rods and worn out intermediate shaft bearings would not have been discovered.Butzi asked for nothing in return for sharing his deep expertise with me. At least a couple of dozen direct messages and phone calls were exchange between Buti and I, even in the midst of him moving his shop to a larger facility.I can’t think of anyone I’ve ever met so willing to selflessly share deep expertise to maximize the return on my investment rebuilding my engine to “as new” specs.I wite this review to share my experience with one of the finest Porsche engine rebuilders and restoration specialists I’ve ever met. I now consider Butzi a personal friend who truly unselfishly “gives freely” of his expertise.All this, to help a person previously unknown to him, on the other side of the country, make correct parts selections for a total bottom to top Porsche/Mezger engine rebuild.Thank you David Butzi!! A man who is a truly “selfless” Porsche steward. What goes around, comes around!
The team at Butzi Gear was incredible, and I am extremely satisfied with the work and my experience!From start to finish they were all professional, kind, courteous, and extremely knowledgeable. Key point to identify was the fact they have Porsche Gold Certified/Master Technicians, meaning they are using OEM procedures and tools to get jobs done.I had my 981 OEM X73 Suspension including a GT3 front sway bar and Tarrett drop link installed (a bit of OEM and Aftermarket products). They offer all OEM Porsche Services as well as many Aftermarket solutions.I live in Westchester County, NY and inquired all my local Porsche shops and no one was as fair, honest, and confident in their estimate as Butzi Gear. The extra touch of receiving pictures throughout the process kept me engaged and thrilled for the outcome.One thing to remember with excellence and quality is just like a Michelin star restaurant you need to call ahead get a reservation. You are bringing your car to the best, be patience understanding that qualified professionals are allocating the appropriate time designated by the OEM to get the work done and are treating your car as if it was their own. You will not be disappointed.
As a first time Porsche Owner, finding skilled, fair, and honesty mechanic was a must. Dave helped me source impossible to find (during Covid ) BBS e88s for my 996 Turbo, and hooked me up with a set of studs and customs caps to run BBS center caps on my new wheels. They are extremely knowledgeable on P Cars, and I would look nowhere else for my cars services.
Dave is one of the most knowledgeable, and sincere people in the biz. He helped get me into an ‘03 996 X50, and was amazing through the whole experience. His guidance on future preventative maintenance was super transparent and educated. Dave is the freakin man, and his crew is equally awesome. If you want your Porsche taken car of the way your would treat your own child, Butzi Gear will provide you with the utmost care, knowledge, and attention to detail you can find..period.
Brought my 2006 Carrera S for a 40k service and a few other things and it has never run better. Dave and his team are passionate about Porsche and took the time to educate me about my car and the work that needed to be done. As important the work that didn’t need to be done. I just loved hanging out with them and talking about cars. Thanks so much Dave and Luke
I have been working with The Butzigear team for about 6 years now and there is no performance shop quite like this one. Dave and his team are as honest and thorough as they come. You can trust that the work will be done meticulously and correctly without any worry of poor workmanship or substandard parts. Butzigear is top notch!
I recently had some suspension work done by Dave E. at Butzi Gear on my Audi and I am completely satisfied with the outcome. He answered all my questions beforehand and during the installation he readily kept me updated through text with pictures of the install. The ride feels great and I will be back for more work in the future. I highly recommend Butzi Gear!
Woke up early and made the journey up to see @butzigear in CT to get my new @bbs.wheels installed yesterday. At first I was a little nervous about this project but from the first time chatting with Dave I could tell by his expertise and knowledge of these wheels that it would turn out great.@butzigear is a 10/10 guy for sure, a true enthusiast.We hung out for a couple hours while he put the finishing touches on the wheels and installed them. His shop is a really cool spot with a little lounge to hang out. His workshop is spotless and well organized, with a handful of other cool projects to take a look at that hes working on. Cant wait to see that Midnight Blue 964 when its done! You will probably get to meet May if you stop by too!The wheels are 18in #bbse88 wheels that Ive been drooling over on IG for a couple years now. The finish is the signature #bbsbybutzi style with a shiny black lip and satin black center. The red bbs center caps with @butzigear custom adapter give a seamless fit.
Drove over an hour for David to Tune my Audi. His attention to detail is top notch! He is meticulous in every aspect and it shows. From the shop to the waiting area no detail is overlooked. I would definitely recommend him to anybody who cares about their Audi or Porsche. Amazing guy to deal with, and awesome conversation. Will definitely be back!
David’s quality of work speaks for itself. He’s done a lot of work on my project car over the years and has helped turn my dreams into reality. He rebuilt my 12v VR6 engine, built my BBS RM’s and RS’s. He continues to be my go to guy with my newly acquired B5 S4. He is a true enthusiast and has an incredible passion for cars.
Theres no better place to have your Pcar worked on in southern CT. Dave and Luke have been a valuable resource in helping me build out an amazing car that continually exceeds my expectations. Their mechanical expertise and fastidious attention to detail is second to none. You wont find two nicer guys, either.
Exceptional service!!! Dave & Luke of Butzi Gear are top notch. Their attention to detail is unmatched and they truly are the go to Porsche shop in the CT area.There is no other place I would trust with my Porsche’s. Butzi Gear has over 20 years of Porsche experience with giving their clients the trust factor of honest and professional work.
Top quality service working on both my track car and getting it dialed-in as well as helping me get the most out of my street-driven 911. This team knows Porsches inside and out, and they go the extra mile to make sure that your car is exactly as it should be. They are capable of working with off the shelf upgrades and/or working with you to design and build custom solutions to your needs.If quality is your number one concern, Butzi Gear should be the top of your list.
Ive been to a handful of German car performance shops for my VW, and I can tell you without a doubt that these guys are the real deal. I drove almost 2 hours because I didnt trust any shops in MA and it was 100% worth it. David was very helpful, knowledgeable, and accommodating, and I will definitely be back for any and all of my service needs!
David reached out to me on a post I made in a Porsche 996 group. I am new to the Porsche community and platform and was searching for suspension information. He provided all the information I needed within the next day and got me all setup with the proper parts. I installed everything, got an alignment and sure enough - night and day difference. It feels good having someone to go to from here on out.
Thank you for being a partner of ours!
Dave is the classiest most trustworthy human who not only will be the only one working on my Porsche’s from now on, but now I have the pleasure of calling him my friend! I highly highly recommend him for all your Porsche needs! Thank you bro! See you soon! 🚙 #955CTT
Great vibes from the moment you drive up. David is smart guy with immense knowledge on Porsches. He treats all his customers with respect, not to mention his attention to detail on service is bar none the best I’ve ever seen. Highly recommended to anyone in need of Porsche service without the dealer mark up
I had a quick tech question in the middle of the night while working on my 964 and David responded almost immediately with fantastic advice. Thanks for the help!
Butzi Gear.... I remember looking them up and deciding to call when my 996TT needed a very big job done. Dave was as professional as could be, answered all of my questions and did so without once seeming annoyed or bothered. I am an extremely meticulous enthusiast when it comes to my cars and it is nice to know that there are still shops in the world that can cater to someone like me. Luke and Dave are perfectionists and professionals while being down to earth. I have been back to them with my car for other reasons on my quest to make it perfect and they continue to be the best at their craft while staying patient as my car is quirky. They are problem solvers and they enjoy diving deep into figuring things out. If you own a Porsche, Audi, or VW and are looking for a shop you want that will get things done and knows their stuff, look no further. Dave and Luke are your guys! I will continue to update this review as I continue to go to them for upgrades and service. Thank you Dave and Luke I appreciate all you guys do! Feel free to ask me direct about them!
I’ve known Dave for some time now and I always knew he was a great guy. Earlier this year, I contacted Dave after purchasing a truck that needed paint correction work. After talking to Dave and showing him the truck in person, we determined that it needed a full body paint correction in order to remove deep acid rain etching. Throughout the entire process, I was constantly reminded of what a great and talented guy Dave is. He truly cares about the happiness and satisfaction of his customers. Once Dave was done with the truck, I was extremely pleased with the final result and could finally enjoy it to its full potential, all thanks to his hard work. Dave’s passion for cars and his work is second to none. I would highly recommend Butzi Gear to anyone that’s looking for not just paint correction but any of the many services they offer.
David is a tremendous resource base for the Porsche community. Whether Ive needed to purchase an item big or small or to simply help me out with technical information, David has always been there to assist. Please consider Butzi Gear for all of your Pcar needs!
David is a great guy and an enthusiast like we are. He just happens to also run an awesome and technically competent performance shop for German marks. He clearly values his customers and connects on a personal level. I have often felt at other shops, especially in Porsche world, that I am being “up-sold” on service issues and parts. Never at Butzi. Just honest opinions and advice, and service. So glad this shop is close to me. Thanks David!
Always a pleasure working with the guys at Butzi Gear
Working with Dave was a pleasure. Great communication and updates on progress. I could not be happier with the results of my car, feels brand new.
In my experience, if you are doing any work to your vehicle to restore, do maintenance or add performance and you come across ButziGear in a search... you are lucky. If you love your vehicle more than most do...call them. Dave and his team of Porsche experts have a passion for these cars and are meticulous in their work. I’ve brought my 911 to Dave two times now for a ECU tune and performance exhaust and both times Dave detailed the process with awesome photos/videos and kept me up to date with the entire process. I couldn’t be happier. Great shop too, he had a GT3RS in the shop and a bunch of air cooled gems he was working on. Thumbs up for BUTZIGEAR!
The fact that I was on the other side of the world did not stop Dave from providing me with fantastic service and advice when purchasing my BBS Motorsport wheels. His knowledge of sizes, offsets etc was invaluable as was his willingness to respond to my myriad questions even when I was chaning my mind! Super helpful and super friendly. Highly recommended.
Professional, experienced and Knowledgeable.
The only shop I would trust with my Audi. Dave is a true enthusiast who is honest, knowledgable and one of the nicest guys around. He will make you feel like family. Thanks for the help over the years!
I have used Dave for various maintenance and repair work on my previous 996 and current 997. He knows Porsches and has been meticulous and fair at all times. Highly recommended.
I met Dave thru Instagram and immediately hit it off. He’s the kind of business person who is enthusiast first, business second. He’s enthusiast about working with clients, is fully transparent and does great work. He helped me locate the right parts for my GT3 and completed the installation flawlessly. He even followed up with me after the fact. I’ve only had one experience thus far but feel confident that I will be back with my next 911.
David was a great help in my decision to flash tune my GTIGreat place, comfortable waiting area, trustworthy service.No doubt I will work with him again for my performance improvements.
Very impressive shop, if you have a Porsche this is the place to go! They know the cars inside and out, prices are very competitive, and David is a reasonable guy!Unfortunately if you own a Porsche you’re kind of out of options on where you can take it for good service. The stealerships are a total joke, absurdly over priced and totally unreasonable billing practices. Independents see you show up in a Porsche and prices automatically double, most of the time you’ll also get charged by them for the extra time it takes as they don’t know the cars well.Butzi specializes in Porsche’s, gets the job done the right way the first time, and at a reasonable cost!Had a recent AC issue, they quickly fit me in, and within 30mins or less had a great approach to resolve the issue.
Dave does excellent work and has an incredible amount of knowledge about Porsches, Audis, and cars in general. He got my 3.2 Carrera back on the road after many years of neglect by my father, and did so quickly and economically. Hes always helpful and available and he truly cares about every project he has in the shop. Ive referred dozens of people his way and would recommend Butzi Gear to anyone.Since getting it back, I love driving this weird little filthy car, even if its just on a quick nearby errand. Its so visceral and angry that all you can do while youre driving is focus on the fun and on the experience, everything else disappears. Thanks, Dave, for getting it back on the road for me!
I first met Dave about 5 years ago, I had an idea (in my head) of turning a stock Boxster into something special. He was friendly, knowledgeable and really took his time to build what I imagined. Dave spend hours on the phone as we talked over different ways to progess as the car developed. From there we have worked on projects including a Porsche 997, Audt TT VR6 Quattro, 1963 VW SoCal Bug, Anniversary Porsche 944, Porsche 911 3.2 Carrera and a 1977 Porsche 911 Outlaw Hotrod.Dave’s Is a big part of the car community and in my opinion the leading Porsche and German car specialist in the North East, if not East Coast. It’s been great to witness the Butzigear business grow and develop over the years, with the new speed shop in Milford being an immaculate and welcoming environment for all. Weather you have an 80’s Golf GTI or a Porsche GT2 RS you will receive world class service, in a beautiful environment coupled with precision work. Keep it up Big Guy!
Took my damaged Fikse to Butzi for repair and after several emails and texts never heard from Dave again. I dont know if anyone else experienced this but my situation remains unresolved and radio silence is just bad busines. I do not recommend this cat at all.
Amazing shop!