Engine swap nightmare

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smurfboySHO

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My insurance company is paying for a engine swap in my car.
I bought and paid for a good engine from a shop who also said they would have it insalled.

It is now Jan. 12th and still dont have my car.

I recieved emails so far telling me its on next week sceduale and at the end of the week I call and find out it wasnt done there low on help. fallowing week he's sick.And going on 4 days of no response to phone calls or Emails.
My insuance company said It was dropped off by tow truck on the 15th of Dec. and that they are not going to pay anymore for the car rental.

Is there anyone with some good advice?
 

COliveira95

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Where in MA is this car? I'd try and have the shop pay for the rental... Let your ins. company know all about what's going on.

<small>[ January 12, 2004, 01:56 PM: Message edited by: COliveira95 ]</small>
 

masho95

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Call the insurance company and let them know what's been going on. Also leave the numbers to the shop with the insurance company and have them inquire why the work hasn't been performed. Sounds like this is an issue that the insurance company should have to work out with the shop, assuming that the insurance company approved the shop as a qualified repair facility for the work to be done. Good luck.
 

Yamaha V6

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Oh, is this the engine swap that you called me (NESS) about, you mentioned an engine you found on eBay which you thought was mine, and I corrected you on, at which point you made arrangements & an appointment to bring your car to me to have the engine swap done, I hired an extra man for that week to help ensure I'd get you done on schedule, then I don't hear back from you and I find out that you decided to have someone else do the swap for you, and you don't even have the decency to call me to let me know you're going elsewhere?

Scott Dingwell, you haven't got a BIT to complain about. An engine swap isn't usually something that's a quick & dirty job, especially on a car where every other part is discontinued, and it's a specialty car. Small shops offer personal attention & more detailed knowledge about your particular car. On the downside, it also means that one small wrinkle can affect 2-3-4 customers down the line, and if the mechanic is sick, that just compounds the problem with scheduling. You have to understand that going in.

First you come on here and call me out about leaving like 3 phone messages in one day that I hadn't gotten a chance to answer, and you bash me online, then you call me back later (and yes, I knew it was you), and I GRACIOUSLY agree to do your swap for you because I try to be a nice guy, and then you up & go elsewhere for your swap, and I have to find out through the grapevine that you aren't going to be having me do the swap? Since I had you scheduled for doing your engine swap during the week between Christmas & New Year, you knew you were bringing it somewhere well before that - guess you didn't care about someone else's schedule at all. And on top of all that, you're complaining that you have to pay for a rental car now, after getting 30 days of rental free (and when was the car originally taken off the road? I bet if I went & did a search on here, where you complained about the engine knocking before, we'd find it sat 1-2 months before you decided to fix it anyway).

You're a real winner. ***

La-La-La-La-La-La (Smurf Theme)
 

Yamaha V6

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Oh, and let's clarify, since my rant is a little vague in places:

Scott decided, after making an appointment with me, to bring his car somewhere else for the service, and didn't bother to cancel his appointment with me.

I was merely sticking up for the shop that IS doing the work. :)
 

smurfboySHO

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Well Fred I see your not the type to tell the WHOLE THRUTH.

You informed me that the person that you rent your bays from in Spencer Ma is selling an engine on EbAY.
You contact me and tell me he said it was a good running engine.

I buy it and he offers to install it for hundreds less then you.

( And you both work out of the same small red building located in Spencer
MA)

My car has been sitting in yours/his lot for almost 1 month so dont tell me your problems trying to charge me $148.80 an hour for an engine swap. Ford Repair Book 8.4 hours. @ your rate of $1250.

SO please spare me your antics on whos screwing who here Fred.

you 2 guys still have my Engine bought and paid for and my car locked up in your yard.
 

Chris Benvie

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Lets see 8.4 hours in the ford repair book? Take it to ford and see if that happens i guarantee that with the SHO it will be double that. Go ahead, go to my dealership and ask. They'll tell you that.

Fred doesn't owe you anything, you are SUPPOSED to call to cancel an appointment how would you like it if your nextdoor neighbor suddenly had what you were waiting for?


Just because the other party is installing it for hundreds less, does that mean that its going to take the same time to complete? I think not. Now if you stuck to your original game plan and kept your appointment, you wouldn't be here now.

The right thing to do would've been to tell fred what the other price was and see if he could match it plain ans simple.

But NO. You go and cause problems between neighbors.

Either party here will be able to do a good job for you and your needs since both are reputable and know this car.

Are you just ****** because you messed up and need to take it out on someone? I think you need to look at the big picture here. You make it tough on other people.

Atleast you know everything
 

smurfboySHO

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Oh yes Fred to ansewer your remark about my car.
Is is still fully insuried and on the road.

And you keep saying I brought it to another shop.

Next time you goto work look out in your lot its still sitting where the tow truck put it last month.

I was there 3 times over the past few weeks and seems no one its ever around. and I was always there between noon and 3 pm during the week.
So interresting people are when money is to be maid there always off not helping out the customer.

By the way the diner in your building is nice.
 

Chris Benvie

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HELLO!!

they are 2 different shops just under the same roof

THESE GUYS WORK AT NIGHT!! they're there form 6-2am sometimes, and they're there all weekend

Do you see the 15 other cars there!!! They're busy so chill. People have cell phones, people have phone numbers call them, ask when they'll be around

You make less and less sense everytime you post
 

Blue-By-U

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smurfboySHO:
Is there anyone with some good advice?
...brush up on your communication skills.

I speak for the majority of the SHO community when I say Fred is not out to get anyone. He has set prices that are fair and offers top notch service. Before your car goes into service, you know exactly what is being done and how much it is going to run. He thoroughly describes possible problems and won't cheat you in any way. If your car hasn't been worked on yet and is sitting in his yard, there's obviously a reason he hasn't gotten to it: CONFUSION.

We are honestly blessed to have NESS in the New England area. Where else can you possibly go to get quality work done to your SHO knowing it will come out RIGHT? A Ford dealership MIGHT do it right for a bigger price tag...and don't get me going on regular shops. "Is that a stock engine?"

I understand your frustration but urge you to contact Fred and straighten this out in a mature fashion. Please contact him and resolve this issue because he's seriously one of the most important people in the SHO community. Many can testify to this statement.

Good luck.
 

smurfboySHO

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Seems like AutobahnSHO1130 here has all the ansewers except the right ones.

There are alot of cars in the lot which are mostly chevys seeing the lot is owned by Ragsdale Chevy next door.

Only like 5 SHO's and the 2 owners of the shops own most of them.

And now back to the hours.
Where is it posted at the shop about diffrent hours.
I was there and there wassnt any.

I wasnt told of any diffrent hours except two owners work hard all day on the cars.

It seems to me and most that all day means during the day not 6pm till 2am as you say.

Both I the Adjuster for my insurance Company have left numerous Phone messages for the shop and dont get a reply.
Only after I come on here where they seem to spend more time then in the Shop working on customs cars can I get a reply.

I have spoken to my insurance company and they said they are going to handle it now. evil_gri

the adjuster called 4 times around christmass and didnt get a reply until well after newyears.

AS FOR FRED BEING A NICE GUY I HAVE GOT A FEW EMAILS TELLING ME THEY HAVE DELT WITH HIM AND HES AN ******* BACK STABBER AND WILL SCREW YOU FIRST CHANCE HE GETS.
Shure he's on here to ansewer your questions but in person i'm told diffrent.
**** all I had todo was walk next door at Ragsdale Chevy seeing if anyone knew how to get hold of the people in that bulding and all I got was feedback about Fred. (Who I wasnt looking for)
 

Bizzy

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Ok, hold on one second here....

An appointment was made with Fred to do the swap.

The appointment was not kept, but rather a deal was made with another person for less than what Fred quoted.

The car was dropped off with the other person, not Fred.

How in THE **** does this involve Fred? Someone clarify this for me?????????

This is lunacy. Just because 2 people work under the same roof does not mean that the 2 people are partners or co-workers or are even involved with the same business. I have to assume the other party involved is someone else who works there, but not Fred. (I don't want clarification in that regard as it's none of my business)

HOWEVER......if the bargain was made with a party other than Fred, then why drag Fred in teh middle of it if he's not personally doing the work. He may have made you aware of the motor as a favor to you and whomever you bought the motor from, but again, it has nothing to do with Fred because it was not Fred's motor on eBay.

So what gives with the Fred bashing shit?? I don't know about any of you guys, but Fred is one of the few that will EVER work on my car...period.

When you call the contact number, what message do you get??? Is it Fred??? Noooooo.....

I think you need to take this up with whoever is doing the work on your car. This is stupid.

<small>[ January 12, 2004, 06:12 PM: Message edited by: Bizzy ]</small>
 

smurfboySHO

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WHAT YOU EXSPECT BIZZY.
I CAME ON HERE ASKING FOR ADVICE AND FRED TOOK IT AS A VEGINACE TO AD HIS COMMENTS WHICH BROUGHT OUT THAT HE WAS TOLD BY BOTH ME VIA A MESSAGE AND THE PERSON WHO HE WORKS NEXT TO WAS GOING TO BE DOING THE WORK.

KNOW FRED FEELS I OWE HIM MORE.
HOW I LEFT A PHOME MESSAGE AND THE OTHER SHOP ALSO SAID THAT THEY WAS GOING TO TAKE CARE OF IT AND NOW FRD FEELS LEFT OUT SOMEHOW.

NOT MY FAULT THAT THE PERSON HE RENTS FROM OFFERED ME THE SAME WORK FOR LESS MONEY AND PROMMISSED TO HAVE IT DONE SOONER THEN FRED.

FRED DONT RETURN PHONE CALLS SO HE CANT BLAME SOMEONE WHEN ITS HIS OWN FAULT.
 

nothingtoseehere

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pcorn

This is hillarious. I know all the guys at the shop. If I call and say I will be there at a certain time, the person I am dealing with is ALWAYS there or calls to let me know they won't be.

BTW, it is FREAKING cold up there now. I froze my nutz off the other day there. BRRRRRR

Fred, sorry I ran before you and Eric got back, I had some errands to run in Warwick and it's a long drive.

pcorn
 

91 Plus

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I bet if you would of paid Fred it would of been done by now and you wouldnt have to worry about not having your car.
 

Yamaha V6

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Bottom Line:

NESS is not performing the service on your SHO. PERIOD. Let me say that again:
NESS is not performing the service on your SHO.
That's not a refusal to do your work, that's a statement clarifying that I am not the mechanic you brought your vehicle to.

You scheduled an appointment with NESS, which me, FRED HURDER JR, and me alone. The mechanic you brought your vehicle to was not me. I never received your car or its keys, I never received notice that your car arrived, no phone call, no email, no letter, nothing.

I want you to HEAR and UNDERSTAND that Scott.

You called me, I gave you a quote of $1250 labor to do the swap with an engine that you were going to purchase from a 3rd party. You booked an appointment for me to do the service on your vehicle between Christmas & the weekend after New Years Day, BECAUSE I WORK A FULL TIME JOB normally, and I was off during that week because of a scheduled plant shutdown where I work. Remember that part of our conversation Scott? Think hard now. That means, you can come to the shop all you want during the hours you mention, and I personally am not likely to be there; I perform services by appointment only, usually nights & weekends, as expressed to you during our phone conversation.

I don't have possession of your vehicle, I don't CARE about whether it's insured or registered. Got that?

There are 3 separate shops at our address in addition to the cars stored there that belong to Ragsdale Chevrolet, as mentioned. Just because something's at the address of the shop doesn't mean it's something I'm working on.

You keep forgetting this Scott (stay with me now) - you asked SOMEONE OTHER THAN ME for a competing estimate, they gave you a better price than I did, and you accepted it. That meant New England SHO Specialists was no longer doing the job. I REALLY need to clarify that, because your insurance / rental car company CALLED my HOME looking for the other guy, "the owner of NESS". That royally ****** me off, BTW. It's bad enough getting stood up on an appointment, but to get confused for the guy you DID ask to do the work is wrong.

This is NOT a bash against the other mechanic who's been slated to do the job. It's a response to you complaining about the person doing the job; I was originally slated to do the job, then you changed your mind, and now you're complaining. I want EVERYONE to know what's going on, since you've bashed me online before even asking to be one of my customers, and now you're bashing publicly again a mechanic you've brought your car to, after you stood up your appointment with me.

You started quoting me book labor rates high & low when you first called me. I told you then, and I tell you now, I couldn't care less about what someone else says I SHOULD be doing the job for. I told you a project cost of $1250 labor, you provide the engine. If you didn't like it, you should have said, "that's higher than I want to pay, I'll look around elsewhere". The minute you said, "ok, let's book an appointment..." we had a handshake deal, you broke it, and I won't believe another word you say is truthful after that. What you did was WRONG, not because you found a better deal, but because you didn't have the SPINE to call me up, send me an email, ANYTHING, to tell me so I could plan accordingly.

I found out a week after your car was there that it was a) yours, and b) was slated for someone else to work on. I don't remember seeing your name plastered all over the side of the vehicle, and I see so many green gen 2's it's not funny. I make arrangements to meet customers coming in, or communicate with them by email or phone when their cars are dropped off. I never got notice on the green gen 2 w/ VT plates, so why would I give it a second thought? I have 3 project cars at the shop now; 2 long-term projects, 1 "when you can get to it" job. I have day- & weekend appointments that come & go every week as well. What the other mechs have for their own jobs is their business, and that's a pretty simple concept for the masses to grasp.

For you to be a weasel like that, and then come on here ******** is beyond description. It's one thing when you ditch an appointment; it's a real slap in the face when you bring it to a shop at under the same roof, without an explanation or cancellation even.

Let's sum up:
Scott: can't keep his word or his appointments
NESS: doesn't have your car
NESS: not scheduled to work on your car

Does that about sound right? Can you grasp it?


Now, for an answer to your question, about "good advice":

Deal.
Contact your mechanic, discuss the situation with him rationally, be as understanding as possible, and if his schedule isn't working out for you, make arrangements with him to pick up your vehicle and bring it elsewhere. The guy who IS working on your car (as mentioned in previous posts) is a knowledgeable person about these cars. He's not out to rip you off, as evident from his lower cost to perform the swap. Your car's already at his place, I gather the motor's at the location (again, between you & the person you purchased from), it's just a matter of scheduling.

For you to pay out of pocket to remove your car via flatbed to another location is going to cost you more than renting a car for the next week or so, and to have the engine picked up & delivered even more. I'd be patient, discuss with your mechanic, and express that you need your vehicle back as soon as possible.

Going off online doesn't help you at all, especially when you've burned bridges on here. It just makes you look like an a$s.
 

Bizzy

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smurfboySHO:
FRED DONT RETURN PHONE CALLS SO HE CANT BLAME SOMEONE WHEN ITS HIS OWN FAULT.
Then why are you dragging all this out? If it's not Fred's fault then quit saying he's the one giving you problems. Kapish? (I know that's spelled wrong)

Furthermore, don't yell at me. It falls on deaf ears and gets you absolutely nowhere on this forum.
 

SHODWN

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Ah I found the post!.

Scott, if you feel that the motor swap is taking too long feel free to come and get your car and motor at ANY time you would like..

Now to the Facts...
You bought the motor from me and then asked ME how much for the install, I gave you a fair price for the labor even though I waited 2-3 weeks after the auction ended to get paid the WHOPPING 300 for the motor.

But see this would not be so bad if you had not committed Fraud with your insurance company and told them that I had the car since DEC 3rd when you got your Rental, also that you told me that you SPENT all of your insurance money that you had already received from them. You mentioned that you needed to buy NEW Computer Equiptment because your house was broken into.. Even that the only money that was left was the 320.00 that your insurance company was willing to pay for the motor swap.. We both Know that that would not cover someone loosening the SUBFRAME bolts nevermind a MOTOR swap. So as per our discussion I would contact your Insurance company and ask for the supplement to get to the figure of 950.00 that I quoted you for the job.

On December 30th your insurance company and me came to an agreement about the prices and adjustments, Still leaving the POCKET short on funds I emailed you asking how you would be covering the rest of the BILL, 2 days later I got back from you "I can take care of it", this is NOT an answer to me.. Then I did GET sick where there are about 100 People that could verify that if I cared what you thought.

The Bottom line is that you lied to your INSURANCE company about when you dropped the car off, No one auhorized untill DEC 31st the work on the car, and if you REALLY want to call other SHOPS like you did today asking them to do your MOTOR swap feel FREE too. There will a Storage fee of 25.00 per day since the 15th of DEC when I DID receive the car.

Your car is going in at some point tomorrow Night or Wednesday for the Motor swap as it was scheduled for .. But I think a MAJOR appologie is due to Fred, Myself and ANY other VENDOR that you contacted reguarding this matter.. And I think you should do it quickly..
 

nothingtoseehere

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I know Kirk doesnt give a shit, but I can verify he was sick. Looked like A$$ when I saw him.
 

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