Shop situation??? Advice please. - Lateral-g Forums

Grnova · #1 10-23-2014, 07:59 PM

Hello everyone have a dilemma and need some help!
I took my vehicle out of state to have a few things buttoned up that I did not have time to complete myself! I met with the shop owner and we went over what I needed complete and told him what my budget was. We agreed on monthly statements and was told I could access the build progress on line. I was also told he was going to send me a list of things we had discussed.
Well, one month went by, I called and asked about progress and an invoice, I was sent a few pictures in a text and was told they didn't really work on the car much to produce an invoice. The next few months I tried to meet up with him but he was either busy or out of town racing and couldn't really get together. Had him do a mock up for a part he needed me to purchase. We kept in touch over the months a few questions on my overall plan for the car questions about items I need to order. Six months later I finally receive six invoices all at once, And around 116 progress photos. And also a bill for almost double my budget without any one item fully complete. And over 2/3 of the invoices were labor charges. Up until now I have not paid any amount of money.

Now when I talked to the shop Owner and tried to ask why I was being charged an hourly rate instead of my budget. I was told that he does not remember talking about a "budget". And was also informed that a new shop manager was brought on and that I should talk to him. So I called the shop manager and he was told to send out the invoices and that he really knew nothing about the agreement I had with the shop owner. This is why I wanted monthly invoices as to what was complete. After looking over the invoices I just got , I noticed that 2 months after the initial meeting I had already burned through 2/3 of my budget. I still had 4 more invoices to look at. I need ADVICE where did I go wrong? What's next? How can I get my car back?

**Spiffav8** · #2 10-23-2014, 10:26 PM

I would start gathering all the documentation you have and contact an attorney. If there is no written agreement or estimate then he doesn't have any proof that you agreed to allow work to be started on the car and you may be able to pull it from the shop without paying. You will have to check with local law enforcement on that one. The last thing you want is to be in a battle with a place like that and have your car trapped there.

Where you went wrong was not getting everything in a written agreement that was reviewed by an attorney. It would be great if we cold trust everyone these days, but there are just to many scammers out there. It's really messed up, because it ruins things for the good people and shops.

Sorry I don't have any solid advice to offer you. Good luck.

Vince@Meanstreets · #3 10-23-2014, 10:31 PM

So you sent your car there to be worked on and never paid any money? No deposit?

Did you atleast sign an electronic repair order? Agree to prices via email? Text?

Sheck44 · #4 10-24-2014, 02:41 AM

Some guys just have terrible luck ... It's a shame that I consider myself 'lucky' to have not suffered the same fate as some of the folks here, and a buddy of mine ...

He just paid $8,000 to have a BBC built by a 'reputable' shop here in Toronto, and promised 700 crank HP. 1st problem, WRONG timing cover left a gap so the filled it with silicone so it blew on his drive home and near emptied the engine of oil. Their response ... fill it with more silicone. 2nd problem, gets it on the dyno only to put down 375 hp at the wheels ... then scoped the the pistons to find out they were flat top and running at 8.5:1 CR ... REALLY ??

WTF is going on these day ????? It makes me sick to my stomach that guys are getting away with this sh$%&%t !!

Steve

dhutton · #5 10-24-2014, 04:36 AM

My advice to you is pay the invoices and pull the car. Once you get lawyers involved you will likely only increase your losses. Next time a formal contract would be good idea.

Make sure to leave feedback on the forums after you get the car back.

Don

rocketrod · #6 10-24-2014, 05:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dhutton

My advice to you is pay the invoices and pull the car. Once you get lawyers involved you will likely only increase your losses. Next time a formal contract would be good idea.

Make sure to leave feedback on the forums after you get the car back.

Don

^^ I agree. Pay the bill asap and get your car out of there asap! Also send them an email & call them to make it very clear you no longer approve any work on the car, otherwise you will end up with another invoice.

Grnova · #7 10-24-2014, 06:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vince@MSperfab

So you sent your car there to be worked on and never paid any money? No deposit?

Did you atleast sign an electronic repair order? Agree to prices via email? Text?

Correct I never paid any Money because our agreement was to pay monthly with the invoices they were suppose to supply. No money was put down. I did not sign an electronic repair order either. No agreeiment was put into an email or text. That is what I was asking for after we meet and nothing was forthcoming.

Grnova · #8 10-24-2014, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grnova

Correct I never paid any Money because our agreement was to pay monthly with the invoices they were suppose to supply. No money was put down. I did not sign an electronic repair order either. No agreeiment was put into an email or text. That is what I was asking for after we meet and nothing was forthcoming.

Vince sorry my my post was confusing It even confused me when i reread it. I had the money up front, just wanted invoices monthly so I could monitor the spending.

Vince@Meanstreets · #9 10-25-2014, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grnova

Vince sorry my my post was confusing It even confused me when i reread it. I had the money up front, just wanted invoices monthly so I could monitor the spending.

ok, got ya now. f this guy and shop around for another.

if he is raising prices over what was originally discussed without contacting you then you have no legal right to pay.....however if you didn't sign or agree to it in some tangible form then you maybe sol. In CA verbal agreements do stand up.

41 hours. It sounds like you paid to have someone learn stainless and buy the equipment needed to do it.

Grnova · #10 10-24-2014, 06:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spiffav8

I would start gathering all the documentation you have and contact an attorney. If there is no written agreement or estimate then he doesn't have any proof that you agreed to allow work to be started on the car and you may be able to pull it from the shop without paying. You will have to check with local law enforcement on that one. The last thing you want is to be in a battle with a place like that and have your car trapped there.

Where you went wrong was not getting everything in a written agreement that was reviewed by an attorney. It would be great if we cold trust everyone these days, but there are just to many scammers out there. It's really messed up, because it ruins things for the good people and shops.

Sorry I don't have any solid advice to offer you. Good luck.

I have documented everything and went back and gathered all emails between us. There is no agreement sent from him and I have not paid him yet. I don't think he is scamming I think with the changes that went on in his shop things were not conveyed to the new shop manager. Which I feel is not my fault. Thanks for your response.