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Getting the shaft - Advise me on how to deal with a vendor

43K views 293 replies 74 participants last post by  Pallister 
#1 ·
About a year and a half ago, I dropped my oil pan to change hte gasket, and do some general inspection. I found that the pan was FULL of metal shavings.

Combined with the fact that I was seeing a seriously noticable loss in power, I figured it was time for a new engine.

I contacted a very well known builder of IH engines, and spoke with him about what I wanted and needed. We specced out the project, and he told me it would take about two and a half months.

At that point, I send him a deposit for the engine, that was quite a bit of money.

Two and a half months came and went.

Next, he promised me that it would be ready for the Colorado Rendevouz. The Colorado Rendevouz came and went.

He promised me that it would be ready for the Arizona IH Rendevouz, and that he could bring it to me, since he was coming to it. The AZ Rendevouz came, he came to the it, but my engine was no where in sight.

I was starting to get a little miffed at this point. His excuse for not bringing it, was that his machine shop had not finished the heads. I was a little bothered that it still wasn't finished at all, a full year after the original deal. He promised me that it would be done in a couple of weeks.

A couple of months have come and gone, and guess what? No engine.

Over the past few weeks, I have left several voice messages for this individual at their work number, but have not had ONE call returned.

I finally got ahold of him today by phone, to see if it was done, because Gen. Nonsense was going to be in the area and could have picked it up for me. It's still not done. He told me that due to his involvement in the Colorado Rendevouz, it wouldn't be even finished till after that. He promised me that he'd drive the engine down to AZ himself for me, and was unfailingly polite, but politeness isn't going to get me back and forth to work when my current engine craps out. Which seems to be imminent.

The vendor has always been a nice guy, and always been polite. He is a pretty big name to the IH world, and I don't want to stir up shit for or with him. But at this point, he's had my money for well over a year, and I've got nothing to show for it.

How do I handle this?

At this point, I think I just want my money back, and I'll go with a used engine or a local rebuild.

The suck deal, is that the Scout is my only running rig, so I need it to get back and forth to work.
 
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#2 ·
the first mistake was paying first. no one gets in a hurry if they've already been paid. they've got theirs, so why rush? I would drive up there and load my stuff up. theres no excuse good enough to why it should take more than 2-3 months.
 
#4 ·
justscoutin said:
the first mistake was paying first. no one gets in a hurry if they've already been paid. they've got theirs, so why rush? I would drive up there and load my stuff up. theres no excuse good enough to why it should take more than 2-3 months.
I don't think he 'paid first' so to speak. He put down a deposit to get the ball rolling, and that's pretty common. A lot of small shops can't afford to be out of pocket for all the materials so you pay say 50% up front and 50% on completion or whatever...
 
#5 ·
How did you pay?? If it was by CC, you may be able to take it up through them. I hate to see this happen, since the IH vendor community is so small. Good luck to ya, and if you feel like getting one rebuilt again and want to chance going out of state, we have a very good shop up here in Portland OR, that will do you right. They are very IH friendly and build very high quality engines.
 
#6 ·
robselina said:
I don't think he 'paid first' so to speak. He put down a deposit to get the ball rolling, and that's pretty common. A lot of small shops can't afford to be out of pocket for all the materials so you pay say 50% up front and 50% on completion or whatever...
Egg-sactly.
 
#7 ·
Diesel Smoke said:
How did you pay?? If it was by CC, you may be able to take it up through them. I hate to see this happen, since the IH vendor community is so small. Good luck to ya, and if you feel like getting one rebuilt again and want to chance going out of state, we have a very good shop up here in Portland OR, that will do you right. They are very IH friendly and build very high quality engines.
Unfortunately this particuler business doesn't do credit cards, so I paid by check. :mad:

I don't think I'll be doing the out-of-state thing for a long time to come. And I agree. It sucks that this has to happen with such a limited number of vendors in our community. Especially when it's vendors with a name and reputation for caring about the IH community.

Some delays I can handle. Repeated delays, I'm getting the shaft. Failure to return regular phone calls is just plain bad business. :(
 
#8 ·
Sully said:
Unfortunately this particuler business doesn't do credit cards, so I paid by check. :mad:

I don't think I'll be doing the out-of-state thing for a long time to come. And I agree. It sucks that this has to happen with such a limited number of vendors in our community. Especially when it's vendors with a name and reputation for caring about the IH community.

Some delays I can handle. Repeated delays, I'm getting the shaft. Failure to return regular phone calls is just plain bad business. :(
If it was by check, I think small claims is about the best you can do, or wait :(. Either option doesn't sound fun.
 
#10 ·
Better post the vendors name so none of the rest of us get hosed. I have a feeling this probably isn't his first offense so let us know so we don't get burnt also. If he doesn't step up we'll flame every IH board in existance and he won't have a business anymore. This is too small a community to get burnt by jerks.
 
#11 ·
Gen. Nonsense said:
Fawk that! I will bring that engine back, even if it is pieces! There is no excuse for this vendors delays. :mad3:

I'm impressed by your restraint! :laughing: I had you pegged for far greater threats of violence when you found this thread. :flipoff2:
 
#12 ·
If he is fawking with you for this long I wonder how many other guys he is pulling the same shit with who aren't on the boards. It sounds to me like you didn't supply the core, so as far as you know there isn't actually anything for you to go get. At this point I don't know how you could get your engine and be happy. If you out him, your relationship with him will be shit, and you may never fully trust that he did you right inside the engine as he hasn't done you right outside of it. If you just let it go who knows when you will get the dam thing. From my perspective you have enough credibility on this board that outing him will carry quite a bit of weight with others who may be potental customers. If it was me I would give him a date to return all the money in the very near future or that you will take every avenue avalible to get it back within legal means, and that you will do your best to warn others about his poor business practices. If he cries about the money he has invested in this imaginary engine I would tell him to just use the dam thing for the next poor basterd in line behind you and send your money back in full. The day after the deadline I would either cash the check, or tell your story naming names, dates, and promises.
 
#13 ·
DJForrestA said:
Better post the vendors name so none of the rest of us get hosed. I have a feeling this probably isn't his first offense so let us know so we don't get burnt also. If he doesn't step up we'll flame every IH board in existance and he won't have a business anymore. This is too small a community to get burnt by jerks.
I'm not naming anyone yet. But I'm sure most of you can probably figure out who it is anyway.

And yes, it is too small of a community. That's the very reason I have hung on this long. If it were someone who specialized in Chevy engines instead of IH engines, I'd have gone ballistic 9 months ago.
 
#16 ·
Sully said:
he's had my money for well over a year, and I've got nothing to show for it.
That is unacceptable...but then again, you have accepted it. SUCKER! Let's see how long it takes for you to get a refund.

Sully, WTF were you thinking by letting this person bend you over like this?
 
#17 ·
I have a friend, and he is here on this board, who had a similar situation with a VERY well known IH vendor. I would be shocked if it wasn't the same guy. He got his motor from him alright, it was just two years late. Guy still has an excellent rep because my buddy, probable just like everyone else, just let it slide because this guy is so well known that he thought everyone would just think he was being an ass for calling him out.
 
#18 ·
I like Chiscouter's idea. And when you talk to him let him know that it's already being discussed on the boards and that if you call him out others will probable step up with their stories. I'm sure the bulk of his work comes from word of mouth on the IH boards. This is totally unexceptable bullshit!
 
#19 ·
Business As Usual

I'm an Electrical Contractor and all I'll have to do is show up late or reschedule a customer's job, and the word gets out. That is why a bad reputation is just as important as a good one. I'll go out of my way to insure that the next referral comes from a past customer or client. If this guy gave a shit, you'd have your engine already. If you gave a shit, you'd hang him out to dry. Quit being nice, this guy sure ain't. Fawk him! :flipoff2:
 
#20 ·
Stuff happens and there's things that go late all the time. But considering the job was supposed to be 2 1/2 months and it's a year! That's not a problem with this job, that's a fuck up! I'd not even want the engine now, if you demand an engine it might be slapped together.

Just get your money back and move on... there's a dozen good engines up here!
 
#21 ·
I wasn't pointing the finger at you and I know you're afraid if you put his info up he'll hose you and you'll never get your money or the engine but I'm betting that will be the case anyway. Just got done dealing with that with a business partner. I was invested so I didn't want to make waves but it ended up I got screwed and lost money. I think you'd be better off naming names. We've got your back and I bet between the group we could put a pretty good powerplant together for you. I've got a real good 345 block and I'll donate that to the cause. I've got my pitchfork and torch I'm ready.
 
#23 ·
I agree on getting your money back. Try the nice aproach first one last time.

Say "I'm sorry but I cannot wait for this engine any longer. Please send me back my deposite in full within one week. I've been waiting for over a year with no end in site so I've found another engine/builder that will have it _______. "

If he protests remind him of the BS you've gone through. If he continues then tell him that you'll trash his name and client base on the PBB.



I've got a good guess and if its that person I've heard he isnt the fastest(building that is) but never anything this bad.
 
#24 · (Edited)
I would ask for your money back now. A year is way too long. Everyone up there in the Denver, CoSps area know you can go to pullnsave at 33rd and Peoria in Denver and almost always pull a IH engine yourself for around $100.00. There is no excuse for service like that. None.
If you need a engine hoist also, you can use mine. Stay cool and out of this damn heat. :)
 
#25 ·
I know who it is, another club member had the same problem. To be honest, I don't know of one good IH vendor. I often thought of switching to early Broncos becouse of this. I started using non IH power years ago so the drive train is no longer a problem.

I make the trip to the AZIHR every year, if any of you want to use the Portland builder let me know, I'd be glad to haul it down for you.

Keep us informed
 
#26 ·
harleykeith said:
was the owners name BenDover
Hey, I don't have anything to do with this :flipoff2:

But since we are on the subject, I wonder how long it took Manderra to get his 304...and, didn't he have a 392 built also? Who else has had engines built by them and were they late?
 
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