Just need to get this off my chest so I can get on with the rest of my life.
I purchased a vehicle about a year ago from a fairly well known individual on this website. I did not know this person and had never seen the car in person. The car was 1500 miles away. Everyone told me I was a fool to do this but I trusted my instincts. We talked for quite some time on the phone and as I listened to his stories I just developed an overall good feeling and somehow knew that I was doing the right thing.
I had a chance to purchase the car that I had always wanted. I gave him what he wanted for the vehicle and we agreed that he would work on the vehicle. I would get a spreadsheet of his time worked as well as a listing of parts and supplies that he had purchased. I paid these amounts promptly and without question. I would purchase the big ticket items myself and have them shipped directly to his shop. I ended up spending double the amount on this car compared to what I had originally planned, but that was also my fault. When given options for building the vehicle I would always purchase new parts. I wanted a vehicle that I could be proud of. Much to my wife’s displeasure I was beginning to spend money we did not have but I was past the point of no return.
I would periodically get pictures sent to me to update me on the progress.
3 months turned into 6, then 9 and finally into a year. The car was apparently ready to be shipped to me. Over the previous year I had never once complained about the time it was taking to get the car completed.
Finally it arrived at my house. The back of the truck opened and I was like a kid on Christmas morning. From a distance the car looked fantastic. The truck driver got in the car to back it off the truck and guess what? It would not start. 15 minutes later we rolled the car off of the truck and pushed it into my garage with the help of my neighbors.
One month later the car has been driven a total of 50 feet. It died at that point and was again pushed into the garage. Luckily for me I have 2 long time friends who have been Mopar fanatics since birth.
Here is a partial listing of things we have found so far: (Not just mechanical).
1 Various size spark plugs in the car.
2 Wrong alternator brackets.
3 Incorrect oil dipstick and tube.
4 Incorrect power steering cap.
5 Leaking power steering fluid.
6 Low level of transmission fluid.
7 Chipped drivers windshield
8 Wiper arms that looked like they were found in a junkyard
9 Scratched and nicked new Rallye Rims.
10 Loose rear bumper brackets
11 Orange peel paint, paint drips.
12 Chipped paint
13 Dash and dome lights not working
14 Major steering issue.
15 Various missing metal and plastic pieces throughout the vehicle
16 Missing many fasteners throughout the vehicle
17 Hole in the carpet
18 Many wiring issues
19 Incorrect rear brake calipers that are both gouged from the wheels trying to turn.
20 Poor fit on trunk.
21 Incorrect gaps on drivers door.
22 Bubbles in the vinyl roof.
I am sure there are many more and these are just issues that have been spotted before the car has been driven. These issues will all get fixed at an additional cost to me. Once it is complete the car will be sold. I have lost interest in the hobby now. This experience has left a sour taste in my mouth. I have lost the trust that I once had in people.
I know that I made mistakes in this transaction. I bought a car sight unseen. I trusted a person that I did not know.
My advice to anyone new or old to this hobby is to only place your trust in people that you truly know or you may end up like me and get truly burned.
Steve
