Vendor screwing me. Need advice please.

[ptschram]

I've been buying engines from Marty pretty much since he began parting trucks.

Out of at least 20, I think I got one that had a problem and he replaced it pretty much immediately. I ate the labor as that's part of the game and it's how I do business-something that I feel confident in saying that Marty does as well.

Yes, it's unfortunate that communications broke down, but even at that, I think he used what info he had available to try to make you whole.

As for the melted CkPS, I've seen trucks that were catastrophically overheated-think parts missing out of the block deck! Holes/missing pieces of pistons, liners loose in the block, etc. The CkPS was removed from one engine and transferred to another with success.

What I want to know about is what happened to the two engines that are unaccounted for? Were they 4.0s or 4.6s? I'd be up for a crankshaft, connecting rods and pistons if they were 4.6s.

Lastly, due to a similar problem with a dispute over a used but professionally repaired radiator I sold someone, I have instituted a disclaimer on all communications. Basically, it states that if you want a guarantee and open return policy, buy new parts as there is an element of accepted risk in buying used parts.

 

[WNYDiscoIIErik]

And that is what I was trying to get from you guys, is it the mech's fault? The vendors? Mine? A combination of two?
.

Why did you title your thread "Vendor Screwing Me" if you truly believed that it could've been your mechanics fault?

 

[Rusty Shackelford]

PT, I would love to help satisfy your forensic curiosities but honestly, it was so long ago that I don't remember much more than what I wrote and that it's a 4.0 Bosch.

Why did you title your thread "Vendor Screwing Me" if you truly believed that it could've been your mechanics fault?

I never "truly believed" anything at all - except that I am out a large some of money for something I had no hand in.

The title of the vendor screwing me was and still is valid because he refused to deliver on his original 3 promises. I still DON'T have the mileage for this engine, and still NEVER recieved the warranty on parts that he promised me - the case of the missing $$ is still pending. If I sell the truck and someone asks how many miles are on the replacement engine, all I can say is I don't know! - that is shitty business! This all should have been delivered on day one, and I would not have to go to these lengths just to get a reply from the guy!

No cash, warranty or mileage + no returned phone calls + no returned e-mails = screw job in progress. What would any reasonable person think if that happened to them? How long would you live without cash, warranty or mileage before you got angry, Erik? One week? Ten?

Look, I know that everyone is anxious to defend their buddy and I can't say I blame them - hell, I like the guy. Everytime we spoke it seemed like I would like to wheel with him or hang out at a bbq, but that's personal, and this is business.

As I stated already, if there is an enevelope waiting for me than this case is closed, and I will walk away and try to spit the bad taste out of my mouth. But if it isn't, than can I expect another month of waiting with no word whatsoever from the promise-maker?

I can't tell anyone how to run their shop, all I can do is operate from the perspective of; how would I handle this if it was my shop? I personally would bend over backwards to deliver on my word - I guess I was raised differently.

 

[discostew]

Its always a gamble when you try to save money on a used anything. I think the vender did all he should be expected to. The mechanic insalling the engined had nothing to do with the purchase of the engine so he also should have been paid twice. If he had found the engine for you then I think he would share some of the pain with you but not all of it.

 

[ptschram]

Mileage on the engine-who really cares? The engine runs now and in the end, that's the goal and an improvement over the previous.

Warranty-you've already had a claim satisfied when the replacement engine was shipped.

Check-If you have given Marty your home address, I will bet large sums of $ that you'll have a check by Tuesday or Wednesday.

4.0s-I have little to no interest in the bits.

When dealing with used parts, one has to have a reasonable expectation. I expect that I'll get an engine that will run, have sufficient oil pressure to turn the light out, not leak excessively and not overheat.

If you need a warranty, easy return policy, etc, one should buy new. For me, this applies to many things and a major reason I don't buy much used machinery any more.

 

[Axel]

Look, I know that everyone is anxious to defend their buddy and I can't say I blame them - hell, I like the guy. Everytime we spoke it seemed like I would like to wheel with him or hang out at a bbq, but that's personal, and this is business.

I disagree with you on that one. In your initial post, you did not mention who the vendor was. You did not even mention that it was a vendor advertising on Dweb.

When I replied to you, I had no idea who you bought your engine from, and I stand by what I told you in that post. Marty later chose to come forward and post his side of the story, but that does not really change my point of view on this.

Bottom line is this. The agreement you had with Marty, was to purchase a running engine from him. For whatever reason - which we can speculate on until the cows come home - there was a problem with the first engine. Marty stood by his part of the deal, and sent you a replacement engine. You now have a running engine in your truck. Marty has satisfied his end of the agreement.

The decision to pay someone to install the engine in your truck was yours, and yours alone. It has nothing to do with Marty. It sucks to have to pay twice for an engine install, but that's the gamble you take when you buy used. You might have been better off purchasing a new engine with a full warranty on parts and labor, but that's neither here nor there. Hindsight is 20/20.

As for the $100, if your mechanic's address was the only one Marty had, I believe him when he said he sent the check there. If the check is lost, I agree with PT - Give Marty your home address, and I'm sure you will have a check by the end of the week. That being said, I don't really think Marty owes you $100 since he already has provided a working replacement engine, but if he has decided to offer you that to ease the pain a little, I certainly don't see that as him trying to screw you just because the check got lost somewhere.

You also better believe that if a vendor, here on Dweb or elsewhere really was trying to screw you, there would be plenty of people taking your side - no matter who the vendor is. There has been plenty of vendors who has being on the receiving end of the wrath of the board over the years, just look for threads on Bottorf fabrication or KVT bumpers to see some examples.

You may be pissed off, I would be too if I was out 1,200. But you need to take responsibility for your own decisions, and not try to blame someone else.

 

[Rusty Shackelford]

Mileage on the engine-who really cares? The engine runs now and in the end, that's the goal and an improvement over the previous.

I have to disagree with you here, he was charging two different prices for two different engines - I just want to know if I got what I paid for, also it would be nice just to guage when I need to think about head gaskets again; there is a big difference between 70,000 miles and 120,000 miles. This is important to me, it is a 100% valid request, and I will not change my stance on this issue.

I do agree fully with your (and Axel's) other points and he did send a replacement (and quickly too) so I guess I'll shut up about the warranty, it seems it was implied and not written. Fair enough.

However, I have a PM in my folder dated July 15th wherein I told Marty that I had yet to recieve a call-back, mileage or the money he promised. In that PM I gave him my home phone #, my off-site e-mail address, or he could have just replied to that PM! He also could have just credited the card that I used for the purchase - I do not believe that he did all he could do, as you said, to make it right - he blew me off for weeks on end.

That being said, thanks again to all, I was pissed off and stomping around and you guys talked me back down - I really appreciate that. The voice(s) of reason win the day here - the majority of you believe that I should eat the loss and learn my lesson so that is what I'll do, and I am glad that I asked you about this because you all have more experience in these matters than I do.

As stated earlier, once I get the dough and the mileage, I will walk away. I will be in touch with Marty tomorrow and I hope he gets back to me much sooner than last time.

 

[eliaschristeas]

again, since the butt-hurtness seems to linger about the money - it feels like shit to think you lost a ton BUT i wanna remind you that with rovers - even those of us who have our own parts AND mechanical abilities to do just about everything - ALL HAVE TO PAY for something at some point. I was out $700 on that botched tranny install..... and then the $1250 i had to pay for a rebuild so i had a brandy new on. AND all the heater core crap on top of it. $2000 i could have done a million other things with but i still look at it and go "hey, still beats having a car payment."

you're still ahead of the game here and i think as time moves on you'll care less and less and see that he actually IS on your side.

no one sells these parts to be a millionaire. thats not the motive. its a cool way to make ends meet and help out fellow enthusiasts with which a great common bond is shared.

 

[Axel]

there is a big difference between 70,000 miles and 120,000 miles. This is important to me, it is a 100% valid request, and I will not change my stance on this issue.

Here i agree with you. Asking for an approximate mileage on the motor is not an unreasonable request.

 

[roverover]

no one sells these parts to be a millionaire.

Now my dreams are shattered.............I was told I would be living the dream.

 

[KyleT]

Hmm, now the story about the mechanic is fishy... especially with how much he did to the truck ect...

Do you have both of those bad engine blocks?

What kind of mechanic is this you are using?

 

[Drillbit]

First I would like to point out this could have all been avoided if he picked up the phone and called me. If you have something serious you feel needs action taken on it use the phone or at least an email. Dweb messages aren't always the highest priority. The motor he bought originally had 87k, the replacement had 94k. This was part of the reason for the 100 dollar refund. I am awaiting your call with bated breath so we can bring this fiasco to a conclusion.

 

[Drillbit]

Now my dreams are shattered.............I was told I would be living the dream.

You still can live the dream Randy, just adjust it downward a little bit. My dream is to make enough money to be a cranky old man who drinks Mickey's on my front porch and shouts at traffic. With the 10's of dollars I make here and the miracle of compound interest I will be able to realize this dream in another 42 years.

 

[ptschram]

You still can live the dream Randy, just adjust it downward a little bit. My dream is to make enough money to be a cranky old man who drinks Mickey's on my front porch and shouts at traffic. With the 10's of dollars I make here and the miracle of compound interest I will be able to realize this dream in another 42 years.

It all depends upon what your dream is.

If you dream about a life where you can work as hard as you want, live in a pretty house, spend a lot of time with your pets and family, and talk with folks all day long about one of your greatest passions, you too can live the dream!

Now, if you dream of traveling and disposable income, it'll be more of a nightmare.

I'm already a cranky old man who shouts at traffic and drinks Milwaukee's Best on the back porch, but I do have a fleet of Rovers, a fairly large zoo, and lower blood pressure than when I had a real job, could travel, had a retirement and disposable income.

 

[Axel]

Dweb messages aren't always the highest priority.

They are not the the most reliable, either. It's quite possible that a PM or three has been lost in one of our server crashes over the years. Dweb PM is not guaranteed delivery.

 

[roverover]

You still can live the dream Randy, just adjust it downward a little bit. My dream is to make enough money to be a cranky old man who drinks Mickey's on my front porch and shouts at traffic. With the 10's of dollars I make here and the miracle of compound interest I will be able to realize this dream in another 42 years.

Well the couch on the porch reclines now so i guess life couldn't get that much better...and I can get Canadian beer at the corner store.

 

[Blue]

I just read this whole stupid thread. The guy who started it owes me a driveshaft.

 

[Rusty Shackelford]

First I would like to point out this could have all been avoided if he picked up the phone and called me. If you have something serious you feel needs action taken on it use the phone or at least an email. Dweb messages aren't always the highest priority. The motor he bought originally had 87k, the replacement had 94k. This was part of the reason for the 100 dollar refund. I am awaiting your call with bated breath so we can bring this fiasco to a conclusion.

Dude! I did call you - twice! Both times, you said it wasn't a good time to talk and that you would call me back at a better time. You never did, that was five weeks ago and I sent you four PM's four weeks in a row.

Well it seems as though the mileage was the star of this movie the whole time afterall - that turned a $100.00 token into a legitimate refund.

And I guess that the PM system is only reliable for transactions over a thousand dollars, because you replied to all my messages, and right quick, when I was showing you the money. Now that the tables are turned? Not so much. Weird.

Kyle, I bought the truck 4 years ago from my mechanic who is an indy Land Rover sales/service guy in the area. He hasn't seen it since (until it was towed to him in the spring) because I did all the maintainence/repairs myself (thanks again to D-Web!). He has worked on my other cars and I never had a problem with him. I can't do work of this scale because I am just a "shade-tree" mechanic, except I'm not much of a mechanic and I don't even have a tree for shade. He blamed the original overheat on the fact that my electric fan was dead. I knew about the small coolant leak, because I was putting in about half a cup of juice in every month or so to top it off. Also, the temp-guage failed, because I learned enough on this site to worry constantly about overheating, that I stared at it religiously. Coolant boiled over without one beep or light on the dash. I shut her down and the rest is history.

Blue, I am so sorry you read this thread and wasted your valuable time on this issue. To prove how much of a stand-up guy I am, I will send you driveshaft. Yep, it's gonna be platinum-plated with gold-plated greaseable u-joints packed by Queen Elizabeth herself using grease from Her Majesty's Strategic Reserve! By the way though, if by some barely believable string of coincidences it shouldn't arrive within two months, rest assured that I will not lose one minute of sleep over it, because apparently it will be everything and everyone else's fault but mine.

For the record, I spoke to Marty this morning because there was no check at the garage, and I apologized twice for causing this "fiasco". Did he apologize to me for allowing me to slip through the cracks? No. He hung-up on me.

I hope I'm not the only one who learned a lesson here today.

Thanks again everyone, take it easy out there and please remember to Tread Lightly.

 

[Big Papa]

If you don't mind me asking, what did all of this end up costing?

 

[crown14]

Sorry, I didn't read the whole thread, had to stop when I got to this:

I purchased a used engine for my DII. The vendor promised to e-mail me mileage on the motor

You actually bought an engine without knowing the mileage on it?????????

Would you like to buy some more????????????