Beware of this shop Options

[rjbeam08]

Warning! I hired Arizona Aircooled in Chino Valley Arizona to upgrade my factory 1.8 liter engine to a 2840cc and rebuild the transmission. The owner of the shop sold my existing running engine (serial number EC18466) on Facebook Marketplace for $1500 without my knowledge or permission. In addition, the owner of the shop claimed that he had a third party rebuild my transmission at a cost of $2500. I called that third party shop and they told me that they never rebuilt or sold Arizona Aircooled a transmission. After a year of no progress I pulled my car out of his shop with no engine and a transmission that wasn't even my original. Requested my $13k deposit back with no response. Police report filed. Beware of this shop!!!

[mepstein]

That’s terrible. I hope you get some relief. Look into small claims court.

[Unobtanium-inc]

Looks like you aren't the only one.

https://www.bbb.org/us/az/prescott/profile/...0283/complaints

[sb914]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/ar15.gif) thats horrible. I’d have a hard time not going back there with a tire iron.
!

[Ishley]

Get a lawyer. Document and write down what happened. Day by day. Collect
All your receipts and communication. Remember they will get copies of anything you produce and will have a chance to refute it. Take snap shots of anything they claim in advertising or on the web. I’d avoid posting anything more about this. They will use it against you and claim they are the victim here. You might want to delete this whole post. Be prepared for a long process. If you buy stuff to finish the car, keep very careful records including your time. You need to show specific damages. Depending on your state laws you can sue for damages both economic and Punitive. Find an expert to look at your car… document it and estimate it repair costs. There are companies/individuals who do this everyday as expert witnesses. 3rd party experts carry huge weight in court. If the business is smart they will settle and compensate you. Court is expensive.

Many States will force you to arbitration depending on the value. There are a whole set of issues around that process and you may be able to refuse the decision and force to get your day in court.

Going forward… whenever you hire a service provider… even if they won’t give everything in writing… go home and send them an email stating what they agreed to verbally. You can even write it in the paper/receipt they gave you. Initial it and send it to them. It’s called the battle of the forms and unless they refute it in writing it becomes part of the agreement. Documentation is how you win. Take pictures too. A judge can rule on anything… but the more items you bring to court the more likely you are to get to keep some of them in evidence. If you win… they will have to pay for your lawyer and court costs (depends on your state laws). Finally… you have to get them to pay… this can be a whole other set of problems.

It totally sucks to have this happen. I feel for you. Good luck.

[TRP]

Get your car back first and foremost, then do everything above.

[930cabman]

Go after the jerk with all barrels

hope you can get some relief, often these do not end well. Try the state Attorney General

[FL000]

Sounds like a nightmare. How businesses like this can continue boggles my mind.

[Unobtanium-inc]

A wise man once told me unless you can sue someone for over $100,000 you should walk away. If you hire an attorney you'll spend another $5000-10000 at least, then you're out $25,000 and even if you win, you have a judgement against a one man shop, who probably has 0 dollars. So it's a worthless judgement, you might be able to attach the judgement to property but then you only collect if he ever tries to sell the property. And if you get a judgement against the property, you will probably be in with a bunch of other judgements standing in line, so you might only get pennies on the dollar of what you're owed.
You're doing the best thing, alerting others, and hopefully running the guy out of business. The only play you might try is hire an attorney to draft a letter offering to take a lesser amount then what you're owed. The attorney letter will cost about $500 and you might get some of your money back if the guy is scared.
Sorry this happened to you.

[Tdskip]

Oh man - that is super angering. So sorry to hear it.

Make sure to post this over at Pelican and on Google reviews too.

Fingers crossed.

[orangecrate]

Warning! I hired Arizona Aircooled in Chino Valley Arizona to upgrade my factory 1.8 liter engine to a 2840cc and rebuild the transmission. The owner of the shop sold my existing running engine (serial number EC18466) on Facebook Marketplace for $1500 without my knowledge or permission. In addition, the owner of the shop claimed that he had a third party rebuild my transmission at a cost of $2500. I called that third party shop and they told me that they never rebuilt or sold Arizona Aircooled a transmission. After a year of no progress I pulled my car out of his shop with no engine and a transmission that wasn't even my original. Requested my $13k deposit back with no response. Police report filed. Beware of this shop!!!

That is a really shitty deal. I live In AJ and I'll keep this in mind. I hate to throw salt on the wound , but why did you give him a 13k deposit in the first place???? That request would have sent me looking for another shop immediately. Just sayin. Sorry this happened to you.

[Rusty]

I feel for you. Sometimes you make the best decision you can and the dice come up snake eyes.

As much as unobtanium's advice chafes me, he's probably right.

Share your story with google reviews, etc. The shop will have a chance to respond with their side or negotiate with you to moderate your posts.

[JeffBowlsby]

A $13k deposit sounds illegal. Anyone who would require that and do what is alleged would not be scared of anything or anyone.

[930cabman]

Oh man - that is super angering. So sorry to hear it.

Make sure to post this over at Pelican and on Google reviews too.

Fingers crossed.

Don't forget FB

[TonyVan]

If your state has a Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) contact them. I’ve had good luck in Ca. reporting shoddy work and the BAR found in my favor and collected the funds from the shop. Good luck,
Tony

[campbellcj]

^^^ Agree - I had an unpleasant shop situation years ago and just a letter/email threatening to file a BAR complaint and/or get lawyers involved magically got my car done and back to me. This was in Calif also and if the shop loses their license they are out of business...

Sorry to hear you are dealing with this and good luck getting some restitution and maybe retribution.

[Unobtanium-inc]

Looks like there is a growing resentment.

[Sm914650]

Looks like there is a growing resentment.

So weird, i opened facebook, saw this. Then went to 914world because of it and immediately see this.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif)

[rick 918-S]

Depending on the size of the repair a large deposit is not out of the question. As a former Shop owner, carrying parts and labor expenses for multiple high end builds will be taxing for a shop. On a major restoration you can burn 10k the first week in parts and labor before the project stabilizes. I wouldn't blame car owner for the deposit. But the shop needs to close.