Ever happen to you???? Opinions needed.

« **on:** August 26, 2011, 10:58:33 PM »

OK, first off, I am a really laid back guy when it comes to matters of trust and money, or whatever....My wife says to a fault..

I had a BBC at a machine shop for some "de tuning" for lack of a better term.

I had some .030" LS6 pistons removed from a set of rods and some forged flattops installed in there place, rotating assembly balanced, crank polished yada yada...

My pop picked up my stuff last week because I was working 12 hour days and just could not seem to get it taken care of.

Going through my parts last night I realize I did not get my old pistons back (I say old but they had about ten hours on them). So I called the machinist and left a message on his machine that I needed those back because I was going to hang on to them for my buddy who was building an E85 motor.

I don't get a call back. So I called my dad just to see if maybe he still had them in his truck, he said no, but he talked to the machinist this evening and he says he sold my pistons........... $:-\$ What???

Have you ever heard of such a thing? I need to have more work done and he does a great job, but really? The pistons are worth about $250 in my mind, I know I paid $450 for them in 2001 and had them weight matched and coated which cost another $160....

How would you handle this?

I'm thinking he needs to build my daughters Toyota V6 for the price of "on the house", but now I have a trust issue....

How would you guys play it? Right now I really want to just write it off, but something inside me feels really wrong and the more I thought about it, the more pissed off I get.

Thanks.

GT

« **Reply #1 on:** August 26, 2011, 11:24:41 PM »

I would simply walk in and either demand my pistons back, or brand new replacements, or some sort of compensation. No call for that kinda crap. I am like you, very trusting to a fault. Lots of parts out there I simply donated or said "catch me later".

Did he deduct the amount he sold the pistons for from your bill? Probably not..........so much for trust, Glenn....but I'd do it face to face.......

Similar thing, I dropped off these Aluminum Edelbrock heads I picked up that have VERY obviously and severely bent intake and exhaust valves. He said "just replace them all", which is fine, but I told him up front I want all the old ones back. Not my first Rodeo with these guys. They're S/S Race Manleys and even if half of 'em are junk, who knows when I might need just one replacement someday. They just looked at me funny, but finally agreed.

Ray

« **Reply #2 on:** August 26, 2011, 11:44:56 PM »

sorry but you shouldve recieved your parts back. its not his place to sell *YOUR* property. id get bbb involved. i wouldnt even ask for money or some discount, etc. get your shit back. thats 100% unacceptable.

« **Reply #3 on:** August 27, 2011, 07:18:29 AM »

The BBB is a joke. It only works if they are a paying customer of the BBB and you have more than enough info to prove there at fault. Go in person with a small claims court notice for them and give em one option "pay now"....You can collect up to 3 times your amount in small claims which is now up to $7,500.00 in CA. Also report that shop to the bureau of automotive repair.

« **Reply #4 on:** August 27, 2011, 07:46:51 AM »

ok in my oppion, i would go down there and stick around and flat ass ask what are you going to do about this??? dont give him options .make him come up with them!!!!! he was hoping you would not care about them!!! and what he did was wrong!!!!! but its done so now you need to make him fix his f--k up!!!! sorry that happened. when you go down there try not to get mad or get confrontational just walk in and tell him whats done is done , but your going to fix this on on my end . you made money off my parts!!!!! good luck!!! let me know what happens???

« **Reply #5 on:** August 27, 2011, 09:29:37 AM »

Yup. My guy would do shit like that. There were about 20 of us that hung out there and gave him a lot of business.....we each had our own shelf for parts in limbo. I had an oil pan, 2 intakes, and a bunch of other stuff "disappear". Plenty of times watched him take customers engines to the swap meet....said he'd just put another one together when they were ready to pick em up. Shady.

« **Reply #6 on:** August 27, 2011, 04:15:37 PM »

Glenn, all your parts should have been returned to you, I'd say you got credit com'in your way. Hope it works out,give him a chance to right the wrong .

« **Reply #7 on:** August 27, 2011, 04:45:59 PM »

I would go back to the shop and ask him in person where your parts are, if he tells you the same thing that their sold tell him you will be back in 2 days to pick up your old parts or new replacements because he had no right to sell or take anything from your engine for his personal gain. I would also file a police report after the first visit and make it clear to him that you are going to do so and now theirs official documentation on the subject for legal purposes.

« **Reply #8 on:** March 29, 2012, 01:48:23 PM »

And....California BAR rules designate your old / used parts must be presented / retained for the customer.

« **Reply #9 on:** March 29, 2012, 02:50:45 PM »

Ya i think that it is a law that they have to supply your old parts if you ask for them.Tell him that. Then ask for 300$ worth of labor to cover your new mods if he can not get your pistons back. dont let this slide

« **Reply #10 on:** March 29, 2012, 03:19:44 PM »

i dont know anything about law or anything but this guy profited off you twice.. and when he sold ur own parts for profite he to of broke a law.. i would get my money back from him and sadly i would never go to him again.. it really only takes one bad experience to make you really see how someone really is.

« **Reply #11 on:** March 29, 2012, 03:27:17 PM »

Its not law But on the repair order there is a section that asks if you want your old parts or not if you checked it at time it was writen up you should get your stuff back or replaced and not 300. bills replacement cost . Good luck Glen

« **Reply #12 on:** March 29, 2012, 03:36:37 PM »

this dates back to Aug...what ever happend??

« **Reply #13 on:** March 29, 2012, 03:48:37 PM »

When I replace peoples windows and doors I always scrap the aluminum. Then again, its worthless to a homeowner, they'd rather have the old hauled off even if its $200 in scrap.

Those pistons on the other hand sounded like good useable parts that he should have given you option to keep, at least a phone call?

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

« **Reply #14 on:** March 30, 2012, 09:51:46 AM »

Quote from: GregS on March 29, 2012, 01:48:23 PM

And....California BAR rules designate your old / used parts must be presented / retained for the customer.

I hate to be a downer because this situation sucks.

But the customer must request the parts be returned at "time of write up"
otherwise if the shop tosses them and the customer wants them later and the shop can't produce them its not on the dealer.

Chris

« **Reply #15 on:** March 30, 2012, 10:46:59 AM »

the guy said he sold the pistons, not tossed in the scrap pile. demand he makes it right. his atitude would tell if I needed a new motor guy or not.

« **Reply #16 on:** June 30, 2012, 12:31:22 PM »

Pressed pins?? If the pins were pressed I wouldn't re use those slugs anyway... When pins are pressed IN the rods are heated to make them swell. You can't heat them in a rod heater while on pistons, so there is a really good chance the pistons took a pretty good beating during the pin "press out"...That said, I agree it was wrong for him to sell them without asking what you intended to do with them..... That sale may come back to bite him hard if one or more of them fall apart inside someone's engine....
Ray

« **Reply #17 on:** June 30, 2012, 08:50:51 PM »

Quote from: Moneypit on June 30, 2012, 12:31:22 PM

Pressed pins?? If the pins were pressed I wouldn't re use those slugs anyway... When pins are pressed IN the rods are heated to make them swell. You can't heat them in a rod heater while on pistons, so there is a really good chance the pistons took a pretty good beating during the pin "press out"...That said, I agree it was wrong for him to sell them without asking what you intended to do with them..... That sale may come back to bite him hard if one or more of them fall apart inside someone's engine....
Ray

This is actually why I was so pissed....Full floaters and I paid him a bunch of money for a set of flattops..

« **Reply #18 on:** July 01, 2012, 06:50:29 PM »

Quote from: GregS on March 29, 2012, 01:48:23 PM

And....California BAR rules designate your old / used parts must be presented / retained for the customer.

I would suggest calling the BAR in sac, they are easy to work with and you usually get good results
800-952-5210

« **Reply #19 on:** July 16, 2012, 05:23:16 PM »

I have never had to check a box or ask for my old shit.....
hogwarsh.....

-beerjet-

« **Reply #20 on:** July 16, 2012, 07:22:49 PM »

GT
Did you have any luck with this?

Chris

« **Reply #21 on:** July 17, 2012, 08:56:06 AM »

I work in a shop that is regestered with the BAR and here is a pic of our sign , read #3.

« **Reply #22 on:** July 17, 2012, 01:31:32 PM »

You have a sign out

Every time my rides have been worked on, my old parts are waiting for me on the counter when I come by to pick it up.
Both great methods for conveying information but to not have either AND have your stuff sold......forget it.
that's what violence is for.

-beerjet-

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