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Got Scammed. Torn on where to go next.

FridayGt

Well-Known Member
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1:05 PM
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Location
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Well, I know a few of you have been waiting to see what was going to happen with my Roadrunner once I got it back. I still haven't yet. And a lot of digging has turned into me getting scammed. No work has been done to my car at all. It's been sitting for the entire 2 1/2 years I was stationed overseas. I can't express how utterly devastated and heart broken I am right now, but I'm sure you guys understand.

Before I moved overseas for my last assignment, I dropped my Roadrunner off at a family friends house for storage as they had plenty of room in a nice garage. It was safe there next to their classics and it was going to save me several thousand on paying to store it. While I was gone a paint and body friend of his offered to take care of the rust problems that were starting to become very apparent for $8K, just so long as he had the two years I was gone to work on it. This way he could take care of it in between his other jobs and not have to pay his guys labor on it. What was discussed was rotisserie, media blasting, replacement panels welded in where necessary to address rust and soft spots, priming, paint and replacement of trim. I simply couldn't say no for that price, though now I realize I should have.

Multiple missed deadlines later, police involvement and more, my car was found never touched. My friend is returning my $8k, paying for transport to get the car to a shop I choose and paying to have that shop make it at least safely driveable again.

I'm honestly just at a loss and devastated. I don't know who to trust anymore and with everything else occurring in my life, that $8K I'm getting back will have to go to getting my Wife's condo that we rent out sold as we are upside down in it and losing hundreds on it every month. So, what I'll be left with is rust I simply know I can't afford to fix anymore. I can continue to work on it bit by bit as I can, but saving up $30k+ for a professional paint and body job, simply isn't going to happen on E6 pay in a single income house. I'll regret it for the rest of my life if I sell this car, but I know I'll never be able to address the rust either and the sense of despair with the situation isn't helping either.
 
I hear you brother... (I'm a 20 year Vet and sympathetic of the enlisted US Military members "life")
I had my 63 Polara in a shop for 4.5 years and lost $6,300 at that place.

All I can tell you is yes, it will get better and there is definitely a "Light at the end of the tunnel"
1. Do not sell when burdened by emotion (emotions always fog clear decisions)
2. Give yourself time to relax. The main thing is you have the car.
3. Ask around for advice, you can get a lot done for $4K, remember the car does not have to be completed NOW
4. Make it a long term project, like 99% of the forum members...
-Just hang in there for now and take care of the priorities first.
 
First off thank you for your service..( both of you!) but is the place still in business? It makes me sick hearing this and it sounds like you have a lot on your plate to boot..
If that rat bastard is still in business I would make his life a living hell, I would would send a letter to the tv stations( most have a consumer advocate) I would plaster every social media outlet with a warning...and organize a small protest/picket with some brothers out front of their shop letting everyone that passes by that the business screwed a deployed soldier...
Man I'll keep you in my prayers, that things get better!
 
Anybody who takes advantage of a person who is in the military and on deployment is a F-ing no good POS,traitor. My father a past commander of his American Legion hall was always helping out guys in the military or there families who had some problem,especially similar to what you described.
If i read this correctly you got your money back,if so your doing ok. Take care of the family business,hang on to the car and at some point you will be able to get it done. You don't have to spend that kind of money you quoted to get it painted. Shop around and see whats what... Best of luck and God Bless
 
I agree with the previous post DO NOT sell the car. Take a step back and a deep breath and make another plan.
 
There has to be a special place in hell for anyone who would scam a G.I. at any time but especially during a deployment. I'm glad to hear that you at least got the money back. Like these guys are saying, don't make any permanent decisions while you are still emotionally involved. Give it some time. Thank you for your service and best of luck.
 
If I understood it, his friend gave him the money back, not the shop... I'm guessing because it was his recommendation...???
That's a good friend!
 
Thank you for your service SIR!!

Listen to Ski!! Your very lucky to be getting your car BACK from that POS and all your MONEY!! You need that cash right now.The car can sit,but never get replaced.Put it in a safe dry place and worry about it later. DO NOT SELL THE CAR!!!!!!!!!!!
 
not more than an hour ago,this clown /local Very well known mopar guy/tried to charge my friend 2500 bucks to _ place his car in line _ for paint and body.

whats he need?
the bottoms of the rear qtrs replaced and repainted/blended to og paint which is excellent.
i then turned him onto another guy i knew of,and got a quote for the Entire car to be rotisseried for 8k.
he doesnt need it,but the price comparisons for actual work done..was eye opening.

there is a Ton of Crooks out there Be Careful!
and also wanted to say Thanks for your service,from one army guy to another.
and hey,Dont sell the Car!!!!
 
As someone who's been through this mess himself... I sympathize. But, unless there's some emotional attachment you have with the car, it sounds to me like you're about as upside down in it as you and your wife are with her condo. If you've got a 1972 rust bucket, you would be crazy these days to drop even $8k into paint and body for it. There are too many nice cars out there that owners are trying to unload to go that route.

My suggestion would be to beat the bushes for a buyer for your car, assess your budget, and find a really nice driver that better meets your immediate needs.
 
not more than an hour ago,this clown /local Very well known mopar guy/tried to charge my friend 2500 bucks to _ place his car in line _ for paint and body.

If I learned nothing else from my P&B and engine experiences, it's you don't get in line. Ever. Never. If they can't do it now, find someone else because there will forever be someone with more money or better connections getting placed ahead of you.

I never thought the way I did my P&B would work, but it's worked better than anyone else's plan who I know. I found a guy on craigslist who is an experienced P&B guy who works from his house, had plenty of satisfied customers, and offered a fair price. I gave him only enough down to buy materials, and paid him for any extras as they came up. And I made sure to take the time to meet his wife, and get her contact info, in case he started putting "her" payday at risk. :) I got the work I wanted, at the price I wanted, and done faster than any shop could.
 
8K was too cheap an estimate. Red flags for me.
I would say too cheap for a "now" job, but for a guy who's just essentially going to be doing this as filler work over a two-year period... I would say its fair. I think the bigger red flag was paying him up front.
 
Thanks everyone for your comments, I really appreciate them. I think I'm mostly just upset about the whole situation and just find myself at a loss. I'm still waiting on transport to pick the vehicle up and still waiting for my friend to wire the money back to me, so we'll see.

As far as the business is concerned, the police are pursuing the individual for potential fraud charges. If this falls through, the only recourse will be civil and we'll have to take him to court.

Also, I wasn't deployed, I was just stationed overseas in Spain for a couple of years. I've deployed many times before, and being stationed in Spain was a Mediterranean vacation by comparison. I appreciate the sentiment, but I want to make sure I'm not casting the wrong impression.

I definitely won't sell it right away. I'll get it running and safe to drive again. I've got a Son now that I have desperately wanted to take to go get Ice Cream in that car ever since he was born two years ago. He loves cars and I owe him that, not to mention I deserve that moment myself. I'll see what my trustworthy car guy thinks about the cost of getting the rust handled. It's not bad, wheel well bottoms and door corners. I believe a smidge around the bottom drivers corner of the rear window. The floor, trunk and rails are beyond solid.

Didn't pay the guy upfront, he was supposedly nearing completion before I sent any money and I sent it through my friend under the guidance that he was verifying progress.

On a side note, but in my eyes probably the most important note, Herb's Parts has done work for me on this car before. When I was in over my head or up against a deadline, Herb took care of me and my car. So, I called him up to see what his thoughts were. The first words out of his mouth were "Where do you need me to go to get your car." He was instantly willing to do anything he could to help me get my car back and make sure that I was taken care of. Never have I ever had a business treat me more like family than they have. His entire family are just some of the most amazing people I've ever been privileged to know. If there's a silver lining to any of this, it's that I'll have an excuse to spend more time with them.
 
I'm hoping you can get that chance to make an ice cream run with your son. Its the memories in these cars that are the real value. Kudos to Herb for the help and attitude, I will be directing my future parts purchases his way first, the hobby, and the world, need more guys like that!
 
sounds like your friend who was doling out your money wasnt really being your friend...
nearing completion versus not even touched...hmmm.

now Herb,on the other hand,sounds like a Real Mopar man,
as well as being a nice guy.
that part you wrote about him saying where do i need to go to go rescue your car,is exactly what most of us would have said,if we were your local friends.
it might cost you more in the end,
but i would wager every penny will be well spent with a person like him.
 
Rat bastards that swindle military personnel should be tried as tyrants and executed by firing squad
 
Sorry to hear that...
I hope all works out for you...
what ever you decide,
you need to weight it for yourself & your own life/budget

thanks for your service
 
I hope you recover whatever funds were lost and maybe you weren't deployed but you were still serving and not here at home,so thanks for your service
I to think Herb and his staff are nice folks. I don't know that a bonafide'd restoration or body shop is your answer. Eight thousand if thats what you want to spend is still a good amount of change. So were not talking a show car obviously but if you can find the right guy to do the metal work your ahead. Even if you took it to a good Maco for a base coat clear coat after the body work,your car would be fine looking. Hang in there it will sort itself out
 
Another "thank you for your service!" from me. I have been in a similar situation to the one you are in, and I would agree with several others that have said not to make an emotional decision. See if you get the money and car back and once that part is done, step back, take a good hard look at your situation and make a sound, logical decision. If you decide to sell the car, you will get another one down the road. If you decide to keep it, break what you want to get done in to smaller more affordable pieces that you can achieve, and over time, you will get there. I know what happened to you sucked, but it is water under the bridge now, so forget the past and just move forward with a positive attitude and you will ultimately triumph.
 
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