Kit Car builder dragging heels, what can I do?
Discussion
Now not going to say who and what I am having built but after 2.5 years and being told that it is all but finished over 12 months ago I am still awaiting to take delivery. Over the last 6 weeks we have emailed with detailed requirements and a request for an invoice advising what is left to do the cost and time required to get to this stage.
Every week we call and every week we get I will send it by "x" now I know I could pop down there but this is a 5 hour trip and I really don't know if I could keep my very short fuse from exploding which will not help matters.
Anyone know where I stand legally or what I can do next, i.e letter better action.
Any guidance would be appreciated.
Every week we call and every week we get I will send it by "x" now I know I could pop down there but this is a 5 hour trip and I really don't know if I could keep my very short fuse from exploding which will not help matters.
Anyone know where I stand legally or what I can do next, i.e letter better action.
Any guidance would be appreciated.
I would send them a signed-for letter stating they have 7 days to come clean over the state of play or you threaten legal action, maybe even to reclaim ALL money paid out for goods never recieved. And carry it out. If they are not being upfront with you then there is most likely something to hide, so the legal system is your friend unfortunately if you ever want your car or cash.
It's not me, before anyone asks!
Although I'm sorry to hear about the problems. One has to assume there is something going on there that the builder doesn't want you to know about. Have you paid up front?- that can lead to problems and I prefer to be paid after I've done something anyway, gives me the motivation to get down there and gets some hours in
I've had another reead of your post asking for advice as to the next step. Are you sure the builder is still properly in business? If he is, can you think of any reason why he doesn't want to progress your car? Has he used money you've paid to pay other bills, and is he now working on other projects so as to get money for other bills, thinking that if he works on your car, he gets no more money as he has already been paid?
Need more info before suggestions as to the next step.
Although I'm sorry to hear about the problems. One has to assume there is something going on there that the builder doesn't want you to know about. Have you paid up front?- that can lead to problems and I prefer to be paid after I've done something anyway, gives me the motivation to get down there and gets some hours in
I've had another reead of your post asking for advice as to the next step. Are you sure the builder is still properly in business? If he is, can you think of any reason why he doesn't want to progress your car? Has he used money you've paid to pay other bills, and is he now working on other projects so as to get money for other bills, thinking that if he works on your car, he gets no more money as he has already been paid?
Need more info before suggestions as to the next step.
Edited by singlecoil on Tuesday 4th May 13:57
singlecoil said:
It's not me, before anyone asks!
No deffo NOT singlecoil, its the actual kit car manufacturer that is doing the build and they are very much still in business. I haven't paid up front but I have paid every invoice owing to them, in fact I have not paid anything to them for nearly 10 months as I have not received any invoices from them. Edited by singlecoil on Tuesday 4th May 13:57
The only thing I can think of (trying to word this carefully as not to name them) is that they purchased the rights and all jigs etc about 5 years ago of the car I own, since this time they have also moved into doing body conversions using the same body as mine but with a donor sports car underneath as well as their own ground up builds.
My original brief to them was to convert from bike power to Audi turbo power and upgrade any other parts that would need attention, so whilst mine looks the same as their current range it has the original manufacturers chassis underneath, I just think they are struggling to complete the conversion or they are no longer interested due to "their" cars rather than a converted original.
Sorry if that seems a little garbled just difficult to explain without naming names, spoke to him today and he has promised (AGAIN) that we will have an invoice by Thursday as they are just awaiting some part prices, my concern here is that back in September I was informed by them that it is all ready and awaiting for me to tell them if there was any more work I wanted doing before moving to MOT stage.
I have sunk just short of £20k into this so far and am getting short of patience now so any help would be great.
Well, whatever the reason for the lack of progress it sounds as if they are either unable or unwilling to do any more. Whichever of those it is, it's unlikely they will admit to it, so will continue to make excuses. Perhaps you need to take it off them and place it elsewhere (unless you can finish it off yourself?).
singlecoil said:
Well, whatever the reason for the lack of progress it sounds as if they are either unable or unwilling to do any more. Whichever of those it is, it's unlikely they will admit to it, so will continue to make excuses. Perhaps you need to take it off them and place it elsewhere (unless you can finish it off yourself?).
Well that looks like it may be my only option to be honest, as I said to you in a previous post on the Kit forum I will be giving you a call, wanted that invoice so I could at least get an idea of what was still required and how much I am looking at. Like Furyblades post though as it a least gives me some pleasure.
sounds similar to my murt position last year-from experience do not let them take you for granted give them 7 days notice then remove car from their premises,i spent a month faffing with adrenaline costing me more time and money get it over and done with at least yours cost half of mine lol
martin
martin
Dr Phibes said:
singlecoil said:
Well, whatever the reason for the lack of progress it sounds as if they are either unable or unwilling to do any more. Whichever of those it is, it's unlikely they will admit to it, so will continue to make excuses. Perhaps you need to take it off them and place it elsewhere (unless you can finish it off yourself?).
Well that looks like it may be my only option to be honest, as I said to you in a previous post on the Kit forum I will be giving you a call, wanted that invoice so I could at least get an idea of what was still required and how much I am looking at. Like Furyblades post though as it a least gives me some pleasure.
singlecoil said:
Dr Phibes said:
singlecoil said:
Well, whatever the reason for the lack of progress it sounds as if they are either unable or unwilling to do any more. Whichever of those it is, it's unlikely they will admit to it, so will continue to make excuses. Perhaps you need to take it off them and place it elsewhere (unless you can finish it off yourself?).
Well that looks like it may be my only option to be honest, as I said to you in a previous post on the Kit forum I will be giving you a call, wanted that invoice so I could at least get an idea of what was still required and how much I am looking at. Like Furyblades post though as it a least gives me some pleasure.
Furyblade_Lee said:
I think I have worked out who it is, somebody who I and many friends have dealt with in the past. Very surprised things have turned out like that from my experience ( assuming I am correct!) with them. Good luck.
Well my initial dealings where very good so that is why I have been relaxed to date but I think approaching 3 years is a tad too long. Thanks for all your input chaps, Singlecoil speak soon
gtmdriver said:
Why are we not naming names?
If any company is giving a bad service then other prospective customers need to know.
Providing the complaint is true and accurate there can be no legal redress surely.
Leaving the company un-named affects other companies by association.
There's a name and shame policy operating on this forum. Any post that names a company in a negative manner is likely to have the ID element removed by a moderator. I agree with it. I run a kit car company and wouldn't want a disgruntled customer (I have hade one) plasterign complaints about me all over the internet. There's two sides to most stories, and just to hear one side would be grossly unfair.If any company is giving a bad service then other prospective customers need to know.
Providing the complaint is true and accurate there can be no legal redress surely.
Leaving the company un-named affects other companies by association.
gtmdriver said:
Why are we not naming names?
If any company is giving a bad service then other prospective customers need to know.
Providing the complaint is true and accurate there can be no legal redress surely.
Leaving the company un-named affects other companies by association.
As Singlecoil states its PH policy and I too agree thus my adherence to it, plus Kit cars makers have enough to deal with and I try to do all I can to help the industry thus why I have been patience and still want the current manufacturer to do well but I would like to actually enjoy my car eventually. If any company is giving a bad service then other prospective customers need to know.
Providing the complaint is true and accurate there can be no legal redress surely.
Leaving the company un-named affects other companies by association.
Dr Phibes said:
I have been relaxed to date but I think approaching 3 years is a tad too long.
My Dads scratch build car, which he only worked on in evenings, took less than that to build, and we restored a VW for me at the same time...5 hour trip or not, I'd be down there shaking fists or legal documents in their faces.
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