Vendor Problem

[jbento]

Howdy!

I had my running boards redone by a gentleman in Alberta Canada (who shall remain nameless for the boards rules sake).  Paid my deposit, he finished the boards, then he called me for final payment and shipping fees, after which time he would return the boards.  Posted photos of the completed board on his site (which are still up BTW) which I have attached here.

I sent him International money orders.  He responded by calling my house and telling my wife that his bank would not accept international money orders, and if he did not receive payment in 30 days he would sell the boards to recover the cost.  My wife tells me he was quite rude (though he and I have always gotten along well when we spoke).

I called him and got his bank information so I could wire him the funds.  After about 2 weeks he called me saying he did not receive payment, and again mentioned that he might have to sell the boards.  I phoned the bank and learned that the wire did not go through due to bad bank information.  When I notified him of that, he apologized profusely and acknowledged that he was at fault.  He said he still had the boards and that I should just send him a personal check and that should be fine.  So I sent him a check.  After about a week I verified that he received the check.  He said he did, and that the boards would be sent out shortly.

After about a month, I still had not received the boards.  When I called, he said he was swammped.  That he was in the process of making board restoration his full time business, and finalizing a deal with a large rubber parts supplier.  He apologized, asked for my patience, and said he would get the boards out shortly.  That was about 1-2 months ago.

Since then, I have sent hime several e-mails with no response.  I have made several calls to him, which go straight into his voicemail. Again no response.  I sent him a letter requesting delivery of my boards back to me via UPS Signature Required, which he received and signed for on Tuesday 4/1.  No response to date.

What should I do?  What are my options?  If anyone is near Alberta Canada could they pay him a visit?  Canadian small claims court? I'm kinda freaking out.

[harvey b]

Hello Joe,i can relate to your dilema,sort of,i run a bodyshop and am always chasing customers for money ,one trick i use is when i call i use *67,that way they dont know who is calling,anyone who has call display knows who is calling and can choose not to answer when they see a number they are trying to avoid.also Alberta is a very large province,about the size of california.you could try the Sherrifs department in the town or city where he lives,in Canada the sherrif is who you take your small claims cases to,they may be able to point you in a direction to recover your parts?They do the judgements and leins for the courts here,not like the US where they are the law.We have the RCMP for that here,also he may have already shipped your parts and you dont know it yet?.Hope it works out for you,i live in Canada,but i live in Prince Edward Island,about 3000 miles east of Alberta,so i am not much good to you for paying him a visit,but i would like to?.  HTH Harvey B

[John Morris #23947]

I don't think it's against CLC rules to identify this guy. I would not consider it disparaging remarks, just a truthful bad experience.  I believe many members would appreciate the warning.

[Barry M Wheeler #2189]

Joe, by chance does this guy advertise in Hemmings? If so, call them. If he gets a bad rep VIA HMN, he is going to be totally dead in the water relative to getting customers. If you e-mail him again, you might also (politely of course) remind him that the old car hobby, not withstanding the hundreds of thousands of us, is still relatively small, and a specialized item like he is involved in is going to have a shrinking market every year, as those who like "old" cars are dying off. So, he'd better clean up his act, and start thinking about the long haul. (Whether he is swaaaammmmped right now or not.) Best of luck.

[Shannon Steele]

I would like to see the shop's name posted too.  You've fairly described what has happened, and I think we should all have the benefit of your experience.  You might even tell him you posted to this site, and offer him the chance to respond.  If the matter is successfully resolved, you can (and I think should) post that information also.

[Tom Hall 7485]

Please contact Mr. Bento by e-mail to discuss the identity and reputation of the vendor, as well as details of the contract and other things specific to that vendor and transaction.  There are limits to what we can safely publish here about vendors.  Generic advice which is not specific to the vendor, such as how to use the Canadian legal system or follow up with an alleged non-performing vendor, may continue to be posted on this thread.

[Russ Hobden #1235]

I had a problem with a mechanic in Canada years ago.  He had an intake manifold for sale and after we agreed upon a price,  I sent him the funds but he decliined to send the part.  I finally got hold of the local police who were more than willing to help me.  They told me he had gone out of business but they found the manifold in his shop and asked me if I wanted it or my money back.  It was a rare manifold so I naturallly wanted it so they sent it right out.  Good luck.

[homeonprunehill]

Howdy!

I had my running boards redone by a gentleman in Alberta Canada (who shall remain nameless for the boards rules sake).  Paid my deposit, he finished the boards, then he called me for final payment and shipping fees, after which time he would return the boards.  Posted photos of the completed board on his site (which are still up BTW) which I have attached here.

I sent him International money orders.  He responded by calling my house and telling my wife that his bank would not accept international money orders, and if he did not receive payment in 30 days he would sell the boards to recover the cost.  My wife tells me he was quite rude (though he and I have always gotten along well when we spoke).

I called him and got his bank information so I could wire him the funds.  After about 2 weeks he called me saying he did not receive payment, and again mentioned that he might have to sell the boards.  I phoned the bank and learned that the wire did not go through due to bad bank information.  When I notified him of that, he apologized profusely and acknowledged that he was at fault.  He said he still had the boards and that I should just send him a personal check and that should be fine.  So I sent him a check.  After about a week I verified that he received the check.  He said he did, and that the boards would be sent out shortly.

After about a month, I still had not received the boards.  When I called, he said he was swammped.  That he was in the process of making board restoration his full time business, and finalizing a deal with a large rubber parts supplier.  He apologized, asked for my patience, and said he would get the boards out shortly.  That was about 1-2 months ago.

Since then, I have sent hime several e-mails with no response.  I have made several calls to him, which go straight into his voicemail. Again no response.  I sent him a letter requesting delivery of my boards back to me via UPS Signature Required, which he received and signed for on Tuesday 4/1.  No response to date.

What should I do?  What are my options?  If anyone is near Alberta Canada could they pay him a visit?  Canadian small claims court? I'm kinda freaking out.
quote

04-04-08
JOE, I would be calling the person, You know the old Saying And It'S true, "The Squeak'n Wheel  GETS the Grease!  Harvy B. had a good sueggestion, use *67 when you call him and remind him that he will-not be in buisness very long if he intends to keep folks "running-boards". HTH

[jbento]

Please contact Mr. Bento by e-mail to discuss the identity and reputation of the vendor, as well as details of the contract and other things specific to that vendor and transaction.  There are limits to what we can safely publish here about vendors.  Generic advice which is not specific to the vendor, such as how to use the Canadian legal system or follow up with an alleged non-performing vendor, may continue to be posted on this thread.

Thanks Tom.

Indeed, if you want to know, please send me an e-mail and I will share.

In fact, for anyone wanting to help, send me an e-mail, and I will give you his number.  Simply call and ask if he is still in business.  If you talk to him live, tell him that you got the number from me.  This will help me in two ways: 1) I cant tell if he is still in business and just avoiding me, or if he simply closed shop?  2) if will also let him know that there are a lot of refferals out there to be had (or lost) based on our collective communication. 

Please don't call to threaten or harass him.  Just to see if he is in business and that I was the source of the number (only if you talk to him in person.  If you leave him a message, don't mention my name.  That way I can tell if he is avoiding me or not).  That would be sufficient.

Many thanks!

[jbento]

04-04-08
JOE, I would be calling the person, You know the old Saying And It'S true, "The Squeak'n Wheel  GETS the Grease!  Harvy B. had a good sueggestion, use *67 when you call him and remind him that he will-not be in buisness very long if he intends to keep folks "running-boards". HTH

Oh yeah.  I call him daily.  The phone never rings, just goes straight to Voice mail.  I leave a message each time.  To date I have been very polite.  Only in the message I left Friday did I mention that I may have to start looking at other options to recover my boards.

[tim oke]

Hi, I am in Alberta.
I tried to find a person this week who does runningboard restorations and he had moved.
Email me

[jbento]

Howdy!

Just got of the phone with the gentleman in question.  Turns out he has been going through what is a fairly nasty seperation, in which he left the house with the clothes on his back and not much else.  It appears that his wife would not even allow him access into the shop.

Anyway,Saturday he is meeting up with a local gentleman I made contact with to (hopefully) sort through the boards and get mine off to me (as well as another non-cadillac guys boards who I met on this long and tragic story).  I will continue to hold my breath until the boards are en route, but things are looking up!

[Wayne Womble 12210]

He probably promised her someting he couldnt deliver too.

[jbento]

Well, I,m not ready to go that far.

We have all had hard times of one kind or another.  I can't say I might have done much different if the tables were turned, and it's only by the grace of God that they aren't.  He got in touch with me and is trying to make good.  That counts for something.  If his work is good, I would use him again.  I am not willing to throw a man under the bus when he hits hard times that may not even be his fault. 

[Robert Meyers]

Good attitude, commendable.

Hope it all works out.


Robert