Lessons learned: Buying a "used low mileage engine"(must read)

[Jake Raby]

Originally Posted by BigOlJohnson

Do you think that the shop that did this work before it was sold is liable?


Or is the PERSON, that mis-represented this item liable?


BIGGY

I honestly don't know or don't care..
My focus is now only on finally making the purchaser happy by providing something of use so he can finish the season on a positive note.

To do that I have had to move around lots of other projects and I worked here until 0600 this morning before crashing for two hours to help make that happen.

If me or the buyer had more time to screw with all of this, the story might have a different twist.

What he should have done is offer a FULL refund....period. The 3k he got isn't worth his reputation. But people who sell things like this seldom care about their reputation.

I almost bought that engine when my 3.2 failed.

Originally Posted by Jake Raby

Yes.. A forum member.. I'd say he is prett active here because it took him 9 hours after my posting to write his email to me, ********************ing about my sharing of this story with his peers.

[Jake Raby]

He did offer a refund.. Only after MORE money had been spent to repair this engine than it's initial cost had been. "They" were smart, they knew we would not pull the engine and incur even more cost and down time to get a refund, especially after the first rund of issues had been remedied.

Yes, the member continues to be active here...

To date, myself and my client have incurred a list of expenditures that exceed 15,000.00 when combined. For that I could have built him another 3.6 big bore with all the updates.

Hindsight is 20/20 especially when dealing with those that are not honorable.

[Flavor 987S]

Originally Posted by Jake Raby

To date, myself and my client have incurred a list of expenditures that exceed 15,000.00 when combined. For that I could have built him another 3.6 big bore with all the updates.

$15K plus the +$20K for the eBay engine? Ooouch. For that much you could have bought a 2006 Boxster S with about 30,000 miles. The whole freaking car!

When are we going to start naming names? This post is getting too long with too much drama.

I hope you are getting paid by your client, Jake. Don't keep working for free. And I hope your client does not keep expecting you to work for free. Sounds like he is always looking for a "good deal".

Does your client buy his medical supplies off eBay too? I hope not. Leason learned.

If and when, I ever need a heart surgeon, I am going to make sure he charges a ton of money, and doesn't buy my stint off eBay!

[Jake Raby]

This client is more than just someone off the street... He is someone who we have built a relationship with over a period of a year and he hasn't asked for any good deals, nor has he requested that I do anything..

He has become a good friend, someone who helped me when my Dad had some serious heart issues a few months agoi and he is one serious driver that puts the engine on the edge... He was able to do somthing that no one else ever has, he broke my engine.. The oil pump drive key failed. He didn't complain, and he didn't whine and the engine didn't have a warranty, but I OFFERED to repair it and will do so for free.

We were just looking for a dual purpose alternative so he could finish his season and I could repair his broken engine taking it to an even higher level and do so without impacting my (very filled) schedule.

He wants to build more engines and he wants to build another car and he wants to be a part of the development of the M96 and sharing knowledge.

He never had to ask for anything and he isn't looking for good deals... The only reason that engine was bought off Ebay is because it had the lowest mileage of anything we could find and it was represented well.. Much better than anything we could find at a salvage yard, it just so happened that it was ONLY 4K, the price didn't matter.

Trust me, this "purchaser" is the best client I have experienced to date and on top of that he saves the lives of babies one week old or younger on a weekly basis.. Taking his Boxster and hauling ass on the track is how he relaxes, about the only way he relaxes and as far as I am concerned I am only doing whats right and what is honorable, basically just plain fair.

I have zero tolerance for failure. He broke my engine and thats not accaptable; period. It won't happen again.

You'll be seeing a lot of him soon.. His name is Dr. Phil, his alter ego is Mr. Speed...

[JTP]

Originally Posted by Jake Raby

.. His name is Dr. Phil, his alter ego is Mr. Speed...

I want to meet this guy!

[Jake Raby]

Originally Posted by JTP

I want to meet this guy!

SOON!!! He'll probably make his first appearance in Excellence around February 2010 :-)

[BigOlJohnson]

I'm still a little confused. Was the engine out of the guy's car, from a Cali recycler
or out of a local JY?

Either way, with the work that was obviously done to the engine, the engine
was NOT as advertised.

So, of course, the AS IS/NO WARRANTY contract these two folks had, was broken
by mis-representation on the seller's part.....


BIGGY

[MikenOH]

Originally Posted by Jake Raby

This client is more than just someone off the street... He is someone who we have built a relationship with over a period of a year and he hasn't asked for any good deals, nor has he requested that I do anything..

He has become a good friend, someone who helped me when my Dad had some serious heart issues a few months agoi and he is one serious driver that puts the engine on the edge... He was able to do somthing that no one else ever has, he broke my engine.. The oil pump drive key failed. He didn't complain, and he didn't whine and the engine didn't have a warranty, but I OFFERED to repair it and will do so for free.

We were just looking for a dual purpose alternative so he could finish his season and I could repair his broken engine taking it to an even higher level and do so without impacting my (very filled) schedule.

He wants to build more engines and he wants to build another car and he wants to be a part of the development of the M96 and sharing knowledge.

He never had to ask for anything and he isn't looking for good deals... The only reason that engine was bought off Ebay is because it had the lowest mileage of anything we could find and it was represented well.. Much better than anything we could find at a salvage yard, it just so happened that it was ONLY 4K, the price didn't matter.

Trust me, this "purchaser" is the best client I have experienced to date and on top of that he saves the lives of babies one week old or younger on a weekly basis.. Taking his Boxster and hauling ass on the track is how he relaxes, about the only way he relaxes and as far as I am concerned I am only doing whats right and what is honorable, basically just plain fair.

I have zero tolerance for failure. He broke my engine and thats not accaptable; period. It won't happen again.

You'll be seeing a lot of him soon.. His name is Dr. Phil, his alter ego is Mr. Speed...

Phil's a good guy; I was in a bay a few doors down from his car when he was at Mid-OH in early June and he spent a lot of time explaining what all had been done to the car.

[pcs5978]

There are a few remaining questions that we are trying to answer before the details of this story are presented in this forum. The facts - names, dates, dollars, and documents will be presented with the intent of educating the readers of this forum so they can hopefully avoid the problems we have encountered with this used motor. Stay tuned!

[Brucelee]

To all that are following this thread.

There are a number of unsettling things going on in the background of this saga. In order to sort it out, I am going to lock the thread.

I suggest that all involved (and you know who you are) take a deep breath and go have a beer.

Thanks for your understanding!

BL