with unresponsive bodyshop.

[DaveG]

Hello,

Just wondering if anyone has experience of being in the same unfortunate situation as I am in please?

To try and cuts long (3 year +) story short, in April 2021 (April Fools Day in fact!!!) I went up to Liverpool (100 miles from where I live in the Midlands) and did a deal to buy a rolling bodyshell. I paid the guy and I have the V5. But the car also needed a bit of welding and needed spraying so again, we did the deal (I paid £500 for materials) for him to do that work. But 3 and a bit years on, I still do not have my car and the guy is getting increasingly difficult to get communications back from. In this time, I have heard every excuse and promise under the sun but nothing more. As I say he is 100 miles away and so cannot just pop round to his unit and hope to catch him. I have been up a few times when I was in the area with work but only seen him once (in October), on other occasions, people in neighbouring units say he does come and go with no consistency. Because of this, I can't just rent a truck and trek up there to pick it up if he's not going to be there (or he does get in touch and we fix something up). I have been totally civil and patient all through this but it is getting beyond a joke now. I don't know if I could contact the Citizens Advice Bureau to see if they can advise or even to contact the police to report my car 'stolen'.

Has anyone had or heard of similar experiences - I am sure I am not the first and will not be the last. I also expect that I will not want to hear your hear your thoughts!!

Anyway, thank you in advance.

[stevieturbo]

And if it's his business, would there be any reason he would not be there during working hours ?

So you can call up, it just might mean some waiting about.

The solution seems simple. If you're unhappy and getting nowhere, go collect your car. He's hardly not going to be there for days ?

[prox]

I have been here before, you keep thinking hoping things will come good, think i will call next week then a month goes by they a year. You end up putting off the inevitable where you need to take action.

My advice is be proactive and keep pushing to get hold of him and tell him you want the car back, keep pushing, Citizens Advice Bureau will be of no use to you, reporting it stolen can put you on the wrong side of the law.

Just keep calling and chasing

[DaveG]

Hello,

Thank you both.

I can get no indication of if and when he is at the unit. At one point he reckoned he was working nights as he was able to get more done and 2 out of the last 3 times I have been up there he was not there. If he was only 20 or 30 miles away I would go more but it is a 200 mile round trip. I only have a mobile number for him so yeah, I will just keep phoning and leaving messages and arrange to go up and collect it in whatever condition it's in.

Thanks :-)

[stevieturbo]

Yea, just message and tell him you want to collect the car. Leave it at that. No animosity, no nasty messages either way. No money one way or another.

Nothing to complicate matters.

bad blood never helps, unless there are drastic sums of money involved. In cases like these, he'll likely be glad to see the car go too, as he obviously has reasons as to why he is not, or cannot do the work.

[rallyrob]

I am in a similar situation but at least he does answer messages every few months. I have now arranged to go down at the end of the month.
I'll not name names, but he was on here years ago. Someone else who has been on here over the years is going to take it on now. He was only supposed to be doing restoration and not paint. But he's had the car for 18 months now and has not even started it. He did tell me last year he went out of business, but that everything is still safe.

He's got £2500 of mine as I just thought it'll be less to settle up with when it's done. I'll see what happens at the end of the month.


Good luck with your situation, just keep trying obviously.

[DaveG]

Ahh, sorry to hear that - good luck to you too at the end of the month. Sorry there is a chunk of money involved in your situation.

Yeah, the thought that I am trying to leave in the back of my head is that my guy has gone out of business but probably does not have access to the car. A five minute phone conversation will sort it now - if it is accessible we can just arrange a time and I will go and get it as it stands. Or, I'll find the real situation and I guess cut my losses.

Yep, I will just keep leaving the polite messages and hopefully at some point will get some response :-)

Thank you all. I'll keep you posted. By the way, it is only an MG Midget and so nothing 'tasty' ;-)

[rallyrob]

Funny thing is he suddenly read the messages when I said to him don't make me get the police or solicitors involved.

[DaveG]

Ha! Yes, after a few more (gently) nagging messages, my guy phoned me last night as well. Hopefully, there will be a positive outcome (all round) in the next couple of weeks. Fingers crossed! Will let you know...

[alladdin]

you could always go via the landlord for his name / home address as backup.

[meXEco]

Sames happening to me as well-lots of money involved keep asking whats going on oh i'm busy call you in a few days-no contact and my mental health is suffering because of it. Keeps fobbing me off been 2 years now can't take much more need to visit Citizens advice to get my money and car back.

[stevieturbo]

to get your car back, just go and take it back surely ?

[meXEco]

Miles away-dont have the means or money.

[stevieturbo]

Miles away-dont have the means or money.

So would you have had the means or money to pay for a completed job and get your car back ?

[meXEco]

Not gonna get into it too much because of legal action but sold a car, part of the deal was to do some welding on another car, got paid a deposit for car, lost my accomodation and storage so car had to go to him, was told welding would be done very soon was in contact frequently-then no contact, car was not welded or balance of sold car. Have been suffering with anxiety/depression before all this he knows that-i cant keep trying to contact him as it sends me into a spiral of anxiety for weeks/months at a time and dont say should have known better he had a good rep and at the time i had no other options due to not having anywhere to live-still in temp accomodation now and could lose that at any time. Car that needs work belonged to a very close friend who commited suicide and i took the car on in his memory-he also knows this fact.

[stevieturbo]

Sounds very complicated all round.

Hopefully it all gets sorted out amicably.

[rallyrob]

you could always go via the landlord for his name / home address as backup.

Inbox empty Alladdin, or empty enough now.

Still can't send Pm's, I don't know why but I haven't been able to for best part of a year now.

[alladdin]

mine wont work as not paid subscription ( inbox says full as lower allowance ) i am reluctant to renew while site is virtually un usable

[rallyrob]

mine wont work as not paid subscription ( inbox says full as lower allowance ) i am reluctant to renew while site is virtually un usable

I've been unable to pay my subs regardless of the fact that the site is Shite still/again.

And I've emailed the guy the payment goes to. It seems to me he isn't that bothered about it, only replying occasionally
and not managing to sort it out.

[Graham]

mine wont work as not paid subscription ( inbox says full as lower allowance ) i am reluctant to renew while site is virtually un usable

i changed your status whether that will help or not i dnt know

[Graham]

I've been unable to pay my subs regardless of the fact that the site is Shite still/again.

And I've emailed the guy the payment goes to. It seems to me he isn't that bothered about it, only replying occasionally
and not managing to sort it out.

same for for mike, i changed your status, dunno if that helps at all

[rallyrob]

same for for mike, i changed your status, dunno if that helps at all

Thanks Graham, can but try.

I have actually managed to pay my subs now.

[alladdin]

i changed your status whether that will help or not i dnt know

thank you Graham, i have just sent a test message so we will see how it goes. the site has improved but every time posts pick up a bit the site grinds to a halt and drives people away

[DaveG]

Not gonna get into it too much because of legal action but sold a car, part of the deal was to do some welding on another car, got paid a deposit for car, lost my accomodation and storage so car had to go to him, was told welding would be done very soon was in contact frequently-then no contact, car was not welded or balance of sold car. Have been suffering with anxiety/depression before all this he knows that-i cant keep trying to contact him as it sends me into a spiral of anxiety for weeks/months at a time and dont say should have known better he had a good rep and at the time i had no other options due to not having anywhere to live-still in temp accomodation now and could lose that at any time. Car that needs work belonged to a very close friend who commited suicide and i took the car on in his memory-he also knows this fact.

Sorry to hear you have similar problems. Totally relate to the issues you having and understand how it can be making you unwell. Hope you manage to find a resolution soon.