www.RX7fb.com

Kev,

I'd seriously consider getting your car out of there... if he's spent the last 6 months fannying about, he's not going to be doing much with a new born baby to look after as well.

get it back. it will only end in more tears. have you seen any of this blokes finished work ?

Hi All,
I thought I would give you the latest on my car.
Went to see it mid September the day before I went on two week holiday to the States.
He had done some work but I believe his story that his wife had given birth to a premature kid is true.
He had moved the car to another workshop about 70 yards from the previous one. How he did it I don't know as the carb had been removed for a rebuild so he had to push it. It must have been difficult to get it out of the original workshop then push it up a slope and then get it into the other workshop past a whole yard of vehicles in various states of repair. He must be superman!
He had almost completed the repairs to the roof sections and they just needed some fine filler to finish. The drain pipe that Spirit thought was cut was scored but only on the surface.
The rear spoiler which was in a bad state with loads of cracks has undergone repair but that is now finished and just about ready for paint.
The front spoiler is still awaiting repair.
There were quite a few imperfections to many of the panels but they have been repaired and rubbed down to make for a much better finish.
He has removed the nearside front wing as he found some corrosion to the bottom of the panel. He is going to cut the rust out and make a new lower piece to fit.
He has removed all the seats and found some corrosion behind the rears, surprise, surprise. He is going to cut that out and weld in new pieces. Apart from that there is very little other corrosion.
I am going to see it next week and am hopeful he will have made a lot more progress and am feeling some slight optimism that I might see the end of this project before Christmas.
As some of you suggested I did speak to a couple restorers about pulling the car away from him but it would have been too problematical. I have taken the attitude that summer is just about over and he has been thorough and is doing things I didn't realise needed attention, so I will leave it with him.
He is not a bad bloke just a hopeless business man.
I am having problems with the photo uploads so I will try again tomorrow.
As I mentioned earlier I had the Carb rebuilt and now it is running perfectly, although it has not been road tested

Ok, so i know those amongst you will tell me I told you so.
Here's the story.
In September I went to see the car and he said he was going to primer it whilst I was on holiday.
Got back and tried to arrange to come and view it but I couldn't tie him down for so many different excuses.
One of them was his wife's uncle had died and he had to take his wife to York to be with her family.
I eventually got to see the car at the end of November and by miracle his wife's uncle hadn't actually died and was recovering.
Talk about disappointment when I saw the car it was in more bits than it was before I went on holiday in September.
He had done more repairs, probably more than I agreed, and he had repaired the near side front wing but now the offside wing was off the car also. He promised it was going into the paint shop in the next few days and it would be finished before Christmas. I said I would ring him weekly to keep appraised of his progress.
Since then I have messaged him, rang him, and whatsapped him approx 20 times but he has not replied.
I am going on holiday Monday and won't be back until 30th.
My car is stuck in a workshop with about 15 vehicles blocking its exit, and to be frank I don't have a clue how he got it in the workshop in the first place. More importantly I dont know how the f*ck I can rescue the vehicle even if I could get into the workshop.
Now considering contacting the police for help. Obviously will go to the workshop when I return, but the yard is full of scrap metal dealers, back street car repairers and a variety of assorted villains, so doubtful I will get much helpful info.
My car will have been in his possession for 1 year on 5th January.
What an idiot I have been.
Maybe he is dead

Unfortunately Kevin I doubt if the police will be interested or much help.... it's a civil matter between yourself and this guy.

I am very sorry to hear you are still having problems, my suggestion is that you now agree a new Finish repair state, ie he just put everything back on the car & you will pay him for work carried up to that point.
Make sure you do it in writing as a back up & hand it to him with a witness present, if possible get the friend to stealthily record the conversation on their phone etc & take pictures of the car.
Agree a date with him for collection (get a local recovery to effect this but also be there. Follow this up with a registered letter stating the date recovery has been arranged etc.
Meanwhile cast your mind back to day 1 & record all visits, conversations, promises, excuses (wife dying etc), all this paperwork will be important later on as with all the records you will have a picture that will be painted of his character.
Make sure you notify your local Police station the day before collection so they are aware if things turn nasty & take your vehicle documents with as proof of ownership
When you come to pay on collection, wait until it is on the recovery vehicle then pay by cheque if possible or 50/50 (cash cheque), then stop the cheque, he will have to take you to small Claims Court but as you will have all that evidence he will not stand a chance, I doubt if he would even try!
Or you could try "The A Team" :x :x
I hope this helps

Watchdog programmes?
Legal letters.....but they might cost.

Small claims court......does it work in the case of undelivered services?

codge wrote:Watchdog programmes?
Legal letters.....but they might cost.

Small claims court......does it work in the case of undelivered services?

Judge Rinder

ian65 wrote:Unfortunately Kevin I doubt if the police will be interested or much help.... it's a civil matter between yourself and this guy.

I agree it is a civil matter but it might become a police matter if Dibs lends me his baseball bat.

DKWW2000 wrote:I am very sorry to hear you are still having problems, my suggestion is that you now agree a new Finish repair state, ie he just put everything back on the car & you will pay him for work carried up to that point.
Make sure you do it in writing as a back up & hand it to him with a witness present, if possible get the friend to stealthily record the conversation on their phone etc & take pictures of the car.
Agree a date with him for collection (get a local recovery to effect this but also be there. Follow this up with a registered letter stating the date recovery has been arranged etc.
Meanwhile cast your mind back to day 1 & record all visits, conversations, promises, excuses (wife dying etc), all this paperwork will be important later on as with all the records you will have a picture that will be painted of his character.
Make sure you notify your local Police station the day before collection so they are aware if things turn nasty & take your vehicle documents with as proof of ownership
When you come to pay on collection, wait until it is on the recovery vehicle then pay by cheque if possible or 50/50 (cash cheque), then stop the cheque, he will have to take you to small Claims Court but as you will have all that evidence he will not stand a chance, I doubt if he would even try!
Or you could try "The A Team" :x :x
I hope this helps

Your suggestions are really helpful but I can't even get him to talk to me so seeing the car and getting evidence is problematic.
As he runs this business part time I am never sure when he is going to the at the workshop.
I will have to take pot luck and keep turning up and I hope he is there but his premises are a 45 minute drive away so it could take a few trips before I catch him.
He might even have moved premises because he has moved once already.
I have already paid him 50% of the agreed cost so my negotiating position is pretty weak.
I am away for Christmas so it will have to wait until I get back.
You live and learn