getting ripped off!!!

dont you just hate when u realise you've been ripped off,
whether its work thats been done on your car or parts you have bought...
anyone got some 'getting ripped off' stories to help cheer me up?
:P

i havent come across this as yet but one thing that bugs me is if you get a faulty dexcription about a car and get all excited bout it you get there and its nothing like that! happens all the time!
cheers
rhys

at the action day a couple of weeks ago
I bought a second hand 1916 big bore kit supposedly for a beetle I took the guys word for it and they wernt expensive
but on getting them home a friend had a look at them and said they were type 4 pistons its partly due to my ignorance but its pretty bad form I think
marcel😠

One owner Karmann Ghia for sale, nothing to spend, show quality finish, 1916cc engine thats only done 20km. Bumpers rechromed but not yet fitted. $25000, reduced for quick sale. First to see will buy!



Mmmm how many of these have I spent wasting a Saturday afternoon on?

😀 Steve

I once helped a workmate buy his first car, for which of course I suggested he buy a Beetle. We went looking and found a nice straight mid '60s Beetle in pale green, hardly any rust but with a stuffed motor (still common in the early '80s).

I then recommended a certain Sydney VW workshop to rebuild his old 1300, and put in 1600cc cylinders and twin port heads at the same time. I picked up the finished motor for my mate the following week, and bolted it in for him. It wouldn't start.

No wonder. The 'VW workshop' had left out the cam followers. And the pushrods. And the rockers. I ended up rebuilding the whole thing for him, since I felt guilty recommending a car with a stuffed engine and a dud garage to fix it!

hahaha! that is really odd... lets see, your torquing the heads down and there are no pushrod tubes there, and there are 8 holes in the case .... makes you wonder 🙂

phil thats pretty bad. how much did your mate pay?
anyone else got a story to top these?:o

once many moons ago when i was earning some pocket money to buy a motorcross bike I was working in a wrecking yard on weekends and we sold them some secondhand tires and the boss fitted the tires and I put them back on had put the nuts back on finger tight then i got distracted and never got back to it they got a couple hundred metres down the road and the wheel fell off
needless to say they and the boss were not very happy
i never did earn enough for a motorcross bike I ended up with a $50 postie bike :P
marcel

One of the first things I did when I got my beetle was chase around to get 4 new tyres. Shortly after I had some work done at a place in Perth (quite expensive work) and when I got the car back I found I now had two quite used tyres on the back - one leaking. Also found that the new running boards were attached with tek-screws and many of the tinware screws were now missing. I could go on, but suffice to say I have not spent another cent at that place - that's why I'm always chasing parts and work interstate and overseas.

Didn't happen to me but heard of a guy who had to get an idea on some work to be done on an engine. Got a price but didn't want to go ahead with it.
Got the car back but never went the same.
Found out that one of the front spark plugs had been sabotaged. The mechanic had put the plug lead on but only screwed the plug in 1-2 turns. The owner found the plug, connected, lying on the tin ware.

SHONKS

On a smaller monetary scale, needed some of those clips that hold on the VW emblem at the front of the Kombi. Went to one place I was passing by and got charged $12 for three clips, I thought it was a bit steep for little bits of plastic but hell I was there anyway. So then one of the damn clips breaks later that day when I'm putting the emblem on doh!! That following weekend I thought I'd look for somewhere a bit closer to home, found a place and then the guy at the shop said that'd be $3 bucks so I thought that's not too bad, one dollar less for each clip than I paid for the week earlier but then when he brought the bag of three out I realised he was only charging $3 for another THREE clips!! Sure made the $12 at the other place look a rip-off!

[Edited on 22-9-2002 by KOM123]

what would u do if u agreed on a price for some work, then the price was bumped up abit coz a little more work was needed that previously thought, then u go to pick up the car after its all agreed upon and theyve done work u never asked for coz its work u can do yourself and u never agreed to it and they are charging you alot more than you agreed on.
they had your number to ask if you wanted them to do more work than what u had agreed upon...

'Fraid there's not a lot you can do, especially if you've already paid, unless it's worth enough to take to Small Claims. Trouble there is, these things are usually agreed on verbally, and the nicest seeming guys can turn out to be practised liars! 😠 But, tell everyone you know (by mouth, of course,) who they are - and, of course, give them no more business and make sure they know it. [Prolly should try the last one first, sometimes they'll try to redeem themselves - remember: Be really nice - until they give you no other choice.]

yeah thanks for the advice, ive only payed the original agreed upon price that was bumped up abit, they knew thats all i would have for a while, im a uni student, i got nothing!

I once bought an 1800 type 4 motor, only to find out later that it was in fact a 1700. 🙁

On the plus side, it is still going strong 5 years later. :thumb

Just a thought - Maybe the Forum could run a thread on repairers who do a good job. We can't name the ripoffs because of Libel laws (which suck,) but we can help others to find good ones.

Probably a popular idea, but I'm not sure if it would work. Just about anybody who has been around a while would realise that any workshop will have happy and dissatisfied customers. Sometimes customers are happy with a job because the workshop was friendly and fast, but that doesn't mean that they were good! Another customer at the same workshop might be very unhappy with the work they had done. If people start recommending workshops with no rebuttal allowed by others, then you may as well just list every workshop in Australia.

Just my opinion.... 🙂

good idea autostick, and also good though too kruzinkombi, u do hear mixed reports from every mechanic pretty much. one guy is meant to build great engines, some else felt their engine was garbage built by the same bloke...

better yet, the section should be called "Did i pay too much", and you'd only need to state work carried out, by whom and the figure at the bottom of your receipt. no opinions or emoticons. that way all the other members could draw their own conclusions and post agreeing messages that you did in fact get ripped off, and the truth would be known by all.

Choice only feature products from companies that have agreed to be reviewed. Unfortunately, the truth will not stop you getting sued for libel (that's why I said it sucks.)

As for CIP, I had a similar problem, fortunately I was able to cancel the order. We can say things like that, we just can't point out someone who's a crook. 😠

i know that the most unjust rulings always get the most publicity, hence the wide belief that laws actually prevent justice.
if i have time i will look into this further, but my current understanding is that libel laws are there to protect the innocent from suffering loss as a result of public and false accusations. and further, in this country anyone can sue anyone at any time for any reason, but they would usually choose not to because they either would not win or it’s not worth the effort.
therefore you could indeed get sued for making any statement but you would not lose, and the other party would bare all costs. (and one would know this and thus let it go)

disclaimer: do not take this as legal advice, i'm just a multiple vw owner.

sorry, i know this is a vw forum and not an amateur law forum.

(from my previous post) that should read "you would not lose if your claim was true and you had evidence."

and see the disclaimer again.

also, 70autostick, i agree with you totally. you can't label anyone anything, but that is not what i was suggesting. i'm only suggesting publishing the facts: who did the work and what you were charged.

I went to a non-vw mechanic to get a roadworthy for a beetle, I went there as there were no vw places nearby. They did the work, which included some brake stuff. But then I found it was making a strange noise when I went around corners. I took it back a couple of time, they couldnt find anything, but after the last time I was driving the next day and the wheel did come off. Luckily I could feel something was wrong, and slowed down to pull over just as the wheel came off, lodged under the car so didnt go anywhere.
That same shop had also done a roadworthy on a type 3 for us and claimed the rear torsion bar bushes needed replacing as did the front shocks. I got them to do the shocks but then took it to somewhere else to do the bushes. That (vw guy) said he could tell they hadnt inspected the bushes so I think they just made that up to make out they had given the car a good check. Then when I went back they said they couldnt pass the car because it was now on a slope. After some mucking around I discovered the problem - the pair of shocks they installed were two different sizes!
Useless.

Personnally I have bought thousands of dollars worth of parts from CIP mostly while there in person at their Burnaby shop in Vancouver BC and have had no problems. With phone calls cheap nowadays it is easier to call them for the parts and arrange freight over the phone. Works out a lot cheaper and you know what it costs. They are open Saturday mornings so call them Saturday night our time. Easy. volma1

I know it's a bit off-topic, but that sounds like good advice Volma. I'll try 'em that way.

California Import Parts
7029 Macpherson AVE- Burnaby,
BC V51-4N4
Phone: 1 011 604 434-8300

http://www.partsvw.com/

[Edited on 14-12-2002 by jenz58]

so i finished my trade after 5 years of saving for a as long as it takes trip around aus,thinking the only way to do this is in a kombi, furphy was its name.so i found furphy on mona vale road,this extremely well off guy was selling her,he showed me around the family estate heli pad 10 bedrooms and more the family literally owned a gold mine in WA,this guy tells me how he had looked after furphy and me seeing how rich he was took his word. a new motor,clutch,steering box and a reco job on the 3 way fridge later oh and a complete brake system overhall all my money i had saved was gone ,my first year i was on $180 a week, 2nd 210 ,3rd 250, and 4th 320 now a different story,i was very bitter about this but what goes around comes around. let me just say every cent i spent on that car was worth all that hard work ,i had a trouble free trip around aus and some great times.
just thought i would try to add a pic off my two new busses probly wont work

Our Vee Dubbs are worth the money spent:thumb

Is Furphy the one on the right with the nice eyebrows?🙂

How long were you away? Any tips for other Vee Dubbers planning on doing a long trip around Oz??

no furphy was sold to a lucky guy in darwin he loved the bus so much he didnt even test drive it or start it.i guess a thick book of reciepts and service history was enough for him.i sold the bus for less than i paid for it. keeping it real,i would post a pic but dont have a scanner or a digital pic of her

I love this one anytime you want anything at all to do with your vw its always double the price for any other car

"mmmm a Volkswagen huh..Hmmmm..."

:cry

and there never seems to be just one set
way to do things, there's so many
conflicting opinions it can get pretty
confusing and difficult to decide on what
you should with your VW, some advice is total
ly opposite to someone else's advice.
does anyone else feel like this?
is it like this with other more common cars???

Most opinions I get are well meant. Most people are trying to help me rather than influence me which is sweet🙂

For me Bel is a classic of simplicity, 6 volt, 36 hp with manual choke and old oil filled air filter, wonderful airconditioning in the vent windows. I want to keep her that way and run her as my daily ride. What other car can do it?? I love her to death:kiss

Hmmm, I think her original wiring may be on the way out? She stays 6 volt!!🙂

As a young fella before uni I got ripped off heaps of times. The sadest one was a red escort panelvan for $1000 which had to much wrong to live. The derby was fun though.

I think it because I put too much faith into citizenship and solidarity. When Emerald was a small town people didn't rip other people off because as a buisness person you wouldn't last long. The motorbike shop nearly went under a couple of times as did many small traders who delt in quite shifty methods.

As Emerald became bigger, scumbags recieved less justice from the word of mouth and tended to just do not so good. The honest traders good at their craft had successful shops and community postitions in say Lions, rotary and similar clubs.

Recently I have develped a simple method of purchase. I get the total price of a product and divide it by 13 (dollars / hour - minimal security wage). Therefore a 2000 car would equal just under 154 hours walking around a shopping centre solving others people grievances and finding lost cars and kids. This was my first job here in Newcastle, I enjoyed it but 154 hours is a long time - do I want it that much.

It like walking down the yoghurt isle in the supermarket - that tub of yoghuts is equal to 1/2 and hour in front of 30 hot, tired kids on a friday afternoon, is it worth it.

I think graduates are successful not because their smart but like apprentices (who are also smart) have lived with very little money for a long time and become very thrifty on a good income.

Ripoffs are a fact of life and they have been and will be everywhere. If you an emotional person then send or at least take a practical person to do your dealings.

When I walk into a mechanics I say - "Here's $200, do what needs to be done and thats all I have, it you think it might cost more than that I'll bring it back when I can afford it". because 9 out of 10 times that is all I have or can afford that week. For example I want heaps of stuff but I need rubber mounts. I went to buy these the other day but the mastercylinder went instead - What more important - Brakes won. Clutch cable snapped two day later - bought clutch cable and a carby kit - turns out it was the pedal assemble hook bent. Hopefully rubbers next week!

One of my biggest regrets about moving to Dubbo is that I have finally found not on but two good mechanics so parts purchase and repairs will have to coincide with visits to family and friends.

What really annoys me about mechanics is when they have their apprentice/s doing all the work and the mechanic dosen't oversee what is being done i.e. torque settings, seals, adjustments etc. When the mechanic is too busy answering phones, sending faxes and doing tax forms to oversee what going out the door. That shits me!😠

The best mechanic I've ever met did a service on my X girlfriends kombi - after an hour after the appointment he came out to the waiting room after suggesting a nice cafe down the road and sat down with her and explained exactly what he had done with diagrams and a check list. He noted on the form when the next check up would be and how much that checks should cost and what should be done at it. On the flip side of the form was a list of other problems he found that she might need to look at in the near future. This was all put in an envelope and the bill came to what he said it would be when we arrived. Sound to good to be true but it happened. Unfortunately this was up in Queensland, in Rockhampton.

I don't need all the flair and pizzaz, I just need the income to beable to go to a mechanic, although its nice to work in the Dog-O-War myself. It's like we have a special kinda relationship but there will be things I can't do myself.

[Edited on 15-12-2002 by The_Bronze.]

I will give My Email address and anyone Who has a gripe with a company over VW parts etc please let Me know.... I have bought parts from VW suppliers all over Australia.... and the prices vary.. but then again the Quality can Vary Greatly too..... Whatever Happened to the Customer is always right!!!!! I thing it died about 40 years ago.... 😀:o these days the salesperson is always right.... even if they aren't....
vk2lee@qsl.net pse send any info...

my first beetle i bought, named deloris, turned out to have no back brakes. rather than fix them as they leaked. the guy just clamped the hose and wound the brakes off all together...was very pissed off.

had another guy once install new adjusters in the front beam of another beetle only to have one beam snap thru completely and the upper beam all but.
just happened that we were jacking up the bug to check the damage done bumping one of those parking stops.

also had the steering wheel come off after picking up my chop top, aptly called 'deathtrap', after a minor service.

oh it was called deathtrap as it really rattled oh and the roll cage could be lifted out if it bother you at all...

it came about that way as it was left on a hoist over the weekend only to find it bent like a banana on monday. it was straighten by placing a kombi on the hoist and then lowered onto the rollbar and front window. (but i only found this out after it was scrapped)

hope these little experiences make you feel better......

Well... Is it OK to say that Ball joints cost Me $** at so & so's etc.... just prices.... & truthful.... that can't hurt... or what about scanning dockets.... thats got to be OK.... but things like window rubbers... I bought a set at a VW show from a retailer about 5 years ago and haven't used them yet... they cost around $100-00.. I saw a 1964 or 65 beetle that had just been restored- at a VW show and the windscreen rubbers were beginning to crack at the bottom corners... Now I don't want to pay $300 for a set of Rubbers... I just want to buy Quality at a reasonable cost.... I don't want to buy a set of NEW window rubbers for $30.00... My Son bought door rubbers years ago for His 56 oval.... and when He shut the door... it chopped half the rubber off.... Now whether this was a rubber problem-- or Car door problem I'm NOT sure.... but if I can find somewhere - someone who is truthful & gives You a Fair deal - and has reasonable parts at reasonable prices....
I Have been buying the Majority of My parts from MICK MOTORS in brisbane,,, & when I go to the Nationals or Valla.. I usually purchase something from someone..... Probably the Best would be to have Two different prices for two different Qualities.... although They would probably sell the One that does the job.... regardless of price....
:birthday:birthday Guess What !! The clock just turned over to My Birthday....
and I'm NOT telling how old I am... but I am under 55.... and My first beetle was bought in 1967... a 1959 model...🙁😀

APOLIGIES.. for the pic.... Wrong One...Lee

[Edited on 15-12-2002 by 68AutoBug]

Lee :birthday:birthday:birthday