ComplaintsforBitter Pill Customs

• Initial Complaint

  08/17/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Unfortunately my business transaction with **** the owner did not go as expected or promised. I paid him $4000 cash when he picked up my 1971 VW Sportsmobile bus from my house on April 2021. At that time it was running, drivable, all glass in place, and interior parts present. I then paid him another $4000 via Venmo on 10/8/21. Per our agreement, this was the cost to fully restore the bus. During the almost 2-year period that he had possession of the bus, there were many delays by him for a variety of reasons, and I was promised in writing many different times "it will be done by xx," and then that date would come and go with no further progress. Communication was poor and I had to reach out to him for updates. The minimal body work that was completed has been assessed by other restoration specialists as being done incorrectly in multiple areas which will require further repair, and the paint on the upper portion has multiple scratches, meaning it will all have to be redone. Even worse, he left my bus uncovered out in the elements (with all windows and windshield removed), causing further damage to the interior. I have been quoted by another restoration specialist that it will now take at least $17,500 to finish the bus, while ***** in Waterford, MI stated it would take over $30,000 to restore the bus from it's current condition. Sadly, the bus is now in worse condition than when it was picked it up, disassembled and unusable. I have tried many times to reach out to **** via text and phone calls to have my money returned, and he refuses. He says now he will "finish it himself," which I absolutely do not want as he did not complete the work when he had it for almost two years, and the work he DID do caused more damage to the bus which will require even more money to repair. Pictures and video of bus available upon request--unable to upload here due to size. Thank you for your assistance.

  Business response

  09/03/2023

  Having read the complaint against me there are points of agreement, I do agree with ******, she paid me $4000 upon pick up of her 1971 Volkswagen bus, and another $4000 via Venmo, but this was not the final payment. The total quote for the job was $12000 after it was discovered most of the sheet metal along the bottom was rotted and needed to be replaced. Unfortunately, there is no written contract that discussed cost, payment, or a definitive timeline for completion. I was given this job by another shop who was going out of business due to health reasons and he feared he could not physically complete the necessary work. She is correct that it was a complete driving vehicle upon pick up, but it is impossible to restore a vehicle with out disassembly. All of the glass, weatherstripping, and interior was removed so the metal could be replaced, body work could be performed, and the van receive new paint. We replaced the floor, the front dog leg (like a rocker panel under the front door) on each side, and the lower 12 inches all the way around the bus. There was no damage to the interior as I removed it all, it was just a shell. The vehicle was inside 98% of its time it was in my possession. No offense to her but she is judging an unfinished product and they are not body and paint people, so it is unfair to judge incomplete work. I have over 4K in parts and about 100 or more hours into this project. That totals more than the money she has paid for a deal. All new weather stripping was purchased to reinstall all the glass as well as all the paint supplies, including the primer, paint and clear coat, and a completely new interior.
  
  She is correct, there were delays. Shortly after taking delivery of the VW my lease was up and I moved from my location to a new larger shop. This move took time, not only did the move take time, so did retro fitting the new building to allow for production on any kind to continue. Shortly after the building was up and running COVID was introduced to the US.  Automotive restoration in non-essential, so we were closed multiple times, for multiple lengths, as well as having to quarantine when there was a close contact of COVID once we began operations again. This too caused delays. Once the world began to open up, we were met with shipping delays do to the disruption of the supply chain. Restoration parts for the Volkswagen come from Germany.
  
  The quote for 17500 is outlandish, someone is clearly trying to take advantage of the situation. She has been influenced by someone who said they could have it done in two months and now wants to charge her double. I opposed releasing the VW because I wanted to finish the job, as I had done all the leg work to locate almost all the parts, she decided to take the van somewhere else, and I even delivered it for her.
  
  I was working on the van the week she chose to terminate the deal. I had delivered the two vehicles that had arrived before hers, and this week I will be delivering the one that arrived after hers. If I had been in possession of the van the project would have been completed. My other clients understood that there was a lot happening in the world that was out of my control, a simple lack of patience and compassion for others has caused this issue.  
  

  Customer response

  09/08/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  
  1. I never received any written contract nor any receipts for the work that was completed or any parts supposedly purchased, as any legitimate business should always provide to customers.
  
  2. The owner had my bus in his possession for almost two years (well after Covid was an issue) and the work that he completed made the bus in WORSE condition. Repairs to the metalwork were done incorrectly and will need replaced. Only the upper part of the bus was painted and it was scratched badly, meaning it will all need to be redone. It will cost me a MINIMUM of $17,500-30,000 to fully restore the bus in it's current condition, as confirmed by multiple restoration specialists. I have many pictures, videos, and professional testimonials to corroborate this.
  
  3. I learned today 9/8 that in addition to **** leaving the bus outdoors uncovered after all glass had been removed, causing further damage to the interior, the two front seats (which were in good condition at the time he took possession) are now "missing" and **** states he does not have them. This is yet another added expense I will have to incur. All of the new interior parts he states he purchased are 80% ruined by water damage from leaving it outdoors as verified by another restoration specialist (see attachment). These will all need replacing.
  
  4. I tried to be very understaning, respectful, and patient with ****, as my texts will show. But he had not worked on the bus for MANY months prior to me finally deciding to have it removed from his property and taken elsewhere. He showed very poor communication throughout that time period with many excuses for his delays when I would ask for updates. I have multiple text messages from him "promising" it would be completed by ____, and then that date would come with no further progress at all. At one point he agreed to buy the entire bus from me in order to resolve this issue, then a month later he stated he did not have the money to do so.

  5. Due to the lack of communication, poor workmanship and further damage to the bus, and the extreme delay from what was promised, of course I did not want **** to continue to have the bus in his possession.  He sent me a text in February stating he would "take it to his house so he could work on it" (see attachment). This is not professional nor how any licensed business should operate, nor did I trust that he would actually do as he said.
  
  I do hope this can be worked out and my money returned promptly. I am deeply disappointed in the way **** and his company have conducted business, and I will continue to pursue this.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ******

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