Addicted Performance Unlimited in TN
06-03-13, 01:42 AM
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Addicted Performance Unlimited in TN
After 2 years of searching for a FD, I was finally able to purchase one a little over a month ago. I bought the car from Addicted Performance Unlimited in TN. I see that they are a reputable shop and specialized in rotaries. The car was listed as a 1 owner, new engine rebuild, non-sequential conversion, and no grind 5th gear, and low miles around 58k. Due to my location and work, I could not afford to fly over and take a look at the vehicle. I texted and called Zachary of Addicted Performance to get some info and pictures. He was very responsive, and received an answer promptly. He assured me that the car is mechanically sound, and the VIN pulled up a clean report. We decided on a price and it was lower than the listed price, but the shop was willing to let it go.
Fast forward and I received the vehicle and started running into registration problems. I did not realize they did not own the car and was a middle man/broker. Basically I could not register the vehicle because they cannot get a hold of the initial owner's driver license. He confirmed that the owner got paid, but cannot see why I cant get a copy of his license. Basically I had to pay an extra 1k to double register the car. The shop did not want to split the cost, but I was able to get them to give me at least $200(or 250..cant recall exact amount..but was better than the initial $100 offer from the shop). I find out after calling Mazda that they had the recalls done and the mileage that it was brought in to service in 1997 is way over the advertised 58k. Zach said he did not know and was going by the title's and car's odometer. Throughout this time I was patient and he said he would look into it..but I never received any answer regarding this discrepancy.
The car came as described. It was missing a rear view mirror(which they assured me that it was shipped already..but haven't received one so I bought one online). The gauge cluster did not work so I could not verify the '58k' miles odometer. Some panels need a new paint job, but he already informed me that the paint is 5/10. The AC blew out hot air. A couple other not so perfect things, but I understood that this is 20 year old car.
I have been trying to contact Addicted Performance to find out more information about the car but have not received a response from them. I have texted, called, left voicemails for over a week, but did not received a response after that whole registration ordeal. I am willing to look passed all the problems I have encountered so far and learned from this experience. I definitely know what to look and ask for before I buy a car from a third party from now on...
Basically, some questions I have been trying to find out are:
1. What kind of nonsequential conversion..I have read about poor's man, richman/full conversion? Any details regarding the conversion?
2. After getting my cluster serviced, I noticed that the idle is high and consistently 1500rpm. Is this normal? I do not see a air pump, so I do not know if this plays a factor into this high idle?
3. The clutch has a high engagement point. By the time it engages, the pedal is almost let out. The car seems easier to stall and jerks, buckles getting into 1st and 2nd gear. My friend that drove it said it reminds him of a racing clutch where it is really aggressive and violent. I am assuming it was a used clutch..so is this normal? What brand fluid in case I need to top the fluids off?
4. I went to install the coolant temp gauge and notice the TB has been bypassed. I am trying to look for an alternative besides drilling into the tstat. I see a line right under where the TB line supposed to be but do not know if that is coolant exiting the block.
5. The car was advertised with AC, but it just blows air...not cold at all. What kind of AC was installed..r12 or r134?
6. The fuel gauge is stuck at half even when it is full.
7. Is the omp still there or do I need to premix?
8. Any other thing I should be aware of or check?
Most of these questions and concerns are directed to addicted performance (if by chance they see this thread). I have put on roughly 20 miles since I had this car. I barely have time to troubleshoot it due to work. I have been reading the faq and searching the forums to educate myself on rotaries.
I can't speak for other customers, but I feel like I have been ignored after the car's sale. I have been nothing but patient..I guess I learned that dealing with crazy patients all day at work. I guess it is frustrating because communication leading up to the sale was superb..not it is non-existent.
PS.I did not want to post this in the Good nor Bad Business section as I feel that it did not fit in either one...so the mods can moved this as they wish.
Fast forward and I received the vehicle and started running into registration problems. I did not realize they did not own the car and was a middle man/broker. Basically I could not register the vehicle because they cannot get a hold of the initial owner's driver license. He confirmed that the owner got paid, but cannot see why I cant get a copy of his license. Basically I had to pay an extra 1k to double register the car. The shop did not want to split the cost, but I was able to get them to give me at least $200(or 250..cant recall exact amount..but was better than the initial $100 offer from the shop). I find out after calling Mazda that they had the recalls done and the mileage that it was brought in to service in 1997 is way over the advertised 58k. Zach said he did not know and was going by the title's and car's odometer. Throughout this time I was patient and he said he would look into it..but I never received any answer regarding this discrepancy.
The car came as described. It was missing a rear view mirror(which they assured me that it was shipped already..but haven't received one so I bought one online). The gauge cluster did not work so I could not verify the '58k' miles odometer. Some panels need a new paint job, but he already informed me that the paint is 5/10. The AC blew out hot air. A couple other not so perfect things, but I understood that this is 20 year old car.
I have been trying to contact Addicted Performance to find out more information about the car but have not received a response from them. I have texted, called, left voicemails for over a week, but did not received a response after that whole registration ordeal. I am willing to look passed all the problems I have encountered so far and learned from this experience. I definitely know what to look and ask for before I buy a car from a third party from now on...
Basically, some questions I have been trying to find out are:
1. What kind of nonsequential conversion..I have read about poor's man, richman/full conversion? Any details regarding the conversion?
2. After getting my cluster serviced, I noticed that the idle is high and consistently 1500rpm. Is this normal? I do not see a air pump, so I do not know if this plays a factor into this high idle?
3. The clutch has a high engagement point. By the time it engages, the pedal is almost let out. The car seems easier to stall and jerks, buckles getting into 1st and 2nd gear. My friend that drove it said it reminds him of a racing clutch where it is really aggressive and violent. I am assuming it was a used clutch..so is this normal? What brand fluid in case I need to top the fluids off?
4. I went to install the coolant temp gauge and notice the TB has been bypassed. I am trying to look for an alternative besides drilling into the tstat. I see a line right under where the TB line supposed to be but do not know if that is coolant exiting the block.
5. The car was advertised with AC, but it just blows air...not cold at all. What kind of AC was installed..r12 or r134?
6. The fuel gauge is stuck at half even when it is full.
7. Is the omp still there or do I need to premix?
8. Any other thing I should be aware of or check?
Most of these questions and concerns are directed to addicted performance (if by chance they see this thread). I have put on roughly 20 miles since I had this car. I barely have time to troubleshoot it due to work. I have been reading the faq and searching the forums to educate myself on rotaries.
I can't speak for other customers, but I feel like I have been ignored after the car's sale. I have been nothing but patient..I guess I learned that dealing with crazy patients all day at work. I guess it is frustrating because communication leading up to the sale was superb..not it is non-existent.
PS.I did not want to post this in the Good nor Bad Business section as I feel that it did not fit in either one...so the mods can moved this as they wish.
06-03-13, 11:13 AM
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I am going to move this to the Bad & Fugly section because I do believe it fits there. A shop selling a car is legally bound to stand behind certain claims about that car and this could be a big mess.....
Side note--I bought my first RX7 from a shop. The car also had odometer rollback problems....it was an FC and I paid $300 for it. The shop tried to blackmail me into paying more--they refused to send me the title unless I paid more. But since I had learned of the odometer problem when I went to get it registered, I called the shop owner and had a little chat.....because of the issues surrounding the odometer rollback, he agreed to send the title ASAP, which he did. Something like that is a BIG deal that can land a shop in some hot water. In my case, the shop claimed that they had not even touched the car's dashboard, but the guy that signed off on the deal when they originally bought the car did not take the time to verify as they were required to....
I am interested in hearing the other side of this story.
EDIT---if you have not, I would recommend running a CARFAX on this car. It is possible that the car has other issues that you should be aware of. If the shop did indeed tell you that "the VIN pulled up a clean report", you need to know for yourself what is on that report. If there is a mileage issue, the carfax will show it.
Side note--I bought my first RX7 from a shop. The car also had odometer rollback problems....it was an FC and I paid $300 for it. The shop tried to blackmail me into paying more--they refused to send me the title unless I paid more. But since I had learned of the odometer problem when I went to get it registered, I called the shop owner and had a little chat.....because of the issues surrounding the odometer rollback, he agreed to send the title ASAP, which he did. Something like that is a BIG deal that can land a shop in some hot water. In my case, the shop claimed that they had not even touched the car's dashboard, but the guy that signed off on the deal when they originally bought the car did not take the time to verify as they were required to....
I am interested in hearing the other side of this story.
EDIT---if you have not, I would recommend running a CARFAX on this car. It is possible that the car has other issues that you should be aware of. If the shop did indeed tell you that "the VIN pulled up a clean report", you need to know for yourself what is on that report. If there is a mileage issue, the carfax will show it.
Last edited by rx7roller02; 06-03-13 at 11:19 AM.
06-03-13, 01:43 PM
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rx7roller02, I did not run a Carfax, but ran Autocheck before the purchase. I figured both companies are similar, and Autocheck showed a clean title with no problems/addidents. I did get a little worried after seeing the paint on the rear bumber. It looks like someone did a horrible job repainting it and left excess paint to drip down the rear bumper as it cured..it look like a dried dripping pattern on the bumper.
06-03-13, 01:57 PM
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I would ask that you run a carfax and post it up here so that the results can be verified. If there is an odometer issue, then it is possible that the shop did not know about it. Either way, that would be the best way to try to clear that part up.
06-03-13, 02:20 PM
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Here is a screenshot of the carfax. I regret not doing a carfax believing that Autocheck already showed me everything. I would have caught the mileage discrepancy before the purchase.
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06-03-13, 04:39 PM
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This shop has shown an excellent record here...at least lets allow enough time to get more information. I sent a PM to them asking for their take. Let's not rush on this one--they might not have known. And something like this can have big legal repercussions, so we really need to make sure before we toss around accusations.
OP, you said that Zack told you that the VIN pulled up a clean report. Is that a text message or was that in a conversation over the phone? email?? Please let me know, thanks
06-03-13, 07:25 PM
#9
PREFACE: I have never seen the car in question and have no vested interest in this deal either way. I am simply going to post some observations of mine.
I can say that I've been buying and selling hundreds of cars as a "shop owner" since I got into the rotary game in 99, and it is not uncommon for rx7s to have hidden prior damage that no one knows about. These are not the kind of car you buy and own for 15 years, they are the kind people buy, play with for a few months or a couple years, then trade or sell. So most have been through 5+ owners by now and it is very hard to know the true history of a car, whether or not you are a shop owner.
I can't count how many times I have taken apart or sanded down a car that looked straight and pretty original, only to find evidence of minor or major previous damage. Except for a paint/body expert (not all mechanical/performance shops are such) most people would never be able to tell by looking.
I also find an above average number of title and registration issues with these cars, mostly due to them being passed around between owners while still in the non running project stage.
Finally, a note to some buyers...be realistic in what you expect of a shop in terms of liability for the history of a vehicle. We shop owners buy cars from the same places you guys do in most cases...this forum, autotrader, craigslist. We do not know the life histories of these cars any more than you would if you bought them from these same sources. IT is entirely possible that if there is a problem with a car's history, we got screwed on the deal too. So why should we be held responsible for their life histories that you may later uncover?
All we can do is drag them home, go through them as best we reasonably can, get them running and post them for sale along with what information we can observe about the car. But there can always be hidden stuff in a car's history that the current day shop has no responsibility for.
Carfax and similar reports are imperfect and are only as good as info reported to insurance, state registrations, and police agencies. Most people who do illegal stuff with cars make it a point not to use these agencies to begin with, so it's no surprise that there is sometimes some history with the car that does not show up on a report...especially when you are dealing with old cars from a time when the reporting was not so stringent as it is now.
I'm not trying to say that all shops should be released from all liability across the board, but I think that needs to be stated so that unrealistic buyers won't be like "BUT YOU'RE A SHOP, YOU MUST KNOW EVERY DETAIL ABOUT THIS CAR SINCE IT CAME OFF THE ASSEMBLY LINE BECAUSE YOU ARE AN EXPERT ON THIS CAR, AND I'M MAD AT YOU FOR NOT TELLING ME ABOUT THIS DETAIL". Sorry, but the real world doesn't work that way.
In technical response to some of your questions...
1) I am fairly certain that UPA does full NS conversions on their cars, to keep them as simple as possible, since the engines are already apart anyway. The poor man's NS is for cars with existing engines installed in the car and the owner doesn't want to take it all apart for the full removal/conversion. IF you don't have a bunch of solenoids and hoses under the intake manifold, you have the full conversion.
2) Idle can be set via the PFC (if so equipped) and via the throttle body manual setting. Sometimes no emissions and/or ported cars idle rough at stock 800rpm idle, so you raise the idle a bit to compensate and help it run smoother. This is not a bad thing, but some people don't like it. You can experiment with idle by tinkering with throttle body adjustments, but if you're not a technically-savvy person I would not recommend fooling with it.
3) The clutch pedal needs adjusted. There is an adjustment nut and rod near the top of the pedal under the dash. You need a 10 and 12mm wrench to adjust it. You can set the engagement point to just about wherever you want it.
4) anywhere except the back of the water pump housing (or block) is an incorrect position for a gauge. IF you can come up with a 1/8-28 BSP male to 1/8-27 NPT female adapter, you can remove the stock dash temp gauge sensor from the block under the oil filter and install an aftermarket sender for a gauge there.
5) Look at the a/c lines on the passenger side of the engine bay by the turbos and strut tower. On the top fitting, if you see a larger (about the size of a thumb) aluminum fitting with no external threads screwed onto the stock tube, then you have a 134 retrofit. IF you see a smaller fitting about the size of your pinky finger that is part of the pipe and has external threads on it, then this is the stock R12 fitting. Also it is not uncommon for a/c systems in these old cars to work okay one week and not work the next. The o-rings between each pipe fitting harden over time and form a collective leak. The system will work until the pressure switch detects overall pressure below 25psi or so, and then it will keep the compressor from coming on regardless of the switch on the dash. So one week the system can be 26psi and work okay, the next week it's leaked to 24psi and it blows hot because the a/c isn't actually coming on due to the protection switch. A recharge/topoff will temporarily get the a/c working again in these cases, but the proper method is a discharge, disassembly and install new o-rings and drier, pull a vacuum and fill with new oil and refrigerant if you want it to last more than a year or 2.
6) Access the fuel pump in the hatch. With the sending unit/bracket plugged up and the ignition switch on, move the float up and down and see if the gauge responds after 30 seconds. It could be a bad gauge or a flaky sending unit.
7) find the lower radiator hose on the bottom front of the engine. Look behind the point where the hose slides onto the metal pipe housing from the engine. Is there a round black sensor on the engine about as big as your fist? If so, that is the OMP. If not, there will be a blockoff plate bolted to the engine block and your OMP is deleted.
I can say that I've been buying and selling hundreds of cars as a "shop owner" since I got into the rotary game in 99, and it is not uncommon for rx7s to have hidden prior damage that no one knows about. These are not the kind of car you buy and own for 15 years, they are the kind people buy, play with for a few months or a couple years, then trade or sell. So most have been through 5+ owners by now and it is very hard to know the true history of a car, whether or not you are a shop owner.
I can't count how many times I have taken apart or sanded down a car that looked straight and pretty original, only to find evidence of minor or major previous damage. Except for a paint/body expert (not all mechanical/performance shops are such) most people would never be able to tell by looking.
I also find an above average number of title and registration issues with these cars, mostly due to them being passed around between owners while still in the non running project stage.
Finally, a note to some buyers...be realistic in what you expect of a shop in terms of liability for the history of a vehicle. We shop owners buy cars from the same places you guys do in most cases...this forum, autotrader, craigslist. We do not know the life histories of these cars any more than you would if you bought them from these same sources. IT is entirely possible that if there is a problem with a car's history, we got screwed on the deal too. So why should we be held responsible for their life histories that you may later uncover?
All we can do is drag them home, go through them as best we reasonably can, get them running and post them for sale along with what information we can observe about the car. But there can always be hidden stuff in a car's history that the current day shop has no responsibility for.
Carfax and similar reports are imperfect and are only as good as info reported to insurance, state registrations, and police agencies. Most people who do illegal stuff with cars make it a point not to use these agencies to begin with, so it's no surprise that there is sometimes some history with the car that does not show up on a report...especially when you are dealing with old cars from a time when the reporting was not so stringent as it is now.
I'm not trying to say that all shops should be released from all liability across the board, but I think that needs to be stated so that unrealistic buyers won't be like "BUT YOU'RE A SHOP, YOU MUST KNOW EVERY DETAIL ABOUT THIS CAR SINCE IT CAME OFF THE ASSEMBLY LINE BECAUSE YOU ARE AN EXPERT ON THIS CAR, AND I'M MAD AT YOU FOR NOT TELLING ME ABOUT THIS DETAIL". Sorry, but the real world doesn't work that way.
In technical response to some of your questions...
1) I am fairly certain that UPA does full NS conversions on their cars, to keep them as simple as possible, since the engines are already apart anyway. The poor man's NS is for cars with existing engines installed in the car and the owner doesn't want to take it all apart for the full removal/conversion. IF you don't have a bunch of solenoids and hoses under the intake manifold, you have the full conversion.
2) Idle can be set via the PFC (if so equipped) and via the throttle body manual setting. Sometimes no emissions and/or ported cars idle rough at stock 800rpm idle, so you raise the idle a bit to compensate and help it run smoother. This is not a bad thing, but some people don't like it. You can experiment with idle by tinkering with throttle body adjustments, but if you're not a technically-savvy person I would not recommend fooling with it.
3) The clutch pedal needs adjusted. There is an adjustment nut and rod near the top of the pedal under the dash. You need a 10 and 12mm wrench to adjust it. You can set the engagement point to just about wherever you want it.
4) anywhere except the back of the water pump housing (or block) is an incorrect position for a gauge. IF you can come up with a 1/8-28 BSP male to 1/8-27 NPT female adapter, you can remove the stock dash temp gauge sensor from the block under the oil filter and install an aftermarket sender for a gauge there.
5) Look at the a/c lines on the passenger side of the engine bay by the turbos and strut tower. On the top fitting, if you see a larger (about the size of a thumb) aluminum fitting with no external threads screwed onto the stock tube, then you have a 134 retrofit. IF you see a smaller fitting about the size of your pinky finger that is part of the pipe and has external threads on it, then this is the stock R12 fitting. Also it is not uncommon for a/c systems in these old cars to work okay one week and not work the next. The o-rings between each pipe fitting harden over time and form a collective leak. The system will work until the pressure switch detects overall pressure below 25psi or so, and then it will keep the compressor from coming on regardless of the switch on the dash. So one week the system can be 26psi and work okay, the next week it's leaked to 24psi and it blows hot because the a/c isn't actually coming on due to the protection switch. A recharge/topoff will temporarily get the a/c working again in these cases, but the proper method is a discharge, disassembly and install new o-rings and drier, pull a vacuum and fill with new oil and refrigerant if you want it to last more than a year or 2.
6) Access the fuel pump in the hatch. With the sending unit/bracket plugged up and the ignition switch on, move the float up and down and see if the gauge responds after 30 seconds. It could be a bad gauge or a flaky sending unit.
7) find the lower radiator hose on the bottom front of the engine. Look behind the point where the hose slides onto the metal pipe housing from the engine. Is there a round black sensor on the engine about as big as your fist? If so, that is the OMP. If not, there will be a blockoff plate bolted to the engine block and your OMP is deleted.
06-03-13, 10:45 PM
#10
After 2 years of searching for a FD, I was finally able to purchase one a little over a month ago. I bought the car from Addicted Performance Unlimited in TN. I see that they are a reputable shop and specialized in rotaries. The car was listed as a 1 owner, new engine rebuild, non-sequential conversion, and no grind 5th gear, and low miles around 58k. Due to my location and work, I could not afford to fly over and take a look at the vehicle. I texted and called Zachary of Addicted Performance to get some info and pictures. He was very responsive, and received an answer promptly. He assured me that the car is mechanically sound, and the VIN pulled up a clean report. We decided on a price and it was lower than the listed price, but the shop was willing to let it go.
I'd like to hear what Addicted Performance Unlimited have to say about the One Owner and the Low Miles around 58K
And about the VIN Pulled a clean report ? What report he used to sell the car ?
I'd like to hear what Addicted Performance Unlimited have to say about the One Owner and the Low Miles around 58K
And about the VIN Pulled a clean report ? What report he used to sell the car ?
06-03-13, 11:15 PM
#11
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After 2 years of searching for a FD, I was finally able to purchase one a little over a month ago. I bought the car from Addicted Performance Unlimited in TN. I see that they are a reputable shop and specialized in rotaries. The car was listed as a 1 owner, new engine rebuild, non-sequential conversion, and no grind 5th gear, and low miles around 58k. Due to my location and work, I could not afford to fly over and take a look at the vehicle. I texted and called Zachary of Addicted Performance to get some info and pictures. He was very responsive, and received an answer promptly. He assured me that the car is mechanically sound, and the VIN pulled up a clean report. We decided on a price and it was lower than the listed price, but the shop was willing to let it go.
I'd like to hear what Addicted Performance Unlimited have to say about the One Owner and the Low Miles around 58K
And about the VIN Pulled a clean report ? What report he used to sell the car ?
I'd like to hear what Addicted Performance Unlimited have to say about the One Owner and the Low Miles around 58K
And about the VIN Pulled a clean report ? What report he used to sell the car ?
06-04-13, 12:36 AM
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I just got home from work and will answer some of the posted questions. Zach has contacted me regarding my concerns. Unfortunately, I could not speak to him regarding the matter as it is late now and I do not want to call anyone at this hour. I did not make this thread to slander or bring down Zach, nor his shop..I was frustrated that I could not get any sort of answers. I realized that I could probably troubleshoot and find all the answers myself, but it would have been easier to just ask the builder. I am not mechanically inclined to break this engine down to the rotors, but I am pretty sure I can do most of the reliability mods and bolt ons. If it was my intention to bad mouth them, I would have done it a month ago when it occurred.
Zach sent me the VIN and I used Autocheck which did not pulled up anything but a cleaned record. (If I would have used carfax, then I would have found the mileage discrepancy sooner)
It did not have anything else on the bottom besides a glossary of terms. But the report shows a clean record with no accidents and clean title.
Finally, a note to some buyers...be realistic in what you expect of a shop in terms of liability for the history of a vehicle. We shop owners buy cars from the same places you guys do in most cases...this forum, autotrader, craigslist. We do not know the life histories of these cars any more than you would if you bought them from these same sources. IT is entirely possible that if there is a problem with a car's history, we got screwed on the deal too. So why should we be held responsible for their life histories that you may later uncover?
I agree with you;however, as a buyer the key selling points in the advertisement is New rebuilt engine, 1 owner, 58k miles. After forking all the money down, I understood there will be minor problems with the car due to the age, but I did not pay get what I paid for (low miles chassis).
I'm not trying to say that all shops should be released from all liability across the board, but I think that needs to be stated so that unrealistic buyers won't be like "BUT YOU'RE A SHOP, YOU MUST KNOW EVERY DETAIL ABOUT THIS CAR SINCE IT CAME OFF THE ASSEMBLY LINE BECAUSE YOU ARE AN EXPERT ON THIS CAR, AND I'M MAD AT YOU FOR NOT TELLING ME ABOUT THIS DETAIL". Sorry, but the real world doesn't work that way.
In technical response to some of your questions...
I appreciate your insight on the matter and the questions I posted. Your answers have been very helpful.
I pulled the report after the shop gave me the VIN. I used Autocheck and not Carfax before the purchase (I didnt realize Carfax would be much different from Autocheck).
Zach texted me with a new phone number and that he has a new number now...maybe that is why I couldn't get in contact with him since I bought the car in April?
Finally, a note to some buyers...be realistic in what you expect of a shop in terms of liability for the history of a vehicle. We shop owners buy cars from the same places you guys do in most cases...this forum, autotrader, craigslist. We do not know the life histories of these cars any more than you would if you bought them from these same sources. IT is entirely possible that if there is a problem with a car's history, we got screwed on the deal too. So why should we be held responsible for their life histories that you may later uncover?
I agree with you;however, as a buyer the key selling points in the advertisement is New rebuilt engine, 1 owner, 58k miles. After forking all the money down, I understood there will be minor problems with the car due to the age, but I did not pay get what I paid for (low miles chassis).
I'm not trying to say that all shops should be released from all liability across the board, but I think that needs to be stated so that unrealistic buyers won't be like "BUT YOU'RE A SHOP, YOU MUST KNOW EVERY DETAIL ABOUT THIS CAR SINCE IT CAME OFF THE ASSEMBLY LINE BECAUSE YOU ARE AN EXPERT ON THIS CAR, AND I'M MAD AT YOU FOR NOT TELLING ME ABOUT THIS DETAIL". Sorry, but the real world doesn't work that way.
In technical response to some of your questions...
Zach texted me with a new phone number and that he has a new number now...maybe that is why I couldn't get in contact with him since I bought the car in April?
06-04-13, 10:43 AM
#14
The only goal at this point for us is to make the buyer happy. The car was advertised 100% correct from us to the buyer via phone conversations. This is the car in question as a few of you might remember it.
https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generati...-lock-1021592/
This is how it was advertised from initial buy to being later said.
The car was said to be a 2 owner, but only one on paper as the last owner of many years never did register it.
If my personal cell phone has been tried to be reached then there is a reason why I have not answered. Our first dealings were all done outside of the shop ( on my personal cell phone) and all of his problems were addressed ( including money returned after a hefty lowball) in a very timely manor.....
Now with this being said we have 4 emails, a shop number listed 4-5 places online, and I personally never once received any kind of contact. We stay busy here ( as all shops do) and sometimes cannot be a direct help to everyone 24/7. I have terrible service inside the shop and an Iphone and ask people to please call the shop especially during business hours if they need to contact me.
As soon as I heard of this thread I personally contacted the OP to see what was the problem. We will continue to work with him so possibly he can be happy. Hopefully he can contact me now in order to answer all the small questions he might have.
-The Addicted
https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generati...-lock-1021592/
This is how it was advertised from initial buy to being later said.
The car was said to be a 2 owner, but only one on paper as the last owner of many years never did register it.
If my personal cell phone has been tried to be reached then there is a reason why I have not answered. Our first dealings were all done outside of the shop ( on my personal cell phone) and all of his problems were addressed ( including money returned after a hefty lowball) in a very timely manor.....
Now with this being said we have 4 emails, a shop number listed 4-5 places online, and I personally never once received any kind of contact. We stay busy here ( as all shops do) and sometimes cannot be a direct help to everyone 24/7. I have terrible service inside the shop and an Iphone and ask people to please call the shop especially during business hours if they need to contact me.
As soon as I heard of this thread I personally contacted the OP to see what was the problem. We will continue to work with him so possibly he can be happy. Hopefully he can contact me now in order to answer all the small questions he might have.
-The Addicted
06-04-13, 05:32 PM
#15
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The shop did compensate me for the extra transfer fees..even though it was barely what I asked for. I asked to split the 1k extra charge..and only accepted the 200 because the guy(not zach) would not budge from the original $100! I even said that I was willing to take parts for the car as a fair trade. Anyway, I haven't complained nor demanded anything extra since that last conversation.
The main reason I was calling and texting your personal cell phone(did not realize that you had a personal and new phone), was because that was the number in the original sales ad. Also, I was under the impression that it was the main contact number since that was the only contact phone we used for the whole transaction.
I did not try to email you because the last time I tried, yahoo sent it back saying that that your email server was down or it was an invalid email; hence, I called you with the first list of questions back then. I did try the shop a couple times. Twice I did not get an answer, and the third time..the worker said you were running for parts and would be the best person to answer my questions.
I do appreciate your response. From the original for sale thread the engine does looks terrible. It looks like it was an honest mistake regarding the mileage issue as the seller did post the same mileage in that thread.
Mods can move this out of the bad section, back to the shop section, or do as they see fit.
The main reason I was calling and texting your personal cell phone(did not realize that you had a personal and new phone), was because that was the number in the original sales ad. Also, I was under the impression that it was the main contact number since that was the only contact phone we used for the whole transaction.
I did not try to email you because the last time I tried, yahoo sent it back saying that that your email server was down or it was an invalid email; hence, I called you with the first list of questions back then. I did try the shop a couple times. Twice I did not get an answer, and the third time..the worker said you were running for parts and would be the best person to answer my questions.
I do appreciate your response. From the original for sale thread the engine does looks terrible. It looks like it was an honest mistake regarding the mileage issue as the seller did post the same mileage in that thread.
Mods can move this out of the bad section, back to the shop section, or do as they see fit.
06-04-13, 06:21 PM
#16
I'm interested to hear more about the hoops you had to jump through and fees to pay to register the car, and why? These sound more like issues with your home state's registration process for individual purchases, rather than an error or problem on the part of the shop/seller.
As a TN resident who has bought and sold many vehicles, I can vouch for the fact that as a seller, all you are legally required to do is convey a valid (not branded as destroyed or stolen, no leins) title to the vehicle, and as a buyer all we have to do here is walk into the DMV/county office with a title signed by the registered owner (printed on the front of the title) and your signature as buyer on the back, pay state sales tax on the purchase price, and walk out with tags and registration. So long as the title has no "funny business" as it makes it through the state office in Nashville for processing, you get your new TN title in the mail with your name as owner within 2-3 weeks.
Are you sure you aren't confusing your state sales tax as 'fees"?
As a TN resident who has bought and sold many vehicles, I can vouch for the fact that as a seller, all you are legally required to do is convey a valid (not branded as destroyed or stolen, no leins) title to the vehicle, and as a buyer all we have to do here is walk into the DMV/county office with a title signed by the registered owner (printed on the front of the title) and your signature as buyer on the back, pay state sales tax on the purchase price, and walk out with tags and registration. So long as the title has no "funny business" as it makes it through the state office in Nashville for processing, you get your new TN title in the mail with your name as owner within 2-3 weeks.
Are you sure you aren't confusing your state sales tax as 'fees"?
06-04-13, 08:22 PM
#17
There are no "fees" for titling an open title unless the title was signed (and dated) more than 30 days prior to registering it. It's no where near $1000.
The only way that fee could be that high is if the new owner was getting a loan and will only cut the check to the titled owner. If Zach had an open title and had to title it in his name before selling to you he may have had to pass that "fee/tax" on to you.
The only way that fee could be that high is if the new owner was getting a loan and will only cut the check to the titled owner. If Zach had an open title and had to title it in his name before selling to you he may have had to pass that "fee/tax" on to you.
06-04-13, 09:11 PM
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Sorry I did not mean fees. Basically I could not register the car because the I needed the title owner's driver license/state id/ or a notarized proof of residency outside of LA to complete the process. Without it I could not do the title transfer and register the car. At that present moment I did not know that Zach was not the owner of the car. Anyway, he said to give him a day or two to track down the title owner to get his driver license. Basically he was unsuccessful and i thought I would be left with a chunk of metal. I found out that I could do a double transfer which means that I will have to pay double taxes. I would pay the taxes for the guy on the title and for mine in LA. I take full responsibility for my own taxes...as this was a no brainer. However, I dont think I should be fully responsible since they could not send me a picture of the driver license to finish the title transfer.
06-05-13, 12:47 AM
#19
That sounds...fishy...to me. Primarily because it is perfectly possible and legal to own a vehicle but not possess a driver's license, and thus it would not be feasible to require a seller to submit their drivers license to the buyer in order to legally complete the sale. This sounds like some BS being fed to you by an overzealous DMV employee.
But then again, I don't live in your state and have never sold to anyone who does.
However, there are these resources, none of which say anything about a driver's license from the last registered owner...
How to Register a Vehicle in Louisiana | OMV
Louisiana Car Registration Guide - Renewals, Changing States, New Vehicle Purchases, Non Operational at DMV.org: The DMV Made Simple
And here, I think may hold the answer:
How do I register a vehicle purchased out-of-state?
The title was "open" meaning the previous registered owner could not be tracked down to notarize the title itself or submit a notarized statement denying that he was a resident of your state. However there is still a third option stated there, a notarized bill of sale. So it seems like all you had to do was have the shop draw up a bill of sale and have it notarized (by a notary outside of the state of LA) and bring it with you and you could have avoided the double-tax situation.
IT seems to me that your state's (somewhat oddball) registration laws and requirements are not the concern or responsibility of an out of state seller, rather they are yours to research in advance, know about and make sure they get met during a vehicle purchase. I always know what to ask about and check for on vehicle titles when buying used cars, because I am the one who is going to have to deal with registration later and it's my responsibility to be sure it can be done without issue.
In my opinion, you should have known the vehicle registration procedure for your state before considering any out-of-state vehicle purchase. IF I were the seller in this case I would not accept any responsibility for this issue since you did not bring up your state's requirements before/during purchase.
But then again, I don't live in your state and have never sold to anyone who does.
However, there are these resources, none of which say anything about a driver's license from the last registered owner...
How to Register a Vehicle in Louisiana | OMV
Louisiana Car Registration Guide - Renewals, Changing States, New Vehicle Purchases, Non Operational at DMV.org: The DMV Made Simple
And here, I think may hold the answer:
How do I register a vehicle purchased out-of-state?
The title was "open" meaning the previous registered owner could not be tracked down to notarize the title itself or submit a notarized statement denying that he was a resident of your state. However there is still a third option stated there, a notarized bill of sale. So it seems like all you had to do was have the shop draw up a bill of sale and have it notarized (by a notary outside of the state of LA) and bring it with you and you could have avoided the double-tax situation.
IT seems to me that your state's (somewhat oddball) registration laws and requirements are not the concern or responsibility of an out of state seller, rather they are yours to research in advance, know about and make sure they get met during a vehicle purchase. I always know what to ask about and check for on vehicle titles when buying used cars, because I am the one who is going to have to deal with registration later and it's my responsibility to be sure it can be done without issue.
In my opinion, you should have known the vehicle registration procedure for your state before considering any out-of-state vehicle purchase. IF I were the seller in this case I would not accept any responsibility for this issue since you did not bring up your state's requirements before/during purchase.
06-06-13, 01:56 AM
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That sounds...fishy...to me. Primarily because it is perfectly possible and legal to own a vehicle but not possess a driver's license, and thus it would not be feasible to require a seller to submit their drivers license to the buyer in order to legally complete the sale. This sounds like some BS being fed to you by an overzealous DMV employee.
---There must be alot of overzealous employees then...I went to 1 dmv, called another dmv, and a checked with a title transfer shop...they all said the same thing.
---I needed proof that the owner was a nonresident of LA, and the easiest way was to show the driver license. The shop would not be able to get a notorized bill of sale if they did not have one to begin with since you will need the owner present for the notary. If I cannot get in contact with the guy to get the ID/license..then a notorized bill of sale and affidavit is out the question.
IT seems to me that your state's (somewhat oddball) registration laws and requirements are not the concern or responsibility of an out of state seller, rather they are yours to research in advance, know about and make sure they get met during a vehicle purchase. I always know what to ask about and check for on vehicle titles when buying used cars, because I am the one who is going to have to deal with registration later and it's my responsibility to be sure it can be done without issue.
In my opinion, you should have known the vehicle registration procedure for your state before considering any out-of-state vehicle purchase. IF I were the seller in this case I would not accept any responsibility for this issue since you did not bring up your state's requirements before/during purchase.
---There must be alot of overzealous employees then...I went to 1 dmv, called another dmv, and a checked with a title transfer shop...they all said the same thing.
---I needed proof that the owner was a nonresident of LA, and the easiest way was to show the driver license. The shop would not be able to get a notorized bill of sale if they did not have one to begin with since you will need the owner present for the notary. If I cannot get in contact with the guy to get the ID/license..then a notorized bill of sale and affidavit is out the question.
IT seems to me that your state's (somewhat oddball) registration laws and requirements are not the concern or responsibility of an out of state seller, rather they are yours to research in advance, know about and make sure they get met during a vehicle purchase. I always know what to ask about and check for on vehicle titles when buying used cars, because I am the one who is going to have to deal with registration later and it's my responsibility to be sure it can be done without issue.
In my opinion, you should have known the vehicle registration procedure for your state before considering any out-of-state vehicle purchase. IF I were the seller in this case I would not accept any responsibility for this issue since you did not bring up your state's requirements before/during purchase.
All the cars I have bought in the past are new from the dealership. This is my first time buying a used car from a third party. This is not something I do on a daily basis to know what to expect. I was under the impression that the person I was dealing with was the owner of the vehicle. Zach assured me that he had sold cars and shipped them before with no problems which would have went flawlessly if we had that last piece to the puzzle. He said that he had the title and it was clean. I had no idea that it was not under his name until I received the title in the mail. After finding out that Zach was not the title owner, I was belittled at why he could not obtain an ID for a car in his shop. I thought he was fixing it for a friend or customer and was helping them sell it...and could not rationalize why that person would go missing. Zach told me that he cannot disclose any information about this title owner which made it real fishy..but I work in the medical field and understand hippa and privacy laws...so I gave him the benefit of doubt.
Until reading that previous post from APU, I would have never thought the car came from this forum from a guy in FL in that condition. Now I can understand why APU might have not been able to contact this guy. Also, it answered the mileage issue. I guess I am naive in this car restoring and selling business.
I am pretty sure we both did not see that issue coming and we both can learn from this experience. I know what to look for when I buy a used car now, and APU should request a copy of the ID/license of the cars they buy in and/or get a notorized bill of sale.
What is done is done. The main purpose of this thread was to find some answers which I have been able to do so.
