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I got burned yesterday...

creepycrawly

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Oct 16, 2014
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I usually have pretty good gut instincts and I USUALLY listen to them. Yesterday, I failed to do that and it cost me.

There are 3 points to this thread. 1. I need to bitch. 2. I hope any of you who live in the Memphis area steer clear of this shady business man. 3. Its a friendly reminder to listen to your gut.

I need a 42RLE automatic transmission for a wrangler and I didnt want to wait on one from Davey's, so I checked the ole craigslist. Wouldn't ya know, I found one not too far away. Up in Memphis. Texted the guy, Manny Martinez of MC Property Claims and Roofing, and chatted with him about the transmission. I immediately got a bad feeling and the trans was very dirty so I initially declined.

I waited a couple more days and thought about it more and more. Really wanted this jeep on the road so I texted him and made him an offer. He accepted and we agreed to meet in Holly Springs early Saturday morning for the deal. I specifically asked him twice about the trans having been rained in and he said that it had been covered and that it worked fine. Guy shows up 30 minutes late and in a hurry.

At this point, I again, should have walked away but I didn't. I immediately noticed that the trans has undisclosed damage on the bell housing where someone attempted to grind off and then drill out a bolt. It was cosmetic, but I was still not happy. I told him it wasn't as advertised and if his pictures or add had mentioned that damage, I wouldn't have even considered the transmission. Since he had driven down to meet me, I felt somewhat obligated to buy it. I realize that is my fault, but I try to be a man of my word. He knocked $30 off for the damage. Cool man, thanks and have a nice day.

Get it home and drain it before install...strawberry nesquik and white goop come out of it. I immediately take pictures and send them to him and say that it is full of water. No response. I wait a couple of hours and decide Ill drop the pan for a look-see.

Pan comes off and I find a good 1/4 inch of white **** covering the bottom of the pan along with some leaves. Obviously this trans has been stored outside and uncovered. Send him those pictures as well and get the response that "that water most got in it last nite when those showers went past but d trans work good". So he admitted he left the trans out in the rain with unplugged holes...after he told me it had not been rained in. Great. But this water had been in there for a while and that is what I told him.

Tell him I want my money back and he can have his paper weight back. He tells me he cant take it after I pulled the pan, but once again assures me it works. No, guy, it doesnt. I sent him a link to explain why it would not work after having sat with water in it and he goes silent. Wont respond to texts or emails. I drove to Olive Branch to take his transmission back to him so I dont have to deal with trying to dispose of it, and the address I have for him doesnt seem to be correct.

Ill file a small claims suit this week, but I only have about 55 days left in this state and I doubt that will be time to get a court date. Furthermore, I need his actual address in order to be able to file in court.
Anyone have suggestions for how to find his actual address for legal action? He is on Linkedin and facebook and his number is to his business, but its a residential address that I am almost positive isnt accurate.
 
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kushKrawlin said:
Moral of the story NEVER Buy a transmission for an off-road vehicle from someone who barely speaks English... :smoke:
Me llamo manny de handy man

Kush, you just have all the knowledge. You're supposed to share BEFORE I learn the hard way.
 
I see someone getting many craigslist add phone calls in the near future
 
That sucks, I'm sorry. I don't know what your plans for it are. But if you are going to pull it apart or junk it, if the direct drum has 5 frictions in it I would possibly be interested in it and the pump.

I personally don't ever buy "good" autos used. I presume that any automatic I buy used, no matter what the seller says, is bad and needs to be rebuilt. I'll pay core price for one or not at all.

Davey's isn't fun to deal with either but at least they are honest about what they sell. Personally I find them to be very difficult to work with and mostly overpriced. But sometimes they are the only ones with what you need. I just got two 30RH's from them.
 
patooyee said:
That sucks, I'm sorry. I don't know what your plans for it are. But if you are going to pull it apart or junk it, if the direct drum has 5 frictions in it I would possibly be interested in it and the pump.

I personally don't ever buy "good" autos used. I presume that any automatic I buy used, no matter what the seller says, is bad and needs to be rebuilt. I'll pay core price for one or not at all.

Davey's isn't fun to deal with either but at least they are honest about what they sell. Personally I find them to be very difficult to work with and mostly overpriced. But sometimes they are the only ones with what you need. I just got two 30RH's from them.

I'll give you a shout. Honestly, I was going to drop it on his door step. Davey's isn't that bad on these transmissions. $450 for a known good one plus $200 for shipping or $320 for a junk one. I'd have been miles ahead to deal with someone reputable.
 
creepycrawly said:
I'll give you a shout. Honestly, I was going to drop it on his door step. Davey's isn't that bad on these transmissions. $450 for a known good one plus $200 for shipping or $320 for a junk one. I'd have been miles ahead to deal with someone reputable.
Out of curiosity for the story (maybe you already said,) how much you give for it?
 
Sounds like someone might should have looked at said oil before they bought it. And they wouldn't be in this situation right meow :flipoff1:
 
SHELBS44 said:
Sounds like someone might should have looked at said oil before they bought it. And they wouldn't be in this situation right meow :flipoff1:
And boom goes the dynamite!
 
SHELBS44 said:
Sounds like someone might should have looked at said oil before they bought it. And they wouldn't be in this situation right meow :flipoff1:

Absofuckinglutely. Lesson learned. People suck.
 
Hindsight is a bitch, and i feel for ya, sucks to get ripped


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
hate to hear that bud

I know it is not always ideal, but I try to take someone with me anytime I make a purchase like that. For the 2nd opinion. Sometimes we get excited about the stuff we're buying, or we are busy and just want to speed through the transaction.
 
smbroady82 said:
hate to hear that bud

I know it is not always ideal, but I try to take someone with me anytime I make a purchase like that. For the 2nd opinion. Sometimes we get excited about the stuff we're buying, or we are busy and just want to speed through the transaction.

I agree 100%. I always take someone with me whenever money changes hands. Like you said good to have another set of eyes and ears. Especially, when stuff isn't like it was supposed to be. It's harder for someone to do the "no I didn't say that" stuff when 2 people seen it. Hate it happened creepy crawler.
 
smbroady82 said:
hate to hear that bud

I know it is not always ideal, but I try to take someone with me anytime I make a purchase like that. For the 2nd opinion. Sometimes we get excited about the stuff we're buying, or we are busy and just want to speed through the transaction.

Yeah, my problem was 2 fold. First, I really wanted to be able to drive the jeep yesterday. Second, I knew he had somewhere to be and I tend to be overly considerate of others. So even though I was 10 minutes early and he was half an hour late, I didn't take the time to thoroughly inspect. I focused on the visible damage that was cosmetic and allowed it to captivate my attention. What Shelbs said is right. (Phuck ewe Josh, I'll never say that again), I should have checked the fluid before I bought it. I should have taken a drain pan and I should have said if he was in too big of a hurry, that he should have been on time or that he could keep his trans. But I didn't do that. I wanted it and I took a man at his word. Lesson learned.
 

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