Topic: #SMGMotoring = Do Not USE this shop!

[SKY888]

Well for the past few days, while the head of my engine was out, Rick Gifford aka BTF (my current engine builder/tuner) discovered something

#SMGmotoring  #fredsimmonsjr is a CROOK!!! Save your money, and go somewhere else!


He supposed to install aftermarket valves that I supplied to him, and do valve job/headwork but he ripped me off!

He never did any headwork! Plus on top of that, he plugged old stock valves on my head! He even used different kinds of valves!

#SMGmotoring #fredsimmonsjr is a POS scumbag!


My biggest fault was I was not at his shop when he installed the head back to the engine


I paid him full price and referred customers to his shop, in return he stole my aftermarket valves, and didn't do his job!

Even my good friend Joshua Guzzetti with his solstice "project scarab", this SMG shop installed used cam followers which caused the catastrophic engine damage on his build

[ryansalazan]

Wow man, sorry to hear that! Now do you believe me when I said that exhaust manifold that came in that kit was a POS? lol That same company made it and once higher boost was made on that manifold, that crap started cracking and what not. lol

[roxer]

Call him and use the word  "Lawsuit".

[Sting Ya]

You need to contact your states Attorney General's Office you obviously have a case of fraud

[SKY888]

I would like to bring him to court.


The problem is, he installed the head around 2011, and I pull the car away from his shop June 2012.

BTF had my car since then.

BTF didn't start working on the car til 2013.

When he recently removed the head to replace the headgasket, he noticed that a valve look different. Then upon closer inspection, he saw 3 intake valves as well as 3 exhaust valves were different!


I confronted SMG yesterday, and he denied everything. He said that he worked on the car soooo long ago.
That he installed all parts I gave him, and he worked on my head.

I told him that it's only him who touched my head, and Rick removed it recently and discovered all these mess.

But he just denied everything.

If we go to court, since he installed this 3 yrs ago, it will just be a he said ....i said battle.
How can I prove to the judge my accusations towards him? He can easily say that I replaced the head to stock during the last 3 years, and now blaming him

[Dave@DDMworks]

Is that cylinder head machining as bad as it looks in the pictures or it is just an optical illusion? If you are having issues with sealing the head gasket, I would have the cylinder head re-surfaced, that finish looks rough.

[Jim]

Does look like it was hit with a belt sander....

Since the amount of time has passed since he took advantage of you, the case would be impossible to prove but at least you have let others know and his reputation will catch up with him.

[Yogi]

I'm no lawyer, but it seems to me that if you have receipts for the valves that you gave him, and that Rick has now found that the valves that you gave to him were not installed, that you would have a case for action.  It's not an easy case, but a case nonetheless. 

The fact that 3 years has elapsed since he did the work should be irrelevant.  What else were you supposed to do?  Take everything back apart the day that you got the car back to inspect his work?  Totally unreasonable!

Good luck, Antonio!

Yogi

[SKY888]

Is that cylinder head machining as bad as it looks in the pictures or it is just an optical illusion? If you are having issues with sealing the head gasket, I would have the cylinder head re-surfaced, that finish looks rough.

BTF will send my head out to be machined, have a valve job, and etc.

[SKY888]

Does look like it was hit with a belt sander....

Since the amount of time has passed since he took advantage of you, the case would be impossible to prove but at least you have let others know and his reputation will catch up with him.

Yeah, I just need the community know about SMG.

I used to refer other kappa owners to SMG such as gasngo, and others for dyno tuning and etc.

But after this, people should stay away from that shop

[SKY888]

I'm no lawyer, but it seems to me that if you have receipts for the valves that you gave him, and that Rick has now found that the valves that you gave to him were not installed, that you would have a case for action.  It's not an easy case, but a case nonetheless. 

The fact that 3 years has elapsed since he did the work should be irrelevant.  What else were you supposed to do?  Take everything back apart the day that you got the car back to inspect his work?  Totally unreasonable!

Good luck, Antonio!

Yogi

I have the receipts of all the parts supplier to SMG.
Even the labor receipt I paid for the work he did.

But for less than $1k of headwork and valves, it's really hard to prove to the judge especially if it's been 3 years. It will be in a small claims court since it's less than $5k.

Even if I win, he probably won't pay me back.
It will be a waste of my money, time, Vacation days, etc going all thru that.

[elff]

File a complaint with the BBB.

That at least won't tie up vacation days and if people research that, it will give them a black mark and they might help out with some stuff

[miller11386]

File a complaint with the BBB.

That at least won't tie up vacation days and if people research that, it will give them a black mark and they might help out with some stuff

This. Definitely report to the BBB. They will go the extra mile as long as you have all the receipts to prove you had work done and it wasn't completed. Also have BTF write a report of the issues on the car and document his findings in writing.

[username]

I would love to hear and see both sides of the story before the forum collectively lynches someone.

[Sting Ya]

The BBB is a joke it's an organization that collects money from people to join then publishes reviews who the vendors hope will increase  business they have no clout other then a bad review and many businesses don't subscribe so if the people who you are having an issue with are not members you are SOL.I base my statement from personal experience . Just something I want to add if you do ask them to mediate for you  better have a ton of documentation and again the other party is not obligated to abide by the mediators decision .

[elff]

What the heck?? you were the Lynch Mob in another thread.

I'm not piling on, I just don't have some pathologic desire to "hear both sides"

Personally I think the pictures speak for themselves and that Antonio has proof about the parts he provided and proof that those are not the parts in the head

[Sting Ya]

Maybe Robert's issue  needed a "Lynch Mob" to finally get his problem solved ?

[SKY888]

I would love to hear and see both sides of the story before the forum collectively lynches someone.

Dude, I documented my build from start to finish.

If something breaks, I say it without hiding anything.

If something works, I say it.


If someone screws me, I'll announce it.

[Sol Asylum]

Call your state attorney generals office and file a fraud claim.  They will investigate and prosecute if they think there is a case, it won't cost you a thing.

[SKY888]

Call your state attorney generals office and file a fraud claim.  They will investigate and prosecute if they think there is a case, it won't cost you a thing.

Thank you.

I might do this.

[SKY888]

The BBB is a joke it's an organization that collects money from people to join then publishes reviews who the vendors hope will increase  business they have no clout other then a bad review and many businesses don't subscribe so if the people who you are having an issue with are not members you are SOL.I base my statement from personal experience . Just something I want to add if you do ask them to mediate for you  better have a ton of documentation and again the other party is not obligated to abide by the mediators decision .

I agree.

Plus I do not think SMG motoring is in BBB
I tried searching didn't find any

[Gentleman Jack]

Give SMG one more chance. Get on the phone with you and BtF on one end and SMG on the other. Describe what you found. Good chance they agree to pay for the correct valves and ship them to you.
It won't make everything right, but it will be the best situation for both sides.

[username]

Dude, I documented my build from start to finish.

If something breaks, I say it without hiding anything.

If something works, I say it.


If someone screws me, I'll announce it.

Just very interesting to see the difference in response to your claims (which are quite likely true) against this shop that nobody has ever heard of, versus better documented claims (ie: updates as they happen over more than a year) against shops that happen to be sponsors of this and other forums, who have a pattern of not delivering or delivering late.

[elff]

A bunch of us have heard of this shop.  If you are not in the New England area though you might not have.  They are not a Kappa sponsor on any of the Kappa forums, so that's why most people have not heard of them vs other ones that post on the 3 main Kappa forums.

Antonio had a child and built a house, which put this car project on hold.   

In this case, there is visual proof of what occurred and even with that, this thread has gotten less traction than the other threads.

You post is only on page 1.  compare that to the other threads. 

[SKY888]

Give SMG one more chance. Get on the phone with you and BtF on one end and SMG on the other. Describe what you found. Good chance they agree to pay for the correct valves and ship them to you.
It won't make everything right, but it will be the best situation for both sides.

When I confronted SMG, I actually showed him the photos.

All his response was "I installed your parts. Your car was pulled out from my shop 3 yrs ago"
"I really don't know what else to say and do"

I told him....do the right thing!

But again, he just denied....