shadango
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2009
- Messages
- 814
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So a few weeks ago I was a local cruise and ran into this guy I had seen before a time or two....a real nice 69 (?) Dart.
We had talked only once before, but you know how us Mopar people are...one chat about Mopars and you are friends for life. LOL
Anyways, during a conversation with him and another guy, he mentions to me that he has a used SSBC rear brake system for sale on craigslist.
Seeing as I was about to swap my housing anyways, I was interested. When he told me the price I was more interested. $200. The kit sells for about $450 brand new. His kit was "3 years old or so but lightly used" and "complete - everything you will need to do the install!" Then he said "In fact, as part of the deal I will press on the new bearings for you...."
Turns out he is an instructor for a local auto mechanics school.
Anyways, I tell him I will think on it. After finding his ad, (which was out there for a few weeks with no bites I might add) I called to let him know that I was interested but first I wanted to see how hard it would be to get parts later down the line if needed. "Everything you need is in the box." I said I wanted to see how hard it was to find replacement pads, rotors etc since he said he "THINKS" it was an SSBC kit but wasnt sure. (He did not buy it...it came on his car, a fresh build when he bought it 3 years back.)
So anyways I found the info I needed and decided I would buy the kit and gamble that the parts lasted a few years at least.
I didnt haggle on price AT ALL, since it was "a complete kit"....exactly how it came off my car." Complete and free bearing press (although it turns out I had to drive to him, some 50 miles round trip, so not so free).....
I met him on his turf at work and he made me feel like he only had a moment so I basically just handed him the $200...and my new bearings and axles. He told me a day, two at most to press the bearings on and he would call me. 4 days later he finally had the axles done after I texted and asked him if he had done them yet....I was trying to do this swap over the long holiday weekend. He said he would do them that night (friday). I met him that night , got my axles and we chatted...again we talked about how everything I needed was in the box and it should take just a couple hours to convert. We parted.
During the install the next day I found the kit was missing 4 caliper mounting bolts, two adapters for the brake line-to-hoses and (the biggest hit) one of the special banjo bolts with bleeder built in which I could find no where. These missing pieces mean the kit is USELESS without.
(I know, same on me for not inventorying before I left him my money and for not doing so at least before starting the install.)
I called him at 1 pm that day and explained and he said he would check his stash at work, but he couldn't do that for a few days (holiday weekend). But that he would call me tuesday evening and let me know. He never called.
Disappointed I was, because now I just lost three days of worktime on the car.
Long story short I tracked down most the parts myself over the next 5 days (car is out of commish this whole time) except the banjo bleeder deal.
He had not gotten back to me so I texted him asking him if he found the parts on thursday morning.
"Sorry, no. Try NAPA." he replied.
So I texted back and suggested that since he had promised the box was complete, that I might be due some of the $38 in parts I have had to buy so far. I was very nice about it.
He said he was sorry for my frustration, but simply put the kit back in the box , pay him $65 for the labor he put into pressing the bearings on and he would refund my $200 and we can part ways.
I texted back a message telling him I think that attitude sucks and that I never got hosed by a Mopar guy before but I guess there is always the first time. I reiterated how he kept saying the kit was "complete" and wasnt.
No reply yet.
I had to order the banjo bleeder thru summit and they wont have it for 2 weeks they say. I did contact SSBC directly and they may be able to provide one for me sooner.
Am I wrong to be ticked that he is basically saying "f you" ?
We had talked only once before, but you know how us Mopar people are...one chat about Mopars and you are friends for life. LOL
Anyways, during a conversation with him and another guy, he mentions to me that he has a used SSBC rear brake system for sale on craigslist.
Seeing as I was about to swap my housing anyways, I was interested. When he told me the price I was more interested. $200. The kit sells for about $450 brand new. His kit was "3 years old or so but lightly used" and "complete - everything you will need to do the install!" Then he said "In fact, as part of the deal I will press on the new bearings for you...."
Turns out he is an instructor for a local auto mechanics school.
Anyways, I tell him I will think on it. After finding his ad, (which was out there for a few weeks with no bites I might add) I called to let him know that I was interested but first I wanted to see how hard it would be to get parts later down the line if needed. "Everything you need is in the box." I said I wanted to see how hard it was to find replacement pads, rotors etc since he said he "THINKS" it was an SSBC kit but wasnt sure. (He did not buy it...it came on his car, a fresh build when he bought it 3 years back.)
So anyways I found the info I needed and decided I would buy the kit and gamble that the parts lasted a few years at least.
I didnt haggle on price AT ALL, since it was "a complete kit"....exactly how it came off my car." Complete and free bearing press (although it turns out I had to drive to him, some 50 miles round trip, so not so free).....
I met him on his turf at work and he made me feel like he only had a moment so I basically just handed him the $200...and my new bearings and axles. He told me a day, two at most to press the bearings on and he would call me. 4 days later he finally had the axles done after I texted and asked him if he had done them yet....I was trying to do this swap over the long holiday weekend. He said he would do them that night (friday). I met him that night , got my axles and we chatted...again we talked about how everything I needed was in the box and it should take just a couple hours to convert. We parted.
During the install the next day I found the kit was missing 4 caliper mounting bolts, two adapters for the brake line-to-hoses and (the biggest hit) one of the special banjo bolts with bleeder built in which I could find no where. These missing pieces mean the kit is USELESS without.
(I know, same on me for not inventorying before I left him my money and for not doing so at least before starting the install.)
I called him at 1 pm that day and explained and he said he would check his stash at work, but he couldn't do that for a few days (holiday weekend). But that he would call me tuesday evening and let me know. He never called.
Disappointed I was, because now I just lost three days of worktime on the car.
Long story short I tracked down most the parts myself over the next 5 days (car is out of commish this whole time) except the banjo bleeder deal.
He had not gotten back to me so I texted him asking him if he found the parts on thursday morning.
"Sorry, no. Try NAPA." he replied.
So I texted back and suggested that since he had promised the box was complete, that I might be due some of the $38 in parts I have had to buy so far. I was very nice about it.
He said he was sorry for my frustration, but simply put the kit back in the box , pay him $65 for the labor he put into pressing the bearings on and he would refund my $200 and we can part ways.
I texted back a message telling him I think that attitude sucks and that I never got hosed by a Mopar guy before but I guess there is always the first time. I reiterated how he kept saying the kit was "complete" and wasnt.
No reply yet.
I had to order the banjo bleeder thru summit and they wont have it for 2 weeks they say. I did contact SSBC directly and they may be able to provide one for me sooner.
Am I wrong to be ticked that he is basically saying "f you" ?