As the title states I would avoid Midway Auto Salvage at all costs unless you like to deal with salesmen who don't want to help you after the sale.

Today I spent $3200 with them on 2 5.3 "lift outs". One has 17k on it and the other has 27k. Before I left the deposit a week ago, I asked what all a "lift out" came with and told the guy (not what I want to call him, but I'm trying to be nice) what I had planned for them. He says motor, trans, acessories, PCM and harness and all of the sensors to make the engine run. No DBW gas pedals, but I could get them later for not too much. OK, cool. So I asked him if he would make a package deal on 2 of them, he said yes. $1500 apiece plus tax. Didn't seem like a bad deal to me considering the mileage, so a deal was struck.

When I picked up the first one, I notice there's no engine cover, TAC module, or MAF, so I went back in to ask about them and he informs me that the MAF doesn't come with it, as it's not on the engine. WTF? It's in the air box he says, that's not on the engine. He didn't even know what the TAC was. So I asked about the engine cover, I KNOW that's on the engine, and he just says we don't have it. I asked if he could get me one, he just says "NO". I asked him what happened to it, and he said "they probably threw it away" So now I'm getting pissed and just take the first one home. When I get home I notice that one of the idler pullys is bent and won't turn, and a couple of the coils are loose in their brackets. Not a big deal, but I'm going to check the next one over real good.

Then I go back to get the next one and I look it over, tensioner pulley broken, 2 coils broken, power steering pump smashed so bad that you couldn't put a cap on it (if it had one, which it didn't). So now I have to go back inside and talk to my favorite salesman in the world! I knew this wasn't going to go well. So I go back in and tell him about the damage, and he starts telling me that I'm being unreasonable since I "already beat him up" over the price in the first place. All I did was ask the question, he quoted me the price, but apparently I'm the dick. So he says "I guess I could take $100 off the price", or he said I could have another engine. Another engine sounds like the way to go since he was going to let me look at it first. Then I asked about the mileage.... 80K, Really? Are you kidding me? So I have him take the $100 off of the price. Has to put it back on the credit card that I used for the $500 deposit, I asked why he couldn't give me one of the 27 one hundred dollar bills I'd just given him, and he just said "NO", with a **** YOU look on his face, then He threw the reciept at me and said "I'm through with you!"

So I told him I was through with him too, and that I would tell everyone I know to not do business with them and he says "GO RIGHT AHEAD, YOU'RE BREAKING MY HEART!!" So I said in a voice loud enough for the other customers to hear that I think their customer service is reall bad, and that someone who just spent over 3 grand with them should maybe be treated a little better. Then I left and took the engine to my buddys, only to realize when I got there that it doesn't have a starter! So needless to say, I'm screwed on that.

But enough of my rant, I'm calming down now, but will never go back there.

BTW, If anyone has a TAC and pedal for a 2006, and 2007 5.3's, I'm in the market for them.

 

Call his boss. If he won't be reasonable, dispute the charge on your credit card! The parts you were supposed to get but did not will probably set you back your deposit amount.

 

I would return the engines and demand my money back. Most salvage places have a money back guarantee even thought they might give the whole restocking fee crap. Good luck and don't settle

 

Aww geez. Man, that bites.

I actually liked dealing with those guys too. Each time I have gotten a "lift out" it came with everything electronic but some stuff may have been bashed a bit (a coil, oil sender and the engine cover on the last one) and they always took care of me.

One thing I was able to do was actually pick the engines I was getting before I paid for them. Even still, their actions were inexcusable.

 

Hey boss, do we need to send some of "the boys" down there and make him "an offer he can't refuse?"

 

Doesn't surprise me. 99% of salvage yards are run by grade-A douche bags and they employ mostly criminals. Being reasonable will get you jack **** with those places. I'd drill a small hole in the blocks and pay the restocking fee just to get over on them if you even have that option, but I'm a little nuts.

 

Yeah then some poor soul has to figure this out after purchasing and hauling it back and fourth..

99.9% of the auto salvage ilk are ******, as such the best advise is to be real careful about what you get before putting your money up.

Many dont care about you and your problems after they have your cash and are quick to show you the door when you complain..

 

Sorry about your trouble. Now Im curious about what you got in mind for these motors? You always seem to have great projects... I'll have a 6.0L in a 71 chevelle to show you soon I hope.....see ya around KC....

Rick

 

5.3 TAKE outs here go for 600 all day long. 979 778 7536 ask for keith good people too

 

Reminds me of my buying experience at Greenleaf in Leominster MA. The difference is, the people at greenleaf, though total idiots, are quite polite and helpful. It took them 3 weeks to coordinate a delivery that was supposed to be there in 2 days, and it turned out that my 62k mile LQ9 was actually a 130k mile LQ9. They did give me $150 back, but jesus...

 

Yea but with what kind of mileage?

 

Plus we are in KC, your source is in Texas so there is shipping to deal with and I like to see what I am buying before I drop cash. Besides the two take outs LS1Nova71 bought are low mile 06 and 07 Gen IV engines with trans, not older GEN III's without.

 

I'd take them both back and get your money back. 5.3s at that price should be 100% complete otherwise they aren't worth it.

If you look on the St. Louis Craigslist there's a guy dumping a LS2 GTO pull out with 6spd, full wiring, accessories, computer everything for $5000 and the setup only has 7000 miles on it! That'd be the way to go.

 

As an owner of Midway Auto Parts, I apologize if you were not treated fairly or respectfully. I wish that you would have asked to speak with a manager or an owner in this instance because the situation that you described is not how we do business. We do strive at customer service and I was extremely surprised when I read this posting because this is not how our employees were trained. If you would like to contact me at 816-242-0118 or email me at awilcox@midwayauto.com I would be more than happy to look up your transaction and to reevaluate this case. It is unfortunate that salvage yards have a bad name, we have been trying to set ourselves aside from “junk yards” in the industry and be a professional company that offers quality parts and customer service. Since we failed to do that in this case I do apologize.
Aimee Wilcox

 

Tagged for outcome

 

Wow nice customer service... & he has a famous Family Truckster swap, and a pretty badass truck build on here... good job!

 

subscribed

 

Thread tools-Subscribe. You don't have to ***** up the thread

 

I worked for A-Reliable (LKQ) in Blue Island Il. for years and it was a total first class operation, though i've been on the "other" side of the fence before; If these places employ mostly criminals you are definitely their supervisor buddy. ls1nova71 sorry to hear about the mishap, thats bs and i hope that Mrs Wilcox can do something to make you feel good.

 

Wow, I would like to see what the outcome will be. First post by Midway is to apologize. I guess when Ls1nova was walking out someone at Midway knew it would make it onto this site and it would be their wallet not their heart that would be broken.