Beware of firefightergib!!!
Beware of firefightergib!!! I drove out all the way to Alabama from Illinois to buy a turbo set up from him a couple of weeks ago, when I finally had time to put it all on the car I realized that some of the piping was missing even though he promised a complete kit. So i decided to get the turbo checked out, I took it to a local shop that deals with turbos when they took it apart the whole thing was drenched in oil, they told me the whole thing was pretty much worthless! So I ended up paying $1,200 for a set of incomplete pipes and a blown turbo!!! I have been trying to contact him for the past week or more and he won't answer my calls or emails. He answered the first time but hung up right away. 
Does anybody have any opinions or suggestions on what I should do about this?
Does anybody have any opinions or suggestions on what I should do about this?
I drove out all the way to Alabama from Illinois to buy a turbo set up from him a couple of weeks ago, when I finally had time to put it all on the car I realized that some of the piping was missing even though he promised a complete kit. So i decided to get the turbo checked out, I took it to a local shop that deals with turbos when they took it apart the whole thing was drenched in oil, they told me the whole thing was pretty much worthless! So I ended up paying $1,200 for a set of incomplete pipes and a blown turbo!!! I have been trying to contact him for the past week or more and he won't answer my calls or emails. He answered the first time but hung up right away.
Does anybody have any opinions or suggestions on what I should do about this?
Does anybody have any opinions or suggestions on what I should do about this?
That sucks. I'd buy a 50 cal, magnesium round..and setup somewhere off in a distance.
Sorry about your loss.
What size turbo?...any pictures of the incomplete kit?
ok i just got all kind of pms today and this is what i responded back to:
dude its like this, i told you i had some problem with the oiling system that it would come out the exhuast and it would be the pump that i thought it was the pump. The turbo WORKS perfect other than it leaking oil. Let me say that in a different way, it worked fine when i owned it and you can not say i did not tell you about the oil leaking out of the turbo. As for the piping i did not take it all off, it was actually a performance shop in Cleveland, AL I made a call and they found the piping so i will be more than glad to send this to you, no charge to you. As far as getting your money back I did not twist your arm off when you came and picked it up you saw the oil on the turbo, you didnt have to buy it. Just let me know what you want me to do on the piping. josh
Originally Posted by 01c5
Josh, please respond to my messages or my calls you sold me bad parts and if you do not want to work this out in a civilized way and respond, I am going to have to take other actions to get my money back.
dude its like this, i told you i had some problem with the oiling system that it would come out the exhuast and it would be the pump that i thought it was the pump. The turbo WORKS perfect other than it leaking oil. Let me say that in a different way, it worked fine when i owned it and you can not say i did not tell you about the oil leaking out of the turbo. As for the piping i did not take it all off, it was actually a performance shop in Cleveland, AL I made a call and they found the piping so i will be more than glad to send this to you, no charge to you. As far as getting your money back I did not twist your arm off when you came and picked it up you saw the oil on the turbo, you didnt have to buy it. Just let me know what you want me to do on the piping. josh
As with most of these deals there are two sides to the story.
firefightergib,
If there are extra plumbing pieces that where not sent and should have been, send them out. As far as the oiling issue, it seems that it was disclosed. If the pipes are sent out, I will consider the matter closed.
01c5,
It seems like you where expecting a new or new near kit for $1200. Considering new kits go for $5000+, you should have investigated this more and lowered your expectations. There is the saying "You get what you pay for".
I will keep this thread open for now until the extra pipes arrive.
Keith
firefightergib,
If there are extra plumbing pieces that where not sent and should have been, send them out. As far as the oiling issue, it seems that it was disclosed. If the pipes are sent out, I will consider the matter closed.
01c5,
It seems like you where expecting a new or new near kit for $1200. Considering new kits go for $5000+, you should have investigated this more and lowered your expectations. There is the saying "You get what you pay for".
I will keep this thread open for now until the extra pipes arrive.
Keith
dude its like this, i told you i had some problem with the oiling system that it would come out the exhuast and it would be the pump that i thought it was the pump. The turbo WORKS perfect other than it leaking oil. Let me say that in a different way, it worked fine when i owned it and you can not say i did not tell you about the oil leaking out of the turbo. As for the piping i did not take it all off, it was actually a performance shop in Cleveland, AL I made a call and they found the piping so i will be more than glad to send this to you, no charge to you. As far as getting your money back I did not twist your arm off when you came and picked it up you saw the oil on the turbo, you didnt have to buy it. Just let me know what you want me to do on the piping. josh
Yeah you told me it was leaking oil because you had the wrong oil pump you did not tell me that the turbo was completely fucked up. and that's why I bout it you said oil pump was to blame but everything else is ok. the shop said they could not repair it that all it basically was was a paperweight, so unless you can get me a new turbo or fix this one I would like my money back.
Yeah you told me it was leaking oil because you had the wrong oil pump you did not tell me that the turbo was completely fucked up. and that's why I bout it you said oil pump was to blame but everything else is ok. the shop said they could not repair it that all it basically was was a paperweight, so unless you can get me a new turbo or fix this one I would like my money back.
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I did not expect a new kit or near new kit I knew it was used, but he specifically said that the problem was in a bad oil pimp! there were leaks cause he had the wrong oil pump. and that was fine I was ready to purchase a new pump. He did not say anything about the turbo being broken if he said that at first I would have not even bothered to drive all the way out there, also I have all the messages he sent me and they say nothing about the turbo being broken. he just said the pump would give him problems sometimes. I took it to a shop and they said that the seals or gaskets on it are messed up and they could not fix it. They said the only thing the turbo is good for is to be a paper wight.
Last edited by 01c5; Oct 16, 2007 at 02:14 PM.
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You bought a used kit under the assumption that it was to work as he advertised it. He said the pump was bad... but it turns out to be something far worse. Obvisously the kit isnt going to work so some compromise has to come of it. Either he buys you a new turbo (the more expensive route) or he just gives you the money back. I personally would want my money back because deep down I feel that he did know there was something wrong with the kit (turbo specifically) and that was why he was selling it so cheap. If he doesnt want to compromise... then he be banned from selling anything here again. Whether that hurts him is one thing and it may not specifically help get your money back in the long run, but it will save other members from having to hassle with him ever again. I think its up to the seller (firefightergib) to do the right thing. All we can do is see what happens. This is why you should use paypal. They would have investigated the situation and probably got your money back.
You bought a used kit under the assumption that it was to work as he advertised it. He said the pump was bad... but it turns out to be something far worse. Obvisously the kit isnt going to work so some compromise has to come of it. Either he buys you a new turbo (the more expensive route) or he just gives you the money back. I personally would want my money back because deep down I feel that he did know there was something wrong with the kit (turbo specifically) and that was why he was selling it so cheap. If he doesnt want to compromise... then he be banned from selling anything here again. Whether that hurts him is one thing and it may not specifically help get your money back in the long run, but it will save other members from having to hassle with him ever again. I think its up to the seller (firefightergib) to do the right thing. All we can do is see what happens. This is why you should use paypal. They would have investigated the situation and probably got your money back.
A "used" turbo.. well, it wasn't sitting on a shelf for most of it's life.
I bought a used Vortech off ebay. It spooled up a whopping 4 psi boost.
I had to have it rebuilt but I kinda knew that going in.
If you're unsatisfied, he has offered a refund. (perhaps you can work partial refund and have it rebuilt, you'll still be money ahead... and with a FRESH turbo.).
$1200 for a system is pretty dirt cheap. IMO
I bought a used Vortech off ebay. It spooled up a whopping 4 psi boost.
I had to have it rebuilt but I kinda knew that going in.
If you're unsatisfied, he has offered a refund. (perhaps you can work partial refund and have it rebuilt, you'll still be money ahead... and with a FRESH turbo.).
$1200 for a system is pretty dirt cheap. IMO
So it's been almost a week of me trying to get a hold of this guy and messaging him every day and still no reply from this guy!!! he replied that one time and that's it even though he's on the forum everyday! I've got to say that this is bullshit, how can someone be such a *****? I think at this point what V-seriesTech said is the best solution, 10 hours might be a long drive but i think it will be worth it $1300 isn't spare change either atleast not for me.
Last edited by 01c5; Oct 24, 2007 at 09:30 PM.
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Joined: Feb 2005
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From: Maypearl, TX
The whole situation smells like crap to me! If Firefightergib sold this as functional, and it wasn't, he should make it right. If he disclosed that it was dysfunctional, then I'd simply say "buyer beware," and you got what you paid for.
Seems to me that it all boils down to whether firefightergib wants to make things right, and from the lack of responses to your phone calls/emails, it seems he doesn't care. Not something I'd expect from a firefighter. I've always placed them high in moral standards and integrity.
Seems to me that it all boils down to whether firefightergib wants to make things right, and from the lack of responses to your phone calls/emails, it seems he doesn't care. Not something I'd expect from a firefighter. I've always placed them high in moral standards and integrity.
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Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Somewhere Between Mild Insanity and Complete Psychosis
No kidding. Oil leaking out of the turbo, and he says the problem is the oil pump and the turbo works fine?!?!?!
Uh, I'd say the oil pump is working fine and you've got a turbo problem if oil is coming out of the turbo.
Sounds like o1c5 may be guilty of ignorance and gib guilty of taking advantage of it. I guess we'll see what happens...
Uh, I'd say the oil pump is working fine and you've got a turbo problem if oil is coming out of the turbo.
Sounds like o1c5 may be guilty of ignorance and gib guilty of taking advantage of it. I guess we'll see what happens...
If you bought a used item that was promised to work and it does not in fact work after having had it evaluated or tested then you are due a refund.
Firefighter, do the right thing and give the man his money back.
Firefighter, do the right thing and give the man his money back.
Staging Lane
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
From: Ohio
and you can not say i did not tell you about the oil leaking out of the turbo.
A person can't sell something - saying it "works" - but leave out the part that says... "though it can't be used as-is, and would need some sorta repair before installation".
If a person said that, then the value of the item he's selling would drop like a rock.
Last edited by Mike Mercury; Oct 25, 2007 at 06:48 PM.
A whole turbo kit for $1200 that normally goes for $5500+ says to me that there is something wrong with it. Everything that I have read and/or heard from indicates that Firefightergib said the turbo had problems and that it was leaking oil which he believed was the pump. If it turns out that it is the gaskets, then Firefightergib should give some type of refund to have the turbo fixed. IMO that is just the right thing to do. His lack of response indicates that he is not willing to do that.
This is all the danger of buying/selling used parts. Often one man's junk is another man's treasure and a good deal can be had. Sometimes a man's junk is just that, junk. One needs to have the knowledge to determine that.
Keith