[CopperCJ7]

I used to think Tri-County Gear was the hotspot for getting the major things done to my Jeep. I chose to take my Jeep to Tri-County Gear in Pomona, California. Jason Bunch is the Jeep Guru - just ask him. Well, that venture has become a total nightmare

If anyone reading this has had a nightmare or knows someone who has, please get in touch with me. I have heard so many horror stories about this place, that I wanted to share mine.

Here's my story:

7/3/08:

I have to say that today I allowed myself to get so enraged at my mechanic because MY Jeep IS STILL NOT DONE!!!!! I bought the Jeep on August 11th, 2007.

Let's go back to the beginning. I brought my Jeep to Tri-County Gear to get the more complex things done. I'm very handy and am a pretty decent mechanic but swapping out a motor for a rebuilt one, rebuilding my transmission and transfer case is something I let the "professionals" do.

As Christmas 2007 was approaching fast, my Jeep seemed to be just sitting there without any attention paid to her. So I wanted to take her to get painted in the meantime. They agreed. He told me that he had to make a special connector (from scratch) so the CJ tranny would work with my YJ motor. That was on a Monday. He told me that he PROMISED he'd have it done by that Thursday because he was going out of town on Friday. I called my painter (who has a very busy schedule) and made an appointment for that Friday. So on Thursday, I went down to the mechanic to tow Penny (2 miles) to the painter's shop. Well, the owner decided to leave town a day early and never got my bracket done. Needless to say, the painter was pissed off at me because he turned down a job for mine. The mechanic's response on the following Monday? Shrugging his shoulders, "Oh well."

As most of you know, my Jeep has taken FAR too long to get finished. I have been MORE than patient with this mechanic for far too long. Today, I let him have it - BIG TIME. I don't think I have ever screamed at another human being like I did today.

After my wife and I got settled into our new house, my attention reverted back to the Jeep. Penny sat in my garage for four months - with nothing being done to her. In the third week of May 2008, I dropped her off at Tri-County Gear for her final few things to get done so I could actually drive her.

Tri-County has a nasty reputation for playing favorites. When I say favorites, any time someone who wants many thousands of dollars of work done to their Jeep, they go to the head of the line. Anytime one of the people who go wheeling with Tri-County's owner brings in their Jeep, yep, it goes to the head of the line. Never mind the regular people who have been waiting for their rigs to be done. Their money seems to be less valuable.

It seems as if every weekend there's some off-road expo, truck show or special 4 wheel outing that people need to get ready for. Again, anyone else's Jeep seems to get forgotten for a while.

KNOWING all of this, when I dropped off my Jeep, I made them know I'm hip to this BS business tactic and that I wasn't go to put up with it. They ASSURED me it would get done in a timely manner. So last Friday, I was expecting to go get Penny, only to find out that two of my gauges still didn't work properly. I asked why this wasn't discovered last week or sooner. His response? "Do you want it done right or do you want it tonight?" Gee, something tells me he's gotten a lot of mileage out of that quip.

So he told me last Friday that it would be done "next week because it's only two gauges that need to be addressed." I reluctantly agreed and waited yet another week.

Well, here it is Thursday, July 3rd - the day before he closes up for the long 4th of July weekend and he calls me this afternoon asking what my part number is for my tachometer so he could match up the ohms to the tach sender. My question is WHY IN THE HELL WASN'T I ASKED THIS ON MONDAY???

I stormed down to Tri-County with the sole intention to tell this guy off. Boy, did I lay into him. In front of his entire staff of mechanics and a few customers, I asked why three things are taking now SIX weeks? His typical response, "I have other Jeeps here." Right, Jeeps that came in AFTER MINE. "Oh, I understand that you play favorites here, but I'm sick of this bullsh**. There is no reason for my Jeep to be here for 6 weeks to do three things!

I used to spend time defending this place against the countless complaints I hear and read about Tri-County. That all stops today. In fact, I will take pleasure in bad mouthing this place. You and your mechanics are top notch, but the business end SUCKS." His response was, "Good. I don't need anyone of YOUR friends coming here." I hit him with, "Oh really? That's brilliant business tactics. You have no idea who I know or how well-connected I am in the Jeep community. And if your business was so great, why did you borrow money from me back in December to pay your guys for other jobs?"

So let's check the scorecard.... I had a mechanic ask me (the customer) to borrow money?????? In front of the whole gang, he responded with, "Look you mother f***ing c*cksucker, you can't appreciate what we've done for your Jeep." Appreciate? Yeah, I appreciate constantly being put on the back burner and having simple stuff take forever to finish.

Tell me people... Should a wiring harness for just the motor, new clutch master cylinder, fuel lines and install of a new alternator take SIX FRIGGIN' WEEKS???? No.

I'm going down there on Monday and removing my vehicle - done or not. He will probably pad the bill so he doesn't really have to pay me back for the money he borrowed from me. And I have asked SEVERAL times for my old parts back. I want the CJ computer, the new valve cover, the CJ wiring harness, etc. He has not returned ANY of it. Stuff I was either going to sell on Ebay or give to any of my Jeeper pals. He even made the mistake of charging me for parts that I brought to him to install!!!!!


UPDATE: 7/7/08

He presented me with an $8300 bill on top of the $4300 I already paid him and I freaked. It's odd, but if you think about it, why did it take 4-1/2 hours to prepare the final bill? Because he had to go back and get "creative" with the part prices and the actual hours worked. Should brake calipers cost $89 each? NO! Also, keep in mind that I paid up and was even back in November. Remember, he asked to BORROW money from me, so that would imply that I was paid up and had a CREDIT after he borrowed the money. I had to be paid up in order to take my vehicle off his property back in November. He says that he was being nice and let me leave without paying him. LOLOLOLOLOL BS. We had no history - I could have just taken off and never come back. Again, he borrowed money from me. That means I was already paid in full to that point.



UPDATE: 7/10/08

I love the fact that he sold me NEW motor mounts, but then lists "clean motor mounts" as a labor charge. I installed a BRAND NEW starter that he claims "drags" yet the rebuilt motor has never been started. So he spent 3 hours "checking" it - only to give up? So that labor charge to check a new starter was more than the cost to buy the starter. IDIOT!

Stay tuned for the rest of this drama as it unfolds.

Anyone in Southern California: AVOID this place at all costs!

[jeepstronaut]

what a freaking horror story!

i traded up from a rifle an xbox360 and a 400 dollar truck to a toyota motorhome that i then traded for my jeep cj7 with 72k original miles...

if a mechanic did that to me ID HIRE BIKERS NOT LAWYERS...

i know this one biker named ANIMAL that would LOVE to meet that mechanic.
probably wouldnt even cost 200 bucks to get the problem solved...

good luck getting your ride back in one piece...

i hope that lawyer is on him like fat to a mother in law!

the difference between a lawyer and a sperm cell is that a sperm HAS a one in a million shot at becoming a human being!

sounds like your mechanic should have been a lawyer... he is gonna need a good one...

SUE HIM FOR THE RANCH! GO FOR THE JUGULAR! prick deseves it!

[unlblkrubi]

You only have to give me bad service once and then I'm gone. I don't keep going back for more.
Unless you are a bank you should never loan ANYBODY money, specifically a place of buisness doing work for you. No sympathy here.

[CopperCJ7]

Originally Posted by unlblkrubi

You only have to give me bad service once and then I'm gone. I don't keep going back for more.
Unless you are a bank you should never loan ANYBODY money, specifically a place of buisness doing work for you. No sympathy here.

I was stuck going back to him. He had all the components for my motor - a motor that he put in. He had the wires, etc. And he had all my old CJ parts. All I went back for the second time was wiring up the motor, the alternator and the clutch master cylinder. I had no idea it would turn into this heated BS. Since I had a $300 credit, I wanted to go back.

As for letting him borrow money, he called it an advance for the next round of repairs. I could afford to front the guy $300 - it was no big deal.

And I wasn't looking for sympathy I am trying to get the word out about this place.

[kingkong33]

If you really wanted to take him to the cleaners you could sue him for emotional damages.

[bigj1974]

you could end up owning that place.

[CopperCJ7]

Originally Posted by kingkong33

If you really wanted to take him to the cleaners you could sue him for emotional damages.

That's true. I have not slept in three days. My blood pressure is high now. And I'm angry guy I don't want to be angry guy.

[CopperCJ7]

Originally Posted by bigj1974

you could end up owning that place.

It's a dump but the employees are good mechanics. I'd probably turn around and sell it.

[Keith]

Note to all the people who want to boast or rant about a company. Use that company in the thread title so it shows up on the Search Engines. That way when people are searching for comments about them it comes up at the very top. Also companies wanting to see feedback will be able to find it and comment on it.

[CopperCJ7]

Originally Posted by Keith

Note to all the people who want to boast or rant about a company. Use that company in the thread title so it shows up on the Search Engines. That way when people are searching for comments about them it comes up at the very top. Also companies wanting to see feedback will be able to find it and comment on it.

Good point.

[vitapimp]

Originally Posted by CopperCJ7

UPDATE: 7/7/08

He presented me with an $8300 bill on top of the $4300 I already paid him and I freaked.

so this guy is trying to bill you for $12,600 worth of work?

[kiksroks]

I think you might should post this on Pirate4x4.com. It could get interesting...

[CopperCJ7]

Originally Posted by vitapimp

so this guy is trying to bill you for $12,600 worth of work?

Yes and he's out of his mind. Every mechanic I've shown the bill to - laughs. I showed it to a service manager at a Jeep dealership today, he said this guy is in trouble for so many things.

[The Rat]

Originally Posted by bigj1974

you could end up owning that place.

Could? If he has even a decent attorney, he WILL end up owning that place.

[CopperCJ7]

Originally Posted by The Rat

Could? If he has even a decent attorney, he WILL end up owning that place.

I will be sure to let you know how this saga turns out.