Well, it was only a matter of time before this happened to me (long)

[APACHE 56]

move on. I know you don't want to hear that but I'll bet if you sought advice from a lawyer he'd tell you $2,500 is just not worth all the stress and aggravation you are going to put yourself through. From what you wrote the odds of you getting anything but a larger ulcer seems remote.
Do I sound like a guy who's been there and done that?
Don

[Pave Tim]

Eric,

You are my hero!! I hope that you are made whole from this and wish you the best. Your actions to make others aware are EPIC and are a testament that the "little guy" DOES HAVE POWER!!

I used Youtube to convince Hyundai to buy back a car that had, in my opinion, a safety flaw with its hood (improper hood manufacture that made it bounce excessively). I fought for 4 months with them and documented everything. I posted my issues on EVERY website related to this car and it exploded! Every model of this car had the same issue. I mentioned this to Hyundai and they ignored it and even told me that it did not exist. Sooooo...I put a camera on the fender of my car, drove down my road at no more than 50 mph, videoed the hood bounce, edited and posted it on youtube and then linked to it like it was my job! Within a few weeks, thousands of people had seen it and mentioned their hood did the same thing. I then sent a link to Hyundai telling them what was going on and they could watch the "view" numbers increase daily. I told them I linked the video to every site I could think of. Within a week, they offered to buy the car back to which I agreed. They also wanted the video down and I asked them why. No response. I removed the video per the agreement but continued my campaign to get the hood fixed.

The little guy won!!!!

Originally Posted by eric_marsh

i got ripped off by a con man a while back. After doing some research I discovered that he's already got one felony conviction and is back to his same old tricks. It's very difficult to get the cops to do anything in these kinds of cases because prosecutors don't want to go to trial unless it's almost a slam dunk.

My solution was to set up a web site that I hope will put pressure on the guy and even more important hopefully prevent others from being ripped off. I have had several people thank me for saving them thousands. In one case the guys got taken for $40k but were looking at another $200k when they found my site.

I don't put any interpretation on the guy's actions, which could subject me to his making legal claims against me. All I do is document the facts which I could demonstrate to be true in court if it ever came to that.

Here's the site in case you're curious: http://www.texliner.info

Here's another one, where I won in small claims and they still refused to pay: http://texascustomdecks.info

In both cases I bought domains that are the same as their .coms but using .info.

[Wayne Gillispie]

extremely well known(ACS/SteinAir/GRT, etc.) or local. Local vendors can and will rip you off too, but less likely, especially if they have lots of family in the area and have been in business for 10 yrs or more. I paid $1124 for a wood burning stove along with 60 other customers, they went bankrupt the next week. They were from a town about 45 min away. I was on the evening news because that is where we saw their ad. I went to their local courthouse and they said I would have very little chance of getting any money back. They lived in an RV and owned nothing. I did get a "free" iron kettle that is still sitting on my stove 10 yrs later today with hot water in it.

When a vendor ask for money up front on a "special" order that they could never sell to anyone else that is one thing. But on a common item their is no reason for it. I do hvac and would never charge up front. If I can't get their equipment from my distributor on credit until the end of the month then I should not be in business anyway. Good luck on the rest of the build.

[L.Adamson]

Originally Posted by Wayne Gillispie

I do hvac and would never charge up front. If I can't get their equipment from my distributor on credit until the end of the month then I should not be in business anyway. Good luck on the rest of the build.

I've do HVAC too. For 40 years and 27 on my own. But during those years, I have been stung a number of times. I do require 50% when I deliver the equipment............if it's not a contractor, that I've been doing business with, for a long time. And even if it is a contractor, I still like the percentage ASAP. That makes me feel a lot better!

L.Adamson --- RV6A

[woodmanrog]

Axel,
I'm so sorry that you are having to go through this. I would suggest to EVERY builder of an RV aircraft to only purchase through vendors who are on Vansairforce.net or through Van's directly. These vendors are tried and true. They would not be in business long if they are scammers because the whole RV community would know about any wrongdoing within one day of an infraction. All of us "old" guys have had this experience at one time or another. Learn from OUR mistakes. Before an online or mail purchase, investigate the vendor with a search engine.
Woodmanrog
Turtle Wood Designs

[WAM120RV]

Hi Ax

I tried to reply to this thread a couple of weeks ago but was in the mountains in China (its probably the only place there that doesnt have smog).
Its difficult to email out of china anyway.

OK so I am a retiredenlish cop with a law degree, my wife is a dual qualified lawer English and Chinese Law and Ok the law is different in America but it follows English law principles........... and my advice was going to be go to the Police as this is without doubt a case of deception.

It now seems you have done that and are getting some results which pleases me no end.

Keep up the good work and the excellent photos....... my 4 should be flying this year so hope ypou make it soon too.

[TS Flightlines]

I assure you that there are several small vendors on this forum that provide an honest product and service, and dont have the advertising budget (yet) to buy ad space on VAF.

Originally Posted by woodmanrog

Axel,
I'm so sorry that you are having to go through this. I would suggest to EVERY builder of an RV aircraft to only purchase through vendors who are on Vansairforce.net or through Van's directly. These vendors are tried and true. They would not be in business long if they are scammers because the whole RV community would know about any wrongdoing within one day of an infraction. All of us "old" guys have had this experience at one time or another. Learn from OUR mistakes. Before an online or mail purchase, investigate the vendor with a search engine.
Woodmanrog
Turtle Wood Designs

[eric_marsh]

Tim, I'm with you 100% on that. The internet really does empower the little guy. Similar to your case, I bought a new 65" Toshiba HDTV about twelve years ago. Back then it cost me something like $7k. There was a problem with the display and Toshiba was giving me grief. I documented everything, set up a web site and in short order everything was taken care of.

Originally Posted by Pave Tim

Eric,

You are my hero!! I hope that you are made whole from this and wish you the best. Your actions to make others aware are EPIC and are a testament that the "little guy" DOES HAVE POWER!!

I used Youtube to convince Hyundai to buy back a car that had, in my opinion, a safety flaw with its hood (improper hood manufacture that made it bounce excessively). I fought for 4 months with them and documented everything. I posted my issues on EVERY website related to this car and it exploded! Every model of this car had the same issue. I mentioned this to Hyundai and they ignored it and even told me that it did not exist. Sooooo...I put a camera on the fender of my car, drove down my road at no more than 50 mph, videoed the hood bounce, edited and posted it on youtube and then linked to it like it was my job! Within a few weeks, thousands of people had seen it and mentioned their hood did the same thing. I then sent a link to Hyundai telling them what was going on and they could watch the "view" numbers increase daily. I told them I linked the video to every site I could think of. Within a week, they offered to buy the car back to which I agreed. They also wanted the video down and I asked them why. No response. I removed the video per the agreement but continued my campaign to get the hood fixed.

The little guy won!!!!

[RV6_flyer]

Originally Posted by woodmanrog

Axel,
I'm so sorry that you are having to go through this. I would suggest to EVERY builder of an RV aircraft to only purchase through vendors who are on Vansairforce.net or through Van's directly. These vendors are tried and true. They would not be in business long if they are scammers because the whole RV community would know about any wrongdoing within one day of an infraction. All of us "old" guys have had this experience at one time or another. Learn from OUR mistakes. Before an online or mail purchase, investigate the vendor with a search engine.
Woodmanrog
Turtle Wood Designs

Woodmanrog:

I had a bad experience with a vendor that advertises on VAF and have told others OFF FORUM. I know of at least three engines that they have lost sales of because of my off list warnings. I lost almost $3,000 on work they did. My work order was for Inspect and Advise. If inspection is good, overhaul will all new parts. I paid for labor, haz mat disposal fee, and all new parts.

Ended up buying NEW Cylinders from A.E.R.O. that advertises here.

Let the buyer beware on everything. Some engine vendors like AeroSport, Mattituck, Barrett, and America's Aircraft Engines have been excellent for the RV community. Others have not.

[Cadstat]

I lost 35 dollar on a car parts deal in high school. It bothered me for years. In retrospect, 35 bucks for the lesson I learned was well worth it. You pay tuition for college and lessons in the facts of life cost you as well. I can't imagine why you kept sending money after the deal started to go south except that it was out of respect and honor for your father. Reason enough to keep going. It's just like Donnie Braso and Al Picino.
The person you were dealing with was extremely good at what she does, which is of course lying. I've been around those types before.
Lots of people, much smarter than me, sent Bernie Madoff millions.
I admired your persistance!