AM Used Auto Parts Told me they had an engine for my Buick Rendezvous, said motor was tested and is a Grade A motor with low miles. They sent me a motor that does not work after my mechanic installed it in my car. Tampa Florida

I first talked to Joe/sales rep for am auto parts on 9/16/19. After talking with him on a few occasions about a 3.litre motor, for a 2003 Buick Rendezvous, Joseph Miller never mentioned that I would have to have the motor installed within 15 days of the delivery date when it was dropped off.

All he said was this is a Grade A motor with very low miles with a 3 year warrenty. The motor was $695.00 out the door, I purchased the motor on 10/21/19. We authorized payment for $695.00 even not $743.65, Joseph Miller claimed they had to charge tax, but his quuote said $695.00 with no tax.

We have all email documentation of this. Joseph Miller also tried to get an additional $95.00 for a lift gate from the trailer that will lower the engine to the ground which takes less than a minute. I chose to not do the $95.00 option. But I bought an engine hoist off of Facebook Market Place for $200.00.

So, I got the engine hoist to be able to take the motor off of the trailer, come to find out, R&L Freight Service, showed up and my son told me that my motor is here. I told him to lets get this hoist together, he said no need, the trailer had a lift gate, the motor is already on the ground with a floor jack and the driver just needed to know where you want the motor at, so we let him know, we called Joseph Miller back and said you were going to charge me $95.00 for a gate lift and this was just done for free.

All he said was that he did not know. Before purchasing this motor, I told him that the motor will not be put in anytime soon, your looking at a few months due to we are going into the slow season, plus the holidays, he said no problem you have a 3 year warranty.

Never once he ever said that this motor has to be installed within the 15 day of the drop off date, so on 10/21/19 between talking to him a few times that day prior before purchasing the motor, again he never said anything about a 15 day installation period. So, my wife and I were out to lunch at Chop Stix Chinease Resteraunt, US 98 Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459 (850) 622-2726.

As we were waiting on our lunch, I called AM Auto Parts and gave Joseph Miller my Bank Card/Debit Card Number, Experation Date & 3 securtity numbers on back of the card. We authorized him the $695.00 even not $743.65. When we got home, I checked my online banking and the money was immediately taken out, when I went to my email I seen all their terms and policies, I had to initial before they sent the motor out.

I didn't do anything because they were already closed. All it said was you have to activate your warranty within 15 days, so I wasn't sure about all this so I waited to call Joe the next morning. I called the next day and talked to Joe Miller he walked me through everything and again he never mentioned that this motor has to be installed within 15 days.

After motor was paid for that is when he sent over all the clauses, but he had many, many opportunities to call me or email me and go over the policy terms and conditions not counting we talked almost a month prior and he gave me a quote a few weeks prior to purchasing the motor. He could had told me about having the motor installed within 15 days or you lose your warranty.

Again, he knew that the motor wasn't going to go in for a few months he knew that upfront that's why I purchased it. Joe said your fine you have a 3 year warranty. Well after reviewing their terms and conditions I noticed it said the motor had to be installed in 15 days or you lose your warranty. Joseph Miller never told me that, he told me just activate your warranty within 15 days for youor 3 year warranty, never once had he said you have to have this motor installed in 15 days.

If that was the case I would had not purchased the motor because it wasn't going to be installed for a few months and again he was already told that upfront and never once said anything about having in installed in 15 days. So, I talked to Manager Brian Johnson because I was getting nowhere with Joe Miller on 10/30/19 time was from 3:34pm to 4:23 pm, he said we would stick with the original warranty for all the miscommunication and confusion.

There was no miscommunication or confusion on my part I just went by what you told me to do. So, Brian Johnson was suppose to note my account. As of today 1/7/20 at 1:02 pm to 1:25 pm he has never noted the account they have been pusing my wife, Noreen Williams and I back and fourth and constantly contradiciting what they have told us.

Everything has been noted and dated of all conversations, so to get to the point, we have a very professional & reliable Automotive Shop right up the road from us to do the installation of removing the old motor out of a 2003 Buick Rendezvous AWD 3.4 litre with conversations with Joe Miller he said to replace certain things on the engine to keep your warranty valid such as intake manifold gasket, which I already knew that because Buick had a history with this.

he said replace exhaust manifolds, tranmission rear seal plus both axel seals new spark plugs all new fluids and filters which I already know this because I work on motors myself just couldn't do this job because the motor had to come out of the bottom and we did not have a lift or a facilty to do this in. I'm glad that I did not do the job because the motor I purchased is bad.

This would had been one word against the other since Affordable Automotive did the removal and installation at 5366 Gulf Breeze Parkway, Gulf Breeze, FL 32563 (850) 932-0811, Owner/Manager Kenny Sr & Kenny Jr. Schartel. Kenny and I noticed a lot of sludge and heavy buildup on the rocker arms, springs and push rods, we brought this to Joe Miller's attention because he said it was a low mileage engine from the looks of it it was very hard to believe with our experience, that was hard to believe.

Also with rust on the lifters, rocker arms we assumed that this motor has been sitting for a very very long time. Kenny had the same identical motor that was going into another vehicle that motor was a lot more cleaner internally than the one I purchased off of AM Auto Parts. I called Noreen, Noreen called Joe Miller on 12/18/19 and it was a hit and miss close to 5 hours, until I finally caught up with him.

She told him about the sludge in the motor and all the rust that myself and Kenny had seen, he told her to clean out motor with solvents. You can not clean out a motor that bad with solvents, we asked him to ship out another motor and we will ship the same one back right then and there.

Joe Miller said that that is not going to happen this motor is a Grad A low mileage motor it has been tested and this motor is completely fine just replace what I told you to replace and you should be fine. You have a 3 year warranty and if anything is wrong let us know and we will take care of it.

Well, we replaced everything that was told to be replaced, motor was installed, received a phone call from Kenny Schartel Jr. on 1/3/20 around 11:00 and he stated I got good news and bad news, the motor is in we got it up and running but the motor is bad he said you better get back on the phone with that company and they better make good on this motor because this motor is bad.

Kenny said we did a high temp pressure check on it and you have blown head gaskets and that's not all, you have a lot of noise coming from the crank case, and the motor is tapping very hard and very loud. There is white smoke coming out of the exhaust and the smell of antifreeze you have a bad motor. We have a copy of Affordable Automotive's statement that states everything what we just said here.

We have proof to provide that. Noreen called him on the 1/3/20 maybe 11:05/11:10 approximately. As soon as Noreen got off the phone with Kenny at Affordable Automotive she immediately called AM Auto Parts and spoke with sales rep Joseph Miller. She told him that she just got a phone call from the Mechanics Shop and you sold us a bad motor.

She asked him what are you going to do about it he said nothing that's hard to believe this motor has been tested and is fine. She said if it was tested and it was fine I would not be calling you and complaining the car never made it out of the shop parking lot. You can't drive it. The motor is to bad, she told him to call the Mechanics Shop and gave him the number he said he would call them.

She called Kenny off and on to see if Joseph Miller called from AM Auto Parts and he said no he never received a call from them. On 1/6/20 at 2:46 pm after no one picking up getting Manager Brian Johnson's voice mail along with Joseph Miller's voice mail,

after leaving messages to please call me conserning the bad motor that was sold to me no one returned a call, I finally got a hold of Joseph Miller at 2:46 pm, I asked him what he was going to do about this paroblem he said nothing you are out of your warranty I told him I talked to Brian Johnson on 10/30/19 and he grandfathered me in on the original warranty Joseph said there are no notes from him we turned your paperwork in your motor was not installed within 15 days of the delivery date, you have no warranty.

He said I can't help you, I said you better make good on this I paid $743.65 plus $2,375.00 not counting all the gaskets, seals and fluids and filter. He said I don't know what to tell you man. He said you never sent us a receipt with the odomoter reading and plus it has to be ASE Certified.

I said after all this time you are going to tell me something like this just like the 15 day installation period. You never said one word. For one they are certified ASE Mechanics or I wouldn't had taken it there. I've known this company for 9 years they have a very good reputation, they worked on family/friends cars they provide a good honest service that's why I took it there.

The odomoter reading has nothing to do with putting the new motor in. The odomoter reading was from the old motor that locked up so I don't know why your asking something like that. This motor hasn't even made it 5 feet out of the garage its bad. I said you owe me my money back, and the installation. He said for one we are not paying for no installation and we are not giving you your money back. You have no warranty there is nothing I can do for you.

That's when I said listen you better make good on this now because we were leaving out of State this Friday 1/10/20 to head back home to visit family/friends. Now I can not go anywhere, I am out $3,118.65 not counting parts that I provided. He said I don't know what to tell you. I told him make sure you call Kenny and I gave him the number again I went to Affordable Automotive they stuck around after closing I gave them $1,000.00 in two money orders of $500.00 each because we did make a payment plan with them.

I talked to Kenny Sr. and Jr. and Joseph Miller from AM Auto Parts never called. I called AM Auto Parts today 1/7/20 @12:44 pm (813) 463-0955 and got Brian Johnson's voice mail I left a message he never called me back. I had to re call him back at 1:22 pm and explained the problems I am having with Joseph Miller, and all Brian kept doing was trying to get me off the phone and pushing me to Joseph Miller I tried to explain to him that I talked to him on 10/30/19 and you grandfathered me in on the original warranty.

Joseph said there are no notes on my account warranty papers came back denied. All he said is he had a call coming in and I will tranafer you to Joseph Miller. I spoke with Joseph again, which got nowhere as usual explained to Joseph that Brian did not note the account like he said he was, Joseph said did you get a confirmation back from us that you sent us the odomoter reading and the receipt from the mechanic I said no they just finished it Friday 1/3/20, Noreen just talked to you and told you the problem.

He said it took you a few months to get this installed your out of warranty.   I said no I am not, Brian Johnson grandfathered me in its not my fault he did not note the account, its also not my fault you sold me a bad motor and you want me to pay the mechanic again who just installed the motor to uninstall it, and your giving me two options I can rent a Uhaul truck and drive it from Gulf Breeze FL to Tampa FL at my expence or I can ship it back to you at my expence but he said we will not ship you out another motor. 

I said I want to hear it run he said motors can be videoed and the vehicle running so I said I want the whole video of the motor running and uninstalling the motor, crating the motor and having it put on the freight truck. 

Joe said, no one is going to do all that, the video will be enough.  I said how do I know the video you showed me is the engine ykou are sending me, I said no that’s not acceptable.  You have already sent me out a bad motor and right now you are not standing behind it.  I said you can’t be trusted, Joe said we are not going to video all that its not going to happen. 

I said what are you hiding from?  Joe said I’m not hiding from anyone I said then do the video Joe said that’s not going to happen.  All I can do is give you another motor but you have to pay for all expences.  I said there’s no way at this point you have costed me $2,375.00 for removing/replacing motor and replacing what you told me to replace on the motor, I’m and additional $150.00 in gaskets seals fluids. 

You have already costed me $2,525.00 in parts and labor and you can’t even drive the care it is undriveable.  Plus, $743.65 for a bad motor that is unusable so my total in debt is $3,268.65.  Joe said I don’t know what to tell you. 

Joe said that motor is a Grade A motor with very low miles it has been ran and tested and that motor is fine, maybe your mechanic overheated the motor so maybe it can be the mechanics fault.  I told him he was pathetic I’m tired of playing your game and Brian Johnson’s game flipping me back and fourth from one another, we are going to seek legal advise I said hopefully I will see you in court for damages. 

Joe said do what you have to do then he hung up.  After I got off the phone with Joseph, I told Noreen they are not budging, she said fine I will go another route.

Noreen called the State Attorney’s Office in Tampa on 1/7/20 at 1:48 pm spoke to Carol in the State Attorney’s Office told her about motor from AM Used Auto Parts explained problem to her and she advised me to call Tampa Police to see if I can file a report on them.  She also gave me two other phone numbers in that area to see if these agencies can help. 

1.  County Consumer Protection Division (813) 903-3430 and also Citizen Fraud Division (813) 903-3430 or 866-9667226.  On 1/7/20 at 2:01 pm, Noreen called Tampa Police explained problem with motor from AM Used Auto Parts. 

They asked her for the address and they said that this is a District 3 area, she gave us their number to see if we could do a report.  Tampa Police Dept. phone number is (813) 231-6130.  On 1/7/20 Noreen spoke with dispatch at District 3 in Tampa, FL, explained problem again.  They said they could not fill out a report because motor was bought over the internet. 

She had to file a complaint online at IC3.gov.  District 3 phone number is (813)242-3800.  Noreen went to the website of IC3.gov and filed a complaint for fraud.  Made a copy of complaint and saved it on the laptop.  Note: Was also given a phone number that was given to her which was 8 on your side out of Tampa FL (813) 225-2797 or 1-800-338-0808.  So far she has only tried to find an attorney and also filed the complaint with the Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).

On 1/8/20 @ 3:45 pm to 4:34 pm

Noreen submitted Complaint forms for the State of Florida Division of Consumer.  Left a message for the Hillsborough County of Consumer Protection also for myfloridalegal.com  Email: citizenservices@myfloridalegal.com.  Also, submitted a complaint form for Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (3:45 to 4:34 pm)  Length of time filling out all complaint forms.