Recon Automotive Remanufacturers Inc. Recon, and Auto Zone, sold a defective Lemon engine that leaks oil in several places Philadelphia Pennsylvania

I purchased an engine from Auto Zone in Lynchburg, Va. on January 27, 2004. The engine was picked up at the store about a week later and was installed in the car at a local shop. The car was ready to be picked up at the shop on February 10, 2004.

I drove it about 10 miles. I got out and looked under the car and oil was leaking. I went back to the shop. The shop got authorization from RECON, the engine manufacturer, to find the problem and fix it. It was found that a gasket behind the timing chain was on BACKWARDS!

This was corrected and a couple days later, I drove the car from the shop again. I attempted a trip of 500 miles, got 160 miles from home, stopped at a store for a drink, came back out, and saw a small puddle of oil under the car. It needed half a quart. I put it in and drove the 160 miles back home.

RECON and Auto Zone were both very unhelpful. RECON told me to get a shop to diagnose THIS problem. The shop put dye in the oil and now we know it is leaking at the FRONT and REAR seals. It probably was all along--everybody thought the BACKWARDS gasket fixed the leaks.

Now RECON wants ME to pay for the $850.00+ repair and send them the front and rear seals to inspect them. Then they MIGHT give me UP TO $400.00 back of that repair cost. They have to make a decision!

They say the warranty only covers UP to $400.00 for a repair. This company refuses to accept the fact that they sold me a defective engine. A Lemon! They should REPAIR AND PAY IMMEDIATELY, OR REPLACE and INSTALL AT THEIR COST.

All of this has happened from the first day I used it and I've been trying to get them to make it right for 3 weeks now. The company seems to me to be crooked. Why should anybody have to PAY to have a new engine worked on??? That warranty garbage is just a gimmick to rip you off! I have had problems with the engine within the first 10 miles on the FIRST DAY! And they know it.

They act like I've had it for 6 or 7 months and have put 100,000 miles on it. The engine, as of today, has approx. 500 miles on it.

The problem started at the factory. One gasket has already been confirmed BACKWARDS! Who knows why the front and rear seals leak. Maybe they forgot to install them???

Recon refuses to right a wrong and they want me to fix the engine at my expense. They also told me to get a refund at Auto Zone if I didn't like it!

Only problem with that is, I will have lost the $1000.00 installation cost I paid to install RECON"S JUNK ENGINE. They should compensate me, or anyone, for a situation such as this. It's their fault 100%.

Beware of dealing with Auto Zone and their engine supplier, Recon Automotive Remanufacturers.

They WILL scam you and rip you off. Nobody should have to put up with crooks stealing from consumers. They have stolen my money and sold me junk that they can't even put together correctly.

Auto Zone's district manager, for the Lynchburg, Va. area, has refused to return my phone calls on this matter. Their motto says something about "customer satisfaction." That's a lie.

And Recon, they just have a bunch of slick answers for everything. They are trying to weasel out of this. They have stalled and beat around the bush for 3 weeks now.

They ripped me off.

And they hope I'll just go away.

I'm not.


George
Forest, Virginia
U.S.A.