Looking to buy a General Lee? STAY AWAY FROM BK AUTO!! It's almost over!!!

[jb666]

Chuck -- 34 pages are being faxed over as we speak. 

I found a few more pages of interest that came with the car. They put together a "portfolio" with a nice clear binder. 

[jb666]

----- Original Message -----
From: BK Automotive LLC
To: JB666
Sent: Friday, December 19, 2008 8:55 PM
Subject: Re: re

I wouldnt consider those movie cars anything but junk in comparison to our restos. But they arent restored. The whole idea when i started doing those was to make the cars available for folks who couldnt afford anything else. A guy cant have a frame off showcar, but he might be happy with a 30k car with a 318 and an the stock rear end and he can work on little things in his garage while playing with the car. That was the point behind them. they are in redneck garages all over, along with starsky torinos and a-team vans with guys who have an average income of about 30-40k, just everyday folks who couldnt afford to build a 50, 60 or 70k car. And all of the bodywork, metal work, paintwork, stripping, interior, wheels, tires, glass, everything but the driveline was done for right about $21k. thats why it looks like it does.

I use an analogy with my resto customers, if you give me $90,000 in parts and a $10000 car, what do you get? Not a $100,000 car, but a $10,000 car with $90,000 worth of parts in the trunk. you may not find that funny but I do. that guy sent me an engine that was worth nearly as much as the entire thing. i may have agreed to do the cheap job he asked for, but I didnt rip him off, i gave him exactly what he asked for.

HE VALIDATES ripping the customer(s) off!!!! 

Engine - $20k
Payments to BK - $55k+

So.. I might be missing the point here.. But how is the engine worth more then he paid for the entire thing 

[jb666]

This one kills me.. This came AFTER Thomas said he road tested the car and it was 100% safe:

----- Original Message -----
From: BK Automotive LLC
To: JB666
Sent: Wednesday, December 17, 2008 11:00 PM
Subject: Re: re:


And I should point out, you keep talking about safety. I never said the car was roadready today, hop in and drive. In fact, I distanced myself from that as far as I could. It was a cheaply put together car. I told him to be careful and FIRST thing when he gets it to have somenoe he trusts to go OVER EVERYTHING to get it done before he uses it and I put that in writting.


BK Automotive LLC
www.bkauto.net
713.996.9655


So he put it in "writting" that the car he just built for $70k+ was a pile of crap and should be checked out by a professional.. Nice, really nice...

[skip68]

If this is true about BK giving Brian what he paid for or wanted then tell BK to shut us up once and for all.  Just show us the change order in the contract.    

[jb666]

And the fun continues.. Just read some of this crap!! The guy is amazing..  "For such little $$" 



----- Original Message -----
From: BK Automotive LLC
To: JB666
Sent: Tuesday, December 23, 2008 11:33 PM
Subject: Re: Re:


the back up lights worked when it left, I check all lighting myself off my checklist or it cant go. I know the neutral switch was done and the reverse lights were done, at least while it was here.

Sorry to hear about the fenders and hood. Since they make them now I assume your getting all new steel replacements? i dont need to see photos (or do I mean i dont want to?) just kidding. But yeah, same story. the hood is made to look good outside, if its rough inside, it stays rough. just not smoething included for so little moola.


BK Automotive LLC
www.bkauto.net
713.996.9655

The backup lights worked? Funny, because there were no wires running to the housing(s). Even if there WERE there were no BULBS in there!! When will it end!! "restored to factory condition". So factory condition is painted over rot under the hood??



One funny thing, I forgot to post earlier, when Brian was there for the Freiburger's photo shoot:



See the green tape on the studs of this trim piece? That's what was holding it in. Not the nuts that should have been there, nope, wadded up green tape. Awesome.

[General_01]

I really like how he refers to his customers as "rednecks". Real classy, up front kind of guy to do business with.  

I still can't beleive he talks about his high end jobs. If anyone see's these jokers at any shows with their vehicles, please take a close look and snap lots of pics. I would like to see the REALLY EXPENSIVE bondo they use on those cars. Must be lined with gold or something. Heck, they might even have an age limit to work on those cars. You can work on them in the shop only if you are 15 years old and have had 3  months training with the welder.

[Steve P.]

Reply #1104 would be all it would take for me to drop the hammer on this guy if I were a judge.  How can ((((((((((ANYONE))))))))) ((((((EVER))))))))) say to take it to someone else to inspect a car you just paid $70,K PLUS for?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??

When this goes to the judge we HAVE to send a TV crew...  This is sooooooo much more unbelievable then the OJ trials.........

[skip68]

This guy is the dumbest guy in the world.   He has contradicted himself over and over again.  Other than the car being orange, I don't think BK knows up from down.        I've got a hunch that this will be coming to a head very shortly.  I have never ever seen a man drag his company through the mud like we have seen here.

[General_01]

Reply #1104 would be all it would take for me to drop the hammer on this guy if I were a judge.  How can ((((((((((ANYONE))))))))) ((((((EVER))))))))) say to take it to someone else to inspect a car you just paid $70,K PLUS for?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??

When this goes to the judge we HAVE to send a TV crew...  This is sooooooo much more unbelievable then the OJ trials.........

Well, you know, we don't tighten bolts down and such unless it is a 100K job or more. Anything below that price is just a waste of our time.

I know he didn't say it, but if you put everything together that he has said so far, he might as well have.

[hemi-hampton]

He admits or imply's for 30-40k you get junk but for 50,60, 70k you get quality. If Brian paid $59k minus motor he should of got Quality as far as BK's standards go, said by BK himself.

[jb666]

Reply #1104 would be all it would take for me to drop the hammer on this guy if I were a judge.  How can ((((((((((ANYONE))))))))) ((((((EVER))))))))) say to take it to someone else to inspect a car you just paid $70,K PLUS for?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??

When this goes to the judge we HAVE to send a TV crew...  This is sooooooo much more unbelievable then the OJ trials.........

I know, but this was following:


----- Original Message -----
From: BK Automotive LLC
To: JB666
Sent: Thursday, December 18, 2008 7:48 PM
Subject: Re: re:


I got up to speed in 3rd gear. fast enough to pass other cars, but that was awhile back. I know it was more than 55, I dont remember now exactly but the guages worked then, they were all new an VERY expensive. I want to say something like 750 not including the tach? I am trying to go from memory.

What parts are there bills for and no parts? I would be interested if you have the time. i am not being cynical when I say that. If I billed for something, it damn well better be on that car. Most of this type of business is based on trust, and false billing is not a practice that builds good trust.

when you first emailed me, you told me the radio was not wired right, I dont remember anything about brake lines or seat brackets but I can recheck the emails. I dont think you said anything about anything but the radio. I know the brakes worked and there were no leaks I saw. The power booster was one of the last things installed if I remember, because they were not available for HEMI b-bodies at the time and I had to have one special made. When you started the blogging, I just figured your a nut trying to get something for free.



He can't keep track of his stories.

[jb666]

Or this one, when I asked him what the huge hole with a pc of sheet metal SCREWED to it was in the floor:


----- Original Message -----
From: BK Automotive LLC
To: JB666
Sent: Friday, December 19, 2008 7:50 PM
Subject: Re: Emailing: IMG_2488


the tunnel wasnt replaced. It had a big hole from a 4spd, i remember that. I am positive the guy who put in the shiter would have done the patch.


BK Automotive LLC
www.bkauto.net
713.996.9655


The funny part? The car was never a 4-speed. No chance at ANY point in it's life was it. 

[General_01]

WTF? He had to have a special booster built because they don't make them for b-body Hemi's?

[hemi-hampton]

I've seen these figures come up a few times, $21k in body paint labor (BK just said again in that e-mail)  $4k for rusty shell body=$25k for car. Where'd the other $34k go

[hemi-hampton]

Yeah, we all seen what that Shifter looked like, I'm afraid to see that floor Patch

[skip68]

   Is it just me or did BK remove something in his post about a month or so ago that said $25k in parts? ?   I thought he said $20k went in labor and $25k in parts.       I guess I must have missed it.      At this point it really doesn't matter that much. 

[MoparManJim]

  Is it just me or did BK remove something in his post about a month or so ago that said $25k in parts? ?   I thought he said $20k went in labor and $25k in parts.       I guess I must have missed it.      At this point it really doesn't matter that much. 

Since you mention it, I do remember reading something about that, but I can't remember the numbers though. But what you said does kinda ring a bell though. 

[skip68]

OK, I found what I was looking for.  In post #71 BK says they got $25,000 that covered the price of the car and parts.      Then in post # 100-101 BK says that they got around $20,000 for labor.     So far that makes $45,000 for what we are seeing.      The sad part is for $45,000 I could get a brand new 1969 Dodge Charger GENERAL LEE from top to bottom and inside & out (all new sheet metal) with new engine, turn key car from Smith Bros.     That same money at BK Automotive on this car DID NOT INCLUDE AN ENGINE, NEW FRAMES, NEW FENDERS, HOOD, QUARTERS, REAR VALANCE---- I better stop now  cause this can go on and on and on.     Now that is just wrong and very very sad.    He (BK) does not know how to manage his shop and that is not the customers fault.  The Smith Bros. Restoration shop can take a rusted shell and make it new cheaper than BK can make a bondo bucket.       Ya, you got skills BK Automotive.    True talent.      You Sir are a disgrace to your profession.

[hemi-hampton]

Yeah, That's $4k for the car & $21k for parts. I'm sure his receipts do not total up to $21k do they If you add the about $20k for labor (to have a 13 year old weld you shifter & exhaust pipe roll bar) that's $45k total. Where did the other $14k go?

[quentin]

I'm sure I'm like one of a few thousand lurkers to this thread, that has been silently reading it.  But I gotta chime in, if to say nothing more than "wow".  Thank you for posting those emails from BK.

Any time I've seen people start making this little sense, it means that there is something more (perhaps much more) to their end of the story than we are privy to.    We just don't know.  Be careful.  Let the legal system do it's job.  I respect your openness here, the way in which you're resolving the issue, and definitely the way you've turned your lemon purchase into lemonade.  Good luck from here out.

Back in lurk mode.

[bogus]

They can ask you to remove the posts... but can't MAKE you.

However, it is not libel when it's the TRUTH!

I am curious, tho... Brian, the gentleman who bought this car, owned it for over a year and never noticed this poor build quality?

There is no doubt in my mind that BK did this car and did it this poorly.

They need to be held accountable.

[Ghoste]

He didn't own it for over a year, he had it less than a month and drove it about 5 miles IIRC.

[jb666]

He didn't own it for over a year, he had it less than a month and drove it about 5 miles IIRC.

you are correct, he physically HAD the car for under a month.

[mikepmcs]

Any new progess pics Jeff?

[jb666]

Any new progess pics Jeff?

This week, not yet.. I'll have some new shots very soon. The wiring is 100% done, the gas tank, lines and new seals are all done. The rear end cover (Strange) is coming in the next day or two so we'll soon see what's inside the current cover and why it was taken off. The transmission is in, kickdown/shifter cables adjusted properly. It's funny, but when BK ran all of the cables initially, they were up against the headers.. Wonder what happened there..

Then the fun begins..... The motor will be fired over, run to normal operating range, then pressure tested... PRAY FOR ME that this motor is good.