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American Motorsports a cautionary tale

Discussion in 'Vendor Reviews' started by magikbean562, Mar 14, 2014.

  1. Mar 14, 2014 at 8:18 PM
    #1
    magikbean562

    magikbean562 [OP] once flirted with danger, danger got clingy

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    WARNING LONG READ

    im tired and about to go to bed so some shit may not make sense. feel free to pm me with questions.

    where to start? i spoke with brian a few times about building my 4runner. mild build. long travel front, bumpers, hoops for rear shocks, bump cans and strap it all. got a quote. drove down talked some more. he said 4-6 weeks for everything. this was june of 2013. i patiently waited being unemployed at the time. went down to visit when i could. during one visit he said since my kit was one of the first ones, powder cooating would be free. 3 months later, only the rear coils were installed. says hes looking for a cad guy for his kit. 2 more months some rough tube work for bumpers and front fenders on. month later rear hoops and cans on. then the kits are in. then 2 months of spindle issues and shock tower he drew up wasnt gonna work, so hoops for the front and march comes around and finally get a call trucks done and working great. mind you never pictures of the truck and if i didnt call, no communication. i shoot down. drive the truck. brakes are soft. when i drove down there 8 months before, brake rotors and pads were brand new. no light tabs on front or rear bumpers like i asked, no powder coating of the kit, hell there was surface rust on the kit and both bumpers now. he goes to get the light tabs from ORW, so i inspect the truck. front rotor is gouged to shit. he comes back i tell him and he says i can resurface it, i say no it was new, he says fine i'll grab you a new one. install new one, brakes still feel like shit. i say fuck it, i'll take her home as is. we discussed final payment previously. so i bring cash for waht was previously discussed. he then says he had to upgrade the front hubs to 2nd gen (we talked before all this and he said my wheel bearings were going out, being a safety issue, he cant let me leave with the used ones on, i said fine. i found some koyo ones for $50ea and sent him the website. he never called back to verify or emal me) now hes sayin the 2nd gen ones he put in and i owe him another $300. i said wait the fuck up. we never agreed to that. he got loud and said fuck it tow your shit home im taking off the hubs. there was a bit of heated argument, but being there alone with 4 of his peole there, i had no chance of winning that one. we had previously agreed that he was taking some of my stock parts off for his 4runner and removing some $ from the total, he didnt want them now so i said fine heres another $300 and i keep all stock parts. drove the truck home on the slow lane (1.5 hour drive) and babying the brakes.

    come home check brakes, bolts for calipers hardly needed force to come loose, passenger spring holding pics for brake pads missing and pins 1/4' out. random scratches all over truck and a nice 3" gouge on one of the doors, not there when i dropped it off. 2 tubes of rear bumper not completely welded. OEM parts in bin i provided have missing driver spindle. and no tow hitch receiver on rear bumper like we previously talked about. the kit is yet to be tested.

    before i left AMR, i asked brian why it took so long. he said perfection takes time. if this is perfection, youre in the wrong business. good luck to those with trucks still there collecting dust.

    its up to you to draw your own conclusion. i for one will never take another truck or recommend AMR to anyone i know.

    ps. brian did provide a few grade 8 bolts for my shocks and some rubber pieces to attach the resi's to the hoops. thanks i guess.

    rear bumper on driver side, not welded
    [​IMG]

    rear bumper not lining up
    [​IMG]

    passenger side rear bumper
    [​IMG]

    spindle with chunk attached when he hacked into when it wouldnt clear tire
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Aug 17, 2014
  2. Mar 14, 2014 at 8:21 PM
    #2
    Konaborne

    Konaborne Pineapples on pizza Hawaiian does not it make.

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  3. Mar 14, 2014 at 8:27 PM
    #3
    DIRT YOTA

    DIRT YOTA Aka EL ROJO

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    Wow! Shitty man!
     
  4. Mar 14, 2014 at 8:31 PM
    #4
    Anthony250

    Anthony250 Ex Fabricator

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    Heard similar things with another truck i wont mention that was there, with the random scratches .
     
  5. Mar 14, 2014 at 8:34 PM
    #5
    SoCaltaco65

    SoCaltaco65 Well-Known Member

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    Good Greg for posting and I'm sorry, I am trying to get ahold of the others he F'd over to get them to file a claim against before he is granted Chapter 7
     
  6. Mar 14, 2014 at 8:35 PM
    #6
    magikbean562

    magikbean562 [OP] once flirted with danger, danger got clingy

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    also forgot to mention, he assured me he does all the welding so the welded parts all look the same. i know for a fact his helpers built my bumpers and the rear bumper doesnt even line up to the trucks body lines.
     
  7. Mar 14, 2014 at 8:37 PM
    #7
    magikbean562

    magikbean562 [OP] once flirted with danger, danger got clingy

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    heard hes already filed it so he doesnt give up $$. im filing a BBB claim and may talk to a few other interested govt establishments. i dont care about the money, hes just a person that shouldnt be in business and i can only hope more arent fucked over.
     
  8. Mar 14, 2014 at 8:37 PM
    #8
    nfs257

    nfs257 Well-Known Member

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    My rear window was shattered while it was there and he tried bullying his was into saying it wasnt. And then had it replaced with a used one that didnt even fit...


    Also as Greg stated the agreed upon amount and the final amount were way way way different.

    I have copies of the original quote and the final invoice. I agreed to $1500 in changes but Im pretty sure my math shows more than that.
     
  9. Mar 14, 2014 at 8:38 PM
    #9
    SoCaltaco65

    SoCaltaco65 Well-Known Member

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    Indeed, Im not sure if you have seen that he did to Chris (nfs) DMZ SUA and bedcage build, what a hack job.


    aaaaaaaannnd, he posted before I could reply.
     
  10. Mar 14, 2014 at 8:40 PM
    #10
    RJALLDAY702

    RJALLDAY702 U MAD? OH U MAD

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  11. Mar 14, 2014 at 8:40 PM
    #11
    SoCaltaco65

    SoCaltaco65 Well-Known Member

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    under the new laws there should be a 30/60 day timeframe to file against the business.
     
  12. Mar 14, 2014 at 8:40 PM
    #12
    nfs257

    nfs257 Well-Known Member

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    :wave:

    This isnt even all. Its all that I had at this moment with out pulling more pictures and my notes.
     
  13. Mar 14, 2014 at 8:44 PM
    #13
    SoCaltaco65

    SoCaltaco65 Well-Known Member

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    please post more, I have another customer hopefully calling me tonight.
     
  14. Mar 14, 2014 at 8:44 PM
    #14
    nfs257

    nfs257 Well-Known Member

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    Oh and I have absolutely zero to show for the deposit on the front and got told to kick rocks that the "deposit" was non-refundable...
     

    Attached Files:

  15. Mar 14, 2014 at 8:45 PM
    #15
    anthony250f

    anthony250f Well-Known Member

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    My shocks are very far out too...have 1.5" spacers with smooth body shocks and they rub
     
  16. Mar 14, 2014 at 8:46 PM
    #16
    nfs257

    nfs257 Well-Known Member

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    Working on it old man! lol
     
  17. Mar 14, 2014 at 8:46 PM
    #17
    nfs257

    nfs257 Well-Known Member

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    I have 2" spacers and the tires are 4.3" BS.
     
  18. Mar 14, 2014 at 8:47 PM
    #18
    SoCaltaco65

    SoCaltaco65 Well-Known Member

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    Big message right there, get everything in writing! Too bad as this give fabricators a bigger black eye...
     
  19. Mar 14, 2014 at 8:49 PM
    #19
    nfs257

    nfs257 Well-Known Member

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    Also my E-Brakes are gone and he didnt replace them...
     
  20. Mar 14, 2014 at 8:49 PM
    #20
    RJALLDAY702

    RJALLDAY702 U MAD? OH U MAD

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    Wow. Just WOW. Speechless.

    Someone blast him on Yelp.
     
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