Vintage Automotive Electrical Service - Help

[jadeboy]

My Best friend's took his truck to Vintage Auto to get work on it, now Fred Armstrong has refuse to return calls and there seems to be no one at the shop. I also heard other people are also having problem getting back the vehicle from Vintage. Does anyone know anything?

Vintage Automotive Electrical Service

1848 54 St SE
Calgary, AB T2B 1N4

(403) 970-4128

http://www.yelp.ca/biz/vintage-automotive-electrical-service-calgary

Thanks

[TomcoPDR]

Originally posted by jadeboy
and there seems to be no one at the shop.

It's Saturday today.

[jadeboy]

Originally posted by TomcoPDR


It's Saturday today.

Sorry.. I should have provided more information. The shop have been closed for several months and Fred Armstrong has not been returning calls for several months.

[Graham_A_M]

You may want to get the police involved since his vehicle is now stuck at a shop that may be entirely closed. At least that way you'd know the proper legal grounds for getting it out since its basically locked in an almost abandoned facility. A few business days to a week, two weeks tops is enough. Several months of this is getting to be a serious issue.

[jadeboy]

Originally posted by Graham_A_M
You may want to get the police involved since his vehicle is now stuck at a shop that may be entirely closed. At least that way you'd know the proper legal grounds for getting it out since its basically locked in an almost abandoned facility. A few business days to a week, two weeks tops is enough. Several months of this is getting to be a serious issue.

He has already gone to the police. The police said since he dropped off the vehicle there is nothing they can do, they told him to get a lawyer which he has already done. The lawyer route would takes months and be expensive. I would like it to be solved quickly, all I care is getting the truck back.

[detroitheavymetal]

Sorry I am a little late in posting a reply. An option for finding Fred Armstrong would be contacting his silent partner in Vintage Automotive. Norm Flanders, 403-282-2547, [email protected]. Norm was a 40% owner in Vintage Auto and a buddy of Fred’s. I suspect Norm would know where Fred is or how to contact him.

[jadeboy]

My friend had to get a lawyer to sue him for the truck back.

In the end Fred wanted several more thousand (I believe for storage - WTF) .

The truck does not runs, Fred charges for work that was never done and parts are missing.

[sidewaysD]

Please please tell me you have the orignal bill/invoice/qoute for the amount agreed upon?

[detroitheavymetal]

I went by Vintage Auto the other day (1848 54 St SE) just to see if the business was still operating. It appears to be in transition. Vintage Auto’s stuff; project cars, business sign etc. is still at this location, but it appears to be closed down. I unfortunately had a long, painful run-in with this business and the owners Fred Armstrong and Norm Flanders. It took me 15 minutes to drop off my auto parts and front them some money, but it then took nearly 5 years to pry it back from them. Our legal system gives the owner/operators of incorporated businesses virtual impunity from personal accountability for their actions. The only way they can be held to account is in the court of public opinion. The “Yelp” web site is the only place I have found that gives a good summary of customer experience with Vintage Auto.


http://www.yelp.ca/filtered_reviews/UrNBXG1L41ALfdkdujXswg?fsid=1ntKdABs2f-6U2GGC8Po3g

[Cash Money Hoes]

Fred is a crook, he took my money to buy parts on a project I had him do, several months later the parts had not arrived and it became apparent he simply pocketed the money. It took 2 years to get the car back and some shitty work done is lieu of the cash that was fronted for parts. Turns out he is not a licensed mechanic and has no idea how to run a business.

There are several instances where he has sent half finished project cars to other companies (upholstery, body work) for do work. The shops would complete the work , Fred would invoice the owners of the cars for the work, but he would not pay the shops for the work done. As a result the owners could not get their cars back without double paying for the (upholstery/ body work).

Bottom line is that Fred has been operating the business on a hand to mouth basis for as long as he has been around. He has made a terrible name for himself.

Inevitably, he will pop up again under a different shop name. If you walk into a shop and someone there is named Fred Armstrong, turn on your heels and walk away. You will save yourself massive amounts of time and money.

His work is also no better than that of a back yard mechanic.