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I wrote and asked questions, but got few answers.  Looked at the ad and pictures and read what speedster owner members had to say about this replica, up for sale.  What I did not realize as I am a nice person, was Mr. Young was misrepresenting what he had for sale and at about twice what it's value might be. The Speedster was delivered via transit company at my cost of $12000 to Mr. Long plus $1750 for transit cost from CT. to Texas.  The car arrived today and looking at it, as they were unloading it, saw no engine. Ad reads - Complete 1641cc engine and he told me on the phone they had rebuilt the engine, but not installed it, so I suggested he send me the weber carbs in separate box, to make installation of the engine more easy. Funny, no engine in the engine compartment. What is in the interior of the body, sitting on the floor is a worn out old short block, two bad dual port heads, one new set of 87mm bore kit and not other engine parts. I do not consider this as a complete 1641cc with dual weber carbs and it gets better. No linkage, no intakes, no air clearers for those old Weber carbs ( not new one or even new EMPI ones) came with car or in separate box.  The transmission is sitting on the floor, don't know if it is good. 4 wheel disc brakes, in the ad.  One would think, because I am stupid, that they work. I asked if the brake system worked and on the phone Mr. Long said YES, there are brakes and it can be steered by the transit company, as it does not run. The rotors are badly rusted, calipers frozen sitting inside the body?  Not my idea of saying there are brakes on the car.  The steering wheel,  old beat up wheel is hanging from the dash, not connected and one can barely turn the dry rotted tires, mounted on rusted out chrome wheels.  The pictures he used, must have been before the car was in CT, as origin was Las Vegas and title is still in the man's name in Vegas.  The body is molested ( ad read Clean, unmolested body) cracked up, damaged, looks terrible.  Maybe, there are 60% of needed parts to complete car, if you overlook the engine, transmission , rear tail lights, all the misc. chrome pieces for the body and on and on, don't forget you need complete brake system.

 

Now, I hate to trash anyone, but I will be out at least $3500 in freight cost for nothing, but grief on buying from someone who clearly misrepresented what he had for sale. Maybe, it's worth $6000 ?  Did someone read the ad about the Porsche gauges. NO Porsche gauges did I find on the car or in boxes.  Basically, everything in the ad is wrong.  It's a beat up old body with too many missing parts, but if you have spare speedster parts laying in your garage and about $6000, if you are lucky to get it from him, for that price, go for it.  I hate to trash anyone, but pray my $12000 will be refunded once he accepts the car back from me, at my freight cost. Expensive lesson.  So, if you are going to buy a speedster, I now suggest you see it IN PERSON, to know exactly what you are paying for and if it runs, etc.  I just am stupid and too honest and trust people.  Well, trusted his ad and his comments.  We also have a signed contract, which he did not honor.  Amazing, people like him are alive and well. 

 

All members, hope this teaches all a lesson. Mine was expensive. 

--George K. ---

Keeping old VW's running like new .   Past National drag racing record holder.

Last edited by George4888
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Seems to me that the due diligence was as poorly done as the car turned out to be.  Remember "trust but verify" well the verify part was totally missing. Alan Merklin summed up this opportunity 2 weeks ago in his post outlining his opinion of the car at the asking price.  Trust the Wizard!

 

Even the optimistic description outlined a train wreck comin' your way. 

 

I hope this ends well for you but so far it looks like it won't have a good ending.

 

At least provide contact info for the seller so the next guy doesn't get scammed.

 

What a disturbing story---I am sorry and hope this does in fact end well for you.

Last edited by Jack Crosby
I don't think he is a member, but someone did review his samba ad and there were at least two comments about what he had for sale. One negative and one positive. I don't know how to access those forum topics and comments, which I would like to print out for my records. He is alleged to have misrepresented the majority of his ad and what he said he had, for sale or was good to include with this car. What a bad day I have had . ---George K. ---
He was careful with his wording to verify anything in emails. On the phone, he did verify all was good and as the ad stated, that was what I was getting. I am too trusting and this was my first time buying a car, without driving it or looking at it, in person. Never again ! His name is Robert Long, lives in Fairfield, CT. and his samba name was shown as "bobalong" but no additional ads shown. He has an email address of rhlhubris@hotmail.com so watch out for anything he might post on any web site. A running engine was not important to me, but I did request a complete engine, he said was rebuilt, but not started. About 40% of what he offered was not included with the car. Before it rolled off the transport, I knew I had problems. Expensive life lesson. I have posted information on the samba web site as I think he has other cars, for sale. Next post, goes to my Facebook page with over 300 "friends", mostly important people in the VW world. My goal is to see he never sells anything again that is not actual as advertised. And, he told me he has a PhD in Psychology ? I feel sorry for his clients. If anything he told me was true ? So far, not much . I miss my IM speedster I had back in 1993. Wish I had not sold it.

George, After I contacted the Seller everything he said on the phone kinda stunk, very evasive to say the least and I backed away right there. That is exactly why I posted the $6k value on that project.... Period....

 

SOC member and good guy, Carl Berry lives 10 minutes from the Seller's location and he would have been your contact person to go and see what the Seller was hawking .

 

A Buyer has to assume the worst to keep your wallet next to your ass...period. $1,750 CT to TX ? WTH ??? Just yesterday, I had a BMW Z-4 delivered to my home in PA from Houston TX for $600 cash to the driver (AAA Transport Hagerstown MD) and it arrived in 29 hours! I am in the transport business and in most cases can get the best rates if one is a bit patient.

 

People like my self post experienced speedster opinions herein for one reason, to  guide a potential Buyer. Sorry you got stung in the ass but it is a hard le$$on.

 

Out of 37 speedster project purchases, I have had two buying experiences where the speedster was not as advertised ( not misrepresented i.e. bad motors) and after contacting the Seller was I able to get some money back to help cover about 50% of the cost for the problems. Do yourself a favor, get on the horn with a pleasant persona and have your facts ready, go over the condition of the misrepresented car and GET SOME $ERIOU$ COIN BACK TODAY!  ~Alan  aka Drclock.

Last edited by Alan Merklin
Here is the original at which was posted here: https://www.speedsterowners.com...fab-on-the-samba-12k

Something about this guys email address struck me as ironic. He chose "rhlhubris". RHL for what I assume are his initials. It's the hubris part that struck me. Hubris often indicates a loss of contact with reality and an overestimation of one's own competence, accomplishments or capabilities.

Best of luck,
Ted
Last edited by TRP
Thanks, for the link to the speedster owner's forum on this car. I was able to print out the entire forum for my records. The car looked cleaner and better in the pictures. Even the chrome on the wheels looked better. I have no idea when the pictures were taken, maybe many years ago. Now, it looks nowhere close to that condition. Long said he only had the car for six months, but I cannot believe anything he has told me. Almost nothing he advertised or his worded ad was representative of the current condition what all he had to sell. Most upsetting ! ----George K. ---
I read and agree with your value of only $6000 for this car. I read the posted forum, only after my money had been spent. Just not my lucky day or I would have known better. I got over 10 quotes on shipping and what I paid for was for enclosed, which is always more money. The car had no top and with the "parts" placed inside the interior with no protection, I wanted to be sure nothing was stolen or damaged. So, the freight cost more money. With open carry it would have been $1200 or less. It's 1800 miles from Weston,CT. to Hitchcock, Texas. Even Iship or uship web site could not find me lower than $1600 and one quoted with an open carrier. ---George K. ---
Who likes being taken advantage of ? I am also looking into criminal laws of CT. to see if there are legal criminal charges that can be applied to this case. If he refunds the money, I am out all the freight cost. This is the same as stealing from someone and not acceptable. I am warning others to be careful when dealing with this person. You can call that trashing, but it will save others from my bad experience, so I am helping others to learn from my being too trusting of others and buying his "story" about the car's condition. I would rather be discussing how my project was going, not about Mr. Long. Sorry, this is not about what I can do to bring back this old speedster replica.

Helping my cause ? Maybe, the man should have been honest ? Then, all this would not be happening. When someone kicks you in your butt, do you just walk away and laugh ? I hope not !! If so, you would be more of a push over, than silly me. ---George K. ---

Ha HUBRIS, good catch! For a six pack of Lone Star Carl would have done a great PPI and probably even taken some current photos.  It must have sat in guys garage (maybe a Sandy victim if brakes are frozen and chrome wheels rusted) if Carl never saw it on the road or knew the guy.  We have had SOCers here drive hours to look at a cars for folks they don't even know.  Doesn't sound like parts got lost in shipping.  

 

George,

 

I have read your posts and offer some suggestions:

 

The most important one is to work out a solution without courts or lawyers involved.

 

If that doesn't work, at least to your satisfaction, I would pursue a civil remedy, not criminal, as you will have a much better chance of prevailing in civil court.  Since you live in Texas, the purchase funds originated there, and the product at issue was delivered there, I would inform the seller that you intend to pursue the matter in state court in TX, and will sue him in that venue, under TX law, not CT.  TX court may not agree, but you would have a "colorable claim" to submit, and would not be declared a vexatious litigant.  Seller is not likely to want to commit the time, funds, etc. to hire counsel or defend the action in TX, preferring CT court and laws.  

 

If you would like to discuss this further, send me a dialog for additional free and unsolicited advice.  

 

Best advice is the first: work it out with seller.  Grief enters the courtroom with you.

Originally Posted by ALB:

One member here even went as far as another country to look at a car for another member. I would think that if they ever met there would be free beer flowing for a little while (at a round or 2, anyway).

True story... 

 

I know the guy. He buys his friends beer like a drunken sailor.

Last edited by TRP

Just FYI:

http://www.manta.com/c/mm5dm7q...therapy-human-devmnt

 

"Hubris" would be in this guy's vocabulary.

 

If that's the guy he lives near my old house.

 

http://listings.findthecompany...Long-in-Fairfield-CT

 

If he is a psychologist he is supposed to follow fairly strict ethical standards in his work. Not sure if it would matter to anyone in authority if he was (if, I say) dishonest in his other dealings. But if that Rbt Long is your seller, then you might be able to develop some leverage.

 

 

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