Specialty Sales Classic & Exotic Cars Sucks! My first Speedster nightmare.

I bought my Porsche Speedster from SpecialtySales.com December 3rd. Beware of Specialty Sales Classic and Exotic Car Co. located in Benicia and Pleasanton, CA.. My story about the Porsche Speedster I bought that had major safety mechanical problems the day I drove it home and still has mechanical problems almost 4 weeks later. This site offers advice and updates on Specialty Sales customer care, professionalism, and the kind of cars they're really selling.
Now, I have tried contacting the owner 5 times in the last week and a half and did not receive a phone call back until the day before yesterday. I call him yesterday and he does not commit to making any repairs and says that they treat all their customer's fairly. Well, apparently not this one. The owner even considered the option of me contacting my lawyer. By law, any dealer is required to check out a car by a certified mechanic. I have asked twice for documentation showing that repairs/ diagnostics were made, they haven't even acknowledged my requests.
Now, supposedly they make their own Speedsters as well (the one I bought was on consignment from private owner), I discourage anyone from making the same mistake I did. I was so excited about getting this car, I could not even speak. It's been my dream car since I can remember. I should have gone to Vintage Speedsters. This is now a huge regret.
I will continue to discuss this with other members, car clubs, chat rooms, and message boards.

Here's one of the letters I wrote to Specialty Sales describing what has happened up to this point.

"Dear Jim Benham(Sales Assoc that sold me the car) and Steve Barlow(Owner),

I want to take this time to express some of the concerns I have had since I have purchased this Speedster from you guys. I bought the car on December 3rd and this will be the 3rd week I've had the car. My first weekend went like this....driving home, master cylinder goes out and brake fluid empty. The brake handle release is almost shot and the driver side door handle falls off going over a bump in the road. That's all in the first day I get this home. Not good, but I felt like I was very understanding about the whole thing and very thankful.

I do not drive the car until I could get it in the shop the following weekend, which was December 10th. It takes them until 4pm to fix the car, I take it home and park it in the Garage and drive it a few miles the next day Sunday and then another night during the week and that's all. Then, I notice two 2 inch in diameter circles of oil on my garage floor by the end of the week and call you first thing Tuesday of this week, December 20th. I am guessing that I have driven this car less that 60 miles since I have been home and haven't even filled up the tank yet since I brought the car home on the 3rd. It is going into the shop again for the second time in three weeks. This concerns me for one, for two, what really brought me to writing you this letter, is...after going into the Garage and moving the car this evening, I realize that there are no break lights. Now I am asking you if you really checked out this car?

A total of six things have gone wrong with this car in the last 3 weeks and I have driven this car less than 60 miles in three weeks because there has always been something wrong with it. To be honest with you, I am not real happy with all this. This car is not old, it may have an old body style, built to look like the 1957 Porsche Speedster, but the truth is that is almost brand new. All new parts, wiring, you name it, besides the chassis. I mean the motor only has almost 3,000 miles on it. You cannot tell me it's because it's such an old car that's it's having all these problems. There's not a used part on the car, besides the chassis.

Now, I write this so that you can understand how inconvenient and disappointing this has been for me and I write this so that you are fully aware of exactly what the situation is. Now so far, Specialty Sales has sent me a check for the last round of repairs and I am going to have this car fully checked out the next round, so I am asking that I be reimbursed fully for any repairs once again due to the inconvenience this has caused me. I have not been able to enjoy this car as much I would like to since I have had it and would like to begin doing that as soon as possible. Now, I am a very busy person and do not really have time for such things, but I am going to give you guys the benefit of the doubt to take care of this. I am going to have this car fully checked out, I do not want anymore surprises for a car so new and after only bringing it home 3 weeks ago.

I truly hope you understand my concerns and I would like to feel like a customer that you are going to take care of and who is going to do everything they can to rectify the situation."

John Have you taken the car to Specialty Service? This is the service part of Specialty Sales. It is run by Steve Barlow (son of the owner of Specialty Sales) Steve has posted here on the site from time to time. I have had them perform some work on my Vintage car and have watched some of their builds. In general some of the repair work leaves something to be desired. They do not pay a lot of attention to details. I would suggest you give Mike a call and let him know personally about your problems. Just make sure to check the details once they complete any work.

They are nice folks but just tend to miss some details. Mike's phone number is 925-339-5007. He is also in Pleasanton. I also am in pleasanton and if I can offer any help please let me know. My personal e-mail is listed here in my profile.

Troy

If the car was on consignment, I am under the impression the car does not belong to the dealer but is being sold by the dealer for a private party for a sales comission. Probably varies state to state but I'm not sure what the 'selling dealers' obligation may be to correct defects on a vehicle he didn't own. Might want to review this locally.

Thanks Troy. I will try to keep the "nice" part in mind. Steve was not very nice or understanding for that matter. He was pulling up every excuse he could, even things that were completely absurd, like "maybe your garage door fell on top of car, causing a wire to come loose, therefore causing the break lights to go out.". He dodged my phone calls, he had his receptionist dodge giving me his email address, and he dodged any responsability for the safety and dependability of the car.

Believe me, I'm a reasonable person, but I feel like I've been treated unfairly in this situation. It's all been so uneventful. Like I told them, the only events happening with this car, are taking it to the mechanic and looking at how pretty it is in my garage and wishing I could drive the darn thing!

Thanks for the reply. I appreciate it.

Hi Bill. In California here, any dealer Used or New, is required by law to have the car checked out by a certified mechanic to meet the maximum safety requirements. I just have a problem believing that the car was actually checked out, considering so much has gone wrong with it and the simple fact that they will not provide me with any documentation. The car barely has over 3,000 miles on it and I have not even driven it since I got it home except to the mechanic and around the block.

Who originally built this car? I think if possible, I would call them and get some help on the background of the car.

Oil on the floor? Not all that surprising to me if it was a cheapy VW engine. Who actually built the engine?

None of this comes as a surprise to me....this should tell you something about the nature of the car you bought and the nature of buying a used car from any dealer and "trusting" that they did what they were suppose to.

I think they may be suggesting you contact a lawyer, as they know thats where your probably going to end up anyway.

Steven- What do you mean by "this should tell you something about the nature of the car you bought"?

I did a lot of research about these Speedsters before I bought one, everybody ranted and raved about what great cars they were. Not only were they good looking, but also a pleasure to drive and easy to work on and not problematic.

I believe this situation does not have anything to do with "the nature of the car".

"I did a lot of research about these Speedsters before I bought one, everybody ranted and raved about what great cars they were. Not only were they good looking, but also a pleasure to drive and easy to work on and not problematic."

Hmm. I'm not sure I'd go that far. Anybody else?

The Speedsters are fun. They're generally easy to work on. But if they weren't problematic, there wouldn't be more than 18,000 posts in the "technical general" and "engines/mechanical" forums. These are fun cars, but they aren't the latest Japanese imports. You have to take them at face value - a 1970 or whatever Volkswagen is still a 1970 Volkswagen, even if it is "brand new".

These cars, even in their most perfect mechanical working order, are inferior to almost any new car on the road. I agree, in general, that you have some unacceptable "fit and finish" type problems that the dealer should probably solve. But a couple of drops of oil on the garage floor is par for the course.

I second Ted on everything he said except I wouldn't say these cars are "inferior". They're a good simple design...nothing more, nothing less than what you need to take you from point A to point B and in our case, very stylishly too......

John, It'd be nice to know where was the car built. Is it a homebrew or built by a shop?

Is there any such thing as "a speedster"?

I suggest what we really have are maybe ten basic manufacturers with molds, and another 30 or 40 re-sell and/or assembly shops that put all the parts together. That does not include all the good folks who buy it as a true kit and put it together themselves. Now throw in that engines vary from 1600cc type ones to 3.0 plus liter six cylinder Porsches, a few Subarus and a few odd water pumpers. Brakes that vary from all drums to Brembo discs all around. Tires that vary from 135 x 15 to what, maybe 345 x 18? Trannys that vary from Subbie auto to VW 4 speed to Porsche 5 speed. How many electrical harnesses have been altered by the builder? Was the original VW pan rebuilt or re-used? How was the suspension lowered, by spindles or beam adjusters or both? These are hand built cars. Quality varies - WIDELY.

That leaves me with the question, just what is "a speedster"? I suggest, that in contrast to what Detroit produces (a highly repeatably vehicle) perhaps a speedster is whatever the owner wants it to be?

It was built in Vegas. I am trying to find out exactly where. I will post as soon as I find out.

I have to disagree that oil leaks are par for the course on an engine just built to perfection 3,000 miles ago. I do not think we are giving these cars enough credit. Everything on the cars are brand new, except for the chassis. I think I have a good point here. I'm a classic car owner and have been since I first learned how to drive. My first car was a 64 1/2 mustang that I completely restored and rebuilt the engine on myself. Even the rebuilt engines did not leak oil. Last year I had a rebuilt engine installed in my 62 Mercury Comet and to this day, not a drip of oil. The old engine leaked oil, but not this one and that has almost been two years ago, come April.

I have classic Fords and a speedster. Welcome to air cooled VW's. Better get out the tools. Good Luck, Have Fun.

If you had such great luck with your Mustang, maybe you should roll up your sleeves and rebuild the engine in your Speedster, as it was obviously not "perfectly built". I'm sure you could do a much better job.

The idea that any mechanic in his right mind would look at a speedster and certify that it meets some "maximum safety" requirements is laughable. I can hardly think of a more dangerous way to roll down the street but in a speedster replica.

If the engine is brand new, as you assert, it's probably some bad Mexican or Brazilian copy of the real thing. To have the expectation that this car should perform like some brand-new, perfectly engineered automobile is probably unrealistic. I think the only way that you'll ever be happy with a Speedster is if you return (or sell) the one you got and build one yourself from the ground up.

John; oil leaks are the nature of the beast in air cooled VW's and even Porsches. It's just a matter of degrees. At 3,000 miles you're bound to have some oil leaks; if it's too much you have a problem but by and large it's common.

From what I read here there is an "at fault" situation by both the buyer and seller(s) If said vehicle is sold on consignment then the seller is not held liable for any unknown faults other than those which were known and not disclosed to a potential buyer. As for a buyer it is there responsibility to have the vehicle inspected and not rely on what a dealer may or may not stated and claim to be so. (Invest in a few "insurance dollars" by going to the seller and inspect the vehicle prior to entering into a binding transaction. There are professional services available for those buyers that are too far from the actual selling location.) This is somewhat reinforced by the seller gladly stating to the buyer to have a lawyer review the overall transaction. I'll assume that the selling dealer has a "As Is" disclaimer signed by the buyer.
It would be in the best business interest for the selling dealer to remedy some if not all of the problems, while not their actually owned vehicle but a consignment sale, it is just good business to make a reasonable effort to make the customer happy as word of mouth can make or break a business in the blink of an eye.
While it certainly a sorry situation it is something that happens on a daily basis hence the bottom line, "Buyer Beware".
_________________________________

Even in a private sale transaction always have a Bill of Sale stating:

"The vehicle discribed herein is Sold as is where is with No Warranty Expressed And Or Implied".

Well said Alan! Expectations of buyer (john doe) on a first purchase speedster may have been a bit high.....Heck ...Fresh built new ones from Vintage or whoever normally have a bug or two that needs attending to after you get them home. Half the fun of owning one is the tinkering! Anyone purchasing one of these cars might as well expect to have to do something....It's the nature of the best...We're looking at 30+ year old tecnology! Light out...oil drip...is'nt that normal! If your wanting a near perfect one...spend 40K and buy a IM from Henry. You still may have a bug or two.

John, it is hard to post on forums and make people understand that what the tone of your voice and the intention of the conversation is, so please understand I'm not attacking you.

You say you researched these cars extensively, but you don't even know who actually built the car, or who actually built the engine. "these cars" vary widely in original build quality and the drivetrains vary widely in build quality also. Why do you think there are so many fights on this site about build quality of different manufacturers. Don't get me wrong, they all have there inherent downfalls, but some have more then others.

I have tried repeatedly to carry the banner of "realistic expectations" when it comes to the VW drivetrain, but honestly it pisses people off when I do so, thats why you have to do a lot more research then you would on a normal car to know what your getting into.



"everybody ranted and raved about what great cars they were"
Who exactly is everybody???? They love the car, but that shouldn't be misconstrued as problem free.

"I believe this situation does not have anything to do with "the nature of the car"."
Respectfully, I believe you are wrong, these types of problems are more common then not, engine problems and electrical problems are common even on brand new cars of this type.

I really appreciate your posts as it gives me an opportunity to get on my soap box and have everyone want to kill me for telling you the hard truth.

ditto!

Hey guys what is going on here? John bought a speedster and was delivered a piece of shit. Stephen you just paid big $ for a car and I'm sure if it had anywhere near the problems John has had we would have heard from you, Michael you sell cars for a living, how long would you be in business if you treated your customers the way Specialty has treated John. Ricardo if your new VS had left a two inch puddle of oil on your garage floor we would have heard from you also. How about getting of John's back and offer support.

A year ago I posted my feelings about Specialty as I have knowledge of two people that purchased muscle cars from them and received about the same level of non-support. They mostly sell consignment cars and have no responsiblity after the car leaves the place.

John the problems you list are certainly annoying but none of them are major and can be easily solved. There is lots of knowledge here and if people will get off there soap boxes and offer help, I am sure you will end up with a car that you will certainly love.

Please be aware though that they do require some attention and unless you like working on it you will need to find a good mechanic.

Welcome

Troy

"if people will get off there soap boxes and offer help"

I think people would be more than willing to help - but help isn't what the original poster wants. He didn't ask how to fix any of his problems, he just seems offended that he has them in the first place.

Thanks Troy! For your support. You took the words right out of my mouth. The posts really were getting a little carried away from my original post, which was about Specialty Sales and the level of customer care and inspection into the cars they sell and were really unsupportive so I stopped responding to the posts.
I know that these cars are going to take work in the future...I'm not an idiot. I've owned and been around old cars all my life. My dad worked on them and owned them and then as soon as I was old enough, I bought and did the same. Now, I am at a point in my life where I do not have the time to make restoring my cars as much a hobby as I'd like it to be. So I have a darn good mechanic who knows how to work on this car.
Now, I admit to making the mistake of not having this car checked out myself before I drove this away. I blindly "trusted" them and their small dealership charm worked on me. I am owning up to my side of the street and Specialty Sales is NOT. This is my issue. This is what my posts were about. If I have mechanical problems to talk about, I will go to that forum and discuss it, heck, I'm sure if I have any mechanical questions, it's probably already been talked about and I could just look through the posts.
Thanks for listening Troy.

John, welcome to our forum. Folks that know me call me "Hoss" and I have been around the site for several years. I can appreciate your disappointment with your new car. I purchased a year old Vintage Speedster that proved to have its share of problems, most of which I was able to resolve over the course of my ownership. I can understand your shock when you found oil underneath a car that had a virtually brand new engine and the other "surprises" you have experienced. Been there, done that.

Further, I can understand your frustration with the seller that has not been particularly helpful in resolving your issues. I do not know what contractual obligations, if any, that they have not fulfilled. If after reading the sales contract you feel that legal action is your only recourse, then go for it. I have no idea if you are solid legal ground, but your post has certainly alerted us to the way this company apparently does business.

There are plenty of folks on this website that will be able to assist you in correcting any problems that you have whether you do it yourself or hire a decent mechanic. You should feel free to use us as a resource whenever you feel the need. I doubt that there are any problems that can't be corrected if you stick with it.

Good luck and keep the faith. These are great little cars and this is a great community.
Hoss

ps. Note to Theron: Shouldn't this thread be moved to the vendor specific section???

Thanks Michael. No offense taken. I'm glad I have this resource. I think it's a great community. I'm proud to be a Speedster owner and talking about this has helped me remember how excited I was to get this car.

I was being sincere, I really think that John Doe is doing the general newbie a favor. Not only is he telling how bad these jokers stand behind things, but he is also talking about issues of buying a used car, that are specific to these cars. And specific problems of buying cars on consignment.

As a matter of fact, I have had several issues as I broke in my new car. None of them were as bad as maybe John is dealing with, but it was also a new car. I have had a micro switch go bad on my roll-up window, I needed to tighten up my alternator belt once, and a throttle wire nut came loose. These are typical things that come up even on a new build. Don't get me wrong, if I had a NEW build and the engine was crappola, I wouldn't be happy, but then again, I got a warranty for that.

I also think that just because it is "new" doesn't make it good. I think we can all agree there are lots of "new" VW engines that are built out of cheap junk and by people who could care less if they last more then a couple of thousand miles.

Hey John, I just looked at the photos of your car.....Thats a great looking car! Your gonna love it!!

John; just checked your photos and you car, like mine is a Vintage. As per Hoss' comment please understand I'm not being patronizing; after reading your last post I now understand your concerns more fully. For your info. these cars all carry a 12 month 1 year warranty. For example, your oil leak could be something as simple as dripping oil soaked gaskets due to a loose sump plate.

The shop that built your car is in Hawaiian Gardens, which I believe is not that far from where you are. Kirk Duncan, Vintage Speedster's owner has been known to help owners of even secondhand Vintage Speedsters. He's a cool guy and could probably help you out.

John Doe, As you can see .....you'll here all kinds of opinions , views and perspectives on this forum. We are all really a pretty good bunch of guys for the most part,,,,,except for Vince.....Just kidding Vince! As you can see we all are willing to give our advice, suggestions, opinions, directions and even help.....No harm ment or implied. Hang in there, things will get better and you'll soon forget about the bumps in the road. Sorry if I may have affended you in any way. Welcome to our forum!

Actually I did not get this from Vintage Speedsters. I wish I had. I'm sure I would not have had this headache. I'm sure Kirk would have taken care of these things. I have never heard anyone complain about Vintage Speedsters.

John, you didn't get the car from Vintage, but if they are close by they will be able to work through your problems, and for the cost versus aggravation factor I would go to them.

At least they will give you an honest opinion of what the car needs and how bad or not bad it is, and they are in reality probably the original builder. Lots of resellers claim to build cars, but in reality are buying them from somone else.

I've been gone a few days, I really liked the way this thread was going, everyone jumping on John, then of course someone who I won't mention (Troy) stepped in and mellowed everyone out......
John, these guys can be a bunch of Pussies, then turn in a heartbeat and jump your ass.....be afraid, be very afraid....
Welcome to the site, I notice you live in L.A.....anytime you want to cruise, let me know...........I'll find someone to ride with you...
Oh Michael, thanks for the plug.....Would hate to be taken for a nice guy.....

ha ha. Thanks Vince.

Steven- yeah, I was leaning towards just driving it to VS and talking to Kirk soon. I've been there before, took a test spin and got a tour of the place and the assembly line. I think that's what I'll do next weekend.

Do that John, that's what Vince and some other VS owners do in the LA area. What better than to get your car serviced from the original builder?

Ricardo, this is may not be the original owner. I do not know if it is.

John, you mean builder? From your pictures your car definitely looks like a Vintage Speedster; regardless if it was built at the shop or as a kit Kirk will help you out; he's a swell guy.

"Wow,
Just got back from the snow to find this thread. I just moved it to "Vendor Specific". All you guys are awesome to manage a thread like this as a group."

Theron - never underestimate the intelligence of a bunch of mature, discreet, reserved, and sane car buffs. But with this group, you can.

:-)

Wow,
Just got back from the snow to find this thread. I just moved it to "Vendor Specific". All you guys are awesome to manage a thread like this as a group.

John,
There are no builders in Vegas. Only dealers who sell Vintage.

-=theron

I can't help this question but......... is John Doe your alias or stage name?
To bad about the car and hope it gets togeather soon for your driving enjoyment. What a bummer but you will have a great time with your car.
I think it might be safe to say that everyone has issues of one sort or another although I am certain some peoples problems are bigger than others.
Good Luck. You willget through this.
What is your name?