[XKaLiBaR]

I am in a bit of a situation with a car breakers who call themselves Kirky Car Breakers. They first contacted me when I made a request on a site called www.findanengine.co.uk. I received a text message shortly after for an engine from them.

I contacted them, and eventually put a deposit on the engine on the 23rd January 2009. I was sent an invoice by email afterwards to show the deposit and the remainder to pay. I was concerned that they added VAT, but no VAT number anywhere on the invoice.

They had also sent me Terms and Condition, which at the bottom states this, which I was not told about either when I gave my deposit.

“All Engines and Gearboxes are supplied on an exchange basis, please contact KIRKBYCARBREAKERS as and when the unit is ready for collection (this must be within twenty eight days of the delivered date) should no exchange unit be made avalible within the specified time, the warranty may be prejudiced, unless an alternative arrangement has been agreed in writing.”

I cannot give them my engine as the engine has been sold already. So not sure what to say to them or do about this, other than tell them that the engine is going into a fiesta, and send them a 1.1 fiesta engine back lol
So, to my main problem. On the 27th January 2009, I called back Kirby Car Breakers to give them my card details for the balance of the item. I was told a delivery time of up to 7 days.
I called back on the 4th February 2009, to speak to a woman from Kirkby Car Breakers, who tells me that the order has not been processed yet, as no payment has been taken. So the obvious thing to say here would be, ‘what are you talking about, I called last week and gave you my card details, and you told me delivery within 7 days…’ The response is this ‘has any payment been taken out of your account? If no payment has been taken out of your account then it has not been processed, whether we have taken your card details or not.” When I asked what the delay was, I was told that the engine is still in the car, and the car is at their other depot. Funny, I could have sworn the guy said he had the engine, and was going to put it on a crate when I paid the deposit and get it ready for shipment.

I was then told 99% chance I will have delivery by the following Wednesday 11th February 2009.

I called back Kirkby Car Breakers on the 9th February 2009, to make sure that everything was going ahead as schedule. I was told by them that the car has been cleared from the insurance companies, and that they can strip it now. And I should have the engine by Friday 13th February 2009. Cleared? From insurance? First time I heard of this. Fair enough I thought, at least everything is going ahead. So much for the 99% chance of delivery on time.
Now, I call back on 12th February 2009, the day before I should expect delivery, and I am now told that my card has been declined/not accepted by their card machine. The obvious question here would be, ‘why did you not contact me to tell me this?’ I asked what number they rang, and she quoted my office number, which I just rang them on, which I never give out to anyone. Plus they have my mobile number, and my email address, in which they could of contact me by. They must have caller ID on their phones, and she is just reading it out to me.

It’s funny, last week she told me its not there policy to call people back, but to email them. So when I asked her about what happened to the company policy, she went into one again, and started saying ‘are you arguing with me again?’

But anyway, I double checked the card details, and they had the correct details. I asked her to try again, whilst I am on the phone. I was told to get off the phone, as the card machine is linked with the phone line we are on. Fair enough, I asked her to call me back straight away.
In the meantime, I called my bank up to see if any transaction were made, rejected or attempted. I was told that my card was not used or rejected. They suggested, that Kirkby Car Breakers probably have a problem with their card machine, and its not going through to the bank.
As I expected no calls back from the woman.

I eagerly await the next day, 13th February 2009.

I call back, and I am told that the card did not go through. I make them aware that I have contacted my bank, and that no attempt for a transaction was made on my account. I double, now triple checked my card details with them. I asked them to try the card again, and was told that they can’t try it again, until after 5:30pm, as the phone line is being used for sales and customers (am I not a customer all of a sudden?). I also asked them, why they charged me VAT, and invoiced me without a VAT number.
“we only send out that information when the full balance has been paid, as some people can declare VAT without paying the remainder of the balance”
I called back at 5:45, and I told that the card has not gone through. He assures me that they have put other people’s cards through that day, and it has worked fine. I suggested I use my credit card instead, but I am told by Kirkby Car Breakers, that they cannot accept another card, in case of fraud…
So my response to this is “ok, so your machine isn’t accepting my card, you won’t let me use another card, how do you want the money then? Bank transfer?”

“We do not accept bank transfer”

“So how do you want me to pay you then?”

“The best thing to do is, if I refund you your deposit, because your wasting our time calling us like this all time”

“I don’t want a refund, I have commited to buying this part for 3 weeks now. I need the part, what about a cheque?”

“You can send us a cheque, but we would have to wait till it clears, which could take up to 5-7 days, before we can send the part out”

I am thinking hell no, am I sending them a cheque. It would probably take them a month to cash it in, if they haven’t lost it.
I have the last few phone conversation on recorded, its hilarious the stuff that comes out of these idiots mouths.

After some research, I have found this site http://iq.lycos.co.uk/qa/show/43437/....uk-are-based/
Which shows that findanengine.co.uk is actually Kirkby Car Breakers.

Domain name: findanengine.co.uk
Registrant: Sue Jamieson
Trading as: Universal Spares UK
Registrant type: UK Sole Trader
Registrant's address:
Unit 3, Simonswood Ind Park
KIRKBY
Merseyside
L33 4YS

Kirby Car Breakers‎
Unit 3, Stopgate La, Simonswood, Liverpool, Merseyside, L33 4YA

Sue is the woman that I have been dealing with, till the last day, when I spoke to Lee, who was the supposed manager, who actually kept asking Sue questions like “could he send a cheque”, “can he send money via bank transfer”.

Sorry for my rant, I thought I would let other people know about these idiots. And advice on some of the things they have told me, like not accepting my other card, or putting a the VAT number on the invoice.

[willhollin]

What a bunch of tossers, they obviously must be doing a roaring trade if they don't want your money. Best left well alone by the sounds of it.

[dxb335d]

Mate, as said on the phone... bunch cock ends.

I would not buy from them, they want your engine to rebuild. Possible your engine you are meant to be buying off them is re-built.

[NFS]

Lucky escape I would say.

Get the deposit back ASAP.

I suspect that, if they had charged your card, you would be out of pocket and unlikely to ever get the engine.