Question about floor mat salesman who has not delivered

[drdon]

Call me gullible! At the South Bend meet nearly two years ago, I heard there was a booth that was selling a 1937 floor mat. I rushed right over, and he said he had just sold it. He then told me if I paid him (the gullible part) there and then, he would put me at the top of his list when he made more. I wrote him a check for a fortune (it was cashed).

The story continues. I had maintained contact with him, and he promised me he would have the mat at the Colorado Springs meet last July. Wonderful, right! Well, at the last minute, I was unable to attend and told him so, and indicated that I would pay extra for shipping.

I have heard NOTHING since. No response to that and none to follow up correspondence.

Does anyone out there have information on this person. I think the above information should reliably identify this vendor. Reliable? Slow? Thief? No names now, but inclined to name names soon. In addition, is there a way to find out if he is a vendor at this year's national meet? I have half a mind to fly out there and hang around his booth with a sign.

[starlightcoupe]

Vendors who vend at sanctioned Studebaker meets or advertise in the Studebaker Drivers Club magazine are subject to pressure within the SDC and its membership. If there is an issue with a SDC vendor you should contact Bob Halgren, SDC vending arbitrator. Failure to resolve a bonafide vending issue can result in forfeiture of the vendor's ability to conduct business through any SDC sanctioned venue or publication.

Assuming you have exhausted efforts to deal directly, I would suggest you contact Bob to achieve a clean resolution.

[Guest Henry White]

I am sorry to hear of the problems, it dont sound good.

One time I saw a guy try to hold up a sign at the Mopar Nationals as his way to warn others of this one vendors business practices. ( vendor has a terrible reputation) well, no good deed goes unpunished. Someone called in the police on this peaceful protestor, police advised him he was "making a scene" and he would either have to move along or go to jail. There was no "scene", just one guy exercising his right to free speech. Too many people in the hobby enable the crooks to carry on when they silence the victim, ensuring more folks will be taken by scoundrels. Such silence is detrimental to the hobby.

[SMB]

Don,

I believe I know the vendor you are dealing with. He was at the South Bend Swap Meet a couple weeks ago and said he needed to sell something as he took his last $60 out of his account to get there. He has developed a reputation for doing what he is doing to you. His items are very nice but one should never pay him in advance. Sorry, you did not know that. I'm not sure why the Studebaker membership puts up with his business practices even though his products are very nice.

Hopefully someone here can put some pressure on him to fulfill his obligation.

I believe you should post this on the Studebaker Drivers Club forum as many more read that and know him.

You could answer PMs from individuals who wish to avoid this vendor in the future.

Good Luck.

[rbk]

The vendor's name is John McCall.See info on him at:

http://forums.aaca.org/f126/oil-pump-gears-1930-pres-8-a-295550.html

Robert Kapteyn

[Mark Huston]

The vendor in question has done the same thing in the Antique Studebaker Club, and as a result, last I heard, he is no longer allowed to advertise in the club publication the Antique Studebaker Review. Several years ago, I tried to contact him to buy an item he was advertising in ASC Review (prior to his ads being removed). Many calls went unanswered, messages never returned. I started asking around and found out that he had a history of not following through on phone calls, letters, emails, and not delivering on orders. I took my business to another vendor.

[starlightcoupe]

As I indicated in my first response, only Bob Halgren can, with approval of the SDC Board, prevent a vendor from vending and advertising in SDC sanctions. Mark indicates he's already banned from ASC. ASC and SDC are two different clubs. Unfortunately, Bob's ability to recover Don's payment is doubtful.

[drdon]

Thanks to all for great responses! Yes Robert, you know the guy from your response and it seems everyone else seems to know about him as well.

Everyone is right about him simply not responding. I tried and tried to get him to at least respond, even resorting to telling him I would order a second mat if he would come through with the first one that was prepaid. Nothing.

I will check with Bob Halgren and see what the club might be able to do to get Mr. McCall to get me my floor mat.

It is at lease useful to some members in the future to see this post and know that paying him in advance could be problematic. Dang.

[drdon]

I filed a formal protest about John McCall today with Studebaker Drivers Club. I will follow up here as this progresses and hope that there can be an amicable solution. $460 is a lot of money for nada. Shame on him. In addition, should he read this and follow through I will also post that information.

[studerex]

I just spoke with John about your mat. It has been done for almost a year and he has been waiting to hear from you. He said he was to deliver it to the Colorado meet but your schedule changed. He said he will ship it out. When you or anyone needs to contact John, email him at studebaker22668@msn.com He just made one for another member Tom Lewis. A brown one that you can see on his facebook site j m studebaker. That one was ordered and made in a reasonable time. John is not always reliable on delivery times, but won't cheat anyone out of their money. I have bought many parts from him.

Rex

[drdon]

Thanks Rex!!

I have contacted John at that email address, and hope to see a floor mat sometime soon.

Thanks to all who have contacted me, here or privately, and most said that I really should

expect to see the floor mat at some time. I sure do hope so! I will post a final post here

when it arrives.

[rbk]

The notion of Bob Halgren that the floor mat was not bought thru "Turning Wheels"advertising and he can not do anything about it is bull.

He bought the floor mat at a S.D.C. sanctioned event in South Bend.

Bob Halgren should bring it up to the board.

I am getting too old to travel to Dover and I hope that someone brings this up at the membership meeting.

Don's complaint is not an isolated event, you can read about others that did not receive promised items.

The "Antique Studebaker club" banned John from advertising in their beautiful publication "The Review"

Robert Kapteyn

studebaker@mac.com

[drdon]

Thanks for the pep talk, Robert. My concern at this point is simply that it took this long with NO word from the vendor. I have copies of several emails from last year asking for information, and then I guess I just gave up and quit trying since I was not hearing anything. Suddenly things have begun to come together, however, and the mat is, according to the post office, going through Denver on its way here. I am guessing I will see it in a day or two.

The vendor told another member, (above), that he was waiting for word from me (hmmm). Anyway, I am pleased that it is on its way I think.