DONT USE BENNY AVANT SALVAGE AND ENGINE REPAIR

[moedog]

BENNY AVANT HAS BEEN LYING, NOT RETURNING CALLS, PUTTING SECRETARY ON TO COVER UP HIS DISHONEST WAYS YOU NAME IT. HE WILL MAKEUP A STORY TO PUT YOU OFF ANOTHER WEEK AND THEN CHANGE IT THE NEXT WEEK. I WOULDNT BE SUPRISED IF THEY ARE GOING OUT OF BUSINESS. BEWARE OF ANY PARTS OR ENGINES YOU ARE WAITING FOR. DEAL IN COD TO YOU ONLY AND THEN WHEN YOU DONT GET THE ITEM HE DOESNT HAVE YOUR MONEY.
VERY, VERY DISHONEST AND SHOULD BE BANNED AS A PAGE ADVERTISER

DAN

[chickenhunterbob]

I think I'll get the heck out of the way for this one...

You must have a reason to holler like that?

[ejk2352]

Wow!!! I have nothing but good things to say about Benny Avant. He did me up a couple of real nice heads for my 6.5 and gave me a great deal on injectors, head gaskets, and head bolts.

[Tough Guy]

I would suggest you back-up your statement with some factual evidence, as to not slander someones good name....


Chris

[Inspector]

I'm with Chris on this one. If you will remember there has been some pretty bad weather down that way. Hollering won't get you much sympathy around here. Give us the full text so we can see what has happened.
Denny

[Dvldog 8793]

Howdy
WOW! Nothing like bad press to get people wound up! See the post by Cowracer about his engine issues. I'm not trying to defend anyone, but as a self-employed welder I know that there are times when EVERYTHING goes wrong for both sides and those times it is better to just cut our losses and start over. I think it would be better to state what happened specifically so we can use solid information to base our opinions. I did talk to Avante about a motor when my 6.5 truned into a 7cylinder, they sounded busy, but also sounded like some alright guys. I went with a goodwrench motor for warrenty reasons and also because GM paid for part of it! :D
L8r
Conley Janssen
USMC 87-93

[Cowracer]

First off. Every Moedog post has been in caps. I don't think he is 'hollering'. I just think that is his normal style.

Moe, you should know that if you post something as volitile as that, then people are gonna call you on it and expect details.

So please, calmly if possible, explain the problem in detail, and what contact you have had with Benny to make you label him a liar.

I doubt they are going out of business. If I had to guess, I bet the root cause of you problem is that they are TOO busy.

Thanks!
Tim

[moedog]

FAIR ENOUGH FACTS ARE ALWAYS GOOD.
BOUGHT A CUMMINS COMPLETE ENGINE. TOOK WEEKS AND WEEKS TO GET IT SHIPPED HOWEVER MY CREDIT CARD WAS CHARGED ASAP. MANY MANY CALLS LATER THE CUMMINS SHOWS. DEAL WAS FOR A MANUEL BELL HOUSING AND FLYWHEEL. CAME WITH NO HOUSING AND A FLEXPLATE. AFTER MANY MANY MANY MORE CALLS SENT THE WRONG BELL HOUSING. GAVE ME 100 CREDIT, SHIPPED IT BACK. BOUGHT MY OWN. STILL WAITING FOR FLYWHEEL, AFTER MANY MANY MANY MORE TIME WAISTING CALLS AND MANY LIES, THE LATEST IS THE SECRETARY TOLD ME TO READ BETWEEN THE LINES.
IT TOOK ALOT TO GET ME TO THIS, AS IVE BEEN VERY PATIENT FOR MONTHS, BUT EVEN THE MOEDOG HAS A LIMIT. IVE HEARD OTHERS COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND IT JUST PLAIN SUCKS BIG TIME, HOWEVER I DO APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU AND YOUR HONESTY.
BUT I STAND ON THE POST AND WISH YOU GOOD LUCK IF YOU USE THIS BUNCH.

[More Power]

There was a saying I heard while I served in the US Navy that said:

"One OH **** wipes out a hundred atta boys."

I've met Jamie Avant personally 4 different times (in Ohio, in British Columbia Canada, in Montana and in Salt Lake City a couple of weeks ago), and Benny in 2001. And, I've spoken to them many more times through the years. They may need to work on the "fullfillment" aspect of their business, but they are not dishonest.

Jim

PS. Typing in all caps IS considered yelling. And, it shows poor BB etiquette (unless of course, you're really yelling). If someone has a stuck/bad caps lock key, let me know. I have a spare that I'll donate.

[JohnC]

If you look here (http://forum.thedieselpage.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=009315) you'll see there are two sides to every story.

[moedog]

ILL MAKE ALL OF YOU A GREAT DEAL SINCE YOUR SO HIGH ON THIS PEICE OF WORK. YOU CALL BENNY AND GET ME A GOOD,USEABLE CORRECT 97 CUMMINS MANUEL FLYWHEEL TO ME FROM HIM AND ILL PERSONALLY CALL HIM AND APOLOGIZE FOR THIS POST.
HOWS THAT CHALLENGE SOUND???
PUT YOUR ACTIONS WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS AND ALL IS WELL!!!!!!!

[More Power]

Describe in detail what you define as "CORRECT" for a 97 Cummins, and I will make sure you get the flywheel. Then......

Jim

[moedog]

CORRECT THAT FITS THE 1997 12VALVE CUMMINS THAT BENNY SOLD ME AND WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ON IT. HE HAS TOLD ME HE HAS IT AND IT SHIPPED AND THEN RETURNED AS HE DIDNT PACKAGE PROPERLY AND MANY MANY MANY MORE EXCUSES. THIS WAS AN AUTOMATIC AND THE DEAL WAS HE AND JAMIE WOULD CONVERT TO MANUEL. BE AWARE THIS WAS SOME 3 YRS AGO. I PUT THE MOTOR IN MY GARAGE AND NEVER TOOK A SECOND LOOK UNTIL RECENTLY WHEN I DECIDED TO GET READY TO INSTALL IT AND MY FRIEND I BORROWED THE HOIST FROM NOTICED IT STILL HAS A FLEXPLATE. I CALLED BENNY, HE PULLED PAPER WORK, AGREED THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT, WOULD STILL HONOR HIS MISTAKE AND I THOUGHT GREAT.SINCE THEN ITS BEEN A FREAKIN NIGHTMERE AND GETTING WORSE.
ANY HELP YOU CAN GET ME WOULD BE MARVELOUS AND APPRECIATED AND ILL NEVER CALL THE MAN AGAIN!
THANKS
DAN

[JohnC]

THREE YEARS AGO? YOU'RE LUCKY HE'S EVEN ANSWERING YOUR CALLS!!!!

But, seriously, three years ago he may have had the right part laying around. Unless he's in the business of selling Cummins flywheels, you may have missed your chance. I am in a similar business, and if someone called me 3 years after the sale, I'd still do what I could to make it right, but all bets are off after a couple of months at the most! For one thing, Cummins flywheels may have been a dime a dozen back then but now they could be going for $50.00 a pound. It's the customer's responsibility to bring any shortages, damage or errors to the vendor's attention in a timely fashion. Three years is NOT a timely fashion! Otherwise it's unfair to expect them to do what you want them to do when you want them to do it three years later.

AND YOU'RE STILL SHOUTING!

[ 09-23-2005, 01:21 PM: Message edited by: JohnC ]

[dieseldummy]

Three years is a little out of line in wanting a mistake fixed... To Moedogs credit though I have done business with TDD and their shipping is usually slow, and the packages are usually mauled. Wheter that's from UPS or them I'll never know, but there are two valid points here: If there is a mistake make note of it imediately and contact the vendor, and after customer notes said problem said vendor should take care of mistake in a timely and organized manner. Does the problem here mean that Benny Avant is a liar and dishonest as Moedog suggest? Not in one bit IMO, it just means that Moedog isn't satisfied with the treatment he has received. Does the fact that Moedog has different standards than most of us mean that he is out of line with his feelings? That's a big negatory as well. Just means that he is angry and that he has chosen the open forum to vent his anger. Not exatly the most appropriate thing to do, but it is still his choice.

My .02

Justin

[Turbo Al]

Really no comment other than some people have a hard time reading while typing NON-cap words. We all can't type 60 wpm without looking at the keyboard. I learned to type when I was 16 and it really shocks some employers.

[JeepSJ]

Well, at least I'm not the only one that isn't impressed with their customer service.

My story - when I started my 6.5 project, I contacted them for a complete serpentine setup, a gear drive, bolts for intake/exhaust/timing cover, and a '97-up cooling system. My card was charged immediately, and nothing showed for 2 months. After repeated calls and e-mails, they tell me they have not shipped anything because they have no gear drives in stock (yet they charged my card - which is illegal to do - you can't legally charge a card until something ships). But, he tells me they have a used gear drive that has less than 100 miles on it and he would sell them at a discount. About 2 weeks later my stuff finally arrives - boxes splitting at the seams, stuff falling out. I get the gear drive and accessories, no bolts and no cooling parts. More calls and e-mails, finally sends me another box of cooling parts. Still no bolts, and they forgot the modified throttle bracket. I also find that they sent a gear drive for an electronic setup. More calls and e-mails. Took about 3 weeks and got a bag of bolts, the correct lower gear, and the throttle bracket. Find that about half of the bolts that I need, and that they charged me for, are missing. I gave up on them at that point.

Also, somewhere in the middle of all this I discover that the tensioner bracket and pulley that they sent were bent and unusable. They sent me a replacement, and the replacement had a bad bearing in the pulley.

Oh, and when they charged my card, they charged me for a new gear drive. Getting the credit for the price difference took almost 6 months! I lost count of the number of calls it took to finally get that resolved.

I recently decided to give them another chance, for no other reason than all of the praise they get here. It took several calls and 3 e-mails before they responded. They gave me a quote, and I agreed to the price and I haven't heard anything since. I guess I'm not buying enough this time for them to really pay attention to me

They ended up getting me about 90% of what I ordered, it took way too many months to get it all, and I had to work way too hard to get it.

Cowracer - I'm glad they are taking care of you. Personally, I'm done with them.

[eracers999]

He sold me a set of supposedly new diamond pre cups for my 6.5 and turnes out they have been milled .010 in a new set of heads, he called them new anyway, there still sitting here in a box, a 100 buck's layin here i could have wipped my butt with anyway. There is some shady sides to this outfit. When i finally got a hold of Benny, he knew that they had been milled before he sent them. I dont do buis that a way.

[moedog]

WELL I GUESS I WAS RAISED DIFFERENT THAN SOME OF YOU AFTER READING YOUR REPLYS. I WAS ALWAYS TAUGHT RIGHT IS RIGHT AND WRONG IS WRONG. READ MY POSTS CAREFULLY AS A FEW OF THE REPLYS TO MY ACCUSATIONS LEADS ME TO BELIEVE YOU MAY NEED A READING COMPRHENSION COURSE.
I CALLED BENNY AND HE AGREED TO MAKE IT RIGHT AFTER 3 YEARS. IF HE WOULD HAVE TOLD ME OTHERWISE I WOULD HAVE WENT AWAY WITHOUT A POST ON THIS SITE, BUT HE AGREED TO MAKE IT RIGHT AND NOW!!!! HAS NOT COME THRU AFTER CALLS CALLS PROMISES PROMISES.. GOOD GRIEF, IF I RAN MY BUSINESS LIKE THIS GUY I SHOULD BE OUT OF BUSINESS VERY QUICKLY. LETS GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL TRANSACTION. I DIDNT GET WHAT I WAS PROMISED. I SPENT APPX.4400.00 SMACKAROOS WITH THIS GUY AND NOW HES GOING TO ALIENATE ME OVER ONE PART???
SORRY I JUST DONT TREAT PEOPLE LIKE THIS BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, ILL GET OVER IT AND ILL GO AWAY AND NEVER USE HIM AGAIN AND BAD MOUTH HIM WHEN I GET THE CHANCE. THATS CALLED FREE ENTERPRISE AND THE GOOD OLD USA.
I STAND ON MY POST
DONE DEAL
THE GUYS A BONE HEAD
SORRY IF YOUR OFFENDED

[JohnC]

I give up. Too hard to read.

[AndyL]

Originally posted by JohnC:
I give up. Too hard to read. Same here, I refuse to read constant screaming.

[rjschoolcraft]

As was said previously, every Moedog post I've ever read was in all caps. Don't understand why, but it seems to be his style.

[JoeyD]

Letters read the same even in capitol

[Cowracer]

he's kinda like a reverse ee cummings

:D

Tim

[rjwest]

Sure is easier on tired old eyes...

Plus, the info is along what I suspected, as having
tried to call him a few times...

Probably good intentions, but poor business practice

Just my speculations,


Also, those of us who are computer stupid,
really don't understand the CAPS thing.
To dumb to be offended.

[Kennedy]

The better way to go about this would be to contact MP directly. He's pretty good at getting things like this ironed out. I referred a guy with a similar issue and as I understand he was taken care of painlessly.

On the gear drive shortages, there VERY seldom is any kind of shortage of availability (especially long term) on these from the mfr. Delays would likely be a result of the seller's ability to procure them.

[Hansh]

funny one tim!

[More Power]

Message I received from Jamie Avant regarding the missing/incorrect part reported after three years have passed... Jim


We actually shipped a flywheel out to Dan on Sept. 23 (Friday) and the scheduled delivery date is Sept. 30. I'm sorry that you had to be brought in on this issue. However, never have I mislead a customer or tried to cheat a customer in any way. I feel like honesty is one of our strengths and it stings to hear any customer say something to the contrary. Definitely everyone is entitled to his/her opinion and I learned a long time ago we would never completely satisfy every customer. All I can say is that we try our best and we will continue to do so.
Jamie Avant

[javadog]

What I wish is that they had some competition.
I may need a reman engine pretty soon and don't want to use them from what I've read. However, who else
can do a good semi-custom reman job within driving distance of Asheville, NC.
Also, how do I shrink my avatar picture?

[Spindrift]

The Avants are good people. Noone is perfect and it's unfortunate that a public forum such as this would be used to pursue a personal agenda. JK had solid advice that I hope everyone can follow if they ever have a problem with a supporting vendor. This thread should have been shut down a long time ago.

[rjschoolcraft]

It has been a policy to allow dissent with regards to products and vendors. No one is "protected" as such.

However, there is not much more that can come from this thread, so...it is now locked.