LAWYERS: I need your help to fight JASPER

[sk1er17]

Ok, if you're not a lawyer or know nothing about the law... don't waste your time reading this.

I'll Start from the beginning..
Truck: 1998 Ford Explorer Sport (www.cardomain.com/id/sk1er19)
Note: Neither Jasper engine was EVER taken off-road.

My stock engine blew up in September, 2004. I opted Jasper to be the best way to go, for the warrantee and because i "thought" they were good. I payed $3K For the engine + Labor to install it.

December 2004; 4,500 miles on the NEW engine and it blows up. There were noises comming from the engine since early November that I argued with Jasper about but they told me it wasn't the engine... well they were wrong. They warrantee the engine and i finally get the new enigne in the second week of January.

Note: Im in my junior year of aerospace engineering. I commute to school and work 30+ hour work weeks. I NEED my truck. Not to mention their engine blew up on me in the middle of FINALS!

So I get the SECOND engine in a few days before the next semester starts.. not even 10 miles on the engine and the same noise comes back that i heard before the first engine blew. I was planning on buying a new truck when i graduate, so my dad convinced me that maybe nows the time and i'll sell the explorer when it's fixed. All i could afford was a leased truck- even used trucks with 70000+ miles were going to cost me almost $300/month.. so i leased my current silverado for $330/month and ill worry about the buy-out when im under an engineers salary, not part time.

So Jasper tells me to check a few things out with the Second engine. We check them all out and deduce the the problem is Deffinetally internal in the engine.

** Now keep in mind i NEED to sell this thing because i owe my parents $6000 for a downpayment + $5000 in credit card payments from the jasper engine/labor/additional parts.

So Jasper tells me today that the "noises" are probably normal and the engine should last. But "if" it does go, they'll warrantee it again (and the engine after that, and the engine after that).

OK, sounds half way reasonable? well, except for the fact that a 2 year old would be smart enough to NOT buy this truck because the engine is making more noises that Paris Hilton in her "video". So how can i sell a $6000 truck and say "oh well if the engine goes it'll be warranteed".

Yes, it sounds that bad- Jasper won't even send someone out to listen to it!

Not to mention- it's on an offroad rig... so now my buyer possibilites are cut down 90% because, as we all know, offroading VOIDS an engines warrantee. So who's gonna buy this thing- that's obviously going to blow- and not take it offroading?

Im just getting so screwed right now...

OK, i think that "sums" it all up.. So what do you think- ALL I WANT IS A REFUND. They can have their ****ty engine back (hell, they can even keep the $500 CORE i sent them).. Think i have enough to at least threaten them with some sort of suit to persuade a Refund?

 

[00XLS]

I have a few classes in law right now and no, I doubt you'll get a refund even if you do take it to court. I'd work towards getting the engine replaced and then get rid of the truck.
Plus your in jersey and I'm in PA, so things differ.

 

[sk1er17]

that's half the problem.. they wont replace it until it stops working. they think the sounds normal- last i checked, a metal/metal grinding sounds during engine idle is not "normal". And they wont send anyone out to listen to it. All they told me is that if im trying to sell it to tell the potential buyer that the warrantee is transferrable..... like that helps


I dont actually wanna go to court- i just wanna know if i have enough of a case to at least threaten them with the possibility and therefore persuade them to say "fine, give us the engine back and here's your $3K.. dont call us again"

 

[00XLS]

Doubt that will happen, read the fine print concerning the warrenty. I'm sure theres a clause in there somewhere. Take it out and beat on it till she blows, then get a new one?

 

[Glacier991]

you are on the horns of the "long distance buyer" dilemma. $3000 is peanuts... you'd pay a lawyer more than that to take the case... so they are probably not too worried. I'd check and see if their state has something akin to a "Bureau of Automotive Repair" and if so talk to them.... Jasper may or may not be regulated under any such agency, but it is worth a shot. If not, then alternatively....and being very careful AT ALL TIMES to make sure you never ever ever say anything untrue or defamatory, you might tell them you plan to set up a website, with a sound video of the engine and an interview of you with your story... and that you intend to hire internet website experts to insure that anyone doing a simple search for Jasper's website cannot help but to also find your site. In the end that may be your biggest and most potent threat. Suggest to them you simply "undo" your relationship, each returning to one another what you have from each other.
No yelling, no nastiness, just simple statements of intent and an offer to end all this. Delivered evenly and calmly.

I do not recommend you set up some form of bashing site, and maybe even run any such site's contents past a lawyer to make sure you are not guilty of business defamation.

 

[00XLS]

I affirm what Glacier said, hit them where it hurts, tell the truth about their shotty work and customer service. BTW this isnt' the first jasper engine I've read about crapping out early

 

[TSTONE]

"** Now keep in mind i NEED to sell this thing because i owe my parents $6000 for a downpayment + $5000 in credit card payments from the jasper engine/labor/additional parts."


Contact your credit card company and start a dispute process - you should get some results. I challanged a noise issue for a rearend rebuild I had done and when they couldn't correct it I got a full credit back on my card(VISA).

 

[offroadford4x4]

Jaspers answer to everything is "it's not the engine" or "it's just normal"

I had to deal with them on My iroc engine. never got warrentied or replaced.

 

[gavin]

your best bet would be to get ahold of the BBB, they SHOULD be able to give you some info on what you can do, and it will also add it to their database that the work is crap.
Also, take it to a well-known mechanic shop, have them listen to the sounds, then get a signed piece of paper saying something is wrong with the internals of the engine. Take that to Jasper. If that doesn't do any good, send a copy of that to the BBB along with your complaint. The BBB can possibly resolve this issue, and that way you don't have to have lawyers or court involved.

 

[wpurple]

I agree, BBB, then Consumer Protection, then small claims court.

You could also pay a lawyer a small fee to draw up a nice legal letter stating that you want the engine replaced, or your money back so you can have a facility replace the engine with one that you won't have problems with.

Hope it works out for you.....

 

[spindlecone]

I agree, BBB, then Consumer Protection, then small claims court.

You could also pay a lawyer a small fee to draw up a nice legal letter.
BAWWWWWWWHHAAHAW.
I had a lawyer draw up a nice legal letter last week, a little land dispute with my neighbor envolving 8 SQ ft of property line.
15 minutes phone time, lawyer draws up and mails nice legal letter to neighbor.
Phone time, letter, 37 cent stamp, bill came today, 650 bux, forget the lawyer IMO

 

[Stephen]

This is why everyone needs to have a lawyer. A lawyer that you have a relationship with wouldn't have charged you $650 for that. Thats insane.

 

[spindlecone]

This is why everyone needs to have a lawyer. A lawyer that you have a relationship with wouldn't have charged you $650 for that. Thats insane.

Stephen
I live in LALA land, Kalifornia, sillycone valley, go figure

 

[spindlecone]

Where the mean average price of a two bedroom house is 600 grand

 

[Brock94]

Yeah, your legal options are probably pretty limited. One approach you could try is to persist in calling them and trying to take your problem up the chain of command. Some people get through by being angry, you can also try being polite, explain your problem and insist that, although you understand what the warranty says, you know that Jasper cares more about its customers than this, if someone tells you they can't do anything say you understand and can you speak with their supervisor. Really insist on this, because if you get high enough up the chain you'll get someone with a lot of discretion.

When my wife and I got married in Korea, I had to apply for her visa-- we didn't really have the money for a lawyer, so I started by calling the US embassy, I got bounced around from person to person and just kept politely asking for help until I finally was put through to the US Consul herself. I think that was the fastest green card ever issued.

I don't know if this approach will work, but it might be worth a try. Just insist to each person that you understand they may not be able to do anything, but you can't believe the company wouldn't bend over backwards to satisfy a customer like you who has had so much trouble with, not one, but two of their engines and can you please speak with their supervisor.

May be worth a try.

 

[Glacier991]

Good advice.

 

[Charlie's_93EB]

buying a new, or newer car is only going to cost you more money, so F### it put a cup or two of gas in you oil your engine with blow in 100 miles or less or your $ back.

 

[sk1er17]

a lotta good advice here... well cept Charilie: #1 i was forced to buy another vehicle already because of my commute, #2 they'll be able to deduce that the engine blew due to bad oil quality and therefore wont be warranteed, #3 When the engine does go- i still wont get my money back, just another engine.


I think the "nice phone calls" is the best possible approach for the time being (after letting my hot head cool off and thinking about it). What i need to focus on is getting Jasper to send someone out to listen to the engine.. shouldnt be that big of a deal; there's a distribution center within 45 minutes of where i live...

 

[Charlie's_93EB]

a lotta good advice here... well cept Charilie

danm that was cool man, good luck

 

[00XLS]

You could drive it down there if its close enough to show just how bent you are on getting your way. Plus it may blow on the way down