Where's Justin Woodham - need his help?

[Biggles62]

Hi guys

It's been a while since I posted as I've had no problems at all with my Explorer since Justin did the mods on the engine for me.

Ran into trouble with the drivebelt failing. Suspect the power steering pump has either a failed bearing or has somehow become loose where it's mounted.

Have been trying to get in touch with Justin at his usual phone numbers and nobody is answering or even replying to urgent emails.

Does anyone know what has happened to our Explorer Star, Justin, or how one can contact him now?

Regards Mike

 

[Biggles62]

EDIT: 13 January 2012 - please disregard what I said here and look further down the thread for latest news.

Great news!

I have just spoken with Justin after phoning his number for days. He's been busy overseas and just got back, so all of us Exploder fans can breathe a sigh of relief coz he's back.

I have to say he is the most knowledgeable Explorer guy I've met and he is an outstandingly kind and helpful chap to boot. If anyone on here has a need for parts or service, I recommend getting in touch with Justin. He's a star in my book.

Regards

Mike

 

[Biggles62]

Oh dear! I'm sorry to say that my post above was perhaps premature.

After speaking to Justin on the phone and accepting his price for the needed part, he said he would send me the package urgently. I then heard ... nothing. And he seems to be unavailable on his usual phone numbers once again, though his lady friend occasionally answers and promises to get him to call back. Still nothing.

Frankly, after spending about £900.00 with him in the past and receiving excellent service, I am very shocked and more than a little disappointed. If he wasn't able to send the parts or was in some sort of difficulty, I would certainly have understood. But to promise and then to let down is not, in my view, acceptable.

Bye bye Justin.

 

[chrisquelch]

bleeding

hi good to hear you got the part. turnning the steering from lock to lock several times should bleed the air out . cheers chris

 

[blueka]

do you need parts?


Si

 

[regorsmith]

I had a similar experience with Justin.
Spent over a grand with him, great engine job and a few spares, then i asked for a tow hitch and side steps. He took the money for the tow bar, via paypal, and promised that it would be sent the next day. Still no word on the side steps.
Then nothing...
No replies to emails, or messages left on his voice mail, calls ignored and just not answered.
After several weeks of chasing him down he eventually answered my call, and i think this is what sealed it with me, as i used my wifes phone so he wouldn't know the number.
Hey Presto...!!! He answers.
Then, apparently, it already has been sent, da de da etc. doesn't have a tracking number for the postage etc etc.
Finally after basically getting very humpy with him, and an offer to report him to paypal and ebay and also my money back, i got sent the tow hitch.
Supposedly sent three weeks earlier, but actually sent two days before it arrived at mine.
Engines...Great.
Customer service.... S**t.
Even so, i've still enquired for new parts advertised by him on ebay. low and behold. No response.
Seems my name is on his blacklist now...

The moral of this tale is this.
Buy from Chris Q.

He's the best.

 

[peddler]

What is happing to Justin, My Northface (3rd one) went down to Justin for gearbox to be put in and mot'd. Also asked him to sort out some of the electics. He emailed me to say all done. Went down to pick it up, fine. Driving home it was terrrible, shaking and making an awful noise. Got it from Newport to Cromer (Norfolk), and found that a wheel bearing was going? None of the electics have been touched? Even though is said 'he had sorted', still the same Justin. I have spend over £1800.00 with him.

Also sent him money for a petrol cap and a northface badge, low and behold never received.

Yes he is a nice guy, very very knowledgeable, but he is slipping. I went to him as everyone recommended him, even though he is 200 plus miles. So will have to look for someone a little near.

Still need these electrics sorted, can anyone recommend a good auto tech/ explorer man in East Angila area. As I am so busy at work just not had time.

Many thanks - Gary

 

[regorsmith]

What is happing to Justin, My Northface (3rd one) went down to Justin for gearbox to be put in and mot'd. Also asked him to sort out some of the electics. He emailed me to say all done. Went down to pick it up, fine. Driving home it was terrrible, shaking and making an awful noise. Got it from Newport to Cromer (Norfolk), and found that a wheel bearing was going? None of the electics have been touched? Even though is said 'he had sorted', still the same Justin. I have spend over £1800.00 with him.

Also sent him money for a petrol cap and a northface badge, low and behold never received.

Yes he is a nice guy, very very knowledgeable, but he is slipping. I went to him as everyone recommended him, even though he is 200 plus miles. So will have to look for someone a little near.

Still need these electrics sorted, can anyone recommend a good auto tech/ explorer man in East Angila area. As I am so busy at work just not had time.

Many thanks - Gary

HI Peddler,

I'm in Great Yarmouth. PM me with your electrical problems and i may be able to help you out a bit.

Roger.

 

[Biggles62]

hi good to hear you got the part. turnning the steering from lock to lock several times should bleed the air out . cheers chris

Hi Chris

Yup, I did what you suggested above and it completely resolved the problem. All working well now. Thanks very much for your kind assistance.

Incidentally, please let me know if you come across a rear bumper in good condition. My EX has dipped its tail in the briny once or twice when launching boats and there are some nasty rust spots appearing on the chromed bumper. Nothing structural but looks just a bit tatty.

Kind regards

Mike

P.S. To 'regorsmith' and 'peddler': thanks for your posts above. I do agree that Justin is a nice guy but he has certainly gone downhill in my opinion. There is absolutely no need to make promises and then not keep them. Not only is that less than honest but it leaves people in the lurch in getting a needed job done. He wasted a whole fortnight of my time, forcing me to start all over again in locating and receiving the right parts, so I am extremely unhappy with that. I think I would never again recommend him to other members.

 

[BIGHVM]

Guys I believe our man has been out of the country on urgent matters- I am sure he has not left us flounder for any other reason!
Give give a moment or two......sure he needs a break also as we do from time to time eh?
He is a good dude and will see us right for sure!

 

[Biggles62]

Guys I believe our man has been out of the country on urgent matters- I am sure he has not left us flounder for any other reason!
... .

He is a good dude and will see us right for sure!

Hi BIGHVM

Yes, Justin told me he'd been in Canada but he was certainly back in the UK when he promised me the part I needed and then did not send it OR respond to a message I left with his girlfriend, Lisa Tate.

No matter how sympathetic I might feel or how good the reasons Justin may have for letting me down, there is no avoiding the fact that he (a) spoke to me in person from Wales; (b) promised to send the needed part; (c) did not send that part; and (d) ignored a perfectly reasonable request for him to contact me when the part had not arrived as he promised it would.

Before all this, I too was of the firm opinion that he was "a good dude" who would see me right. Words fail me in expressing my utter frustration and disappointment at how he left me in the lurch - without any justifiable cause whatsoever.

I guess we must treat people as we find them. At present, I cannot see any good reason why I would ever again recommend Justin Woodham to anyone. And, for what it's worth, I am not happy about feeling this way.

Regards

Mike

 

[Aspire]

Well I had some side steps on order and wanted them painting and asked for him to ring or email me when he had them, sure enough he rang on the 12th and I went down and had t hem fitted on 13th.

I have had no problems but that is my personnel experience.

But I would feel the same way Mike as for me its a longtrk down there as well

 

[simonkn8574]

I'm one to agree with Aspire but would feel like Biggles should it happen to me
I'm hoping to make contact with Justin soon so will post with my experiences.

HOWEVER

if all goes badly, is there anyone else able to take on the timing chain replacement / rough idle problems? I'm in need of this work and not got the time/ability to strip an engine..

Regards

Simon

 

[blueka]

Is Duncan still operating? He rebuilt my engine after it went horribly wrong the day after I bought my Explorer... he is expensive I'll admit, but he does good work!


Si

 

[simonkn8574]

Sounds good. When you say expensive, as expensive as a Ford Dealer??
oh, and where abouts is he? Assuming he is still operating!

Cheers
Simon K

 

[janolsson]

Sounds good. When you say expensive, as expensive as a Ford Dealer??
oh, and where abouts is he? Assuming he is still operating!

Cheers
Simon K

He was advertising on ebay (whatsontv) but i also heard he was trying to sell up his business. you could try pm on here (DuncanOfEngland) or phone number i have is 07949158239. He is in Aylesbury i think

Simonk, shame you didn't post earlier as a couple of weeks ago i sold an engine i had rebuilt for £230!!!!

 

[blueka]

Yeah, I've been reading for a while that he was selling up, he's in Aylesbury... I dropped my Explorer off on the Tuesday, by Thursday it was as good as new.. but cost me more than I paid for it to get it fixed...

However, It does run perfectly, well, it did when I left it at my parents 3yrs ago... haha


Si

 

[Biggles62]

..... HOWEVER

if all goes badly, is there anyone else able to take on the timing chain replacement / rough idle problems? I'm in need of this work and not got the time/ability to strip an engine..

Regards

Simon

Simon, I would like to say that Justin did those particular jobs on my Explorer. It was worth every penny he charged and the motor has been running very sweetly ever since - for a year and a half thus far. My engine has done over 160,000 miles but runs like a much younger donk.

Justin sent me an apology for the problems I detailed above, saying that he thought I was going to pick the part up from him rather than him sending it to me. I have accepted his apology, though I did point out that the message I left with his girlfriend asking where the part was had not been responded to either by him or her.

I think it fair to say that the work he did on my Explorer was excellent, so use Justin if you feel the need and provided the price he has quoted is reasonable. My experience is that nobody is more expensive than a Ford dealership.

Regards

Mike

 

[blueka]

My experience is that nobody is more expensive than a Ford dealership.

Regards

Mike

That's the truth!! I got charged £280 just "to have a look", they told me what I already knew and then wanted to charge me £1800 plus vat to take the engine out, a further £2500 to fix it and another £1800 to put it back in again... when it could've been repaired in situ.

Hope you get it fixed Simon, good luck!


Si

 

[simonkn8574]

cheers guys,
Got lots going on in my personal life so will get it done when i can. Good to know Justin is the one to use as he's 30 mins away!!

oh well, LPG service on Thursday...

Regards

Simon K