I think one lesson to be learned from all of this is that if you ever do business with any company out of your area via the internet, always use your Visa, give the company no more than 30 days to deliver, and as soon as the first 30 days pass, file a dispute with Visa and/or paypal. Never use a cashier's check or even let paypal debit your account directly in a situation like this. You have a lot more protection through Visa as long as you stay within the guidelines.
This is EXCELLENT advice...and although as a crate motor retailer I can tell you 30 days can be a VERY tough fit, I will also say that you should ABSOLUTELY be aware of the time limit for disputing things via your credit card, and do NOT let the situation go over that time limit. If I recall you may have up to 90 days on some types of card. I've never had to get into those details and so I am not sure myself.
There are many reasonable excuses for delays. We source parts from Canfield, Trickflow, Comp Cams, and other resources, and to be honest sometimes it takes as much as fifteen days just to get the parts to begin a customers motor!! This situation has been exacerbated by the economy forcing our vendors to cut their workforce etc. Then add in machine work (which can't begin until you've the rotating assembly on hand), mock up, corrections, assembly, and dyno/break in if it was ordered, and you see why we advertise 6 weeks as an average. We usually come in under that by a fair margin, but have had situations where we've gone over. Better to be safe than sorry!
Anyhow, if you follow Kgordonl's advice you'll be covered and won't have to suffer the heartache of knowing your money has been completely, totally wasted.
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~These are just some of the drawbacks we...as guys who like to go mach 10 with our hair on fire and these little motors screaming at rpms that make other guys cry...have to deal with.~
Amazing. Everytime a thread starts in regards to an engine builder all kinds of hate and discontent come pouring out of the wood work.
Also its amazing how peoples first and only posts are to dis the engine builder in question.
I would gladly make a positive report on T&L if we would only get that engine.
And one post has got to be the first. This is a place to tell your story and prevent others from making the same mistake.
Living in Germany does not make legal action against T&L easier. We are saving Euros and plan to visit the State of North Carolina very soon...!
Just another follow up to my T&L Engines adventure. On June first, Holley, Lloyd's daughter sent an e-mail to me promising to mail out the check for the starter they could not supply. Today is July 6th, and still no check. I am now checking with local law enforcement to see if this e-mail is enough to bring about legal proceedings.
This is by far the stupidest adventure of my life. No one there can tell the truth. They cannot even send a check a check for $ 149.00 for a starter they could not find, that I purchased the same day.
I also filed a claim with the local Better Businessw Bureau, who will only say this is not the first one filed, but T&L has not responded.
Save your money, time, effort, and ulcers and buy from someone else.
This is ridiculous.!!!
on card payment ; tell the they company can't hit your card till the day before shipping , but can get a auth. # this is a hold on your card where the amount is -- say set aside. always put a time limit on the purchase/company
Well the engine i bought in 2006 that has been driven 120 miles is most likely not coming out this year i still havent recieved the parts i was promissed in November last year
Another update on this "situation". It is now August 5th. Still no check as promised from T&L. My only advice to anyone considering purchasing an engine from them is "Save yourself a lot of time and aggravation and DON'T DO IT". Any money you think you save will be lost in irritation over lies regarding delivery dates, refunds, parts availability, etc. This company l;ies so much, they cann no longer distinguish truth from lies.
All these problems are not worth it.
Another update on this "situation". It is now August 5th. Still no check as promised from T&L. My only advice to anyone considering purchasing an engine from them is "Save yourself a lot of time and aggravation and DON'T DO IT". Any money you think you save will be lost in irritation over lies regarding delivery dates, refunds, parts availability, etc. This company l;ies so much, they cann no longer distinguish truth from lies.
All these problems are not worth it.
Im in for the long haul too ....still no parts ....
Wow! Now I feel lucky after reading this string of negative posts.
I bought a "standard" 347 turn key in spring 2007 (don't remember the exact date) and after 6 weeks I called them for a update. Well, I was told the build was going well, but they might go a week or two over the 8 weeks that had estimated. No problem, I ordered well ahead of the time I would need the engine. Got an email from Holly after about a total of 9 weeks, asking for the shipping address. Few days later the engine arrived in the shop, in a well built crate and with all the ordered parts.
Now I don't take it to the track, but I've driven several long (800mile+) roadtrips, one when I drove almost straight through on a 80mph highway (and if you have a greendot C4 with 3.50 rear end, you know the rpm's are quite high). Only slight oil spatter from the valve cover breather, but this was fixed with a proper pcv setup. I also get on it now and then, and it'll roast my tires (probably until they pop if I'd let it), so it's has plenty of power. In case you're wondering, they are Falken 452 245/45R17 ;-)
Don't know anything about the condition of the internal components as, frankly, I've never had a need to tear into them.
You can check out my dyno video here:
I'm sorry to hear about you guys and your awful experiences with this company, and I hope you all get you issues resolved asap.
Wow! Now I feel lucky after reading this string of negative posts.
I bought a "standard" 347 turn key in spring 2007 (don't remember the exact date) and after 6 weeks I called them for a update. Well, I was told the build was going well, but they might go a week or two over the 8 weeks that had estimated. No problem, I ordered well ahead of the time I would need the engine. Got an email from Holly after about a total of 9 weeks, asking for the shipping address. Few days later the engine arrived in the shop, in a well built crate and with all the ordered parts.
Now I don't take it to the track, but I've driven several long (800mile+) roadtrips, one when I drove almost straight through on a 80mph highway (and if you have a greendot C4 with 3.50 rear end, you know the rpm's are quite high). Only slight oil spatter from the valve cover breather, but this was fixed with a proper pcv setup. I also get on it now and then, and it'll roast my tires (probably until they pop if I'd let it), so it's has plenty of power. In case you're wondering, they are Falken 452 245/45R17 ;-)
Don't know anything about the condition of the internal components as, frankly, I've never had a need to tear into them.
You can check out my dyno video here:
I'm sorry to hear about you guys and your awful experiences with this company, and I hope you all get you issues resolved asap.
Im glad to hear that you had a good experiencewith the engine !
I just had to buy the parts for my engine MYSELF !!! And i have got the verdict from my engine shop ..... The heads was not straight. The block was not straight, The cylinders was barrel shaped (could only hold the measure in top and bottom), And the valves was leaking ..... Impressive work .....NOT !!!
And they still ow me a ton of parts !
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