Company advertised a "restored 1963 Austin Haley BJ7 with strong, fresh mechanicals".
I received an unrestored BJ7 with BJ8 dash and top, with hole in muffler and no seat belts.
An Austin Healey mechanic gave the car a cursory inspection and found the front hub splines so badly worn as to make the car unsafe to drive. To compensate for the wear the knock-off hub caps had been over-tightened until the brass threads deformed.
The car also needs rear hubs, shocks, king pins, steering and idler boxes. The total for making car just drivable would be $4300. This does not include investigating the low oil pressure, massive oil leak, non-functioning overdrive and gas gauge.
Classic Car Studio will not negotiate a reasonable compromise nor take the car back.
Their logic is that since they did not do the actual restoration they are not responsible for the condition of the car they sold!?
I paid $60,000. For this disaster. A certified Austin Healey appraiser estimates the car to be worth $35,000.in its present condition. Less, if additional investigation uncovers serious problems with engine, overdrive, etc.
I file this report out of total frustration. I have tried to negotiate for some kind of compromise, even at a loss to me, for a month to no avail.
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