American Classic Restorations, Inc poses as a legitimate restoration facility for classic automobiles. The level of con-artist like tactics to bring in business is unparalleled.
I was totally vicimized financially by this company and specifically Mr. Robert F. Fulcher, the owner of this establishment.
After several visits to this facility and meetings with Mr. Robert Fulcher, I selected this company as one of the candidates to restore the body shell of my classic car.
The disassembled body shell was delivered to American Classic for Mr. Fulcher to inspect and prepare an estimate for its restoration. The scope of work was to include any and all rust repair, panel straigtening and finish painting of the bare body shell.
After Mr. Fulcher's inspection, I was mailed a quote for the specified work to the tune of $15,000.00. Based on this quotation, I agreed to contract American Classic to perform the outlined work.
Once the work commenced, I began receiving bills on a weekly basis. I also visited the facility about every week to check on the progress being made. After several visits, I noticed the progress was being made at a slower pace than expected but the bills continued to roll in. After 4 weeks, the total had hit the $15,000.00 mark and the work was not nearly done.
After questioning Mr. Fulcher, he became irate at the mere fact I was asking questions. He would not give me a straight answer on why the costs were growing. He talked in circles and then told me the estimates were worthless because they work on a time and materials basis only. This fact seemed to be his loophole out of the estimate given.
I asked for a cost estimate to complete the project. The cost to complete was an additional $15,000.00, TWICE the original quote.
Once the work continued, it was just more of the same, the bills kept comming in and once again exceeded even Mr. Fulcher's 2nd quote. The final bill for the metal work, body work and paint totalled nearly $60,000.00 by the time it was done. QUADRUPLE the original quote! Materials that should have cost $3500 ended up almost $10,000.00. Parts that anyone can buy from a catalog were consistantly twice the catalog price.
I am currently seeking legal restitution but warn anyone about the unethical business practices of American Classic Restorations and Mr. Fulcher. He knew he could not complete the desired work for the original amount quoted.
He specifically and purposly low balled me to get the work in his door, then jacked the price to obscene levels. Be very careful of this individual, in the beginning he seemed all buddy buddy, but once my car was in the middle of restoration, things changed. This company vicouly took advantage of my good faith. This is a clear case of the old bait and switch game. Using unfair and deceptice busoness practices, Mr. Fulcher ripped me off for thousands of dollars.
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