On May 28, I ordered a custom horse trailer from Ponderosa Trailers in Delta, Colorado. I paid half upon ordering and half at delivery on June 11.
The trailer arrived only two weeks later, on inspection I found bugs embedded in the paint on the nose of the trailer, and a major crack in a floor board of the trailer (right where the horses jump in no less). I called the salesman, C.D. Darling, told him of the problem and he advised me to e-mail photos to him. I did so and Ponderosa Trailers hired a man to retrieve the trailer and return it for repairs; which happened on June 14. I waited three weeks and on July 8th, I called C.D. Asking him to either return the trailer, or my money by the end of the week.
Ponderosa Trailers hired Carl Kuhlman to return the trailer to me, which he did on July 12 this was four weeks twice as long as it took to custom build the trailer. Carl had pulled another trailer behind mine, turned too sharp, and there was damage to the rear of the trailer with the end gate not being closeable. I then called C.D. And he advised me that I would have to deal with Carl on my own. I contacted Carl, and he said to get a repair bid, let him know the amount and he'd pay for it. I did get the bid ($668.30) and I received a check from Carl on August 8th. After the check cleared the trailer was repaired on August 30. I don't believe I should have had to deal with someone that the trailer company hired, but luckily, Mr. Kuhlman made things right.
On November 14th I took the trailer to a body shop to be washed & waxed for winter weather protection. The body shop man asked me to come look at the top of the trailer. The top of the trailer was already rusting through the paint—just short of the six month warranty. I called C.D. That day and he admitted that his regular painter had became ill and the replacement painter had done a bad job on several trailers during the time mine was built. He asked me to send photos and said that he would call me back. I sent photos along with a letter stating the situation, and that I would be happy to let them have the trailer back in exchange for the purchase price, or at least I'd need a loaner trailer while mine was repaired and I heard nothing.
I called again and after many attempts, on 12/04/02, I talked with the manager, Terry Shue. He said he would send someone for the trailer to repaint it as soon as possible; he stated that I couldn't have it repaired here as I wished it had to be done at the shop in Colorado. The trailer was not painted the way that the advertisement states the first time with some places not being painted at all, and I had no reason to think it would be if I took it back either, so I declined. After I contacted the Better Business Bureau of Farmington, New Mexico, the offer of picking up the trailer was revoked and it was then stated that I had a limited time to call and make an appointment for my own delivery of the trailer to be painted.
If the trailer had been returned again to Colorado, it would have made a total of 2,112 miles put on the trailer after delivery with no promise of a good job being done this time. The extended loss of use that had already occurred between first delivery and getting the trailer back after repairs was unacceptable.
I would have liked the company come to get the trailer and refund the purchase price. I paid $6,000 in cash for the trailer. This summer, after using the trailer six times, I tried to sell it for $5,000.00 with no takers.
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