Bad experience with thewestcoastclassics.com car dealer in santa monica CA

[smatwo]

Bad experience with thewestcoastclassics.com car dealer in santa monica CA

Hi All,

I'm from france, 35, I had many MG, now owning a MGB GT 67 and MGB 65.
I was looking for that MGB for a while, and decided to start looking in USA.
That’s for the presentation.

I found a really nice (on pictures) restored MG B in California. Paid 15000USD for it.

I asked many information before buying it, but the answer was always the same "The cars is fully restored".
So after checking the 100+ pictures, I decided to give it a go, and I bought it, remotely, without seeing it.
I know, i did the number one buyer mistake when buying a car without seeing it or driving it.
I got carried out by the nice pictures.

The seller seemed to have a good reputation, known in the business, and the car was restored.

I asked many times about the history, and i could never get a straight answer from thewestcoastclassics.Com seller : "it's restored, the car is perfect".

Well it isn't.

When I got the car delivered, I first noticed that it was only an OK paint job, and OK interior redoing.
A bit disappointed from what I was expecting. On some parts, you could see the orginal red color.

I decided to check it all once home, I had a 100 miles drive.

The car starts, I engage the first gear. Wow, what is that awful noise !? The gearbox is screaming like hell.
100 meters further, I press the brakes ... NOTHING !
The car had absolutely no brake !

I managed to get home though and checked the interior.
- The dash has been poorly painted and has not its original wrinkled paint.
- indicators light don't work
- 1 belt is missing
- and few other things I wasn't expecting.

After I managed to get the french papers, I booked a gearbox oil change at the mechanic.
He calls, me: the oil is full of metallic deposit, and that noise is surely not normal.
The gearbox is dead.

Regarding the brake I had to change it all, change the fluid, and replace hoses.

Oh, I forgot, now it doesn't start, and i had to redo the distribution.

The cars were advertised as CA cars.
It’s not. The titles are from NY.

I contacted them, to talk about the problems.
The answer was: “you buy a classic, it is not a new car, expect to have some work on it …”
Of course! But at least be honest and make the buyers know about it!!!!

Long story short, thewestcoastclassic is not a trustworthy seller. They are liars, and they saw from a mile away when they knew I will not check the car before buying.

If you plan to buy a car from them, do a thorough ppi !
Check it, drive it, and be sure to have the history before buying it.
Never buy a car from them without seeing it.
Their cars are not in really good shape, and they sell them way beyond their values.
Pictures are always much nicer than reality.

Plenty of other sellers have much better products, and prices.
I just bought a 911SC in CA I am really happy of.
Everything was as described.

I will do my best to spread that story around the internet.
That was not a good move from them.