Just wanted to update the H.A.M.B. community regarding Last Refuge Hot Rods, Inc. and Norb Bukowski out of Dolores, CO. I have read all the other threads regarding this guy... unfortunately too late after I ordered a truck bed last month. I found a bed that he was selling on Ebay, and won the auction, he immediately contacted me and I gave him all the particulars of what I wanted. He told me that his shop was all "caught up" and that I should have the bed within a couple weeks. Fast forward over 5 weeks, and countless promises of delivery and here I sit without a bed. <O</O I contacted Ebay and filed a complaint after the last lame excuse for not delivering my bed. I then got an email from Ebay saying that he had refunded my money and was not continuing the transaction. I called good ol' Norb and asked what the deal was? He told me that because I had filed a complaint with Ebay that I "don't get his product". All this after I had explained to the guy that I was tryin' to meet a deadline to get my car finished for Viva Las Vegas in April and making arrangements for help getting this bed mounted up. <O</O Needless to say I called him a few choice words and promised to tell as many people in the hot rod community about his customer service. I see he has a couple other items up for sale on Ebay right now... another truck bed and a Model A roadster pickup package. I can't stress enough... DO NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM THIS GUY!!! He's been banned from The H.A.M.B. and has a ton of complaints with the BBB for the same lack of delivery issues. He has defended himself saying he is constantly trying to improve his shop and delivery, he hasn't improved much if any since '06. His website is gone as of this morning, and I'm curious if my refund will go through on Friday? <O</O Regarding previous posts of "chalking it up to bad experience" or you should just "build the damn thing yourself"... I'll own up to not doing enough research before hand about this outfit. I just hope future H.A.M.B.ers don't make the same mistake I did, and hope this serves as a warning. As far as building the damn thing myself, I would if I could... sometimes you gotta know your limitations, not everyone has the luxury of a shop at their disposal. <O</O Just my two cents, thanks for reading! <O</O
and then we have the poor guy who bought a roller car about a month ago ,ebay listing said in stock and ready to deliver , I've got $1 to bet the car doesn't even exist. does anyone know who won (lost) that item as they need to get a heads up ,as norb pushes evey thing past 90 days thinking you can't leave feed back
I have sent Ebay an email stating reasons they should investigate Norb and Last "Refuse" Hot Rods, Inc. stating that he has several complaints through the BBB and The H.A.M.B. for delayed or non-delivery of products. I hope they follow through and possibly ban him from peddling his imaginary products to FNG's like myself. For someone who supposedly has been in this business for as many years as he claims, he sure doesn't act like it or care too much about his reputation in the community. I agree that the roller he sold doesn't exist, in fact I wonder if he truly fabs anything himself anyway. I got several excuses from him saying that the stake pockets for my bed were on back order and that the tailgate I ordered came with the wrong bend in it, so they couldn't bead roll the Model A pattern I wanted. WTF? He told me on several occasions that my bed/tailgate were sitting by the door ready to go out, then he would call and say he was making a run down to Phoenix and would deliver it to me, then never show up. In my eyes he's pretty much the slime-ball "Snake Oil" salesman of the hot rod community. Which is why I will continue to spread the word about him and his "company". I'm even thinking of making up a T-Shirt that says "Norb's an ***hole... Ask Me How I Know" and wearing it to Viva Las Vegas and every other car show I attend! I just hope my money gets refunded through PayPal tomorrow, and for his sake he should hope so too... my patience in dealing with guys like this has worn thin!
Dealing with Norb can be extremely painful. His string of broken promises dragged me out beyond PayPal's time limit for complaints and refunds, but my PayPal was backed up by my Master Card account... so I filed a complaint for "item not received" with Master Card and I got my money back the same day.
I don't know why people continue to buy from these clowns. If you need a bed for a Ford, buy one from Mack Products in Moberly Missouri.
writing to ebay does nothing. they do not care about buyers or sellers, they care only about ebays bottom line. if he is selling on ebay it would be very easy to destroy his ebay business with the click of your mouse. if anyone ever does me wrong there they will be gone.
You speak the truth. I should have taken all the negative publicity I read, into consideration, BEFORE entering into a business relationship with Last Refuge. Unfortunately I ***umed that a long time 'friendship' (I use that term loosely) would protect me from the poor business practices he's displayed (according to all I've read). One should NEVER ***UME. If someone is a bad business man, they are A BAD BUSINESS MAN...whether they are dealing with a so-called friend or a complete stranger. It's likely impossible for this leopard to change his spots. Steer clear of LRH. They don't offer anything you can't find elsewhere. Unless you are looking for anxiety and a hard time at every turn of your business transaction.
Yes, stay away from Last Refuge. Im speaking from experience. i finally got my model A frame and bed only after threatening to make a trip to his shop to beat the brakes off him. That for some reason speed him up. The frame and bed were even a decent peice of work, however not worth the trouble.
I would call the colorado attorney generals office and drop a dime on this guy I think its called fraud by conversion
Wow Guys! I am giving norb till Friday Sept 8th 2011. I have waited 11 months for a 32 frame I paid for in full.
Can you tell us how this is done? Seems like a few people could use the help. Things that work, shouldn't be a secret.
The Jalopy Journal
