Complaint Review: Custom Concept Chrome

At the Toronto Motorcycle Show in the winter of 2008 I found a business called Custom Concept Chrome who had what they claimed was a new process that was like chrome but better in that there would be no flaking, peeling, bluing and that was available in a number of colors besides "chrome".

About a year before this I had purchased an exhaust system for a bike I am restoring, a 1978 Kawasaki KZ650. I had spent many hours repairing small rust holes, I had the pipes sand-blasted and polished in order to prep them for this new coating.

About February, I remember a lot of snow on the ground, I took the 2 mufflers, 4 headers, 4 flanges, 8 gaskets, 2 clamps and one crossover pipe to Custom Concept Chrome's place of business in Orillia.

The first sign that this might not be a good experience was the fact that I met "Jason" in there "office" in a buiding on their property that resembled an old motel. The place appeared a shambles with parts all over the place, stacks of papers here and there etc. Jason wrote my contact info on a piece of paper and promised me that my parts would be in good hands and that he did a set of pipes on a Harley a few years previously and they had not yet turned blue. Despite the apparent mess in the "office", I left my parts in his care.

A couple months later, in May, I called and actually spoke with Jason. He said that the parts had been done but they were not pleased with a slightly yellow tint in the finish so they were going to redo the process in order that I get the best job for my money. I should point out that I have not given over any cash yet, just the parts. He said they should be done in 4 days and I should call to confirm a date for pickup. He then said that in order to avoid another trip to Orillia, they could have the parts delivered to Corky's Small Engine Repair in Bobcaygeon, a lot closer to where I live, and I could pick them up there.

When I hadn't heard from Jason by the end of June, I called and left a message on their answering machine. TWELVE times I left a message. Twelve times I got no return call.I called Corky's and they said they hadn't heard of Custom Concept Chrome.

On July 14 I took a ride to Orillia to see for myself what was going on. When I got there, the place appeared deserted. Not a sole around. The lights were on in the shop and a radio could be heard through the locked door. The place was littered with garbage. I asked a neighbour across the street what he knew about the business and its owners and I was told there were many fraud charges against the owners. I saw a young lad in the house on the property and got vague answers from him but I did get Jason's cell phone number. Calls to it have gone enreturned as well. Another guy came walking down the driveway just then and he said he was awaiting the police in order to keep the peace while he attempts to retrieve the parts he left there 3 years ago.

I took the guy's advice and stopped at the Orillia OPP office on my way back home and told them all about this experience. With hope and a bit of luck, I'll get these rare and valuable, to me, parts back and then I can resume my project.

I'm pissed off with this guy firstly because my 30 year old bike won't be on the road 30 years after I first bought it, and secondly because the guy is just a complete screw-off. I mean what does he think to gain by taking my parts and then just not doing the work? What value is it to him to take a set of 30 year old exhaust pipes from a guy and then screw him around for the work?
I just don't get it.

Pissed off
Dunsford, Ontario
Canada