Complaint Review: Southwest Engines - Cudahy Wisconsin

The problem is the representatives of this company continued to say that I did not pay for the engine and transmission.  As of Oct 7, 2014, I’m told that the money that I wired was not deposited into their business account.

I got a quote for a 2001 Saturn L Series engine from the website Quality Used Engines. From the website QualityUsed Transmissions, I got a quote for a transmission for the same car. The company that has these two websites also has SW Engines. The parent company isn’t clear. So far I’ve got the name narrowed down to two possibilities: Engine and Transmission World or Engine Shopper, LLC. 

I had someone (didn’t get a name) from their company fax the information to my bank so that I could do a wire transfer. The money was wired on 9/19/2014 at 1402 hrs to BMO Harris Bank into the account number provided with the account name as Engine and Transmission World. I had put the delivery information in the note section of the wire transfer, but I forgot to put the phone number of the mechanic in it. I called the company back to pass on the phone number. I have been occasionally switching from using the phone numbers that were advertised on the websites for Quality Used Engines, Quality Used Transmissions, and SW Engines.

I have been continuously transferred to different voice mails and as of today, 10/15/2014, have not had any of my calls returned. I don’t know how many times I’ve called the company before I started keeping track. There have been many times that I’ve called where nobody past the answering message has answered the phone. I’m simply hung up on. I haven’t recorded those instances but started when the complaint with the WI BBB was made.

This is the order of recorded events

9/19/2014 at 1402 I wired $2260.00 to BMO Harris Bank, routing #071000288, with account name Engine and Transmission World, account #0041413383.

9/24/2014 I filed a complaint with the WI Better Business Bureau (BBB), ID 10234090, explaining the problem.

9/24/2014 I also left a message for Dale at Engine Shopper, LLC at 1618 hrs.

9/25/2014 I received an email from the WI BBB identifying the company as Engine Shopper, LLC. There was a response from Engine Shopper, LLC asking me for an invoice number. I wasn't provided with an invoice number when I asked for the wiring information. Also, there is no invoice number on the fax sent to my bank.

9/26/2014 an invoice number was provided to me by customer service at Engine Shopper, LLC: 243902. Then I was transferred to the Terminal Manager Jon where I left a message between 1300-1400 hrs. I sent the invoice number to the WI BBB but forgot about it in further dealings with Engine Shopper, LLC until 10/15/2014 when I reviewed the messages between me and the WI BBB.

I think it was 9/26/2014 that I was able to talk to B at BMO Harris Bank, and she confirmed that the deposit had been made to the account of Engine and Transmission World which matches the information on the fax my bank received and on the printout/receipt I received from my bank.

10/01/2014 Engine Shopper, LLC replied to my message to the WI BBB: “Mr. Andrews had ordered an engine from un on September 18, 2014 for a 2001 Saturn 2.2l engine for $1515.00. His credit card had declined several times and would not go through so he had done a wire transfer on September 19, 2014 which was a Friday. He had then constantly called our company after hours and all through the weekend over and over and talked to our answering service who just takes sales calls and do not have any access to any banking information. He kept calling the sales call center and harassed them all day Saturday and [sic] and Sunday and the only thing they could tell him is leave a message for the manager John or call Monday. We have not heard back from him since John had checked his voice mail Monday morning. In the mean time [sic] he needs to be patient, it normally takes 10 to 14 business days to receive your part from us [sic]”

About this message: I attempted to use a debit card since I don’t have a credit card. That’s why I wired the money. The amount was $2260.00 for 2 items: an engine and transmission for the same car. There’s a spot in the wire form for a note where I provided the delivery address, but I forgot the phone number. I called the company right after the wire was sent to provide the phone number. That’s when I started getting the “run-around,” endless transfers, and messages unreturned. I called a couple times over the weekend attempting to provide phone number.

I don’t recall seeing this message or I would’ve responded differently in all future dealings with Engine Shopper, LLC. I did see it on 10/15/2014 while reviewing messages between the WI BBB and myself. As it shows in the following listings, I left messages, including phone number, in an attempt to resolve this problem without third party involvement.

10/03/2014 I left a message for Sales Manager Joe at 1740 hrs.

10/05/2014 I sent an email to [email protected] and a copy of that email to the WI BBB. It included the all of the information they already had in order to resolve their incompetence. That included: WI BBB ID 10234090; engine quote, #5216051, and transmission quote, #5341596; date, time, and amount of money wired, 9/19/2014 at 1402 hrs for $2260.00; bank information that was provided in their fax to my bank, BMO Harris Bank (I put 071000288 as the account number not knowing at the time that it’s the routing number); email; and phone number.

On 10/7/2014 at 1543 hrs, I got through to an unhelpful Anthony (title unknown) at Engine Shopper, LLC who said that I didn’t pay for the engine and transmission. When I protested, he said “…the money was not applied to” their “business account.” This is in direct contrast to the information sent to the WI BBB. Before Anthony abruptly hung up, I said I would continue to call back until this was cleared up and his response was that they “will continue to hang up on you.”

I immediately called B in at BMO Harris Bank and she confirmed, by account number, that the wire transfer had been deposited into the correct account. B made a 3-way call to the company where Joe and B talked. Joe said he would leave a message for their accountant, John, to contact B.

On 10/08/2014 or 10/09/2014, B called me saying she had talked to John and was sending an email with “screen shots” to prove that the money was deposited.

On 10/13/2014, I called B and asked if she had heard anything. She said she hadn’t. She would resend the email to John.

10/13/2014 I left a message for John at 1340 hrs.

10/14/2014 I left a message for John at 1309 hrs.

10/14/2014 attempted to talk to Anthony but was transferred (it doesn’t seem like an error) to Jon again at 1357 hrs.

10/16/2014 I delivered my complaint to the MN Attorney General's Office.

These are all Central Standard Times. All of the titles were provided by the person answering the phone after the automated answering message (presumably customer service) and before being transferred. Some titles seem to change.

This company goes by many different names. On the internet, they have at least 3 web sites. The names of the websites that I know they have are: Quality Used Engines, Quality Used Transmissions, and SW Engines. For their corporate and accounting purposes, they have at least these 2 names: Engine and Transmission World; and Engine Shopper, LLC.