They really are nasty people to do businees with they should be shut down permenantly

they will probably refuse to take any credit card on teh basis they know you can complain to your CC company and get them into trouble.They would only take cash from me nothing else.

the word Cowboys doesnt even scratch the surface cant somebody close them down.

I did complain to to trading standards but they couldnt do anything really ??

I wish they could !!

the problem with trading standards and the police is that other posts (on various forums but relating to this 'company) suggest that nothign will be done on the basis of these cowboys offering backhanders to turn a blind eye (however true this is!).

i have personally emailed rogue traders to see if these companies can be re-investigated, as i think media coverage is the only way to go, sadly i have not had a reply.

note to all - hallmead service ltd is about to go off the map, and i think engine warehouse will be the new trading name...just check companies house

I think the problem is that lots of people just air their views on forums like this; but I wonder how many actually contact the media (watchdog etc)? I agree this seems the way to go. Everyone including me has tried virtually all other options that are within the law and got nowhere.

To The guy who's brother got stung I unfortunately paid by credit card up front for "rebuild" but when the engine failed three months later they stripped it down, said I had invalidated the warranty and I would have to pay £400 to have it repaired including them stripping it down to investigate their own bad work or second hand engine! I still believe it was the latter! (If you look at their "Rebuilt Engines" web site they proudly boast that they also stock "good condition fully checked used units" (This should read carefully steam cleaned well worn units!!!)

I told them I would pick my car and bits of engine up. I was lucky enough to be able to get my brother to tow me. When we got there and were waiting we made a point of talking to any person who was bringing their car in (one guy had his car ready to drop off) we quietly told everyone we could about our experience and the firms appearance on Watchdog. The "mechanics" sussed out what we were doing as at least one potential customer got in his car and drove away. We were told that our "paperwork had been lost" and that we could just take my car and there was no charge.

Bad publicity works but it takes effort.

Eventually I paid £723.35 to get access to my car. When I saw my car, the engine (dismantled into cylinder head, cylinder block, pistons etc..), one driveshaft, clutch, starter motor, alternator, sump, ignition fuel loop, air filter box, inlet manifold, some screws and bolts were all left on a pallet for me to collect with my car, The gearbox is missing!!! I also paid a further £60 to get my MR2 and the components towed back to my home.

Because I did not go along with their over the top prices quoted later on, I am now left with a 2000 W reg MR2 shell with the engine in bits, gearbox and other components missing!

I called the Police at the Engine Warehouse Ltd, 169 Brent Road, Southall, Middlesex. UB2 5LE, Tel:020 744 7000, I complained about the Workshop Manager - Martin White because there were items missing from my car. My sunglasses, bluetooth and handsfree kit, an extra headlight and oil can, presents I bought for my dad for his birthday in a Next bag and even chewing gum! The Police gave me a crime reference number and said there is nothing they can do because they cannot find out who took the stuff out of the 10 employees. As for damaging my car, the Police said it is a CIVIL MATTER! GO TO COURT!

The way forward - contact Community Legal Advice on Tel 0845 345 4 345 and register your complain and get a reference number from them. Every time you ring them, they pass your complain/messages to the Local Trading Standards Office (TSO) for Southall. The TSO do not contact you though. The TSO advice is to send three letters by recorded delivery to Engine Warehouse Ltd (or whatever they are know as) with about 7-10 days between each letter before you file a case in Court.

Victims of this crime should keep complaining to the Police and register your grievance with the Comminity Legal Advice service.

My MR2 is now on sale for £1300 because no garage wants to get involved with a car with engine in bits, gearbox and some other components missing!!!!

KEEP COMPLAINING - SOMEONE WILL HEAR US !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi

I’m really sorry to read of these problems. I've worked as a technical specialist for the AA for many years and have dealt with lots of complaints from AA members who have been sold poor quality ‘reconditioned’ units. The cases have often been very difficult to resolve.

We always recommend buying from a member of the Federation of Engine Remanufacturers http://www.fer.co.uk/ .

If you plan to have an engine fitted by a garage it's much safer if you ask that garage to deal direct with the engine supplier and you pay the garage for the whole job. This means you’ll only have a contract with the garage and if there is a problem with the work or the engine it'll be much easier to deal with one company. The garage and the engine supplier can sort out any difficulties between themselves. It’s very difficult to determine who is at fault if you weren’t involved in the repair. If you supply the engine for a garage to fit, and it's then found to be faulty you'll have to pay the garage to remove it again. Theoretically you should be able to get the money back from the engine supplier, but from experience, it's not that simple.

I am currently going through exactly the same thing. What did you do? can you help?

What type of work needs to be done on your car? Did you pay for work by credit card? More detailed story of what has happened would be helpful.

Basically if they have your car in their garage they will try to keep it. If they are halfway through a job and you say you want it back they will find ways to make life awkward, either the fees they charge for work already done will be exhorbitant, they told me that my cylinder head had been crack tested ( They didn't need to do this as it was a blown cylinder head gasket) but all the same they wanted £400. I told them the car wasn't worth it just to get it back ( this was three years ago, I still have the car and its running fine after being repaired properly) When I went to get my car I discreetly told everyone waiting to take their car in what had happened to me. The manager said he couldn't find my papers, there was no charge for the work done and I could take my car.( in other words "B * ^ %"R off your'e losing me business") When I got home I found some of the bits they had dismantled and put in the boot were badly worn and not mine. I work on my own cars and know them well. They no doubt will pass my less worn parts on to another unfortunate customer.

Again I don't know your'e full story.

The best advice I would give is don't go whithin a five mile radius of them in the first place; but that's not much help is it? I tried every way I could to get some sort of redress; I wrote to Credit card company, result ? I got a weedy letter saying it was my word against Heathrow engines services / warehouse / whatever they call themselves this week, and basically they could proceed no further. Trading standards said write to credit company!!! Small claims court awarded judgement by default but couldn't enforce as firm was now in liquidation and I should contact liquidators which I did, only to be told there were not enough assets, and even calling in baillifs would be a waste of time and money.

An expensive lesson which cost me nearly £2000 the best I can do is pass on what I've learned

I have just been ripped off by the heathrow engine centre

He actually threatened my husband & told him he would hit him with a club hammer & boasted the company has gone bust

Would like to hear from you about the heathrow engine centre

Was anything done

Best regards

We need to get this man arrested & locked up he is ripping people off all the time he actually threatened my husband with saying he had already beaten up one man this morning with a claw hammer and he was next.

I know it is no consolation to you and all the other people conned by this lot. I feel very fortunate that I nearly signed up to their service and a chance family conversation led me to my nieces fiancee who restores old bangers for a hobby who warned me about this lot. However the violence element highlighted by you puts a different perspective on the situation I believe - oh by the way my nieces fiancees day job - Notts CID, hopefully he will do a "Robin Hood" and pull a few strings at the Met!!

Yep... me too!!!

In essence The Engine Centre aka Engine Warehouse have had my vehicle since 1st December last year. They gaurenteed the work for under £1000 and to be completed in three days! Over three months later and the price having tripled they have not only continuously lied about when the car will be ready, ignored telephone calls, e-mails and letters but get this... They have now crashed my car too!!!

If you like being kept on hold, being treated with no respect, ignored or never want to see your car again then i guess this company is a good bet, otherwise GO NOWHERE NEAR!!!!

Rouge Traders... Absolutely!

Dear Steve

Please could you get your neices fiancee to contact Southall police station if they need to contact me please call me.

Best regards

Elaine

Hi I am also planning to report them for theft of items from my car.

I didnt actually go ahead with the repairs and the car was returned with the engine out - various expensive saleable items were missing from the parts returned - alternator etc

It is theft even if its difficult to prove.

I will let you know how I get on

Is anybody out there interested in forming a group against these traders and getting them stopped? We need as many people as possible to get together and form a body against them. If you are interested please contact me with your details and we can get to organising something. Is there any professionals out there? Soliciters, lawyers, anyone good with words?

Thanks

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Dear Elaine,

Reply below from Simon the fiancee (CID) - hope this helps.

Steve

Hi Steve,

It looks like this company are clearly out to rip people off. It will be for each customer 'victim' to report the specific details of their involvement to the Police in the area where the company are based. I suspect all the jobs will then be collated so they can be investigated jointly by the Met and Trading Standards. It appears from some of the posts many people have already taken these steps and are advising others to do the same. I think you definately dodged a bullet with this one.