[DeTomaso] Don Byars and what he did to me and my Pantera

michael at michaelshortt.com michael at michaelshortt.com
Thu Feb 6 00:10:07 EST 2014


You will find emails are generally worthless in court if it comes to that.

I would have a written contact with each and every
Itemized task and quoted cost beside it.
I would have completion dates for each project as well.
It's only legal if you both sign it, a notary seal makes it all the better.
You should also have warranty terms and a stated policy of organization of
receipts.
Any items requiring additional hours or change orders should require a
signed addendum sheet.

No honest shop should object, it protects them as much as it does you.
Of course a written list and complete photographic inventory and condition
of the "before" car should help settle any issues with dents, scratches,
missing parts, etc.

Michael Shortt

Good fences make good neighbors, a solid restoration agreement will keep
your shop and you on good terms before, during and after your car has been
serviced.
On Feb 5, 2014 11:48 PM, "bflesland at gmail.com" <bflesland at gmail.com> wrote:

> So what's the best suggested approach of having major work done at a car
> resto/body shop?
> I am myself starting having a car restored/built and painted by a
> reputable shop as well and want to avoid any future problems.
>
> I understand paying upfront is a no-no.
> I don't have a contract but everything to be done is in writing by email.
> I am getting billed along the way as work progress.
>
> Is a contract mandatory in case of future problems?
>
> Hope I am not hijacking the thread here but this has happened before and
> will again for somebody in the future, for sure!
> I think bad communications and/or unrealistic expectations may be the
> cause sometimes, together with poorly performed work, not done in a timely
> manner.
> Once I had to retrieve a car from a shop due to the shop owner had
> personal problems, long sad story...
>
> The thing today with internet and everything, is that from someone you
> hear a shop is very good and reputable.
> But if you search them yourself on the web you find bad stories posted as
> well.
> So not easy to pick the right shop.
>
> Sorry for the long rant!
> Cheers Bjoern
>
>
> Den 5. feb. 2014 kl. 20:38 skrev audionut at hushmail.com:
>
> Sad to hear stuff like this.
>
> Don's shop did my A/C upgrade on time at a fair price around the year
> 2008.  Hard to believe a respected, time-tested shop like this screwed up
> but....
>
> The shop is nearly *always* responsible for horror stories like this.  It
> is the responsibility of the shop to quote the job right, clearly,* in
> writing*, and complete
> the job within a reasonable time, barring circumstances beyond the shops'
> control.  Misunderstandings should be easily cleared up by the contract, if
> they are not,
> then the shop f'd up.
>
> If the job gets out of hand in some way and the customer gets upset,
> then it is nothing but a petty, juvenile, bully attitude if the shop then
> says "Hey if you don't like it, I got your car, I got your money so, nyah
> nyah nyah.  What are you gonna do about it?"
>
> I can't see how Ed did anything wrong other than pay in full up front.
>  Always a bad idea.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Sent using Hushmail
>
>
> On February 5, 2014 at 11:09 AM, "Pantdino" <pantdino at aol.com> wrote:
>
> Ed,
>
> Just to give us some background, what was Don supposed to do for the
> original estimate of $36K?  That's a significant amount of money.
>
> Jim
>
>  -----Original Message-----
> From: Ed Mendez <edducati at mac.com>
> To: detomaso <detomaso at poca.com>
> Sent: Tue, Feb 4, 2014 2:03 am
> Subject: [DeTomaso] Don Byars and what he did to me and my Pantera
>
>  To All Pantera Owners Worldwide,
>
> You should all ready this, so this does not happen to you.
>
>  As of now Don Byars refuses to help me or repair any of the damage he
> did to my Pantera after paying him $42,000 over the last two years! It is
> shameful behaviour!
>
>  Mike Drew was going to feature my car in Profiles. Sorry but I would
> rather you did not. Don deserves no advertising.
>
>  Read below how Don held my car as ransom, extorted $6000 more dollars
> out of me, and made me sign a waiver releasing him of all warranty for work
> he completed.
>
>  Now I am in another country, I have dumped my car on a friend to finish,
> and I am out of a lot of cash.
>
>  I guess he did not realise that I have 300+ Pantera friends worldwide on
> Facebook. I guess he will soon.
>
>  Ed
>
>
> Begin forwarded message:
>
>  *From: *"Patterson, Lee R." <LEE.R.PATTERSON at saic.com>
>  *Subject: **RE: [SDP] Hi Everyone please read*
>  *Date: *4 February 2014 17:41:57 NZDT
>  *To: *Kevin Ryniker <durland at san.rr.com>, 'Westmicro' <westmicro at aol.com>,
> "mikebecker at cox.net" <mikebecker at cox.net>, "edducati at mac.com" <
> edducati at mac.com>, "sdpanteras at googlegroups.com" <
> sdpanteras at googlegroups.com>
>  *Cc: *"Patterson, Lee R." <LEE.R.PATTERSON at saic.com>
>
>   I can only relate the time I called him to purchase a very small,
> inexpensive part for my car.  His response was "that's all you want to
> buy?" to which I said yes.  He then sighed and reluctantly took my order.
> Upon receipt, the part was a poorly reproduced version of the original
> part, the art work was off-center and after attempting to "fix" it myself,
> I threw it in the trash.  So my only experience with him was he was
> uninterested in my business and the product he sold and represented me was
> shit.  So no, I will not call him ever again because to me, that behavior
> speaks to total lack of INTEGRITY AND ETHICS.  I hope the $12,000 you
> bought from him were better than my $25. part.
>
>  *From:* sdpanteras at googlegroups.com [mailto:sdpanteras at googlegroups.com] *On
> Behalf Of *Kevin Ryniker
> *Sent:* Monday, February 03, 2014 8:30 PM
> *To:* 'Westmicro'; mikebecker at cox.net; edducati at mac.com;
> sdpanteras at googlegroups.com
> *Subject:* RE: [SDP] Hi Everyone please read
>
> I Have to agree with Mike to the extent that there must be something else
> going on. This sounds like a cash flow crunch, he is acting like a producer
> on a show that got in over his head.
>
> I known Bobby Buyers for 10 years at least, never had a problem, I've
> easily bought $12,000 worth of parts from him. He has always stood behind
> his work and his dealings with me. He even warranty parts that I got from
> Wilkenson and Hall, for free, expensive stuff. Never really delt with Don
> but I think he is Don's brother, they used to be in business with each
> other, might be worthwhile to call Bobby. Just an idea.
>
> Any help I can aid in please feel free to ask.
>
>  Durland Productions
> Kevin Ryniker, Cell (858) 336 9803
> Phone (858) 693 6207, Fax (858) 693 6227
> 8766 Betelgeuse Way, San Diego, CA 92126
> www.durlandproductions.com
>
>
>
>  *From:* sdpanteras at googlegroups.com [mailto:sdpanteras at googlegroups.com] *On
> Behalf Of *Westmicro
> *Sent:* Monday, February 03, 2014 7:47 PM
> *To:* mikebecker at cox.net; edducati at mac.com; sdpanteras at googlegroups.com
> *Subject:* Re: [SDP] Hi Everyone please read
>
> Please pass all this on to Don.
>  Maybe this will make him realize what he has done here, and he will make
> it right.
>  Reputation and doing the right thing is Everything in Business.
>  *Dave Nuding*
>  *Western Micrographics & Imaging Systems*
>  *Houston / San Diego*
>  *858-722-5500 <858-722-5500>*
>  *http://www.westernmicrographics.com*
>
>
>  -----Original Message-----
> From: Michael Becker <mikebecker at cox.net>
> To: 'Ed Mendez' <edducati at mac.com>; 'San Diego Panteras' <
> sdpanteras at googlegroups.com>
> Sent: Mon, Feb 3, 2014 8:35 pm
> Subject: RE: [SDP] Hi Everyone please read
>
> Holy crap, that's terrible Ed.  So sorry to hear this.  I don't understand,
>
> I've never heard a bad thing about Don.  I've also never had any work done
>
> by him, but the general perception is that his work speaks for itself.  I
>
> can't imagine what his reasoning is.  I don't have any kind of relationship
>
> with him, so I don't really feel I could speak to him.  Maybe something just
>
> got into him and he needs time to realize the pickle he's put you in.  Maybe
>
> he's got some other troubles and sort of reached a breaking point or
>
> something like that.  Perhaps he'll come around and somehow make good on it.
>
> I would hold off on slinging mud until all options for reconciliation are
>
> exhausted.
>
> Hang in there,
>
> Mike
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
>
> From: sdpanteras at googlegroups.com [mailto:sdpanteras at googlegroups.com] On
>
> Behalf Of Ed Mendez
>
> Sent: Monday, February 03, 2014 4:39 PM
>
> To: San Diego Panteras
>
> Subject: [SDP] Hi Everyone please read
>
>
>
>
>
> Hi all,
>
>
>
> Made it to New Zealand and started work. Still a bit jet lagged but that is
>
> nothing compared to how I feel from what Don Byars did to me before I left.
>
>
>
> After paying Don $36,000 in cash and up front and paying my final invoiced
>
> bill on Jan. 22nd. There were some electrical issues from the Pantera
>
> Electronics parts I bought. There were two blown up boards, Pantera not
>
> charging, and several other issues. This was NOT from Pantera Electronics
>
> however, it was from Don not following the simple directions and hooking
>
> things up wrong. So he spent the next four days trying to sort out the
>
> issues. On the 28th he called me and said come and get this car out of my
>
> shop! I asked if it was done, he said no, and it is not running either. He
>
> verbally told me on the 22nd that it would be about $2000 more and he would
>
> have it all finished including the seats bolted in on the seat rails, the
>
> seat belts, and all be working. What he told me on the phone shocked me. He
>
> said that I now owed him an additional $6300 and that knowing I was leaving,
>
> he wanted cash, and would not release the car until I paid him in full!
>
>
>
> I have always paid him up front, and in advance. Since I was leaving the
>
> country, he gave me no choice, I had to come up with cash. He delivered the
>
> car to me, backed it out of his trailer still hooked to the cable, I then
>
> paid him in full and he refused to unhook the car until I signed a waiver
>
> releasing him of any work related defects!!!
>
>
>
> He treated me like a criminal and EXTORTED $6000 from me!
>
>
>
> Now the car is sitting in Vista, Ca. The seats were not bolted in, the belts
>
> were not done, seat rails, scratches in my paint under the hood, he left my
>
> brand new air compressor disconnected and exposed to air. The car runs but
>
> electrically a mess, far from being done, and far from being in a state of
>
> condition for the money I paid him.
>
>
>
> Don Byars is a thief to the Nth degree! And he did all this in front of
>
> whom? The new President of POCA!
>
>
>
> Just wondering if he is completely stupid!? I just wonder what I did, I was
>
> utterly insulted. What did I do to deserve this? His wife told me Don was
>
> mad because I did not let him finish the car!!!??? I paid him a total of
>
> $42,000. He knew the drop dead date months before I was leaving. Even John Haas of Pantera Electronics offered to help, Don did not call him once!!! I asked John Haas to call him.
>
>      At this point my car is in the care of John Buckman, if anyone can please
>
> offer any assistance, I have to get it in a somewhat completed state to ship
>
> overseas.
>
>
>
> Please spread the word. If I were there I could do something, all I have is
>
> you guys to spread the word about what he did to me.
>
>
>
> Kind regards,
>
>
>
> Ed Mendez
>
>
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
>
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