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CARMENMC
Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2004
Posts: 7
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 Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 7:21 am Post subject: Additional Reed Cowan Contact information |
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Kmann-I got a business card from Reed and here is some additional contact information:
Home: 507-289-4693
Work: 507-754-5115
Cell: 507-951-2082
He said he got his first Thing in 1983 and has been hooked ever since. His wife was also at the show and was very knowledgeable about the parts, pricing, etc. He has a communications business as his main source of income and does his Thing thing as a business/hobby. |
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saintb
Samba Member
Joined: March 14, 2006
Posts: 28
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| Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2006 9:09 pm Post subject: |
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Same story here.
I ordered a wiper motor in January. He promised immediate shipping. Nice guy. joked about his bad reputation and current health issues.
2 weeks later I was forced to cancel my order because it was not shipped and I needed the part to pass inspection for my daily driver. Unfortunately my order cancelation was done via voicemail and email (because he never answers his phone or email).
Surpisingly, 2 weeks after that my credit card was billed. But, no part was shipped. Ever.
I called him 6+ times and sent numerous emails since. No part still.
Long story short. Fortunately MBNA was kind enough to refund my credit card and probably offer his business another slap. |
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ztnoo
Samba Member
Joined: March 23, 2005
Posts: 801
Location: Indiana
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| Posted: Mon Aug 07, 2006 6:54 pm Post subject: |
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What a broken record...
I think I'll go look at my 40 year old vinyl LP's.
I bet they'll play better than M.B and Things Unlimited.
M.B. and T.U. has major, major problems.
It's my belief this isn't a 'full time" business anymore.
Vince must be sick to his stomach.
A viable, functioning, and servicing business gone completely to hell, in one year.
Must be union hourly work which is mucking this program up... and maybe lots of other personal issues as well.
Who knows.
Basso does not communicate with anyone in the "Thing community" anymore.
Sad, sad, sad.
If you folks don't get it yet, you never will.
Hasta la vista, T.U. |
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Big Luni
Samba Member
Joined: December 29, 2003
Posts: 427
Location: Hartford, CT
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| Posted: Mon Aug 07, 2006 8:39 pm Post subject: |
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| Holy crap. Enough is enough, bro. Time to sell the inventory. You're still sitting on a goldmine - cut your losses and git rid of everything. Do us, yourself and your credit rating a favor, and sell the business to someone who has the time and energy for it. |
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UKbillybob
Samba Member
Joined: August 20, 2005
Posts: 128
Location: Somerset, United Kingdom
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| Posted: Tue Aug 08, 2006 1:56 pm Post subject: |
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Ordered 2 sets of thing front disc adapters for shipping to the UK in April. Did get one set, but second set never arrived despite payment being taken for the parts & shipping. This has delayed me finishing a car for a good buddy.
Does anyone else sell the thing spindle to 4 stud disc brake adapters as I need a set desperately now.
Mike is not returning my emails or answering his phone-same problem as everyone else has. |
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ztnoo
Samba Member
Joined: March 23, 2005
Posts: 801
Location: Indiana
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| Posted: Tue Aug 08, 2006 5:29 pm Post subject: The Beat Goes On |
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The beat goes on, the beat goes on
Drums keep poundin' a rhythm to the brain
La de da de di, la de da de da
......
And the beat goes on...yes the beat goes on
And the beat goes on...and the beat goes on on on...
The beat goes on and the beat goes on...
-----Sonny Bono
http://www.twin-music.com/azlyrics/s_file/songs/sc/be.html |
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pablo espanol
Samba Member
Joined: October 17, 2006
Posts: 1
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| Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 1:20 pm Post subject: www.thingsunlimited.net |
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| I wish I read your forum before I spent 2 months and $800 for Thing Parts from this yahoo that were never shipped. I have filed a complaint with the Attorney General of New York to yank this website. I encourage the rest of you that have been ripped by this guy to do the same. |
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ztnoo
Samba Member
Joined: March 23, 2005
Posts: 801
Location: Indiana
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| Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 3:51 pm Post subject: and the beat goes on..... |
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pablo espanol,
Sorry to hear of your bummer experience with Mike Basso.
Unfortunately it is getting to be a very common occurrence.
Where do you live? in the States or outside the US?
What were you attempting to buy from this hoodlum?
Post more detail in the thread to make people aware of what actually transpired with Things Unlimited.
How long have you been waiting for your stuff?
Pay by credit card or other means?
Did you ever actually get to speak with M.B. during your attempted purchase?
I assume this was your first purchase from this entity....am I right about that?
I really hope you can get something sorted out with him and get your parts, but if your card has been charge already, I wouldn't count on anything positive happening.
The axiom of caveat emptor ("let the buyer beware") applies now more than ever.
Regards,
ztnoo |
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Big Luni
Samba Member
Joined: December 29, 2003
Posts: 427
Location: Hartford, CT
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| Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 8:58 pm Post subject: |
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| ...and the fact that his site is easily brought up on search engines causes major problems, recently illustrated by the plug that TU got in this month's issue of Automobile magazine. I met Mike back when he was just making side curtains and wiper blades, and he was a nice guy - but that's what he should have stuck with. I fully support any effort to bring down the Things Unlimited website. That website is a dark cloud over our community, and must be eliminated before any more Thing owners are ripped off. |
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saintb
Samba Member
Joined: March 14, 2006
Posts: 28
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| Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 7:43 am Post subject: |
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pablo,
I'll second your notion to the attorny general. Is it easy to do so?
Let me know.
-B |
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Woreign
Samba Member
Joined: June 04, 2006
Posts: 2841
Location: Crestview FL
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| Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 8:02 am Post subject: |
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| Perhaps someone within our community could create a "warning website" and publish it to the web so that it shows up when a search is made for Things Unlimited? |
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Video Bob
Samba Member
Joined: November 03, 2005
Posts: 261
Location: Bishop, GA
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| Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 10:29 am Post subject: |
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Did I hear someone say "Law Suit"??? 
_________________
Ya can't have too many Vdubs!
1956 Oval
1966 Beetle
1974 Thing
1974 Super Beetle
1976 Westy P22 |
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ztnoo
Samba Member
Joined: March 23, 2005
Posts: 801
Location: Indiana
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| Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 5:03 pm Post subject: Legal leverage: Albany County, NY updates |
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Office of NYS Attorney General
http://www.oag.state.ny.us/
Downloadable complaint form (Internet-related matters only)
http://www.oag.state.ny.us/complaints/pdfs/internet_complaint.pdf
Websites, online business or transactions, Internet Service Providers/DSL Alert
http://www.oag.state.ny.us/online_forms/complaint_alert.jsp
Executive Offices: http://www.oag.state.ny.us/contact/addresses.html#executive
Attorney General's Hotlines : http://www.oag.state.ny.us/contact/addresses.html#hotline
________________________________________________________________________
*Basso resides in Albany County, NY
Albany County, NY
http://www.albanycounty.com/default.asp?id=461
_____________________________________________
Department of Consumer Affairs
Thomas Fitzpatrick, Commissioner
Albany County
Department of
Consumer Affairs
County Office Building
112 State Street
Suite 1207-08
Albany, NY 12207
Phone: (518) 447-7581
Fax: (518) 487-5048
[email protected]
_______________________________________
Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce
Albany Office
107 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12210
Phone: 518-431-1400
Fax: 518-434-1939
[email protected]
_______________________________________
District Attorney
P. David Soares, District Attorney
http://www.albanycountyda.com/
Albany County Judicial Center
6 Lodge Street
Albany, NY 12207
Voice: (518) 487-5460
Fax: (518) 487-5093
___________________________________
Department of Law
Kristina A. Burns, County Attorney
Department of Law
Office of the County Attorney
112 State St
Rm 900
Albany, NY 12207
Phone: (518) 447-7110
Fax: (518) 447-5564
____________________________________
County Sheriff
James L. Campbell
http://www.albanycountysheriff.com/
Voice: (518) 487-5400
Fax: (518) 487-5037
____________________________________
County Executive
Michael G. Breslin
County Executive
Albany County Office Building
112 State Street
Room 200
Albany, NY 12207
Monday - Friday
8:30 - 5:30
Voice: (518) 447-7040
Fax: (518) 447-5589
[email protected]
________________________________________________________________________
Better Business Bureau
Better Business Bureau Serving Upstate New York
http://www.buffalo.bbb.org/
Filing your complaint with the Better Business Bureau
https://odr.bbb.org/odrweb/public/GetStarted.aspx
"Based on BBB files, this company has an unsatisfactory record with the Bureau due to unanswered complaints"
http://search.buffalo.bbb.org/nis/newsearch2.asp?I...+Unlimited
Last edited by ztnoo on Wed Nov 01, 2006 7:01 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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ztnoo
Samba Member
Joined: March 23, 2005
Posts: 801
Location: Indiana
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| Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2006 6:22 pm Post subject: New Info From Michele Dustman (The Thing Shop): Topica List |
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More Convincing Evidence
http://lists.topica.com/lists/things/read/message.html?mid=812444222&sort=d&start=32617
"Whatever your motivation, thanks for the info. I just got off the phone
with a customer in Puerto Rico (really nice guy) who's furious. Basso
charged his credit card for $1935.00 on Oct 3rd and then duplicated the
charge and charged him another $1935.00 on Oct 4th. He hasn't received any
parts. He has a car show next Saturday so he's re-ordering everything from
me, we'll ship tomorrow.
I forwarded the last couple of emails on the topic including SBK's info to
him. And then I told him how to join Topica and TheSamba."
Michele
Michele Dustman, Owner
The Thing Shop and
NEV Accessories
4147 W. Venus Way
Chandler, AZ 85226
www.thethingshop.com
www.nevaccessories.com
800-898-4464 Orders
480-753-0684 Inquiries
480-753-0688 Fax[/list] |
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markie61
Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2005
Posts: 583
Location: Northern Virginia
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| Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 9:50 am Post subject: |
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Some "sort-of" good news: didn't see a TU ad in the November issue of Hot VW's which (hopefully) means fewer victims will be snared. Unfortunately, as long as the website is up others may become entrapped. Gives real meaning to "world wide web" when the unsuspecting become caught in this apparent spider's web.
Mark
_________________
Whut is that-there Thang!?
------------------------------
Chicks dig my Thing - so what if it's little and yellow...!? |
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ztnoo
Samba Member
Joined: March 23, 2005
Posts: 801
Location: Indiana
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| Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2006 12:10 pm Post subject: CSI: The Scene of Crimes Against Thing Parts Buyers |
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Things Unlimited
3221 Old Carman Rd.
Schenectady, NY 12303
* photo credit: http://members.aol.com/MPB181/index.html
P.S. Folks...if ya didn't "get it"......this is the humble abode of the The Shyster of Schenectady.
Last edited by ztnoo on Thu Nov 02, 2006 5:10 am; edited 1 time in total |
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addh79
Samba Member
Joined: October 20, 2006
Posts: 54
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| Posted: Sun Oct 29, 2006 5:21 am Post subject: Mike Basso... Guilty of just being a plain @$$ #*le |
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Just Sending out a warning on things unlimited and Mike Basso.
He is known for credit card fraud, overcharging, asking for people to send their electronic parts for maintenece and never sending them back, charging many times on the credit card, and much more.
If you or someone you know has had this pronblem please report it to your credit card company. The more reports the better! I will see to it that he gets busted!
He gives such a nice car such a bad name. |
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Towel Rail
Horizontally Opposed
Joined: April 15, 2005
Posts: 4622
Location: SE CR IA US NA PE
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| Posted: Sun Oct 29, 2006 9:52 pm Post subject: Re: Mike Basso... Guilty of just being a plain @$$ #*le |
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| addh79 wrote: |
Just Sending out a warning on things unlimited and Mike Basso.
He is known for credit card fraud, overcharging, asking for people to send their electronic parts for maintenece and never sending them back, charging many times on the credit card, and much more.
If you or someone you know has had this pronblem please report it to your credit card company. The more reports the better! I will see to it that he gets busted!
He gives such a nice car such a bad name. |
Holy crap! Why didn't anyone tell me before?!! 
_________________
1974 Thing -- under the knife
1967 Beetle -- spring/summer/fall driver
1996 Subaru OBW (EJ22, 5-speed, AWD) -- winter car, 3-seasons "don't feel like biking today" car
049 > 070 > 053 > 009 |
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Ferretkona
Samba Member
Joined: December 03, 2005
Posts: 1306
Location: Columbia, CA
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| Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2006 1:53 am Post subject: Re: Mike Basso... Guilty of just being a plain @$$ #*le |
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| Towel Rail wrote: |
| Holy crap! Why didn't anyone tell me before?!! |
We don't talk about fight club!
If it was not for newbies we would not be aware of Mike Basso. After all, a topic only a hour old can not be considered. Right? |
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ztnoo
Samba Member
Joined: March 23, 2005
Posts: 801
Location: Indiana
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