Lenny - West Coast Classics - [email protected]

[Grey 57]

I ordered a carpet set for my Type 34 Ghia from Lennys business almost 3 years ago. It was shipped out to Australia missing 3 critical carpet pieces.
After many emails and even a trip from Australia to this business in LA, I am still waiting for these carpet pieces. When I visited Lennys business in May of this year (to collect my bits and a full interior for another Aussie who had been waiting an age for his stuff also) we found that the carpet bits were the wrong colour. The busines promised that the pieces would be made in the correct colour and posted to me. But 9 months later and after many, many more emails and promises I am still missing my 3 carpet pieces.
I am over it now and have ordered the missing bits from a local supplier. So I paid twice for this carpet set. Factor in the rental car and accomadation to to visit the business in LA (I was on a business trip so no airfare thankfully) and pick up my missing bits and it was an expensive exercise all round. My advice to anyone from outside the US thinking about placing an order with these guys is make sure you factor in a trip to the states in your budget. Because phone calls and emails wont get things happening after they have your money.
I am really quite sad that now I feel compelled to write this post. I was really excited about getting a carpet set from Lenny at the beginning, but the whole proccess turned sour.

[rkulis]

Well the trim ring around the bar has now separated in the middle from the vinyl in my bus, so the good work at West Coast continues. Save your project for a better interior provider if you can.

[Mr Bubble Head]

[Grey 57]

anytime mate. Was happy to do it.

[racoguy]

Purchased a T34 carpet kit from these guys and now wish I had never heard of them, sent me a kit which only contained 16 of the 19 pieces and 40% of the pieces which I did recieve are made wrong, have emailed numerous times and got nowhere.
DO NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM THESE GUYS, THEY ARE TERRIBLE!!!
Great comms until they have your money, contact becomes flaky at best after that and if there's a problem like now well thats another story.
_________________
https://www.facebook.com/pages/West-Worx/460154187360186

[tarzan271]

[racoguy]

An update to this is in order, reached an agreement with Lenny that he would send replacement carpet for me to re make the missing and incorrect pieces which i'm happy to report that he's done.
I got hit with import tax on the replacement goods which he also covered so the matter is resolved for me which i'm happy about.
_________________
https://www.facebook.com/pages/West-Worx/460154187360186

[richardsxfile]

Do not even consider doing business with Lenny Copp and West Coast Classic Restoration if you value your car, your time, your money, and your sanity. Lenny will make many guarantees, but the only ones he will follow through on is taking your money, failing to offer timely and polite communication, and returning your car in worse condition than when you left it with him. If you enjoy having corners cut on your vehicle, a shop owner repeatedly breaking agreements and “forgetting” what work was contracted, and being insulted and abused by the shop owner, Lenny will accommodate you fully. VW community be warned. While Lenny may have built a name for himself over the last few decades, he believes that name entitles him to treat his customers as subjects while he rules over them from his throne. I’m sure there was a time when Lenny did good work, but if you read the more recent reviews of his business practices, you will see that those days are long gone.

This whole situation has been depressing and nightmarish; I waited years saving enough money and searching for a shop I would trust to install a new top on my 1967 Ghia. I took my vehicle to him on August 1, 2012 to meet him, see some examples of his work, and get an estimate for a new top. I was at his shop for over an hour showing him my vehicle, discussing with him how he would proceed with the installation and pointing out specific areas that I wanted addressed before and during the install. At this time, he made me confident that he would take great care of my vehicle. We then went into his office where he showed me photos of previous vehicles he restored. He completed an estimate for $3000, and I gave him a $1000 deposit. He entered my e-mail address into his computer and informed me that he likes to take photos of the work in progress and send them to his customers “to get them excited.” He informed me he should be able to get my vehicle in the next week and it would take a week to install the top. This timing was critical because my son was due in late August, and I wanted my car finished before he was born and my time to work on my car became extremely limited. Unfortunately, as I left his shop that day, it was the last time I was truly confident I had made the correct decision regarding where to have my new top installed.

Poor communication began almost immediately as I had to call every week (Lenny never called me) to find out when I could bring my car in. Every time I called, I was told “next week” – this went on until mid September when I was finally able to drop my car off. During the time Lenny had my car, he never emailed me any of the photos he promised. Had he done so, I would have seen that the work was not being completed as we had agreed, and some of the issues could have been avoided. On September 20, Enrico (WCCR operations manager) called me to let me know my car was ready. Then he called me two minutes later to let me know it wasn’t because they hadn’t ordered the chrome trim that goes above and below the rear window (though it was on the original invoice and Lenny had showed me where he was going to order them from when I was in his office August 1st.) I had to wait another five days for him to order and receive the parts that he had had six weeks to order.

When my vehicle was finally finished, I was very unhappy with the work – what was done and what wasn’t done. I have been trying to have Lenny address these issues since September of last year, and he has constantly made promises to correct his mistakes, but he has provided me with an endless line of excuses to delay actually doing anything on my vehicle. One time his installer was sick for a week. Most of the time he “has other cars to work on and will get to mine next week.” I have heard this month after month. For a few weeks “the person that sews the tops was in the hospital,” so I couldn’t have my car worked on. Recently, Lenny has been saying that I was “very happy” when I picked up my car and that he doesn’t know what the problem is. Just because I was polite in the way I pointed out the flaws in my vehicle doesn’t mean I accepted them. Did he expect me to rage at him, which is how I felt inside when I saw the unprofessional work done on my car? He has also resorted to calling me “anal” in my expectations. Thus, I present to the VW community the broken promises and shoddy work of West Coast Classic Restoration. Here is what will happen to your car, and if you try to point out the flaws, you will be berated, called “anal,” and told that “if you want your money back, you’re going to have to sue me.” Lenny, this is one way I can accommodate you.

When I dropped off my vehicle, I told Lenny I wanted anything and everything replaced that needed to be. I told him I didn’t want to save a few bucks on keeping questionable wood. I told him I wanted everything to look like it just rolled out of the showroom in 1966, and he assured me it would.

1. The most egregious problem with the top is that the frame was not adjusted prior to fitting the new canvas and/or the canvas was installed too tight. (I posted my concerns here on TheSamba back in October http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=530660&highlight= where you can see I went out of my way to be polite and not disparage WCCR.) When we tried the top at the shop, it took three of us to get it to close – Lenny and Enrico pushing on the front corners and me inside having to crank so hard it felt the crank handle would snap in my hand. With the top closed, the doors do not open and close properly, as the door gaps close entirely at the rear. If that is happening at the rear, I’m sure the windshield is being pulled back as well, and I’m fortunate that hasn’t shattered due to the stresses. Lenny informed me that “this was normal and the top would loosen in a few weeks.” That never happened.

My passenger door "closed" with top latched.

My passenger door closed with the top unlatched.

2. I specifically asked Lenny to paint the frame – three times I confirmed that he would do this. He was the first one to even point out that I had some scratches and drips on the frame the first time he saw it, and he said, “We can paint that for you when the top comes off” and I said I wanted that to be part of the job. He did not paint the frame. When I asked him why he didn’t paint it, he said he didn’t remember saying he would. Lenny said that he would have had to charge me $200-$300. I would have gladly paid it. I thought we had already established three times that it would be painted – during my initial visit, over the phone before I dropped of the car, and the day I dropped it off.

3. The top cover was not manufactured as I requested. Again, three times I confirmed with Lenny that he would not install snaps at the center rear of the cover because I was going to remove the corresponding snaps on the body of my car. We had discussed how originally the cover only snapped at the sides and rear corners, and he mentioned how the snaps on the body would be easy enough to remove and fill. We talked about how my brother paints cars for a living and that I was going to have him fill and touch up those holes after I unscrewed the snaps. When I pointed this out to him, he said he didn’t remember discussing this. Enrico then said that he remembered me asking for it. Lenny said if I really wanted a new cover without the snaps, he would make a new one. This has yet to actually happen. Worse, the one that he did make is so tight, it doesn’t even snap if I wanted to do so. When we snapped it while looking over the work, it immediately unsnapped. Lenny tried to say this would work itself out as well as it stretched. What is more likely, is that it will rip if I actually try to use the snaps.

4. The header was wrapped in vinyl, not headliner material. I researched the proper procedure and materials needed to install a new top to educate myself and ask the right questions of the shops I visited. This was another item I confirmed with Lenny three times. When I pointed out that it wasn’t done correctly, he asked, “How do you know what is correct?” When I cited a 1960’s VW Body – Karmann Ghia Convertible manual, he brushed it off. The thing is, I confirmed multiple times that the header would be wrapped in headliner material. As the customer, if I would have asked for purple velvet, he should have done it. However, Lenny again failed to complete the work correctly and as we had agreed upon.

How many times did I need to tell you I wanted the header wrapped in headliner material?

5. When picking up my vehicle, I noticed paint damage on the body near the new top on the driver’s side. I asked Lenny about it, and he said he didn’t know anything about it. When Lenny went into the office to get some paperwork, his installer came out and told me the damage was under the old top but that the new top fit differently and made the damage visible. The installer told me he showed Lenny the damage and informed him it would be visible when the new top was installed. Lenny told him to ignore it and install the top. What kind of shop owner who told me he never cuts any corners installs a top where it is now very difficult to repair that damage as it is right at the edge of the top? Maybe it was there before, maybe it wasn’t, but a simple phone call would have had me down there with my brother the same day repairing that section so it wouldn’t be so noticeable.

6. The plastic window on the top Lenny installed has “pockmark” impressions in the soft plastic. The damage appears to have been caused by heat/improper storage. The view out the back window is blurry in places. Lenny says I am anal about this (though he has never seen it because he has failed to show up for appointments when I have brought my car to his shop), but my 10 year old top actually had a much cleaner and clearer window with zero damage. My car is always garaged; I always drive with the top down; and when I park it outside at work, I always cover it.

7. Chrome is flaking off of the brand new trim over the rear window. Lenny told me I would have to take that up with Karmann Ghia Parts and Restoration. Why is that my job? Lenny ordered the part and installed it, and I noticed immediately the damage to the chrome. When I contacted KGPR, they were very sympathetic but informed me they could not help me for two reasons: the original invoice was in West Coast Classic’s name and that the reason for the damage was improper installation. I’ve repeatedly tried to contact Enrico since Lenny has been no help at all, but Enrico is ignoring my attempts at resolution as well.

Lenny will not call KGPR and order a new piece of trim.

8. A small issue, but one which clearly shows Lenny’s lack of attention to detail. The screws on the crank handle plate are mismatched. So my $3,100 bill doesn’t include matching 10 cent screws? When I dropped off my vehicle, the cover plate wasn't attached, so he can't even argue that he used the same screws I gave him because I didn't give him any.

Really?

9. My Ghia was returned to me with upholstery glue all over the front and rear seats. I get it – it’s a messy job. That’s why I’m paying someone to do it. Is it too much to cover or remove the seats or at the very least clean all the glue off of them before returning my car?

10. The next two items are parts that were in fine working condition when I dropped my vehicle off, but came back to me in far worse shape. First, I had recently installed a brand new OE door seal on the passenger side. That seal went through less than 10 door opening and closings since install. Because the door gap closed up when the top was latched, the seal could not fit in the gap any longer and tore along the top edge. (New seal = $30.) Second, due to the stress placed while cranking the top closed, my top locking device (an original Huf in excellent condition) no longer remains in the closed position. The handle flops open at will as the internal spring has been damaged. I don’t believe it is repairable. (New RP crank = $185)

Damage to brand new seal caused by too tight top installation.

Crank spring broken and will not remain closed due to excessive pressure needed to close top.

At first, when I expressed my concerns to Lenny, he told me he would take care of everything. Then he went on vacation in October. In November we made an appointment for him to view my car which I had to adjust my work schedule to accommodate, and then he wasn’t there when I showed up. I spoke with Enrico who insured me the top would be fully replaced and all concerns addressed. Obviously, there isn’t any way to make it fit after the fact or to fix the back window without redoing the top. Enrico promised that the job would be redone correctly.

A couple days later, Enrico called me and said Lenny wanted to see the car. This upset me because it meant I would have to make another inconvenient trip around work and my young family schedule to meet with Lenny when he stood me up a few days before. Lenny confirmed with me that he could meet at his shop Sunday. Amazingly, he failed to show up again. No one was at the shop, and the two “after hours” phone numbers on his front door were no longer active WCC numbers. I left a note under his door asking him to call me ASAP, and he did not do so. I called him Wednesday, and about Sunday he said, “Oh, I totally spaced.” I asked if he received my note, and he said he had. It was very awkward because as upset as I was about time and money I was wasting without any progress, he had all my money and the power to make it right. For the next few months, Lenny continually promised to fix my car, but constantly gave me excuses to delay actually doing anything.

Finally, in January I got my credit card company involved, and the truth came out. In a three-way conversation in February, Lenny admitted he had no intention of fixing my vehicle. He agreed to refund $1000 (a portion of the labor) of my bill and give me an uninstalled new top. When I tried to ask about other work that was going to need to be redone or replaced (new padding, headliner, chrome trim, top cover, etc), he said I was going to have to sue him.

When I went to pick up the new top, Lenny gave me the canvas, and I placed it on a counter. I asked Lenny if we could speak about the chrome trim and a few of the other parts that needed to be replaced. I explained that I felt he should deal with KGPR because I didn’t possess the original invoice and foresaw having an issue trying to replace the damaged chrome trim. He became absolutely irate and told me to “Take my sh*t and get the f*ck out of his shop” and that he wasn’t taking to me another minute. I was absolutely taken aback at this point. After six months of frustration and terrible customer service and experiencing his vitriol aimed at me, I finally told him he was an ahole. He stood up from behind his desk, came up to me, and got right in my face and repeated his abusive language. The way he approached me, I thought he wanted to trade punches, and I asked him if he was expecting to throw down. I told him I didn’t recommend it because it would turn out badly for him. He said he wouldn’t fight me but that he was going to get everyone in the shop together to kick my ass. You can’t make this stuff up any better. I looked around and saw that I would be facing two guys without most of their original teeth, Enrico, and the receptionist. Enrico played peacemaker before the situation progressed any further. Enrico took me outside and allowed me to express my frustration again about the whole situation and all the broken promises. He said he would help me with the trim, but a couple months has passed, and it appears that was another empty promise. In contrast to the horrible experience I have had dealing with Lenny, Enrico has at least been pleasant and courteous, but as he is not the owner, he has not been able to deliver on any of his promises either.

Thus, here I am nine months after I left my car with Lenny Copp. I am $2100 poorer and have nothing to show for it. Actually, I have a non-functioning top and $200 in damages that didn’t exist before Lenny worked on my vehicle. The weekly phone calls and stress has taken a toll on my well-being. Seeing my car sitting idle in the garage makes me sick every day I pass it. I have tried to reason with Lenny, and he has shown no desire to make this right. He hasn’t even shown up for repeated attempts to point out the fatal flaws on my car after his “breaking in” period passed. He has mocked me for expecting that he would adjust the top frame gaps at the main hinge supports before installing the new top. Before he did any work I showed him that I believed the gaps were off. When I discussed the issue with him after noticing the problems with the new top, he said, “There is no way to adjust the frame there.” When I attempted to explain that it was critical the frame bolts were loosened and the gaps adjusted to 6 mm before the new top was installed, he told me I was anal to expect a 6mm gap and that he had never heard of such a measurement at that point. (Both points are currently larger than 6 mm and don’t even match each other.) So, it is not so much an unwillingness to take a few minutes when the old top was off to loosen and adjust those frame bolts, but total ignorance that that was even a part of installing a new top. How could he not know about those bolts?!? He also tried to tell me that I could replace the header with headliner material myself and that I didn’t need to remove the cover plate to do so. He said the header is wrapped last after everything is assembled. How can you possibly wrap the header with it and the cover plate installed? The more conversations I had with him, the more I realized how ignorant Lenny really is about what it takes to install a Karmann Ghia top. The current condition of my vehicle is the visible proof of numerous incorrect and unbelievable statements he has made regarding what constitutes correctness on these vehicles. He continually mocked me, the VW manuals I referred to, and the information I have gained from other Samba members regarding convertible tops and installation procedures.

Lenny, I have seen you respond to other members’ posts regarding your dismal business practices and customer service. I hope you will respond and explain to me and the VW community how the work you performed on my vehicle meets your “100% satisfaction guarantee” emblazoned on every page of your website. I know you have been delaying me for months in the hope that I would eventually give up seeking justice, but I can assure you that will not happen. I hope you will contact me and be willing to resolve this man to man without threatening me with your posse. As I tried to explain to you in your shop before you so rudely verbally accosted me, refunding the labor has nothing to do with the other unresolved issues. You have told me numerous times that the only way I can expect to see any of my money is to sue you, and I have, therefore, begun filling out the paperwork to do just that. Please contact me as I hope we can resolve this matter once and for all. I have quite a bit of time off this summer, and I have no problem spending some of it in the courtroom. I can show you what I will be asking for in court versus what I would settle for out of court. I think you will want to see this.

[tarzan271]

richardsxfile,

I am sorry Lenny Copp and West Coast Classic Restoration screwed you. I am still pissed about the ~$600 of parts he screwed me out of, but you seem to have gotten it worse. I did get some of the correct stuff I ordered, but also a lot of empty promises form Lenny and Enrico about making my order right. I had to source some of the stuff elsewhere, but tried to make a deal with them to make it right. Now, I get no responses and Lenny is always “gone” when I call. I tell everyone I know about my experience with Lenny Copp and WCCR. Some have been in the VW scene for a long time and know Lenny personally from long ago. They are shocked when I tell them about my dealings with Lenny Copp and WCCR, but they agree that I have a right to be upset with the amount of money I spent. I hope that WCCR will go the way of the dodo bird before Lenny is arrested for fraud.
_________________
~Tarzan
1964 Deluxe Bus - Sold

[stale air]

richardsxfile, and everybody else listed in this thread that has had horrible experiences with Lenny, and WCCR, I feel for you all.
I also some time ago had the same issues with Lenny as all of you have. I to got to see the "wrath" of Lenny, him going as far as to call me a "dumb ass" while trying to resolve our issues.
My point is this, I cant stress enough for anyone who is thinking about using him and is company to think twice.
I was one of the lucky ones, I got a full refund.....
_________________
WANTED: Henry Veale Santa Rosa plate frames
WANTED: Brittsan Motors Fresno plate frames
WANTED: Any Georgia plate frames

[Mr Bubble Head]

richardsxfile

Wow even locals get the same "Lenny" treatment, sounds like the same dealings from constant contact up until the funds were paid then nothing followed by broken promises, lies, loss of memory, that's when he's in the office and not "out for the day or "just left" a great way to deal with customers Lenny you could write the book on "string 'em along until they pull all their hair out and disappear into a f@#kin mental institution".

The only reason I didn't shout over the phone he was full of shit with his lies was that would of been goodbye to my money instantly.

Luckily Enrico came along and was happy to help out with my case. At times I felt other than jumping on a plane and personally fronting up to Lenny which wouldn't of been a good out come for both of us. (Put it like this I wouldn't of needed a return plane ticket)
Luckily I have a young family and a brain so I had started to look into proceedings with a local legal debt recovery agency to recover my money and pay there commission.
Lenny you don't understand how having a great name and product means people (like me) will buy, sell, save just to have the "right" interior and "attention to detail" for there little piece of VW perfection. It took me 8 months of hard work, unsociable hours and sacrifice to put myself in the position to buy one of your interiors. It's not fair you take peoples money knowingly knowing you can't fulfill these orders. Just because your finances are up the shitter don't make us pay.
Lenny if you were a smart man you might take one less Holiday and pay a business consultant to help you evaluate, and turn your business around back to a good honest setup, then when you retire you might have a business worth something on paper to sell, so the people who are loyally working for you might be able to still have a job.

[NavyGeneral]

WestCoastClassics purchased a set of NOS running board covers from me. Hammered Down the payment promptly and without fuss. A very pleasant experience. ThanksVeryMuch for your business Lenny Copp.

[tarzan271]

I think WCC is improving their customer service. Lenny has agreed to send me a middle seat cover and arm rest because of what happened to my other parts. He has warned me that it won't match exactly because it has been so long since they made the front and rear for me. I should have ordered it at the same time. He did go out of his way to try to source the matching vinyl for me to no avail. He has said they are finished and should be shipping them any time. I appreciate you coming through for me Lenny and no hard feelings. I must say that the interior for my Bus is really top notch. It is so nice that I am almost afraid to sit in it.

_________________
~Tarzan
1964 Deluxe Bus - Sold

[EverettB]

Lenny bought a Bus part from me - everything went well.
He paid almost instantly.
_________________
How to Post Photos
Everett Barnes - [email protected] | My wanted ads
"Water is the only drink for a wise man" | "Communication prevents complaints"
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

[EverettB]

Lenny bought another part from me - Type 3 exhaust parts.
Everything went great again.
_________________
How to Post Photos
Everett Barnes - [email protected] | My wanted ads
"Water is the only drink for a wise man" | "Communication prevents complaints"
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

[Rich's 50]

I just purchased a complete interior for a vw vert and not only was the service good the product was on point. Thank you Lenny

[Johnzie333]

Had a great transaction with Lenny, stand up guy, prompt and courteous.
Look forward to working with him again,
John
_________________
The Carolina PANZERS Social Club
Charlotte, NC

704-957-4277

[MeeferMadness]

Just received my seat covers with German cloth, sunroof cover and headliner from Lenny. He delivered on time, was fun to talk with and courteous. I would not hesitate to do business with him again. Did not even ask for a deposit to begin work.
Bruce Ebling

[oldbusboy]

Just received an NOS Dehne gauge from Lenny. Came as promised. Well packaged and quickly.

Thanks Lenny.
Trevor
_________________
1968 porsche

[shortwing]

I need what turns out to be a hard to find color (549 azure V10) for my '60 Dove Blue sunroof bus. After looking everywhere available (local shops and the interwebs) to non industry people, I realized I would not be able to find the material. I followed the advice of my buddy at Wolfsburg West. He said Lenny Copp over at West Coast Classics would have no problem with this minor issue.
Having used WCC a few times in the past for various interior pieces, I think "of course, why didn't I think of them?" So I call them. They say "oh, no problem" and proceed to take my order on the phone, but before I give my credit card info I ask that they at least determine that they can get the material. Now they say they need to talk to Lenny, who just "happens" to not be there at the "moment". So, no problem should I call later, or tommorow or when? They say he will call me later in the day or tomorrow. Ok thanks. So a week passes, and I call them back, same run around, Lennys not in. He will call me. So two weeks pass, I call again, same thing.
So, not easily deterred I email the shop and BAM, I get a response right away. Whoever answered said "no problem" they'd get right on making me one. I emailed back some of the details about my difficulties locating the material, and BAM, they respond with "oh OK, I will speak to my supplier and get right back to you". So a week passes and nothing. So I email them again, and BAM, they respond immediately with "my supplier never got back to me last week, I'll call them now and get right back to you". I enjoy a challenge or I'd wouldn't restore old VWs. :-/ So two weeks pass.... nothing. I email them...
I guess they are done looking for this material, because they now don't respond to my emails at all. It looks like my little $300 isn't worth the common courtesy of an emailed response.

So here I am a couple months of crappy service later and I still have no top. I should've read their feedback here earlier, and I wouldn't have had high expectations and I wouldn't have gotten as frustrated. My bad, I guess.