Rick Herity (J.R. Herity) - [email protected]

[TheLadyBug]

Starting a feedback thread for Rick since he bullies people by ripping them off, then promises 'warranty' to keep people from telling their story.

I sent my engine and transmission to him in November 2014. Each with a $1000 cash deposit. He insisted I get my engine and transmission to him ASAP as he was doing '10 engines at once'.

Initially, he told me the transmission would be $2000 and the long block would be $2000. All I had commissioned him to do was the long block. He said he'd be done by spring, 2015.

Months go by and I call for updates. I am forced to listen to stories about his personal life. I am pleasant as I don't want to upset him but I am annoyed as I just want my engine and transmission done; I don't care about personal stuff during a business transaction. But I get what he was doing... buying time. Making excuses why he needed my stuff so quickly but had no time to complete. He wanted the non-refundable cash deposits but had no intention in completing the work any time soon.

Spring of 2016, I insisted I get my transmission back. He eventually brought it to me 5 weeks after the agreed upon deadline as friends died and blah blah blah. He said he'd help me install for free... then I notice on my bill he charged me 4 hours labour for this. When he came, he refused to even let me see the transmission until I paid him the balance in cash.

The transmission was not installed as his 'help' putting in the spring plates ended up in disaster. Using a drill to tap threaded holes in my pan, hitting my powder coated surfaces with a metal hammer, stuff like that. Not to mention the axle tubes were on the wrong sides, and he took apart my axle tubes to put on the seamless boots. My axle tubes had much of the powder coat damaged and scratched and replaced with tremclad. They were chipped and in poor condition.

I note that he assembled my transmission with an assortment of 13 and 14mm bolts, some too long, and even told me he used a case of his own that was in better condition than mine... until I checked the number and it was the same case I sent him. The clutch spring lever was also installed backwards. I ask friends to send me some correct bolts that I swapped for the incorrect ones. My question is... what happened to the bolts that came with the transmission when it was first delivered?

There's glue on everything and overall the transmission looks haphazard.

He returned to fix the axle tubes. We discover in the presence of other seasoned mechanics that he forgot the very important spacers before the axle bearings. He asked me not to post this on the samba for he was embarassed. Once again he disassembled my axles with a metal hammer on my freshly powder coated brake back plates and more.

I got my spring plates installed correctly and installed the transmission. Upon putting in oil, I discover the end casting is cracked and the other side leaks where it was disassembled. There is no powder coat in the crack.. the crack ocurred after from Rick needlessly taking apart my axle tubes. I learn of the crack after I completely installed transmission and assembled the rear brakes.

The engine.
He bullied me into him doing the full engine as I was going to do the remainder myself with help from a friend. He insisted he was the only person able to get a 36hp engine running perfectly. I had no choice as he literally told me he wasn't doing just my long block anymore and forbid me to use the help of a mutual friend to complete. The mutual friend didn't want to get involved, obviously told by Rick he was doing it, so I felt stuck and agreed. He says a complete running engine with good used parts is $5000... and I can save money by sending all the tin ready to bolt on, which I did, save for the heater boxes. I sent those straightened, stripped and freshly primered as he said he'd perfect them.

After many calls and frustration with his stories and excuses, I gave an ultimatum on December 4th 2016, that on March 27, 2017 my dad and I were taking the day off work and coming to get the engine, finished or not.

He demands more money to complete. I had to pay him the long block price and another deposit before he'd continue working on the engine. He insists his price has always been the same and didn't include parts.

He ended up rebuilding my parts carb, using my carrect carb for parts. He blames me for mislabelling them. He then wants to keep my rebuilt parts carb to rebuild the correct one.

He assured me the engine would be complete by my deadline.

Close to pick up date, 10 days before, I get a call from him stating he's had a medical emergency and he can't complete my engine. He wants more time. I say no, I took the day off work and a deal is a deal. He gets angry, tells me he's leaving my engine in the back alley and I can deal with his wife from now on.

I lose sleep waiting til the day to go pick it up. I was eager to just grab my things and go.
I picked up my engine, unfinished and mostly in boxes. Items are scratched, damaged, and not in the condition I sent.

My intake manifold is globbed full of brass. When I sent it, it was pressure tested and ready for ceramic. He 'repaired' and painted it instead. The paint literally falling off because no primer was used. Runs in the paint. Laughable in appearance.

One half of the heaterboxes was wrapped up very well, so I didn't see this it in his shop. I only saw the one, which was awful but not nearly as bad as the one he wrapped up so I wouldn't see.
When I go to assemble it, I learn it looks like this:

So right now; these are just the things he screwed up that I know about. The only way to get my parts back from him was to pay his atrocious prices.

No warranty is possible because he won't refund any money, he only wants parts back to 'repair'... how many years would I have to wait if I ever wanted to see that stuff again? You call that 'welding'? I call him to let him know there's issues and he answered the phone and hung up immediately, and refused to answer subsequent calls. I emailed him and explained, to which he said I could send the items back for 'repainting'. Paint? Why would I send anything to someone who won't even talk to me on the phone?

He is not capable of quality work. Since his brain injury, I strongly doubt he is capable of properly completing any engine work. He came to me recommended... hopefully not any more.

Aside from grossly over charging, poor work, stuff that's probably done poorly that I don't even know about yet... treating me this way is unacceptable. No one should ever have their parts held hostage or threatened their stuff will be left in a back alley..
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Charmaine
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1954 Beetle - because I can
2016 Golf highline - hubby’s daily
2016 Golf R - my daily