Mike Tevis DBA Independent Auto Repair in Chico, CA

[american_honda]

Moderator notes:
This user is banned

Various accounts/emails:
chicovw - [email protected]
vwparts - [email protected]
[email protected]
shadetreevw - [email protected]
[email protected]
fabparts - [email protected]

Older feedback thread
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=344109
Another post with comments:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=270264

Original post:
I ordered metal pieces from a parts car and seller was great.
He shipped promptly my items to Greece.
Bid with confidence!

[Doc7700]

I had a couple questions before ordering that were quickly answered. Payment via paypal was easy and shipping was almost immediate. The product arrived in GREAT shape and quickly.

I have done numerous online transactions and rarely do I find someone so easy to work with.

[rstoc]

got my ej22 engine / harness / reversed manifold and oil pan from FABPARTS in Chico about a year and a half ago. Everything was smooth and he was always there when I had any questions about the conversion process.

My subaru powered westy is running like a champ.

i'd definately do business with FABPARTS again.

[Souzaperformance]

I purchased an input shaft. I asked if it was in good condition. He said it was very nice. It was more than very nice. I was so happy to get this piece, it was excellent. I would definitely purchase from again. He was very helpful in all my questions about the item. He shipped out very quickly.

[trikerbob]

I saw sellers ad on Samba for a great price on an EA82 rebuilt longblock. I build Trikes using the EA82 motor but had never found a rebuilt one at this price before. I contacted Mike and agreed to puchase the motor. It took a little longer than expected but Mike was carfull to build it right and even delivered it to my home in Sacramento about 100 miles from Chico. The motor was everything it was advertised to be. I'm currently having another one built for my own personal Trike. I'm sure it will be as good as the 1st one.

[TheHopiWay]

Got a great deal on a ladder for the upper bed in my westy. he also threw in a couple small parts I'd been looking for at no charge. Nice guy, fast shipping, no problems!

[bartt59]

I ordered the kit in Feb 2012 from Mike Tevis at Independent Auto Repair in Chico, CA. No delivery by verbally agreed upon May/June 2012 time frame. Non-responsive to phone calls, emails and voice mails till later that year when delivery was way too late to complete the project on time for my customer.

I was forced to cancel the project and request a refund. Mr. Tevis informed me no refunds can be given so I ask him to sell the engine whenever he gets it complete and send me the refund.

The sell listing on the SAMBA didn't get posted until late 2013. Recently it expired but was re-listed after he recognized my negative feedback here and on YELP. He's not interested in being a reputable business owner. I'm sure I'll never see the money unless I quit my job and move to Chico and file a small claims action against him.
Buyer BEWARE.
_________________
Failure is not an option, unless, of course it was predicted and nothing was done to prevent it.

1984 Westy GL 4 sp
1985 Westy GL Auto

[bartt59]

The latest on no refund remains unchanged, no refund. His last message says he's done with me.
_________________
Failure is not an option, unless, of course it was predicted and nothing was done to prevent it.

1984 Westy GL 4 sp
1985 Westy GL Auto

[vagonan]

I would not recommend doing business with Mike Tevis and Independent Auto Repair. My experience is almost identical with bartt59.

I found him here in the classifieds section and paid him to have a Subaru engine installed in my Vanagon in February 2012. Months went by with little or no response to phone calls, emails and voicemails. Occasional responses with personal excuses and blaming other merchants and badmouthing his competition.

Six months later, I demanded a refund and immediate return of my vehicle but he refused to do so. My credit card company reversed the charges after investigation and the business owner, Mike Tevis, responded with harassing phone calls and threatening manner both on my cell phone and my workplace. He pressured me into signing an agreement to allow him to keep the money and refunding me after he sold the kit or installed the kit on another customer's vehicle.

Two years later, 2014 winter. No refund. Just excuses. Still very slow to respond to emails or phone calls. Promises never kept.
I filed a complaint with the Bureau of Automobile Repairs. The BAR inspector caught him in a lie and found out that he did not have my kit ready for sale, and did not have my engine on site. He admitted that he had sold it to another party sometime in the past but never forwarded me the money.

He kept telling me that he did not have any money and taking him to court would not help me recover my costs. I gave him a chance to settle out of court by allowing him to complete the project in several weeks prior to the court date but he refused to do so. Later I found out that he couldn't because he sold or parted out my van, and he had sold components of my kit to another customer.

I filed suit against this guy in California Small Claims court in 10/2014. He tried to defend his case by:
-pointing out minute discrepancies in the agreement and tried to VOID the agreement
-repeatedly stated that he had a no refund policy and he had no obligation to refund me despite the all of the lies, excuses, and him breaching the agreement

The judge ruled in my favor and ordered him to return my vehicle and issue a refund immediately, but he remains noncompliant.
He continues to ignore the judgment and sends me harassing emails and demanded to see me in person for a "more productive" outcome.

The court has been notified of the current situation and I will be seeing him in court again.

Apparently, he has been BANNED from the Samba for having multiple accounts with similar complaints.

Stay far, far away from this guy and his business.

[vagonan]

Update 2/3/2016

I filed a complaint with BBB but since my case was taken to court, they will not accept my complaint.
They did suggest that I leave a "review" on their site instead, so that's what I did.
Interestingly, Mike contacted BBB and demanded to have the review removed.
He told them that my complaint did not sound familiar and I was not an actual customer.
But at the same time, he emailed me demanding to retract my review or he will "stop helping" me recover my money. He hasn't paid me a dime yet. What "help" are we talking about?
He thinks he's doing me a favor when the court has ordered him to pay money as the judgment debtor.
He still continues to email me demanding retraction of all reviews including this one on theSamba in exchange of "moving forward".
That's how he got those negative reviews to disappear from review sites such as Yelp. He used to have a handful of negative reviews but they've all disappeared and replaced by several positive reviews by questionable reviewers.

BBB requested evidence of the transaction so I forwarded them all the necessary documents and finally my review got posted online.
Since then, he has left a comment on my review stating "several of the statements never happened with anyone so either this isn't a customer or is libelous".

What a liar.


Make sure you read these threads as well before you do business with him:

Ebay complaint
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=285444

Samba Classifieds complaints -he reacts only when an upset customer leaves negative feedback online, then pretends like it was an innocent mistake
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=344109

Bad repair complaint -did not fix or refund
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=270264

[bartt59]

Status update: no communication, no refund. Anyone else subjected to the same or similar Mike Tevis customer experience please post your experience and reach out to your local BBB and the California BAR.
_________________
Failure is not an option, unless, of course it was predicted and nothing was done to prevent it.

1984 Westy GL 4 sp
1985 Westy GL Auto

[bartt59]

The no refund situation remains unchanged and is still $7,382 in Mr. Tevis' favor. This non-refunded customer will continue to post updates periodically.
_________________
Failure is not an option, unless, of course it was predicted and nothing was done to prevent it.

1984 Westy GL 4 sp
1985 Westy GL Auto

[vagonan]

Same here.
The judge awarded me with $10,000, the maximum amount allowed in small claims court.
Since he refused to follow through with the court order, I had to hand over the case to a judgment collector.
When the collector called him, that's when the threatening and harassing calls began again. In addition, he sent me some threatening emails so I had to get the local police involved.
I hope he understands that an unpaid court judgment will continue to grow at 10% a year until paid.

[bartt59]

My situation remains unchanged - NO REFUND - NO COMMUNICATION - and unfortunately, others have suffered as well. I found the following information (link below) that reads like a virtual carbon copy of my experience with Mr. Tevis. BAR inspector, BBB reviews being rescinded, and all. I even called an attorney local to Chico and asked if she would take my case but she insisted she would call Mr. Tevis and make an effort to steer him towards a more customer friendly position. She informed me that Mr. Tevis claimed the situation was all my fault. She said she had never had a conversation like that with anyone, ever. She was unable to describe his thought process regarding my issue.

https://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/independent-a...ou-1394158

(If the link does not work Google Michael Tevis Chico California Rip Off Report.)

He used similar tactics by Googling me to find family member information (names) which he mentioned in communications as attempted intimidation via veiled threats.
He tried the same "sign this document" tactic. The effort was to allow him more time to refund my $7,382. I refused.

I posted several Yelp reviews only to have them wiped due to Yelps' policies that are protective of ripoff businesses. I have since ceased that effort but should resume. Maybe they have changed their policy.

I'll someday be able to go to California and take Mr. Tevis to court so I can watch his show in the courtroom. I sense that his lack of compliance with Court rulings should result in criminal charges but that could be a pipe dream considering the Sanctuary status positing of late in the state.

Status will continue to update albeit not frequently. About once a year seems to be reasonable.
_________________
Failure is not an option, unless, of course it was predicted and nothing was done to prevent it.

1984 Westy GL 4 sp
1985 Westy GL Auto

[bartt59]

Well, it’s almost February again. I just posted an update on Yelp. Nothing has changed. Mr. Tevis still owes me $7,382 as a refund for non-delivery of a rebuilt Subaru engine and Vanagon swap kit.
_________________
Failure is not an option, unless, of course it was predicted and nothing was done to prevent it.

1984 Westy GL 4 sp
1985 Westy GL Auto

[bartt59]

Same condition. Nothing new to share. Buyer BEWARE !
_________________
Failure is not an option, unless, of course it was predicted and nothing was done to prevent it.

1984 Westy GL 4 sp
1985 Westy GL Auto