RPM Sports Cars
01-03-2002, 07:59 PM
#2
I purchased a 98 C2 Cab from Ray Joseph at RPM Sports Cars. It had 5800 miles on it and was in "showroom" condition. The car was delivered to California and arrived exactly as described. My experience with RPM Sports Cars was excellent... although another Rennlist'er is very unhappy with his experience.
They have a great inventory of very low mileage, very clean, late-model Porsches. Be VERY thorough when you check the car out and pay to have a PPI performed by an authorized Porsche dealer. Don McGill Porsche in Houston performed mine.
Insist that the title be delivered when you pay for the car, OR withold a sizeable amount of the purchase price(20% works) until you receive the title. This can be handled with an escrow account if necessary.
Good luck!
MC
They have a great inventory of very low mileage, very clean, late-model Porsches. Be VERY thorough when you check the car out and pay to have a PPI performed by an authorized Porsche dealer. Don McGill Porsche in Houston performed mine.
Insist that the title be delivered when you pay for the car, OR withold a sizeable amount of the purchase price(20% works) until you receive the title. This can be handled with an escrow account if necessary.
Good luck!
MC
01-04-2002, 10:42 AM
#3
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It's funny - inquiries about RPM appear here far, far more often than any other independent car dealer. It's almost like someone's trolling. Nothing personal, kmo, it's just a bit odd.
Me, I have no opinion about RPM either way
Me, I have no opinion about RPM either way
01-04-2002, 11:01 AM
#4
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Originally posted by Robert Henriksen:
<STRONG>It's funny - inquiries about RPM appear here far, far more often than any other independent car dealer. It's almost like someone's trolling. Nothing personal, kmo, it's just a bit odd.</STRONG>
<STRONG>It's funny - inquiries about RPM appear here far, far more often than any other independent car dealer. It's almost like someone's trolling. Nothing personal, kmo, it's just a bit odd.</STRONG>
01-04-2002, 12:22 PM
#5
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kmo,
I had a bad experience with Ray Joseph and RPM Sports Cars. With the facts of my experience I hope to help others avoid the anguish he has put me through.
I purchased a 1997 C4S from Ray Joseph of RPM Sports Cars in Houston TX (RPMSPORTSCARS.COM). The car was represented to have had a few rock chips that had been touched up, and a scrape on the under side of the front bumper that he has touched up on all the Porsches he sells. I was adamant with him that I did not want a car that had any paintwork other than the described rock chips. He swore the car was in perfect condition in every way and never repainted.
It took me about nine months to put the pieces together and this is what I found out.
I live in the Seattle area, and have taken the car to three high quality body shops for opinions and written estimates. All three shops say the car has been repainted, with the exception of maybe the top of the car. Also the front bumper was replaced and done poorly. It also had one hollow Turbo wheel and three C4S wheels.
Prior to purchasing the car, I had Don McGill Porsche in Houston do the pre-purchase inspection. The Service Manager, Steve Mikula, did the inspection. He now says the car checked out fine but the Service Department does not look to see if cars are repainted. Wish he had disclosed that information prior to the inspection.
The written estimates to correct the paint, bumper and wheel problem are $2931, $3440 and $11,267 (complete repaint). Even if the car is given a complete repaint, it still will have lost value because it is not original paint.
When Ray Joseph was presented with the facts, he began to change his story. He now admits the car did have some paintwork and the front bumper replaced; none of which was disclosed at the time of purchase. When I had the front bumper refitted, the body shop found damage to the right front frame extension. I had it re-welded and the bumper put back on correctly.
Ray Joseph’s solution was to offer me $500 for good will, and a C4S wheel in exchange for the Turbo wheel.
Seeking assistance from the BBB and Texas State Attorney General were to no avail. They are worthless in attempting to resolve a problem when the seller refuses to cooperate.
A top attorney here in Seattle, and professed ‘car nut’, told me he had represented a client in a million dollar car lawsuit. The client spent over one hundred thousand dollars to make his point in the lawsuit that the seller had wronged him. The attorney’s point to me was that most of the time you are throwing away good money to correct the wrong. He said the used car industry is not held accountable for the fraud they commit. His advice to me is to sell the car and find another one.
Ray Joseph lied to me about the condition of this car. He hides behind the inadequacies in the court system to do his dirty business. He may sell some good cars, but he is also selling cars that have been wrecked, repainted and God knows what else. He is a crook. Don’t let him lie to you and cheat you the way he did to me.
A few of the lessons I have learned.
1. Sometimes you get screwed and it’s best to swallow hard and take your lumps.
2. Have a pre-purchase inspection done by a reputable mechanic And body shop.
3. Use your own eyes and good judgement on the car you are about to purchase.
4. If you have the slightest inkling that something isn’t right, walk away.
5. Keep a wary eye out for the Ray Joseph’s and RPM Sports Cars in the world.
As a great President once said, “trust but verify”.
Jim
I had a bad experience with Ray Joseph and RPM Sports Cars. With the facts of my experience I hope to help others avoid the anguish he has put me through.
I purchased a 1997 C4S from Ray Joseph of RPM Sports Cars in Houston TX (RPMSPORTSCARS.COM). The car was represented to have had a few rock chips that had been touched up, and a scrape on the under side of the front bumper that he has touched up on all the Porsches he sells. I was adamant with him that I did not want a car that had any paintwork other than the described rock chips. He swore the car was in perfect condition in every way and never repainted.
It took me about nine months to put the pieces together and this is what I found out.
I live in the Seattle area, and have taken the car to three high quality body shops for opinions and written estimates. All three shops say the car has been repainted, with the exception of maybe the top of the car. Also the front bumper was replaced and done poorly. It also had one hollow Turbo wheel and three C4S wheels.
Prior to purchasing the car, I had Don McGill Porsche in Houston do the pre-purchase inspection. The Service Manager, Steve Mikula, did the inspection. He now says the car checked out fine but the Service Department does not look to see if cars are repainted. Wish he had disclosed that information prior to the inspection.
The written estimates to correct the paint, bumper and wheel problem are $2931, $3440 and $11,267 (complete repaint). Even if the car is given a complete repaint, it still will have lost value because it is not original paint.
When Ray Joseph was presented with the facts, he began to change his story. He now admits the car did have some paintwork and the front bumper replaced; none of which was disclosed at the time of purchase. When I had the front bumper refitted, the body shop found damage to the right front frame extension. I had it re-welded and the bumper put back on correctly.
Ray Joseph’s solution was to offer me $500 for good will, and a C4S wheel in exchange for the Turbo wheel.
Seeking assistance from the BBB and Texas State Attorney General were to no avail. They are worthless in attempting to resolve a problem when the seller refuses to cooperate.
A top attorney here in Seattle, and professed ‘car nut’, told me he had represented a client in a million dollar car lawsuit. The client spent over one hundred thousand dollars to make his point in the lawsuit that the seller had wronged him. The attorney’s point to me was that most of the time you are throwing away good money to correct the wrong. He said the used car industry is not held accountable for the fraud they commit. His advice to me is to sell the car and find another one.
Ray Joseph lied to me about the condition of this car. He hides behind the inadequacies in the court system to do his dirty business. He may sell some good cars, but he is also selling cars that have been wrecked, repainted and God knows what else. He is a crook. Don’t let him lie to you and cheat you the way he did to me.
A few of the lessons I have learned.
1. Sometimes you get screwed and it’s best to swallow hard and take your lumps.
2. Have a pre-purchase inspection done by a reputable mechanic And body shop.
3. Use your own eyes and good judgement on the car you are about to purchase.
4. If you have the slightest inkling that something isn’t right, walk away.
5. Keep a wary eye out for the Ray Joseph’s and RPM Sports Cars in the world.
As a great President once said, “trust but verify”.
Jim
