In need of help...

[Suicide Bobb 5,000+ posts]

I'm going to make this as short as possible.

So I sold this guy a pair of JL W4's through his WTB listing on craigslist for $150 in a box. The box wasn't much, so he sold it for $10. We demoed them before he bought them, one was making a weird noise. We looked at the underside of the cone and there was a rash above the leads, figured it was tinsel lead slap.

I ended up doing an install for him. He told me he'd pay me $200 for a full install. Sure, it's a ripoff on my part, but I enjoy doing it. He has no license and my schedule is terrible, so it took 4 months or so to complete it. There was one section of 8ga power and ground wires where we didn't have enough wire left, so I brought some the next day to use (my own wire), and spliced the small sections I had together. It definitely wasn't the ideal wiring job for those wires, but it was the best I could do with the given situation.

Soon I get a call...He is pissed because he can't find some wire that he bought and he said I did a shitty install given those wires being spliced together multiple times. I explained that we used ALL the wire he had, I didn't take any of it. In fact, I used my own wire during the install, that I invested my own money into. And the only reason I did that splicing job was because that was my only option given what we had.

Things escalated. I was appaled that he thought I did a bad install. He kept telling me "this isn't the kind of install you told me you would do". Everything else was PERFECT. Big 3, speakers, deck, and the rest of the power/ground wires. We hooked it up, and it all worked perfectly. He got to the point where he is now telling me that I owe him the $100 that he paid me up until this point (out of the $200 for the full install), and $75 to pay him back for the JL sub which he now says is bad. If I don't, he says he will take me to small claims court for an amount of $1000.

So my option now is to pay him back $175, or go to small claims court.

From my understanding, he has ZERO grounds on me. I am not a certified installer, I never signed any contract, and the subs were sold to him after he noticed the noise.

What should I do? Wouldn't I have to pay for a lawyer? I would imagine that would cost more than $175, netting me a loss whether I win in court or not. I don't know anything about small claims court tbh. I need all the help I can get here.

NO CLIFS - I need a well thought out answer based on all of what I wrote.

Click to read more...

 

[09civic 5,000+ posts]

tl;dr

 

[Suicide Bobb 5,000+ posts]

tl;dr

thanks.

 

[09civic 5,000+ posts]

thanks.

de nada.

but i can stare at your sexy avatar allll day

 

[Suicide Bobb 5,000+ posts]

I should mention that this guy just got out of 30 months in prison for multiple DUI's, that's why he doesn't have a license.

 

[Suicide Bobb 5,000+ posts]

And this isn't about my pride. This is about me finding the best solution for me financially. I can hold onto my pride if it comes to me having to pay him the money when I'm certainly not the one at fault. If it's going to cost $175 to go to court and $175 to pay him, I'd rather pay him.

 

[Shinju 10+ year member]

first mistake is doing an install on a strangers car not being bonded or licensed and insured to do so.

second mistake. NEVER splice any wires on a customers install in any shape or form just rip that wire out and get one thats to the full length.

And 4 months to do an install for a deck, big 3 some speakers and an amp or 2? You should have got that done in about 5-6 hours. 200 bucks for a 4 month install is pretty bad imo.

I would just give him back the install money if I was in your shoes and wash your hands of it and never install for a stranger again. He probably see's you as a dumb kid and is going to take advantage of it. As for his prior record that has nothing to do with your situation to be honest.

Also about the JL sub if he bought that way knowing it was making noise then thats on him he took it as it was so he can get bent on that as far as I am concered.

I am being honest man not surgar coating anything but I think you are on the hanger for this one. It doesnt matter HOW busy you are you took the job and it should have been done in a fast as possible fasion even with his lack of driving privlages and your schedule A job is a job. Also when it comes to doing a clean install would you have spliced wire on your own install.. probably not so why do it if your not going to it the right way the first time cutting corners on a customers car can = big time money out of your pocket and not worth doing.

pay him the 100 and be done with it man lesson learned.

 

[Suicide Bobb 5,000+ posts]

first mistake is doing an install on a strangers car not being bonded or licensed and insured to do so. second mistake. NEVER splice any wires on a customers install in any shape or form just rip that wire out and get one thats to the full length.

And 4 months to do an install for a deck, big 3 some speakers and an amp or 2? You should have got that done in about 5-6 hours. 200 bucks for a 4 month install is pretty bad imo.

I would just give him back the install money if I was in your shoes and wash your hands of it and never install for a stranger again. He probably see's you as a dumb kid and is going to take advantage of it. As for his prior record that has nothing to do with your situation to be honest.

Also about the JL sub if he bought that way knowing it was making noise then thats on him he took it as it was so he can get bent on that as far as I am concered.

I am being honest man not surgar coating anything but I think you are on the hanger for this one. It doesnt matter HOW busy you are you took the job and it should have been done in a fast as possible fasion even with his lack of driving privlages and your schedule A job is a job. Also when it comes to doing a clean install would you have spliced wire on your own install.. probably not so why do it if your not going to it the right way the first time cutting corners on a customers car can = big time money out of your pocket and not worth doing.

pay him the 100 and be done with it man lesson learned.

Yeah, those mistakes are absolutely correct.

But the wire splicing...I had no choice. I had no money for wire, and he watched me splice them while I did it.

We ran into plenty of problems. We did take our time though. I thought he was a friend, so we didn't feel the need to rush and act like this was some kind of "job". I never spent full days working on it, just about 5 hour days because that's all that I could manage with my schedule (working 35 hour weeks and going to college full time). He fully understood my schedule.

I think I am going to just pay him back the $175 and wash my hands clean as you said. Probably my best option. Either way, I'm many hours out of my way.

You wanna know what's really sad? I saved him over $175 on just wire alone. He was going to buy a $200 amp kit from streetwires, I found him better wire (Knu KCA) for $50. Not just the kit, more wires. I also saved him hundreds on the rest of his equipment.

 

[Shinju 10+ year member]

Dont pay him the full 175 he bought that sub knowing it was making noise thats all on him.

Atleast you reconized that you made some mistakes just learn from it and move on. As for not having any money to buy wire that shouldnt have been on you he should have been the one getting you the parts imo but I have no idea what agreement was made prior so it is really a moot point.

He obviously is a pos with multiple DUI's I mean if you really want to be a **** just follow him when he is driving and sabatoge him by calling 911 with a drunk driver report, But then it might recoil back and he would murder you and **** you in your sleep... Just be done with him..

***** to learn a lessson when money is involved makes you think twice on doing things for new found "friends" that you havent known for a year or more!

 

[Suicide Bobb 5,000+ posts]

Dont pay him the full 175 he bought that sub knowing it was making noise thats all on him.
Atleast you reconized that you made some mistakes just learn from it and move on. As for not having any money to buy wire that shouldnt have been on you he should have been the one getting you the parts imo but I have no idea what agreement was made prior so it is really a moot point.

He obviously is a pos with multiple DUI's I mean if you really want to be a **** just follow him when he is driving and sabatoge him by calling 911 with a drunk driver report, But then it might recoil back and he would murder you and **** you in your sleep... Just be done with him..

***** to learn a lessson when money is involved makes you think twice on doing things for new found "friends" that you havent known for a year or more!

Well I have a strong feeling that if I don't pay him the $75 for the sub, he will take me to court still, and I'll be out even more money. I still feel bad for selling him a bad sub, even if he did hear it first...

He is definitely a p.o.s....he's the kind of guy who says he just found God and now thinks he is righteous and superior; that he is the "good guy" of this situation. I'm a Christian too, but that doesn't mean I feel 'better' than someone else. My opinion is worth just as much as yours and just as much as his, no more, no less.

What really sucks is that now I can't trust anyone anymore...Up to this point, I had lived a life that was free of bullshit...nice neighborhood, parents never fought, no deaths in family, etc. I'm not spoiled in material items, but I am spoiled in my life if that makes sense. Now I'm starting to lose some of that "innocence" per say. I guess that's life...

 

[Cabin_Pressure 10+ year member]

He's NOT going to take you to court. He wants to bluff you into giving in. His record would be devastating to his character in a courtroom situation. Tell him you will do a refund for the wiring install(only that part) if he wants to give you back the wire you had to supply to make it enough. Or if he will buy a full run that is long enough to work, you will install it for him for free. The rest is just BS.

 

[Suicide Bobb 5,000+ posts]

He's NOT going to take you to court. He wants to bluff you into giving in. His record would be devastating to his character in a courtroom situation. Tell him you will do a refund for the wiring install(only that part) if he wants to give you back the wire you had to supply to make it enough. Or if he will buy a full run that is long enough to work, you will install it for him for free. The rest is just BS.

I'm too scared to call his bluff tbh. He isn't the kind of guy who fucks around.

 

[Sleeklsc 5,000+ posts]

Don't be a pus sy. How old are you and this guy? As the above poster said this guys bluffing. His record will work against him in court..He's a drunk....

Does he know where you live?

Just tell him you'll run new wire and be done with it.

If your that scared bring some buddies with you or sum sh it.

 

[Suicide Bobb 5,000+ posts]

Don't be a pus sy. How old are you and this guy? As the above poster said this guys bluffing. His record will work against him in court..He's a drunk....
Does he know where you live?

Just tell him you'll run new wire and be done with it.

If your that scared bring some buddies with you or sum sh it.

I'm 19, he's 40.

He does know where I live.

I'm not going to risk getting my family involved in this. This is not a cock contest. I'm not going to try and act "manly" and risk getting my family involved. That's not going to happen. My budget won't allow it either.

 

[Sleeklsc 5,000+ posts]

understandable....have 1 of ur older friends buy you a bottle of his fav booze and give it to him, let him get drunk while you run new wire..explain the situation and be done with it...175 is far to much....