Is This What You Call Caring?

In January 2016 I approached the owner of CRAIGS CAR CARE, Mr Craig Gordon Sobotker, to do a full refurbishment (mechanical, electrical installations, interior, chrome...the works) of my Chev 3800 and add a few extra things to make it a comfortable ride. I bought a second car to ensure that he would not have to do any running around for parts that are hard to find. We even discussed the option of him buying what ever was left of this donor car, as he has one of these models himself, that he frequently drives to some shows.

He responded almost immediately with a proposed project and quote and he was even willing to tweak it a bit, though ever so slightly, in my favor.

In March 2016, we agreed to the terms and I paid him the 50% (almost R50 000.00) deposit that he requested as per his quote. I had my cars dropped off at his workshop and he agreed to deliver the car by the end of May, 8 weeks later. He would also send me updates by means of progress pictures…as I planned documenting the “resurrection” of my car.

I left the country and never heard of the man. I called and messaged and nothing. Months later I received a message with an apology for the delay, but due to internal issues with his staff, things was majorly hectic, but that I should not be too worried good progress was made and the car would be ready for collection as soon as I came back and that I’ll be receiving the pics soon.

When I got back I went to his workshop. This is now December, 8 months after he supposedly started, only to find my car in almost the exact same state. He only rubberised the floor and boot and had my petrol tank cleaned. Come to think of it, he did that before I left.

Again he apologised and gave me more reasons of why it wasn’t done. One of them, a delay on the part of the auto trimmer who’s mom past away and the poor guy was not in a state to do any work.

Further promises...another extension request...and a definite delivery date for 2 months later. This time for real.

When I went back after two months, in January 2017, the same thing…NO WORK was done! This time I lashed out at myself (in my head ) for being this gullible! I went around to the auto trimmer who confirmed that, yes his mom had died recently, but he that at no time did he stop working. He shocked when I asked him what his reason was for dragging so long with the interior, because he was NEVER given any work to do on my car or anything like it. I was furious.

I went to the owner of CRAIGS CARE CARE and demanded a meeting with him and insisted that one of his employees be present to take minutes. When I asked him about the delay with the interior of the car, again he blamed the auto trimmer and when I told him of what I learnt minutes before, he was so confused, that he couldn’t speak. Fortunately for him his sister, that was taking the minutes, remembered that this particular job was outsourced to another auto trimmer... Another big fat lie. We found the seats behind a door in his workshop, where it was lying since day one.

I did not want to walk away from this. It’s hard to find a reputable one-stop-shop and I honestly thought surely after this, at some point his integrity and his passion for reviving cars like mine would kick in and he would deliver a spectacular car as he promised…So one last extension, but this time with a written document recording all the events that has occurred up to then, including the false promises and misleading information and an admission of guilt on his part, but most importantly, a brand new delivery date. I had it there in black and white! No other job will be tended to, the Chev, my Chev was top priority in the workshop. He was to send me a timeline and we’d be back on track, just much further down the line.

Another 11 months of waiting in vain…I eventually realised that I had to call it quits.

You see when I went around in December 2017, nothing was done to my car. NOTHING! My donor car has been stripped of parts and damaged in the process, so I wasn’t just dealing with ****, I had a ***** and vandaliser on my hands too. I boldly asked for my deposit to be returned, with interest. It was paid into my bank account and my one 2 broken cars was returned. I was famished, yet relieved, but felt too despondent to even involve the police.

I did however muster up enough energy to lodge a complaint with MOISA who after careful review, that after 3 months of waiting and a string of follow up emails on my part, ruled that I take it up with the NCC. I did and when they did not respond after confirming receipt if the complaint, I too it up with some big shot lady at DTI. It’s been a year 4 follow ups on my side and no ruling, not even an update…I’m afraid that I’ll wait forever.