Millennium Field Service poor service

I requested Phil Nel of Millenium Field Services in Polokwane to overhaul an Excavator engine. He asked me to remove the engine from the machine myself and bring it to him in Polokwane. I did so in January 2023, but he could only receive the engine on 22 February 2023.

After numerous requests about his progress, he eventually notified me on 25 July 2023 that all the pieces of the engine is back at his shop and that it would cost R149 000 to overhaul the engine.

I could not pay such a large sum, and requested him to assemble the engine parts. He quoted me R5000 to do that, but then ignored all my numerous messages. I agreed to the R5000, and requested him to make sure all the parts are still there, and that the engine is reassembled. He agreed to that on Whatsapp messages.

When I arrived there, the engine was totally stripped. Some of the parts were in boxes. Phil was not there, but one of his mechanics assisted with the forklift to load the engine block and gearbox.

So I brought all the pieces back home. I felt as if I was *********ed to accept his exorbitant price of R149 000 to overhaul the engine, if i do not accept all I would have left was hundreds of stripped parts. I then realised that some of the parts were not given back to me, and I had to beg / threaten Mr Nel to get missing parts, such as the exhaust system etc.

I took all the pieces of the engine to a repair shop in Lydenburg, and requested them to assemble all the different parts and to see if they can get the engine back to operating status. They discovered that some more of the parts were missing, such as the endplate on the dieselpump. I again contacted Phil Nel of Millennium Field Services on 16 April 2024 to request the missing parts. I could not convince him, so on 7 June 2024. I finally gave up with Phil Nel and instructed the new company to manufacture the endplate for the dieselpump.

The new company (Autocare Guys in Lydenburg) then painstakingly reassembled every stripped part of the engine, overhauled the complete engine and installed it in the machine at a total cost of R67 000. This was R82 000 less than the amount quoted by Phil Nel of Millennium Field Services.

I realise I am not a MEGA mining or farming company, but it is no reason for companies to exploit and hold the small entities at ransom. If one does not agree to their price, you get your engine back completely stripped and of no use, unless you employ a professional fitting shop to repair the damage so caused.