Horrible Jeep dealer experience...Wells Custom

[aml]

Still a bummer for all

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[grady2hig]

why would anyone "fully pay for" a vehicle before they day they pick it up?

 

[GreyFox]

why would anyone "fully pay for" a vehicle before they day they pick it up?

Exactly... Or even put a deposit down? I know I did not.

 

[GreyFox]

 

[Vawildjeep]

While those are super funny comments that I’m sure everyone will get a laugh out of..I’m sure the people who lost thier life savings won’t think it’s too funny. No one was looking for a sympathetic shoulder to cry on, just a little information and even empathy would have been appreciated. If you have nothing but a smart @ss comment or the standard “you’re an idiot” comment, save it. I’m just trying to help the victims of this horrible crime.

 

[cwhrpwr]

I personally dealt with Mike Wells of Wells Custom, as I was in the market for my new Jeep last year. I went back and forth with him on several issues - I found his ways of doing business a bit deceiving (I worked for a Jeep dealer for several years in sales). My spidey senses were telling me something isn’t right - looks like I was correct.

He did have a shop in VA - that’s the shop I went to - he mainly sold online - was really proud of his 5 star google review rating - and the fact he sold Jeeps sight unseen like hot cakes.! I dealt with him for approx a month - then finally cut the cord - as he was being shady about getting me a rubicon and was pushing me toward a sport/bare bones Jeep - I get he built out Jeeps - I just always wanted my rubi - and he was pushing me, the customer, the wrong way! That’s the short version of my dealings with him. I ended up buying from a dealer in Fairfax, Va. I follow his FB page. He always put out builds for major Jeep events/shows. I was surprised to hear he had died - even more surprised to learn (via this post) that it was suicide. His shops Facebook page just stated their owner had died. I figured it was a car accident or something. He was a personable and likable guy - I just had my “car sales” spidey sense that the deal he was working me wasn’t genuine.

I do know he was proud to open his new shop/dealership in NC - it was all over his Facebook page - it is/was a family business - his son grossly involved as was his wife. I’ll be following to see how this plays out from a legal stand point. Best of luck to anyone who has a Jeep that’s locked up! Hope for the best!

 

[digitalbliss]

While those are super funny comments that I’m sure everyone will get a laugh out of..I’m sure the people who lost thier life savings won’t think it’s too funny. No one was looking for a sympathetic shoulder to cry on, just a little information and even empathy would have been appreciated. If you have nothing but a smart @ss comment or the standard “you’re an idiot” comment, save it. I’m just trying to help the victims of this horrible crime.

I still don't understand understand who would have paid for it that way. I don't think I know of anyone who has ever done it like that. Also, if your life savings is the cost of a Jeep, and you actually spent it on it (instead of saving it), then I'm not sure what to even say.

If I had $40-50k to spend on a Jeep, I would still finance it at 3% and put that $40-50k in a nice mutual fund that makes 5-10% annual gains. I dunno, my $.02.

 

[ads75]

Who the heck fully buys and pays for a vehicle before actually taking delivery?

why would anyone "fully pay for" a vehicle before they day they pick it up?

If someone wants custom work from a specific shop, it isn't unusual to pay for a vehicle before they receive it. Sure, you can do a test drive, but if you are going to immediately put lift/tires/wheels/armor/winch on it, its not really accurate. The shop may not want to put time and money into something that may or may not sell eventually. It can be a lot of money to wrap up into something that may take time to unload. If you want a customized Jeep, you want your vision, not someone else's. Its nice having everything done and ready to go from Day 1 with the vehicle.

I bought a jetski this way years ago. I lived in Delaware at the time, the custom shop I wanted to use (Blowsion) was in Oregon. They have a good build reputation, and the owner did great paint work. I paid around $7k for the jetski over the phone at a regular Kawasaki dealer out there, and Blowsion picked up the ski and did the work I wanted (which was about another $7k). When they were done, they shipped it to me. I paid for everything with cash or check (or credit card that was paid off immediately). So my $7k jetski became a $14k jetski before I saw it. Sure, not expensive as a Jeep, but the same basic idea applies.

I would hope those customers had already paid full for their vehicles, but I wouldn't be surprised either way. And the people that say they spent their "life savings", maybe they did, maybe they didn't, maybe they call it their life savings to try and move further up the totem pole and ahead of "corporate banks" to get their (deserved) money back.

 

[digitalbliss]

If someone wants custom work from a specific shop, it isn't unusual to pay for a vehicle before they receive it. Sure, you can do a test drive, but if you are going to immediately put lift/tires/wheels/armor/winch on it, its not really accurate. The shop may not want to put time and money into something that may or may not sell eventually. It can be a lot of money to wrap up into something that may take time to unload. If you want a customized Jeep, you want your vision, not someone else's. Its nice having everything done and ready to go from Day 1 with the vehicle.

I bought a jetski this way years ago. I lived in Delaware at the time, the custom shop I wanted to use (Blowsion) was in Oregon. They have a good build reputation, and the owner did great paint work. I paid around $7k for the jetski over the phone at a regular Kawasaki dealer out there, and Blowsion picked up the ski and did the work I wanted (which was about another $7k). When they were done, they shipped it to me. I paid for everything with cash or check (or credit card that was paid off immediately). So my $7k jetski became a $14k jetski before I saw it. Sure, not expensive as a Jeep, but the same basic idea applies.

I would hope those customers had already paid full for their vehicles, but I wouldn't be surprised either way. And the people that say they spent their "life savings", maybe they did, maybe they didn't, maybe they call it their life savings to try and move further up the totem pole and ahead of "corporate banks" to get their (deserved) money back.

If that's the case, is it unusual to pay for it and not get a title?

 

[ads75]

If that's the case, is it unusual to pay for it and not get a title?

I would think that if they paid for it they should have title. And if they financed it, their bank should have the titles. I think it may be a legal gray area if some custom work was completed. Lets say someone paid for their JL at a dealer with cash, and have the title. Lets assume the JL was delivered to the custom shop, and now has a lift/tires/wheels, but still needs custom paint to finish. And now the business goes belly up. So the person owns the Jeep, but hasn't paid for the mods yet, which are now part of the Jeep. So they own the Jeep, but not the wheels/tires/lift. Can the shop return the Jeep to stock? That costs money the shop doesn't have (and they probably sold the stock parts too). How much does the customer have to pay? If the custom paint work is only partially done, the Jeep is probably worth less than if they never started it. I have no idea on the specifics of this case, and I am not a lawyer or anything near that, and I also don't know what kind of work the shop did.

 

[digitalbliss]

I would think that if they paid for it they should have title. And if they financed it, their bank should have the titles. I think it may be a legal gray area if some custom work was completed. Lets say someone paid for their JL at a dealer with cash, and have the title. Lets assume the JL was delivered to the custom shop, and now has a lift/tires/wheels, but still needs custom paint to finish. And now the business goes belly up. So the person owns the Jeep, but hasn't paid for the mods yet, which are now part of the Jeep. So they own the Jeep, but not the wheels/tires/lift. Can the shop return the Jeep to stock? That costs money the shop doesn't have (and they probably sold the stock parts too). How much does the customer have to pay? If the custom paint work is only partially done, the Jeep is probably worth less than if they never started it. I have no idea on the specifics of this case, and I am not a lawyer or anything near that, and I also don't know what kind of work the shop did.

Here's the thing. If the title is theirs, so is the vehicle. The shop can't keep it. If they did some work on the Jeep and haven't gotten paid yet, they can't just keep it because they closed and went bankrupt. Obviously I don't know what's going on here, but something doesn't add up to me.

 

[TJ&JL]

From using the autotrader website looking at Jeeps I noticed Wells in Warrenton VA. They seemed legit and had good reviews. I never went there, but a friend of mine did and I know someone who owns a Jeep from there. Feel sorry for everyone envolved.

 

[NVAJeep]

From using the autotrader website looking at Jeeps I noticed Wells in Warrenton VA. They seemed legit and had good reviews. I never went there, but a friend of mine did and I know someone who owns a Jeep from there. Feel sorry for everyone envolved.

I own a Wells custom Jeep. It is a 2016 manual 6 speed with 3-inch lift, 35 inch Nittos and Fuel Assault rims. Mike Wells did the build out for me, the Jeep was essentially brand new - was a leftover with 35 miles on it. My understanding was Mike was buying the stock Jeeps from dealers, builds them out with his standard package and you buy the final product from him (as I did), but I did not pay for my Jeep until the day I picked it up, and the transaction was very smooth. That was when they were located in Warrenton VA. They had been building the Outer Banks place for about 2 years and just relocated there in Sept 2018. I know they started doing much more complex and expensive builds recently.

There have been updates provided on their Facebook page, including this information for customers to contact an attorney who is evidently helping settle claims, etc: J. Patrick Haywood,
336.478.1177 , [email protected]

I had emailed the attorney asking about any remaining warranty on the Wells work on my Jeep, and he responded only saying they were out of business but I could call with questions. I had only heard Mike passed away, I had not heard anything regarding the fraud and even the fact that it was a suicide - can anyone validate or send me a private message? It comes as a huge surprise and disappointment to me as I had stayed in touch with Mike the past coupe of years, and he was (at least to me) always honest and I continue to enjoy the Jeep that he built for me and have had no issues at all. I'm sorry to hear there are folks that paid money and cannot get their Jeeps, this whole crazy story is hard to believe for me. I'd also be interested in hearing from fellow Wells Jeep owners if they have any additional info. Thanks

 

[GoobzJL]

I purchased his wife’s JL demo this fall. Had just about every factory option with some nice aftermarket goodies at a great price. Smooth transaction and the Jeep was delivered to my home on a hauler the next day. I’m probably one of the last few to get a Jeep from here.

Really disturbing to hear about Mike, and how his recent clients are left out to dry. Hoping this gets resolved for you quickly, VAWildJeep.

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