I just want to warn everyone about a guy named Jonathan Ross Gibbs out of Slisbee TX who uses the business name Engineered Coating . He has a website and sells on eBay. This business offers powdercoating and refinishing of brake calipers and other miscellaneous small items. I bought a pair of supposedly fully disassembled, powder coated, and totally rebuilt rear calipers with new brake pads for my 2003 Cobra from him. He told me I would have the calipers in less than one week. I paid this guy, $415.99, less $200 eventually, for the return of my cores on Aug 31st, 2012 and did not receive the items till Sept 28, 2012. When I received the parts I was shocked to find that the calipers were not fully disassembled and rebuilt as advertised (was obvious because the seal for the built-in parking brake shaft, the big spring, and parking brake shaft was powder coated red), the brake pads were for a GT not a Cobra, the slider pins were mixed with coarse and fine threads, and the caliper brackets were scratched. When I called him I had to explain the difference between GT and Cobra pads and he said he had no idea there was a difference. He said that he would send the correct set of pads and another caliper bracket overnight to me because he already delayed my project. After a week goes by and no parts, I tried to get in touch with him numerous times and no response. The only way I was able to get a response from him was to file a complaint with PayPal. In his response he admitted that everything I claimed was true but that it was too expensive to overnight the parts. After 2 weeks go by I finally get the parts owed to me (after I already bought pads from the local Ford dealer) and finally get to install them on my car, now this is in November, only to find that both calipers leaked from the parking brake seal as well as the piston boots. Now I spend extra money to buy a rebuild kits for both calipers and rebuilt both calipers myself. One caliper I was able to fix but the other turned out to have a damaged piston in it. I texted him explaining the problem as well as sent pictures of the leaks and he said he would send another caliper. 3 weeks go by and no parts and no response from him after numerous calls and text messages. I finally ended up buying two calipers from RockAuto.com that come fully rebuilt with all brand new hardware as well as powdercoated for $160, less $45 for my cores, shipped to my door with a 90 day warranty. That is $100 less (after refund for the cores) than from this guy and comes with a guarantee from a reputable company. I just want to make sure that nobody else goes through what I have with this guy.
Warning about engineered coating out of texas!!!!!
- Thread starter gouldbri
- Start date
Sorry for your troubles and thanks for the RockAuto recommendation.
I googled rock auto and came up with a number of different results. Could you post a link to the vendor you used for the rebuilt brake calipers.
Thanks
I googled rock auto and came up with a number of different results. Could you post a link to the vendor you used for the rebuilt brake calipers.
Thanks
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Pearlbirdsc
New Member
I was doing some research online and came across this thread. I would like to clear things up as the original post is misleading.
First of all, I am not a full time powder coating business. I work a normal job as a mechanical engineer and make some side money with powder coating. I noticed it was hard to find brake calipers with the cobra logo on them for sale in a recondition state, and even harder to find them powder coated already. With this observation in mind I decided to try offering front and rear cobra calipers and have a core charge incase people had old ones to send in.
The calipers that were provided to Brian had been completely torn down and inspected. The pistons and bores were in spec and all the parking brake mechanism parts in good working order. The dustboots and pistons seals were replaced.
Once the calipers are dis-assembled and inspected, the calipers are masked off and sandblasted, along with the parking brake hardware. The parking brake hardware is then reinstalled for the actual coating process. having the spring and mechanism installed for powder coated keeps all these parts protected as well, instead of having nice calipers that will soon have rusted hardware on the outside. The small seal has been tested to 450 degrees in my oven with no issue and I have sold many sets of the rear calipers with Brian being the only complaint.
The bracket being scratched was a shipping issue. Even though all parts are bubble wrapped with cardboard dividers inbetween parts it is inevitable to get some damage in transit sometimes.
One set of the brackets had fine thread bolts for the sliders and one set had coarse...I honestly did not see this as an issue. These are the bolts that hold the caliper ears to the brackets. The calipers came to him with the brackets already attached to the calipers as well.
The brake pads he recieved were too thick, as they were for a GT not a cobra. I placed an order for pads and recieved many sets, all supposed to be for a cobra. They are dimensionally the same except the slight thickness difference. Honest mistake on this issue, that stemmed from a vendor shipping me an incorrect set of pads.
After trying to work with Brian on these issues, like shipping him another bracket (one had been scratched in shipping, getting the correct pads, supplying another set of bolts, etc, he contacts me about one of the calipers leaking. The calipers are pressure tested to 125% of the max psi they would see on a vehicle, and did not leak when tested. Brian has had the calipers apart and I believe he must have installed incorrect seals or other parts to be having a leaking issue or perhaps by using the incorrect tools and scratching a sealing surface.
At this time I do not think there is anything I can do and would discribe Brian as insatiable. I did everything he asked besides send another caliper to replace one that he has taken apart.
I also refunded him $200 for his core calipers even though he did not send in the brackets with them, trying to help out.
I apologize Brian for the experience you think you have had.
I normally don't have many problems with unsatisfied customers, as can be seen by all the positive feedback that can be read at ebay on the seller name PearlbirdSC.
First of all, I am not a full time powder coating business. I work a normal job as a mechanical engineer and make some side money with powder coating. I noticed it was hard to find brake calipers with the cobra logo on them for sale in a recondition state, and even harder to find them powder coated already. With this observation in mind I decided to try offering front and rear cobra calipers and have a core charge incase people had old ones to send in.
The calipers that were provided to Brian had been completely torn down and inspected. The pistons and bores were in spec and all the parking brake mechanism parts in good working order. The dustboots and pistons seals were replaced.
Once the calipers are dis-assembled and inspected, the calipers are masked off and sandblasted, along with the parking brake hardware. The parking brake hardware is then reinstalled for the actual coating process. having the spring and mechanism installed for powder coated keeps all these parts protected as well, instead of having nice calipers that will soon have rusted hardware on the outside. The small seal has been tested to 450 degrees in my oven with no issue and I have sold many sets of the rear calipers with Brian being the only complaint.
The bracket being scratched was a shipping issue. Even though all parts are bubble wrapped with cardboard dividers inbetween parts it is inevitable to get some damage in transit sometimes.
One set of the brackets had fine thread bolts for the sliders and one set had coarse...I honestly did not see this as an issue. These are the bolts that hold the caliper ears to the brackets. The calipers came to him with the brackets already attached to the calipers as well.
The brake pads he recieved were too thick, as they were for a GT not a cobra. I placed an order for pads and recieved many sets, all supposed to be for a cobra. They are dimensionally the same except the slight thickness difference. Honest mistake on this issue, that stemmed from a vendor shipping me an incorrect set of pads.
After trying to work with Brian on these issues, like shipping him another bracket (one had been scratched in shipping, getting the correct pads, supplying another set of bolts, etc, he contacts me about one of the calipers leaking. The calipers are pressure tested to 125% of the max psi they would see on a vehicle, and did not leak when tested. Brian has had the calipers apart and I believe he must have installed incorrect seals or other parts to be having a leaking issue or perhaps by using the incorrect tools and scratching a sealing surface.
At this time I do not think there is anything I can do and would discribe Brian as insatiable. I did everything he asked besides send another caliper to replace one that he has taken apart.
I also refunded him $200 for his core calipers even though he did not send in the brackets with them, trying to help out.
I apologize Brian for the experience you think you have had.
I normally don't have many problems with unsatisfied customers, as can be seen by all the positive feedback that can be read at ebay on the seller name PearlbirdSC.
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Good god too long didnt read, I honestly dont like when people make accounts to come on here and try to dispute what one person said about their company. Almost all the time it just creats drama and makes more people read what has happaned. Business transactions are private affairs when you are the business. Just my .02
Pearlbirdsc
New Member
I actually joined in June of 2007. I read alot of forums for information but do not post much.
I too had some reservations about replying to this thread, but did want a chance to defend my reputation rather than leave Brian's criticism floating out there with no response. I was named personally in the original post as well.
I too had some reservations about replying to this thread, but did want a chance to defend my reputation rather than leave Brian's criticism floating out there with no response. I was named personally in the original post as well.
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I can respect that, I just hate to see when threads like this turn into a he said she said thread. Glad that we have both sides of the story, everyone can judge on their own now :beer:
Always 3 sides of any story:
1-Buyer's side 2-Seller's side 3-The truth
I don't see anything wrong with the seller giving his side of the story especially after a thead has been made accusing him of wrongdoing. The same way I welcome the warning about fraudulent companies, we must admit that some of us human beings are not easy to please. I am in no place to judge the two parties because I don't have the facts. I wish they both could handle it privately but the OP put it out there. Therfore, let SVTP court begin!
1-Buyer's side 2-Seller's side 3-The truth
I don't see anything wrong with the seller giving his side of the story especially after a thead has been made accusing him of wrongdoing. The same way I welcome the warning about fraudulent companies, we must admit that some of us human beings are not easy to please. I am in no place to judge the two parties because I don't have the facts. I wish they both could handle it privately but the OP put it out there. Therfore, let SVTP court begin!
I just came across this post. I also am having issues with getting my calipers. I paid $861.00 10-22-14 and have not seen anything. I sent 4 emails with no response. So I emailed him from my wifes email asking for a quote. He sent response in less than 10mins. So he then explained that he thought he had shipped mine and it was a mix up. He promised they would be shipped on the 1st of dec and he did send tracking, but all the tracking shows is that a shipping label was created. should I contact paypal? I've tried calling and emailing but no response in 3 days
^^^^hell yea get PayPal involved
Im also on the same boat as you. Let me know if you get a hold of him.He created a shipping label for me aswell on Dec 4th but nothing yet.
Did he quit responding to you
I filled a dispute with PayPal last week and still haven't heard from him
He emailed me on Dec 1 saying he was going to ship the calipers out. Now i've sent multiple emails and called many times and nothing. Also filed a claim with paypal.
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