My motorhome needed replacement engine, van still with ECU Solutions since 2017, so far spent £6500.00.

[The old Scotsman]

The motorhome saga.

 

Background.

 

In 2017 the above motorhome suffered a catastrophic engine failure while I was in the southern part of Spain, The head gasket blew and caused a lot of damage to the engine, the local Fiat dealer suggested a repair cost of around 10,000 euros. An amount I could not afford to pay.

 

Given the cost I decided to search the internet for a UK based company who could source a replacement engine, my insurance company had already agreed to fund the repatriation of the vehicle to a UK garage where the repair could be carried out.

 

I placed an ad on the internet seeking a replacement engine and was subsequently contacted by a company who trade as ECU Solutions 3 The Drive Brentwood Essex CM13 3FR [email protected] 07496028098 // 01277725022

 

A representative of the company advised me a replacement engine could be fitted, with a two year warranty for the sum of £2000.00. I checked the company website – www.ecu-solutions.net where the testimonials were excellent with many satisfied customers speaking highly of the service they had received.

 

Given this I decided to go ahead and had the vehicle transported from Motril. Spain to the ECU Solutions address in Brentwood. I authorised the vehicle transport on 26/7/2017.

 

Once the vehicle had arrived with them I was contacted by Jack ( the only person I have ever had contact with) and advised the engine was unserviceable and would therefore incur an additional cost of £1000. as per company policy.

 

I agreed to this but said, that as I did not have the funds to hand immediately that they should hold off on the work for a month until I accessed the funds, this was agreed. On 18th August 2017 I paid, via bank transfer the sum of £3000.00. to ECU Solutions

 

In September 2017 I was advised by Jack at ECU Solutions that there was a problem with the fuel injection system, caused by the engine having overheated, the cost to replace the fuel injection system - £2000.

 

Given the amount I had already paid out on this vehicle and the assurances I received from Jack that it would be money well spent as the van was solid. I went ahead and paid a further £2000.00 to ECU Solutions on the 15th September 2017. During this time I continued to initiate contact with ECU Solutions in order to seek and update on the status of the vehicle.

 

In November 2017 I was advised the ECU was faulty and would need repair or replacement at a cost of £1500.00. I had now paid out so much money that I felt I had no option but to complete the repairs

 

on 24th November I paid ECU Solutions a further £1500.00. With hindsight this all seems incredibly stupid of me, and it is, but at the time my wife who has Alzheimer Disease was extremely unwell and her illness required her admission to long term residential care. This was an extremely stressful time for me and led to my own diagnosis of cancer in 2017/2018 and several periods of hospitalisation with Sepsis.

 

My son at the time was 13 years old and in need of a great deal of care and support and I clearly wasn't thinking straight or logically. I have tried consistently to facilitate the repair and return of my vehicle, but each time I contact ECU Solutions, (Jack), I am given numerous excuses as to why the repair has not been carried out. e.g. Jack's own cancer treatment ?? Ongoing difficulty with parts His wish to keep my costs down, so he doesn't have someone working on it full time.

 

Ongoing Situation.

I have contacted Jack on numerous occasions and am always given an excuse as to why the repair has not been completed. For a so called engineering garage not to be able to repair an old low tech vehicle causes me great concern. When I spoke with him in 2019 I was advised the hold up was now due to an electrical problem, which, surprise surprise would cost another £1500.00. to rectify, I have not made any further payments to ECU. Solutions.

 

I spoke with Jack again on August 3rd 2021 I emailed him and and suggested I was considering seeking legal advice. He phoned me next day with more of the same excuses and telling me he is being admitted to hospital again due to his cancer, he always implies he is trying to help me and the implication being that he is this poor soul who has my best interests at heart. He then said it would be 2022 at least before the van repair was completed.

 

Having made further internet searches I am now aware I am not the only person experiencing these problems with this company, where a pattern of problems appear to be identified by the garage which mirror my own experience with them as fuel injection, ecu and electrical issues being given to other ecu customers as to why their vehicles cannot be repaired without additional expense being incurred.

 

www.vwt4forum.co.uk search ECU Solutions Brentwood Essex any reviews This forum lists a collection of stories all similar to my own. It also lists an alternative address.

 

The van will be a sorry state now as its been sitting outside for 4 years. When I last spoke to Jack he suggested, if he couldn't repair the van that he would give me a refund of sorts, I don't think I want it back now. I've now paid this man £6500.00 and have nothing to show for it. I now feel its pretty clear I've been scammed and would welcome any advice as to how to resolve this matter.

[honeybee13]

Hello, welcome to CAG. I've put some paragraphs into your post to make it easier to read for the advisers.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by 'I've had all the guff reported on here' in your thread title?

 

I've moved your thread to our Vehicle manufacturers and retailers forum, people should be along to advise later.

 

Best, HB

[The old Scotsman]

I must apologise for the lack of clarity in my post, when i referred to, the old guff reported on here, i mean that several people have had similar experiences with this company/individual and he appears to have a range of scenarios which he gives in response to  victims seeking updates on their vehicles. these range form Covid to cancer treatment, family members health problems etc. this is the old guff i referred to, I suspect he just makes it up as he goes along.

 

Any garage who can't fix an old basic diesel engine is clearly not to be trusted.

[BankFodder]

So this is been going on for five years and you are out of pocket by the £6500 and also you haven't had the use of your van.

I think the first thing you should do is tell us what you think you want to get out of this. The £6500? Or more?

You refer to this person called Jack – do they have a surname? What is the address of ECU Solutions?

Do you happen to know any details about Jack's address or any assets that he my own? Have you visited the premises?

[honeybee13]

There are only three reviews on Trustpilot but they aren't good. And there are other threads about the company, as our newbie says.

 

Ecu Solutions is rated "Average" with 2.8 / 5 on Trustpilot

WWW.TRUSTPILOT.COM

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Do you agree with Ecu Solutions's TrustScore? Voice your opinion today and hear what 3 customers have already said.

 

HB

[The old Scotsman]

Hi, thanks for your reply. 

The person I refer to  is the subject of several posts on this site and the

 

ECU -Solutions Brentwood Essex any reviews?? | Page 4 | VW T4 Forum - VW T5 Forum

WWW.VWT4FORUM.CO.UK

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Reading this makes me wonder what the business model is. I get cars in, we fix them as quickly as possible as we want them collected and paid for...

he is,

Jack Wilkinson          Also appears to be, UK169

ECU Solutions   

3 The Drive

Brentwood

Essex CM13 3FR

 

I live in Perthshire in Scotland and have not visited the site ., I now believe it is a virtual office. A friend who lives in Essex made contact but Jack arranged to meet him outside and said he could not view my vehicle as it was in a military secured compound, which i now find very difficult to believe.

Do you think it would be possible to recover any of my money, I have no receipts but do have bank statement showing payments to ECU Solutions totalling £ 6500.00. Clearly I would wish to recover all my funds if possible.

 

[The old Scotsman]

From what i have read and following my own experience its difficult to understand how ECU Solutions scores Average on Trust pilot, it should have a negative score. 

I'm not sure about the legal situation in regard to calling the activities illegal but they must be pretty close, it strange that so many vehicles all have the same or similar faults identified when the fall into the habds of this man.

[BankFodder]

It's pointless going on about business models, reviews on trust pilot – or anywhere else.

You may be able to get your money back if you can identify where this person lives and whether they own their own house or have any other assets.
Because you live in Scotland this is going to be very difficult for you to do.
It seems to me that you and all the rest of the victims have been simply paying money by bank transfer and maybe nobody has ever visited the premises and certainly you don't seem to know who you're dealing with.

I would suggest that the only thing to do is to get together with people on the other forum that you refer to and see whether you can't agree on some way to track this person down. I can imagine it would mean meeting them somewhere and then having another one of you follow him carefully and covertly and discovering what address he goes to and then checking that address and see whether he happens to be the owner.

This is all secret squirrel stuff – and very difficult to achieve.

However if you can manage then we may be able to help you move forward on it – but without being able to identify assets against which you can force a judgement, then the best thing you can do is put it down to experience and try to forget it.

It's very difficult, painful, frustrating and humiliating lesson but I think to a certain extent you should all blame yourselves and that you have simply been paying cash to somebody simply out of some kind of hope or desperation and really without taking any of the kind of precautions that one would reasonably expect.

When you meet people like this person Jack who seems quite anxious to avoid anybody knowing where he is but simply keen to take your money and he realises that actually people can be very careless about handing their money over, it is scarcely surprising that he may even make a living out of it.

Find is assets and we may be able to help you.

If you can't – then probably the best thing to do is to let it go – and I don't give that kind of advice very often

[The old Scotsman]

I agree, and I've probably already let it go, this is/was a last throw of the dice to bring some closure to the matter.

 

[Offroader]

 

try searching maps  for ECU Solutions Burnt Mills Rd, North Benfleet, Wickford SS12 9JY

 

[BankFodder]

Yes but that doesn't tell you anything about the assets that are held by the owner of the business.

You can do a land registry web search on the address and if you happen to be very lucky then maybe you will find that it is owned by the owner of the business.
But if it isn't. If it is simply rented then it is probably not an asset which can be enforced against

[Manxman in exile]

Isn't it this guy again?

 

 

@The old Scotsman  -  sometimes you need to spell out that you have an issue with somebody that the forum has dealt with before.  It isn't always obvious.