Trouble from day one

[BKN]

hey I just bought a Ford contour, and learned shortly after that someone messed with the wiring to make it appear that the CNG worked. After running out of gas, because I assumed I was running on CNG with a full tank of gas, I figure out I what was up. I cut the wiring and got the real signal... the CNG light blinked a few times and it switches over to gas. I am trying to figure this out, but not getting very far. SO if any one knows what wrong, or has a diagram GFI wiring... or anything! I would love the help!
Thanks!!!

[bakaroma]

Re: Trouble from day one

I am sorry that happened to you. If it were me, I would find your local Ford dealer asap and order a compuvalve at $1,200 + right away they are probably on back order. While you are waiting for it to arrive scout local CNG shope for who you want to put it on. I like the contours a lot, but one has to be willing to put a new compuvalve in just about everyone og them coming off of auction.

[CNG Utah]

Re: Trouble from day one

I'm just curious who sold the car to you. That's an incredibly shady thing to do.

[BKN]

Re: Trouble from day one

We bought it from California from guy named Faiz Khan, however the title was still under a dealership, Drive Traders Inc. So a warning to all how are looking for CNG cars... they will lie and rewire the cars it appears to work and run great on CNG. I don't want to see any else blow thousands of dollars on a car that doesn't work. So becareful!

[ch4]

Re: Trouble from day one

I would contact the California office of consumer protection

http://www.dca.ca.gov/consumer/complaints.shtml

and the state attorney general

http://ag.ca.gov/consumers/

You may want to sue the owner in small claims court.
I think small claims in CA is up to $7500.00.

[Lakewood90712]

Re: Trouble from day one

The agent for service of legal process of Drive Traders Inc. ,ca. corp.# C2950855 is MANNAN KHAN per the california secretary of state.

Looks like the same family / business. if they doctored an emission system prior to sale ,they may be in very deep dodo if you pursue it.

Send a PM to member Captjeff. he has contacts deep inside the dmv in Sacramento , maybe can provide assistance

[BKN]

Re: Trouble from day one

Thanks for all the info guys. I'm pursuing contact with the people(s) that I bought this thing from. If I don't hear anything I'm looking into small claims. I know there are statutes against messing with OBD II type stuff. Does anyone know If I could sue (I mean with a good chance of success ... you can always sue) with reference to those (this would be aside from the small claims case)?

[CraziFuzzy]

Re: Trouble from day one

Well, odds are, instead of accepting any law suit, they would probably 'buy back' the car. If that is the case, you would have no real damages to sue over. You could still pursue legal action against them for tampering, but that will be the state/feds law suit, not yours, and they would end up potentially fining them. Either way, the most you're gonna get out of it would be a refund on the car, then go shop elsewhere.

[CNGCARS]

Re: Trouble from day one

Here they are, http://drivetraders.com/index.html
Now we know who NOT to deal with. I think I may have met someone from their organization at auction a couple of weeks ago.

[BKN]

Re: Trouble from day one

yeah I just figured out that they are the drivecng.com guys. Mannah goes by Manni, and Faiz goes by Fez or Fred (i.e. Call Manni 415-240-2884 or Fred 415-359-4219). You'll also find that Manni has recently disconnected his cell number that was listed on the drivecng site, and you can only leave messages for Faiz. I found another number for Drive Traders through another part of their business and left messages there as well.

[jetboatjohnny]

Re: Trouble from day one

That link tried to attack my computer, Norton took care of it

[Misterfixit]

Re: Trouble from day one

Well, odds are, instead of accepting any law suit, they would probably 'buy back' the car. If that is the case, you would have no real damages to sue over. You could still pursue legal action against them for tampering, but that will be the state/feds law suit, not yours, and they would end up potentially fining them. Either way, the most you're gonna get out of it would be a refund on the car, then go shop elsewhere.

[Rant removed by CNGchat management. The identical text can be found here]

Folks, please keep our discussions on topic and do not copy/paste the same text in multiple threads and forums, thanks!

http://cngchat.com/index.php?pid=9#postto1

[Dmitry]

Re: Trouble from day one

Misterfixit, you don't have to post same text over and over again. You made your point with us, so publish it elsewhere. I am myself trying to put an oped in the local newspaper - no luck so far, maybe my research is inferior by local standards.

As to the point of the thread, I wouldn't realistically expect to buy a car with a tip top CNG system from an auction, and isn't that where all the CNG cars are coming from? I just don't see a private party selling a perfectly good CNG car now.

I am on your side, but buyer beware, you know. Can you prove they actually cut and pasted the wires? Do you have a sales contract? My only hope is that they are a dealership, and by law they are supposed to buy the car back within a month, so you better document your efforts to contact them.

[gringostar]

Re: Trouble from day one

yeah I just figured out that they are the drivecng.com guys. Mannah goes by Manni, and Faiz goes by Fez or Fred (i.e. Call Manni 415-240-2884 or Fred 415-359-4219). You'll also find that Manni has recently disconnected his cell number that was listed on the drivecng site, and you can only leave messages for Faiz. I found another number for Drive Traders through another part of their business and left messages there as well.

Everything about their ads smelled of fish.

[CNGCARS]

Re: Trouble from day one

Here is some new contact info for FAIZ

http://webext.csa.ca/cng/CNG_Details.asp?certificationnumber=U3493A&firstname=&lastname=&company=&city=&province=CA&postalcode=&country=&coveragearea=