I am the Brother-In-Law who was arrested at HMS

Y2K5SRT

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This post is NOT being removed, but MOVED to Performance Modifications. Please click the link above to read or post any replies. Thanks!

Chris
 

Gerald

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Very well put..

I, like I"m sure many other people on this board (though I CANNOT speak for them) stayed nuetral in this, but with the facts being mounted up higher and higher it's hard to stay out of it and NOT VOICE an opinion. Whether that opinions being on one side or the other, they need to be heard. As long as there aren't any personal attacks or name calling, etc, we see no reason why the threads should be closed, moved or axed.

I cannot imagine going to Lethal, DLM, TNT, etc and asking where my money is and being arrested. It shows how guilty someone really is and how afraid of the outcome of ones actions are by having someone else stand up for them because they're scared.
I"m sure this is STILL ONLY the beginning. With more Venom owners and customers tearing their motors down and documenting the tear downs, this should get really interesting to see the results amongst other non filled orders, etc, etc, etc, yes and another etc..

Just my opinion..


Gerald
 

jimandela

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Unreal!
I just got a email back from him.
I asked if he would send me a HMS air box for $800
and I mail him a check after I get the box.
His reply he will pay the shipping and send it cod
payment a personal check for $1200

I wrote back no thanks will wait for the sale.
I didn't that I would have to wait for bankruptcy sale.

He is still send emails and selling stuff.
unreal story!! good for you that went to meet him and
I would love to see that tape!!!
JIM
 

Dr Roof

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John Hennessy I have talked to you several times with you giving me helpful information! (THank you very much) We have also talked about the post here, You gave me answers. Why not respond and clear this stuff up!

I have found that people will forgive mistakes if made right. But im real confused about no responses. Please give us your side
sincerely (I am not defending anyone)
To those who have been taken by any tuner I am sorry! It is terrible thing to see things like this happen. I wish all parties would speak and settle this issue! It is a constant thorn for all viper owners! Sometimes we have to prune the rose bush!!!
 

Eddie N

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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Vipermad:
You best be careful when you make hasty accusations that are unfounded...or YOU might find yourself violating the rules of the board. Got it?

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

ouch..totally uncalled for and harsh.. the guy got screwed, and hes upset, i think he should be cut some slack..

its utterly rediculous as well as very disheartening that hennessey still posts at his leisure, yet the people that he royally ****ed out of tens and thousands of dollars are being threatened with bannishment...

- eddie -
 

Tusc

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I have read thread after thread on various boards. And as much as the internet is quick to spread flame and panic, if that was all it was then the issue would be dead by now and/or HMS would have spoken out to defend their reputation. Silence would make anyone appear guilty. Beyond that, there have been numerous e-mailings and statements from owners. I have yet to see ONE of them post again and say anything like "my bad, HMS is taking care of it, they are really being quite friendly about all of this and bending over backwards to rectify the situation as fast as they can." Nope, nothing even CLOSE. Not even, "I spoke with HMS and I feel we have reached a workable solution to this incident."

If anything, my heart goes out to the guys that are going through this. My problems pale in comparison. To anyone who caught wind of the potential problems and STILL did business with HMS? I still feel for them, but given the $$ and the personal stake involved.....who would risk it when other shops can offer MORE for LESS these days?

Now, every shop that has ever existed has or will run into a problem from time to time. Some deal with it in the best possible manner. Some blow the people off. In general, the tuners we recognize and do business with are those that extend their service beyond the mechanical and into ther personal. The willingness to do what it takes for the customer. So to hear that there is a problem going on with one or two cars shouldn't be a big deal. However, given the magnitude of the individual problems I have read about with HMS and now the growing number..... Who in their right mind would ever give these guys a red cent? The fact that he is now offering to do pro bono work doesn't redeem any reputation or faith. Given the list of people/problems it seems more like he is trying to squeeze the last drop out of anyone that would do business.

Of course, I don't know the guy, never spoke with him. But any, and I mean ANY businessman worth his salt (let alone if they are the OWNER) would step in and defend, VERY PUBLICLY, the claims that have been leveled against him and his business.

I find myself a bit surprised that HMS is still open. Most guys that could spend the $$ on a company like HMS make their money up front. But I know a few corvette guys (no Viper guys yet) that would probably have some friends stop by the shop and TCOB in a major way. Ripping someone off for a set of $1000 Chevy heads is one thing, ripping a guy off for anywhere from $20k to $130k and still spitting in his face? That's downright stupid.

To the guys/gals that may have been ill-affected by dealings with HMS, I say thank you for airing your story to the rest of us. It is humbling to bare all in such a public fashion, but the service you do for the Viper and performance community at large is immeasurable. My hat's off to you and I hope that your cars and funds are restored to you. I would also like to express my wishes that you not be deterred by the actions of one company; there are many tuners out there that are competent and that often go the extra mile to ensure that you are happy with their services.

Brett

edit - since I haven't read much on this part of the board yet I checked out some of the other JPH and HMS threads. Nevermind what I said, this dude is a crook and a half. But I'll tell you now he's obviously been down this road before so we'd better make sure we come up with some charges that stick. Either way, he'll probably be in a white collar penitentiary like Danbury up here. Though.... if the whole judicial side doesn't come through, I am SURE that there is someone out there that's been ripped off that has the clout to hand these people some serious hurt.
 

HogWhisperer

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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Eddie N:
its utterly rediculous as well as very disheartening that hennessey still posts at his leisure, yet the people that he royally ****ed out of tens and thousands of dollars are being threatened with bannishment...

- eddie -

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'm calling BS to this one, Eddie. Sorry! All Tony did was get a little testy when HeliPilot accussed the Viper Forum of hiding or deleting anti-Hennessey posts. The facts are that there have been plenty of these posts, one only has to search the archives. While we ALL feel badly for anyone who is in dispute over or beat out of a large sum of money, blaming the Viper Forum is out of line.

So, take that and like it.......
 

Janni

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I am going to take a bit of exception to the insinuation that this board has protected HMS or hidden facts that could have saved people money and heartache. To me, it seems like everyone is able to find this board AFTER they have had a problem (this is not only true of dealing with tuners, but dealers and warranty isues, too).

A simple search of this section with Hennessey as the search word yielded results back to 11/16/2000 (pretty close to the start of this UBB board format, I think). This post picked on Marc Lublin a little for posting his negative experience, but the warnings and red flags were there clear as day. Other posts shed a similar light.

If someone had done this "search" as part of their investigatory process before parting with their hard earned money, they too could have talked to some of these folks that have been vocal about past experiences. Coming on here after the fact and blaming the board for not keeping a WARNING post front and center and causing folks to lose money is just plain wrong. Most admit that they did not do their homework. How about kvetching to the magazines that NEVER report bad experiences and keep featuring tuner cars on the covers and in the shootouts? Also please note that HMS is no longer a site sponsor - checked the site sponsor page...

I don't mean to sound harsh, and I really do feel for anyone that has lost money - it's wrong and justice needs to be done. I hope that throught legal means, folks can get some satisfaction - money back, cars returned, etc. But blaming the board for the bad decision is not fair, and it appears to be driven only by frustration, not fact.
 

King GTS

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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Gerald:
Very well put..

I, like I"m sure many other people on this board (though I CANNOT speak for them) stayed nuetral in this, but with the facts being mounted up higher and higher it's hard to stay out of it and NOT VOICE an opinion. Whether that opinions being on one side or the other, they need to be heard. As long as there aren't any personal attacks or name calling, etc, we see no reason why the threads should be closed, moved or axed.

I cannot imagine going to Lethal, DLM, TNT, etc and asking where my money is and being arrested. It shows how guilty someone really is and how afraid of the outcome of ones actions are by having someone else stand up for them because they're scared.
I"m sure this is STILL ONLY the beginning. With more Venom owners and customers tearing their motors down and documenting the tear downs, this should get really interesting to see the results amongst other non filled orders, etc, etc, etc, yes and another etc..

Just my opinion..


Gerald




<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


Gerald,


I responded to your Post on the other thread but the whole Post was deleted for some reason. I sent HeliPilot a PM late last night & discussed the whole issue w/ him at length. Anyway - I never called <u>him or anyone</u> a racist. I don't know either one of them. It could very well be that they're far from it! I didn't start that thread. I just said that in my opinion, racial innuendos were made. I also said that not everyone would see it the way I saw it too. Does that make you a racist just because you don't agree w/ me or see what I saw? NO! Case in point, Jeff disagreed w/ me 100%, I didn't call him a racist. My point was, that you should be careful what you say, because one might construe incorrectly if they don't know you. Nothing more. I got 3 phone calls directing me to the original thread. (2 - VCA, 1 - Non VCA) and they all saw it the way I saw it. I know there've got to be others who saw it & I totally understand why they would say nothing. Probably for fear of being labled a Hennessey Defender or something, and that's fine, I can't comment on all of that. I didn't 'play the race card' just wondered why it was even brought up at all in the context of the story. Nothing more...nothing less...
 

not stock

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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Janni:
Also please note that HMS is no longer a site sponsor - checked the site sponsor page...

I don't mean to sound harsh, and I really do feel for anyone that has lost money - it's wrong and justice needs to be done. I hope that throught legal means, folks can get some satisfaction - money back, cars returned, etc. But blaming the board for the bad decision is not fair, and it appears to be driven only by frustration, not fact.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


Janni,

Being that HMS is not a site sponsor but continues to have posting privileges, would you consider that a conflict to those who do sponsor the board?

John's name is obviously synonymous with his business and that alone is the reason I could see as justification for a posting ban.
 

Marc Lublin

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Since I was one of the first I saw being verbal on this board about Hennessey I think it is only fair I comment.
I did run into a little difficulty and at the time might have thought it was the VCA protecting HMS like others have thought. I didn't let it end there, and through talking with moderators and officers I found that they just wanted to follow some rules and didn't want this board to get out of hand. Once we discussed some of these issues, some of which were legal issues, things ran a lot smoother for me. I realized then and now that they weren't just trying to protect HMS.
I ran into more opposition from members than the moderators. Lets not forget people, how I was attacked by HMS followers and others whenever I posted what he did to me. I have thick skin though and kept on posting. I am so happy to see that in some way I have paved the way for others who have been wronged, not to be scared to post their experience.
I don't think the VCA was protecting Hennessey but believe somehow (and I can't actually say how) the VCA should have been more proactive in either taking a stand against this thief. If they didn't have the proof, they should have gotten it and then taken a stand to rid us of the menace. I know members are important to a club so we need to protect them if we see this terrible pattern. That is in the past now and it is up to us, the VCA, DC and the courts to do the right thing.
 

Janni

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Posting privileges is a touchy issue. I do feel that he should not be allowed to advertise here - posting is one thing, and yes, I know that most of his posts are about his products (although I have seen some that were just "Hey, nice car" type posts...) I think it would be fair to delete or edit any post that was promoting his products (as he is not a site sponsor). Ultimately, I would think that without being able to use a board as de facto advertising would drive a business person away - i.e. no return on the time investment...

Again, I think the board has done a pretty good service to post FACTS posted by those with FIRST HAND knowledge of any transactions or incidents regarding Hennessey.

And yes, I can give folks a hard time for not using the "Search" - with tools like Yahoo and Google, navigating the web, and now websites themselves, have become more and more dependent on search engines. And after all, if folks are posting to "warn" others, won't they want folks to search for their posts??? Or, if that was not done, how about a post asking the question of the tuner BEFORE parting with money? Or asking your regional pres or other members for tuner recommendations or experiences? If any of those things had been done, I'd be willing to bet that most of these folks would have made different decisions - decisions that would have had very different results.

I believe that this is a tricky position for the VCA - one that has not really been faced before - what are the grounds for banning person or company? Is it the VCA's responsibility to run a D&B on everyone that has a Viper related business and then decide of they should be allowed to post here or link to their website? What constitutes conduct "unbecoming" enough to warrant expulsion from the VCA or Viperclub.org? What is the required proof - filing of a lawsuit? Civil judgements? Criminal penalites? Think about it - there are a lot of implications, and I'll bet they are being addressed.

I really wish that folks like No Mercy, Taig, etc. would have been able to have a great tuner experience. Its a sad day when one's word means nothing and good folks lose money. It would be nice if we could take everyone at their word, but we can't and that is where the research comes in. Good luck to all in getting satisfaction and please keep us posted.
 

Brad Manhattan Beach

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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by HeliPilot:
I just received this IM:
Looks like Mr. Publicity Hound is about to have the tables turned!


++++&gt;IM
I'm the West Coast Editor of AutoWeek magazine. I'm following up on a lawsuit filed against Viper tuner John Hennessey of Hennessey Motorsports in Houston, Texas. I'm looking for Viper owners who have dealt with Hennessey and have a story to tell, good or bad, about him. You can e-mail me at [email protected] or call 323 370-2454. The phone number is also in the masthead of the magazine.

Thanks in advance,

Mark Vaughn
03-26-2002 10:20 PM
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


I can vouch for Mark Vaughn as the editor of Autoweek. I had the opportunity to work with him on a charity foundation for Larry Shinoda (who designed the '63 Split Window Corvette and Boss Mustang). He is the real deal. I am surprised that it took him this long to get on this story.

Good luck everyone.

Brad
 

Marc Lublin

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Dan,
I don't even know if I am going to have my car down there, but from the second I heard he was hosting it I thought, too bad guess if I do get my viper there I wouldn't be drag racing. I wouldn't want to be standing next to, much less participate in anything John Hennessey hosts. I would imagine that he still will put the event on, the court system in the USA is known to be slow.
 

Eddie N

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laugh.gif
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Eddie N

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i also remember when all the hennessey posts were being locked or deleted.. but this wasnt to harbor hennessey, it was to keep the board "neat and organized".. this can easily be misconstrued by the average not on the board 8 hours a day member as protecting hennessey.. i know better, since ive been here, but its my opinion that the response to his statement (i wouldnt even barely call it an accusation) was a little harsh..

i mean, i know the guy owns a corvette and all, but we are all human!!
smile.gif


also, you cant blame him for not using the "search" button.. not everyone is as internet savy as the next guy (or GIRL), and 3/4s of the people you come in contact with on the street wont know what a "BBS" is..

- eddie -
 

LTHL-GRY

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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Janni:
I believe that this is a tricky position for the VCA - one that has not really been faced before - what are the grounds for banning person or company? Is it the VCA's responsibility to run a D&B on everyone that has a Viper related business and then decide of they should be allowed to post here or link to their website? What constitutes conduct "unbecoming" enough to warrant expulsion from the VCA or Viperclub.org? What is the required proof - filing of a lawsuit? Civil judgements? Criminal penalites? Think about it - there are a lot of implications, and I'll bet they are being addressed.[/B]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


Janni, you make a good point but wasn't the David Wilks banning very very similar to this situation, ie complaints of rip-offs and antagonistic posts?? What procedures were followed then? Would that banning not be a precedent for the VCA to consider here?

JT
 
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