- Thread starter
- #141
This was originally a post for VONHAGEN OFFROAD OR MIKE VONHAGEN the builder at the time. Since then there has been some ethical issues with this business and person. Please do read on...
Hoz Post :
Update on this truck. I sold this truck to a fella on the east coast in 2011.
Also just a friendly warning to all Cruiser heads in the Minnesota/Iowa/Missouri area. The builder, Mike Vonhagen is not a trust worthy source for fabricating or working on Land Cruisers. This fella was going by Vonhagen Offroad and Restoration, not sure if its the same or not. He's built 2 1/2 Cruisers for me and another one for a fellow mudder. I had contracted him to do paint and body work on my 79 Land Cruiser and he returned the cruiser unfinished a month later. He kept my $400 deposit and my vintage Land Cruiser Toyota manual. Just a friendly warning NOT TO USE VONHAGEN OFFROAD AND RESTORATION. I had attempted to call him many times and no answer or return call. Just putting this information out there for fellow Cruiser heads.
VonHagen Offroad Post
And here's the rest of the 'story'.... I'm a truck driver, I do repairs, builds, etc in my SPARE time. I changed jobs and went from working 7-8 hour days five days a week to working 12-14 hour days 6-7 days a week (do more than just drive a truck at the new job). I can't always answer my phone and when I get home at 7 or 8 at night after working a 14 hour day the last thing I want to do is sit on the phone. The Cruiser sat in my garage for months and then when it was decided on what was wanting to be done, it was wanted in 4-6 weeks. The body was covered in 3/4" or more of bondo that I was told to leave as is and paint over rather than cutting the panels out and replacing with new sheet metal and doing things the RIGHT way. I don't do things half @$$ed, it's either done the right way or I won't touch it. And when I wouldn't answer my phone or return calls right away Hoz contacted my wife on Facebook and when she explained to him that I was working a lot of hours and would get in touch with him when I had time he got snarky and wanted to know why I couldn't take 3 minutes to call him. After that 'encounter' is when I said enough and took the Cruiser to his brother's dealership. I spent my time tearing the body apart, the truck sat in my garage for months, plus I not only stored (for over two years), I moved his extra Cruiser parts twice, and then I had to put the body back together before I could take it to his brother's dealership.
Hoz post :
We report, you decide.
1. Contacted VonHagen Offroad and Repair stated I wanted the truck painted and whatever body work finished by first part of the summer. Vonhagen Offroad said no problem. I dropped the truck off in March (while living in La Crosse, WI and truck being in Iowa).
2. Contacted Vonhagen Offroad and asked for a status update 30 days later. Mike Vonhagen with VonHagen Offroad stated he was busy with current day job and would get to it that weekend. Called Monday and nothing was done.
3. The same week talked with Mike and he stated he promised to get something done the following weekend (again I'm spending money and excited to get my truck paint so I can enjoy it for the weekend) so I just wanted to know. Not sure why this doesn't seem fair. That following weekend I showed up and started sanding on the truck to help Mike out because he stated he was 'busy'.
4. A week later I called to inform Mike I wanted to add a couple things to the ticket and left him a message. Waited a week, no answer. Called again and left a nice message stating to please call me. Again no phone call, no email, no nothing. At this point I had given a 'good faith' down payment of $400 to cover sanding materials, some labor, ect.
5. Two weeks after the no return of phone calls my brother calls me and asks whats going on with the Land Cruiser. My response was 'VonHagen Offroad' is working on getting the body work done and painting it. Then to my utmost suprise he says 'Your Land Cruiser has been sitting outside the shop half bolted together, stuffed with parts. (Now I don't know what your reaction would be but I was furious). Two weeks ago I was sanding this truck down supposedly trying to help a buddy get along with things and now my Land Cruiser is sitting in a parking lot, unlocked, pull of parts and I was not aware of it. SHAME ON YOU VONGHAGEN OFFROAD. SHAME ON YOU MIKE VONHAGEN. Who does that???
6. What was not in the Land Cruiser that was mine was the $400 deposit which I had put down in good faith for work to be completed. AND my Vintage Land Cruiser shop guide that was my grandfathers. After 4 or 5 phone calls stating I really needed that book back I gave up.
VONHAGEN OFFROAD and more importantly MIKE VONHAGEN is a thief and not to be trusted. At this point I don't care about the $400. I WANT MY BOOK BACK ASAP. If I can get my book back I will not retract my statement but I will delete this post. Until then WARNING to all Cruiserheads that this outfit is NOT TO BE TRUSTED!!!
Based on the information herein I've reported, you decide.
Oh and by the way a reputable builder put this together for me without cutting rear quarters.
Cheers friends!!!
Hoz Post :
Update on this truck. I sold this truck to a fella on the east coast in 2011.
Also just a friendly warning to all Cruiser heads in the Minnesota/Iowa/Missouri area. The builder, Mike Vonhagen is not a trust worthy source for fabricating or working on Land Cruisers. This fella was going by Vonhagen Offroad and Restoration, not sure if its the same or not. He's built 2 1/2 Cruisers for me and another one for a fellow mudder. I had contracted him to do paint and body work on my 79 Land Cruiser and he returned the cruiser unfinished a month later. He kept my $400 deposit and my vintage Land Cruiser Toyota manual. Just a friendly warning NOT TO USE VONHAGEN OFFROAD AND RESTORATION. I had attempted to call him many times and no answer or return call. Just putting this information out there for fellow Cruiser heads.
VonHagen Offroad Post
And here's the rest of the 'story'.... I'm a truck driver, I do repairs, builds, etc in my SPARE time. I changed jobs and went from working 7-8 hour days five days a week to working 12-14 hour days 6-7 days a week (do more than just drive a truck at the new job). I can't always answer my phone and when I get home at 7 or 8 at night after working a 14 hour day the last thing I want to do is sit on the phone. The Cruiser sat in my garage for months and then when it was decided on what was wanting to be done, it was wanted in 4-6 weeks. The body was covered in 3/4" or more of bondo that I was told to leave as is and paint over rather than cutting the panels out and replacing with new sheet metal and doing things the RIGHT way. I don't do things half @$$ed, it's either done the right way or I won't touch it. And when I wouldn't answer my phone or return calls right away Hoz contacted my wife on Facebook and when she explained to him that I was working a lot of hours and would get in touch with him when I had time he got snarky and wanted to know why I couldn't take 3 minutes to call him. After that 'encounter' is when I said enough and took the Cruiser to his brother's dealership. I spent my time tearing the body apart, the truck sat in my garage for months, plus I not only stored (for over two years), I moved his extra Cruiser parts twice, and then I had to put the body back together before I could take it to his brother's dealership.
Hoz post :
We report, you decide.
1. Contacted VonHagen Offroad and Repair stated I wanted the truck painted and whatever body work finished by first part of the summer. Vonhagen Offroad said no problem. I dropped the truck off in March (while living in La Crosse, WI and truck being in Iowa).
2. Contacted Vonhagen Offroad and asked for a status update 30 days later. Mike Vonhagen with VonHagen Offroad stated he was busy with current day job and would get to it that weekend. Called Monday and nothing was done.
3. The same week talked with Mike and he stated he promised to get something done the following weekend (again I'm spending money and excited to get my truck paint so I can enjoy it for the weekend) so I just wanted to know. Not sure why this doesn't seem fair. That following weekend I showed up and started sanding on the truck to help Mike out because he stated he was 'busy'.
4. A week later I called to inform Mike I wanted to add a couple things to the ticket and left him a message. Waited a week, no answer. Called again and left a nice message stating to please call me. Again no phone call, no email, no nothing. At this point I had given a 'good faith' down payment of $400 to cover sanding materials, some labor, ect.
5. Two weeks after the no return of phone calls my brother calls me and asks whats going on with the Land Cruiser. My response was 'VonHagen Offroad' is working on getting the body work done and painting it. Then to my utmost suprise he says 'Your Land Cruiser has been sitting outside the shop half bolted together, stuffed with parts. (Now I don't know what your reaction would be but I was furious). Two weeks ago I was sanding this truck down supposedly trying to help a buddy get along with things and now my Land Cruiser is sitting in a parking lot, unlocked, pull of parts and I was not aware of it. SHAME ON YOU VONGHAGEN OFFROAD. SHAME ON YOU MIKE VONHAGEN. Who does that???
6. What was not in the Land Cruiser that was mine was the $400 deposit which I had put down in good faith for work to be completed. AND my Vintage Land Cruiser shop guide that was my grandfathers. After 4 or 5 phone calls stating I really needed that book back I gave up.
VONHAGEN OFFROAD and more importantly MIKE VONHAGEN is a thief and not to be trusted. At this point I don't care about the $400. I WANT MY BOOK BACK ASAP. If I can get my book back I will not retract my statement but I will delete this post. Until then WARNING to all Cruiserheads that this outfit is NOT TO BE TRUSTED!!!
Based on the information herein I've reported, you decide.
Oh and by the way a reputable builder put this together for me without cutting rear quarters.
Cheers friends!!!
