All Commercial Wreckers

Asked ACW replace the motor in our Mazda camper with a used and apparently OK motor. Although it cost less than half that of a full recon motor, it has been a salutary experience that has persuaded me never to trust a company without getting confirming advice from others. 1. The new motor blows smoke (badly, illegally) at startup 2. The company took my specially purchased 1 year old high-amp alternator (obviously shiny) and replaced it with an old, low-amp unit (dirty and obviously very old). When I discovered a week later what they had done, the series of excuses and delays was unbelievable. They repeatedly arranged for me to come in to have my alternator fitted, only each time after making a special early trip before work, the alternator was "in the boss's boot". So, it was recognised as something special by the boss....so why was it not left on my car??? 3. After about the fourth visit, a replacement alternator was fitted and I drove off, but the car stopped running halfway to my workplace. Opened the motor cover and the mechanic had left the low tension coil leads resting on the exhaust manifold, melting them and shorting the coil supply. I rang them, fuming. Was advised to bring it back in, but by this time all trust in them had evaporated. I fixed it myself and arrived at work with black hands. 4. When fixing the melted leads I also noticed they had fitted a high-amp alternator, but an old one. No sign of my shiny new alternator. So the boss got to keep his prize. This is a truncated story - there was more, but these are the main points. The inconvenience this company caused me would have more than justified acquiring a fully recon motor from a reliable company. I have never returned and never got my alternator back. I just don't trust that any reasonable outcome will result. We put up with the blue smoke for 9 months but because we don't trust the motor, the vehicle is going in to have a fully recon motor fitted in two weeks time. At a RACWA approved repairer this time (of course). I regard my $1500-odd spend at ACW as a life lesson that I will try never to repeat again.