Beware of Jeff Creech

**dlmeadows** · 01-28-2008, 03:17 AM

Originally Posted by Rob

I have known Jeff for over a decade. I have had him do work for both me and my parents without any problems. I will continue to do work with Jeff if needed. He is not shady at all.

One problem, although a major, shouldn't ruin someone's hard earned reputation. Seems there was more going on that what the original poster lead to believe.

well fact is he let one of his techs take the car for personal use then he fubar'd the thing. to me thats enough to ruin someones reputation right there. I know if i had work done on my car I wouldn't want one of the techs taking it for the weekend.

**Rob** · 01-28-2008, 03:25 AM

Originally Posted by dlmeadows

I know if i had work done on my car I wouldn't want one of the techs taking it for the weekend.

That just it. The accident occurred on a Thursday according to Jeff.

That's the problem with all the internet mud slinging is "facts" are made up on the fly and then everybody starts saying it, so it must be true.

Definitely bad judgement was used. But people have already made up their minds as to what the "truth" might be. No matter if its fact or not.

**Sarge** · 01-28-2008, 05:35 AM

Lot more than just one instance here Rob. His responses over on another forum are getting mixed up a tad also.

**BULLET_WS6** · 01-28-2008, 06:28 AM

Originally Posted by Rob

That just it. The accident occurred on a Thursday according to Jeff.

That's the problem with all the internet mud slinging is "facts" are made up on the fly and then everybody starts saying it, so it must be true.

Definitely bad judgement was used. But people have already made up their minds as to what the "truth" might be. No matter if its fact or not.

yes it did happen on a weekday... as hes taking his daughter to school

**Rob** · 01-28-2008, 08:31 AM

Originally Posted by BULLET_WS6

yes it did happen on a weekday... as hes taking his daughter to school

OK, devil's advocate. What if the tech took the car home the previous day logging/scanning? Next day, he's going to drop his daughter off on the way to work. Would you be OK with that if he was in fact doing something work related?

I don't know if that's what happened or not. Just a scenario that could have happened. Until either Jeff or the tech says what happened, its still a mystery.

**Sarge** · 01-28-2008, 08:35 AM

500 miles is a shitload of data logging. Jeff tells me he "hired badly".....no shit....there is no excuse and as he is not incorporated...just a DBA he really has his ass hanging out here with all his personal assets in play....lawyer will clean his clock....

**Sarge** · 01-28-2008, 09:11 AM

Jeff dissolved his partnership with Mike Ellis in 2003, which also dissolved the corporation as it existed at the time. Jeff then formed another corp. on his own under a different corporate name. However, the business still operates under the name Carolina Auto Masters. To be honest, I do not think that is legal. Under corporate law an entity has to divulge to the public that they are a corporation and what the name of that corporation is. In my eyes he is not doing that. He is using a name other than what his corporation name is to present and promote his business to the public. Even if it is not illegal, IMHO it is very unethical.

**BULLET_WS6** · 01-28-2008, 09:15 AM

Originally Posted by Rob

OK, devil's advocate. What if the tech took the car home the previous day logging/scanning? Next day, he's going to drop his daughter off on the way to work. Would you be OK with that if he was in fact doing something work related?

I don't know if that's what happened or not. Just a scenario that could have happened. Until either Jeff or the tech says what happened, its still a mystery.

i would be very unhappy if my car was taken home... ESPECIALLY if it was not locked up securely in a shop... when i bring my car to a shop it is in a professional scene, taking it home is taking the professional out of it... i would rather them take an extra week to do it if thats what it takes... and why are they data logging when the accident happened a bit of time AFTER she was called and told her car was ready to pick up

**Sarge** · 01-28-2008, 09:22 AM

Creech has changed his story now 3 times on other forums. 1st it was i didnt give the guy permission. Then it is I told him to drive it to leak test it. Now it is the guy took it home for the weekend and I fired him. So who is full of shit here guys....Jeff Creech is full of shit.

**BULLET_WS6** · 01-28-2008, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by Sarge

Creech has changed his story now 3 times on other forums. 1st it was i didnt give the guy permission. Then it is I told him to drive it to leak test it. Now it is the guy took it home for the weekend and I fired him. So who is full of shit here guys....Jeff Creech is full of shit.

i liked his post on the ls2 gto one you posted up

**Sarge** · 01-28-2008, 09:25 AM

Originally Posted by Rob

That just it. The accident occurred on a Thursday according to Jeff.

That's the problem with all the internet mud slinging is "facts" are made up on the fly and then everybody starts saying it, so it must be true.

Definitely bad judgement was used. But people have already made up their minds as to what the "truth" might be. No matter if its fact or not.

Now the police report shows( undisputed from Jeff anyway) the accident occured on Monday morning and Jeff says he "made a mistake"......come on Rob.....this guy is a crook man....IMHO anyway...

**Sarge** · 01-28-2008, 09:26 AM

Originally Posted by BULLET_WS6

i liked his post on the ls2 gto one you posted up

No shit. Guy dissolves Carolina Auto Masters in 2003 but puts that name out to the public as a viable business. That in itself is bullshit/fraud/unethical.

**Raoul-Duke** · 01-28-2008, 09:36 AM

OMFG! man i seriously feel terrible for that vette owner. That Jeff guy is a monster. I've never heard of a story of any performance shop being this bad. Well if the owner could just bite his lip for now he's gonna have one hell of a case and its gonna be the end of CAM,lol

**BULLET_WS6** · 01-28-2008, 09:50 AM

Originally Posted by Sarge

No shit. Guy dissolves Carolina Auto Masters in 2003 but puts that name out to the public as a viable business. That in itself is bullshit/fraud/unethical.

oh i meant ls1 btw not 2... but yeah you knew what i was talking about

**Sarge** · 01-28-2008, 11:08 AM

From the owner of the Vette Creech destroyed.......
Terry Coley will attest with witnesses to the fact that Jeff gave him explicit permission to take the car for the weekend. This was for personal use. Jeff even told me in the presence of a witness that, "...I didn't want to look like an A**hole to the guy since he did the majority of the work on the car, so I let him take it for the weekend." Bad judgment, don't you think?

I was offered book value of $39,450 by Penn National. I broke off negotiations at this point based on lip service from Jeff:

1) Initially offered me keys to his Z06. I declined. How will this make things right? It only puts me at risk, and I know that I couldn't pay for the replacement of his C5R based Z06.

2) Said that he would pay my monthly payments until this was resolved. When I refused to accept his insurance companies offer, he said, "...well, I was going to send the payment to you, but now, these are funds that I cannot recover, so I took the check out of the mailbox." Yea, right.

Again, I went to his shop. He offered the Z06 and was going to write me a check then, but he **forgot** about it until after I left. (This actually occurred prior to 2 above, as the insurance offer was much later in coming).

How much something is worth is really dependent on what someone is willing to pay (see Barrett-Jackson auctions). To me, I have very little mechanical knowledge, so the rebuild would be labor intensive (but that's right, Jeff will only agree to his labor and parts); I'll let you do the math on the value of a Red 2005 z51 ATI D1SC Corvette with a $5,800 sound system with hidden antenna (required glass work), Corsa exhaust, Kooks headers, MSD wires, color matched handles, interior console, and spoiler.

As to everyone that thinks that I was a bitch and just wouldn't negotiate, there is a 2-way street here. The phone works both ways, Jeff. I haven't heard from you either. As for working with him, I saw the nice disposition that he had, but it is the words and actions that come from him that spell bad news. How do you trust again...he can man up to his mistake, maybe sell one of his 5 cars that I counted at the shop, and pay me a cash settlement so that I can go to a shop of my choice and have repairs done that are on paper.

Contrary to what some of you think, I just want my car back...no ZR1, no 2008 0 mile wonder...just my car. Again, this wasn't my fault. It isn't about dollar signs, but it is about a vendor being held accountable and putting his customer first. For those of you that don't believe this, think about it next time you go to complain to an owner about not doing something right. I don't think asking for honesty is asking too much.

**Rob** · 01-28-2008, 11:37 AM

Originally Posted by Sarge

Jeff dissolved his partnership with Mike Ellis in 2003, which also dissolved the corporation as it existed at the time. Jeff then formed another corp. on his own under a different corporate name. However, the business still operates under the name Carolina Auto Masters. To be honest, I do not think that is legal. Under corporate law an entity has to divulge to the public that they are a corporation and what the name of that corporation is. In my eyes he is not doing that. He is using a name other than what his corporation name is to present and promote his business to the public. Even if it is not illegal, IMHO it is very unethical.

CAM was originally a partnership between two people. Jeff ended up buying out the other guy or they just parted ways. Carolina Auto Masters was the name and has been the name since the beginning.

I seriously doubt its illegal. I used to work for a company that was 50 years old. But name was completely different than the historical name on the building. My checks had both names on it but customers only knew of the original name. They are still doing business the same way.

**BULLET_WS6** · 01-28-2008, 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by Sarge

From the owner of the Vette Creech destroyed.......
Terry Coley will attest with witnesses to the fact that Jeff gave him explicit permission to take the car for the weekend. This was for personal use. Jeff even told me in the presence of a witness that, "...I didn't want to look like an A**hole to the guy since he did the majority of the work on the car, so I let him take it for the weekend." Bad judgment, don't you think?

I was offered book value of $39,450 by Penn National. I broke off negotiations at this point based on lip service from Jeff:

1) Initially offered me keys to his Z06. I declined. How will this make things right? It only puts me at risk, and I know that I couldn't pay for the replacement of his C5R based Z06.

2) Said that he would pay my monthly payments until this was resolved. When I refused to accept his insurance companies offer, he said, "...well, I was going to send the payment to you, but now, these are funds that I cannot recover, so I took the check out of the mailbox." Yea, right.

Again, I went to his shop. He offered the Z06 and was going to write me a check then, but he **forgot** about it until after I left. (This actually occurred prior to 2 above, as the insurance offer was much later in coming).

How much something is worth is really dependent on what someone is willing to pay (see Barrett-Jackson auctions). To me, I have very little mechanical knowledge, so the rebuild would be labor intensive (but that's right, Jeff will only agree to his labor and parts); I'll let you do the math on the value of a Red 2005 z51 ATI D1SC Corvette with a $5,800 sound system with hidden antenna (required glass work), Corsa exhaust, Kooks headers, MSD wires, color matched handles, interior console, and spoiler.

As to everyone that thinks that I was a bitch and just wouldn't negotiate, there is a 2-way street here. The phone works both ways, Jeff. I haven't heard from you either. As for working with him, I saw the nice disposition that he had, but it is the words and actions that come from him that spell bad news. How do you trust again...he can man up to his mistake, maybe sell one of his 5 cars that I counted at the shop, and pay me a cash settlement so that I can go to a shop of my choice and have repairs done that are on paper.

Contrary to what some of you think, I just want my car back...no ZR1, no 2008 0 mile wonder...just my car. Again, this wasn't my fault. It isn't about dollar signs, but it is about a vendor being held accountable and putting his customer first. For those of you that don't believe this, think about it next time you go to complain to an owner about not doing something right. I don't think asking for honesty is asking too much.

nicely said

**Rob** · 01-28-2008, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by Sarge

Now the police report shows( undisputed from Jeff anyway) the accident occured on Monday morning and Jeff says he "made a mistake"......come on Rob.....this guy is a crook man....IMHO anyway...

The police report hasn't been made public. Jeff said Thursday, I would think that is disputed from him.

Arm chair quarterbacking without knowing the facts....

Both sides said things, who knows if either is telling the whole truth. I guess time will tell.

**Rob** · 01-28-2008, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by Sarge

Creech has changed his story now 3 times on other forums. 1st it was i didnt give the guy permission. Then it is I told him to drive it to leak test it. Now it is the guy took it home for the weekend and I fired him. So who is full of shit here guys....Jeff Creech is full of shit.

Also, I haven't seen him change his story from the original post on CF. It was the original poster that said he kept changing stories.

Whether its the case, nobody knows. That is strictly she said/he said so far.

**Rob** · 01-28-2008, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by Sarge

500 miles is a shitload of data logging. Jeff tells me he "hired badly".....no shit....there is no excuse and as he is not incorporated...just a DBA he really has his ass hanging out here with all his personal assets in play....lawyer will clean his clock....

I believe he said it could take up to 500 miles. So far, all we know is about 30 miles since that is where the accident happened.