Complaint Review: Fleet Services aka Americorp Fleet Maintenance Services - Houston Texas

In correction for error in reporting Nov. 2007 previous information expressly: Harris County Criminal Court record on owner Derek Earl McCracken: 10/05/2000 -Plead guilty to Deceptive Trade Practice (i.e., Texas Business & Commerce Code Chapter 17. DECEPTIVE TRADE PRACTICES 17.46(b)(16)). Deceptive Auto Sales: Odometer Rollback; McCracken served 2-yrs. probation. Note: In Texas this is an offense involving 'moral turpitude' (malum in se). This information was inexactly but unintentionally provided and is hereby retracted with apology and regrets to both Derek McCracken and Ripoff Report.

Robert may have missed or misguided the original author's (Sam Godfrey) intent. Robert's rebuttal model of "list" price vs. his (Robert's) cost, i.e. $750 and $350: In his (Robert) own example, Robert states that the $750 part price is the MSRP (Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price) or "list" price. However, the original complainant (Sam) argues that the parts "list" price (MSRP) he (Sam) personally obtained from the parts comany was $220.94. According to Sam Godfrey, Americorp Fleet Maintenance Services charged Sam $497.90; or 225% OVER the manufacturer's suggested "MSRP" ... not over Americorp's parts cost. (Are we to believe that Americorp's purchasing expertise is no better than buying automotive parts for resale purposes via paying full MSRP /"List" price upfront?). Expectedly Americorp (just as Robert's rebuttal reference claims for his own business practice) purchases parts at a discounted /"below" MSRP. Per Sam's complaint, Americorp Fleet Maint. Services not only profited from their actual margin (cost vs. MSRP), but additionally marked-up the parts over MSRP an additional 225%. Unless these particular truck parts are the rarest of parts, this charge 225% -not 300% above MSRP as claimed by Sam, could still appear excessive. Could the parts have been rare? According to the original complainant, he (Sam Godfrey) could have purchased the same parts at the MSRP of $220.94. Of course we could also believe that the complainant Sam Godfrey possesses superior parts purchasing leverage than this repair business (Americorp); perhaps Sam also holds a CPM (certified purchasing manager) credential in addition to earning a living as a truck driver. Please also consider this information: BBB report on Americorp Fleet Maintenance Services: "Based on BBB files, this company has an unsatisfactory record with the BBB due to unanswered complaint(s). The number of complaints filed against the company may not be as important as the type of complaints and how the company handled them. The BBB processed a total of 2 complaints about this company since the firm's BBB file was opened in February of 2006." Complaints Concerned Refund or Exchange Issues: 1 Outcome of the complaint - No Response: 1 Billing or Collection Issues: 1 Outcome of the complaint - No Response: 1 ID: 22006273 REPORT DATE: 10/18/2007 COPYRIGHT DATE: 2007 BBB of Metropolitan Houston ** zero company responses for the 2-filed complaints w/the BBB... According to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts website search: FLEET SERVICES INC PO BOX 682194 HOUSTON, TX 77268-2194 Status: NOT IN GOOD STANDING Registered Agent/Director: DEREK MCCRACKEN Harris County Criminal Court record on owner Derek Earl McCracken: 10/05/2000 -Plead guilty to Deceptive Trade Practice (i.e.,Texas Business & Commerce Code Chapter 17. DECEPTIVE TRADE PRACTICES 17.46(b)(16)). Deceptive Auto Sales: Odometer Rollback; McCracken served 2-yrs. probation. Note: In Texas this is an offense involving "moral turpitude" (malum in se). County Clerk Harris County Civil Court search inquiry: Americorp Fleet Maintenance DBA and Derek McCracken ETAL sued by N-Fab Inc.; opened 07-03-2006 under [Deceptive Business Trade] (Docket Number 868206). N-Fab Inc. 14925 Stuebner Airline Suite 300 Houston, TX. 77069 Thomas Fitcher Toll Free: 1-866-806-NFAB (6322) Phone: 281-880-NFAB (6322) Fax: 281-880-6325 Email: [email protected] In response to Robert's poor rebuttal attempt at making the case of high investment costs (i.e. "... investing millions of dollars in facilities and equipment...") it seems Robert or someone attempts to rationalize this company's charges based on seemingly imaginary capital assets expenditure; re the Americorp Fleet Maintenance Svcs. facility -most likely they rent a few service bays behind a pre-owned car lot on Kuykendahl Rd. w/o even displaying business signage that can be viewed from the main (Kuykendahl) road; and this owner's overhead doesn't seem, as Robert (?) suggests, to have the fixed costs of buildings or any substantial capital equipment assets (i.e. no owned real property assets listed for Fleet Services Inc. or Americorp Fleet Maint. Services (re Harris County Clerk real property and HCAD inquirey records search); re Derek McCracken real property search -homestad exemption (residence only). According to Houston directory assistance (11/12/07), there is no telephone listing for Americorp Fleet Maintenance Services (?). Harris County Appraisal District (HCAD) valid as of 11/7/2007 (Business Personal Property) Fleet Services Inc -16623 KUYKENDAHL RD: Furniture and fixtures 650.00 Machinery /other Equip. 7850.00 Computers 700.00 Misc. 1500.00 Total Market Value: 10700.00 **A total market value of $10700 is a far cry from millions of dollars in ... No Robert I'm not advocating for governmental intervention of free enterprise; however, consider this particular case appears to be what was likely ... standard business practice of taking exploit of this individual (Sam) needing vehicle mainenance services; could the company ownership's motivation have been unadulterated GREED? (Recall according to the complainant Sam's asking for resonability regarding his appraisal of "inflated" charges; that "She said this is the way we run our company!"). In summation ... caveat emptor!! P.S. Harris County Clerk assumed names search also revealed PARTS DISTRIBUTORS: owner/address; Derek McCracken 15110 Rose Cottage Houston TX 77069 (residence). P.S.S. A possible insider information source, a former corporate board director of Fleet Services Inc.: MARGARET COOKE 65 BRIER MEADOW HUNTSVILLE , TX 77320 936-291-6113

"I do not make a lot of money and what money I make I work REAL HARD for it! I have no idea where to go. I can not afford to hire a lawyer! I think maybe they are breaking the law by doing this. If they are willing to be reasonable all I want back is two hundred dollars of my HARD earned money. Most shop's mark up their parts by ten percent not three hundred percent!" First, no shop marks their parts up 10%. Nearly all mark them up 100%, minimum. Depending on the part, that you naturally left out of the post, along with make-model-year, the mark-up may be a whole lot more. I know of an ignition module for an Aurora that NAPA lists at $750. My cost on it is $350. List is what the customer pays me. Cost is what I buy it for. Let's play a game. How much does it cost you to run your truck? That will be called "cost". How much do you charge your customers for your services? That is called "resale". Is YOUR mark-up 10%? No? Of course not. If it was, you'd be out of business. Next, I know of very few who work very little for their money. This includes the owner of the repair facility who invested millions of his dollars to provide you with a place you can get your truck fixed properly at. Last, there is no law that governs pricing in this country. If that is what you want, please feel free to move to a Communist, or Facist country.