Dream car nightmare: Woman says local shop ruined her car
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- After saving and searching for years, Bakersfield resident Gina Velasquez was able to find her dream classic car, a 1959 Chevy Impala.
Velasquez said the car was drivable and in decent condition, but needed some upgrades such as power steering, power windows, air conditioning, new upholstery, some body work and a new paint job. In October 2009, she took the car to Monaco Upholstery and Restoration on Weedpatch Highway to do the work.
According to Velasquez, the owner of the shop, Ramon Cervantes, told her he could do complete the work on the car in eight to 10 months for $22,000 and wrote out a contract. Velasquez paid $10,000 up front to start the work, and would pay another $6,000 over time.
However, when Velasquez would stop into Monaco during the time the car was getting worked on she said she didn't see much being done. "I had seen at first they were sanding it down, but that's as far as it gone," she said. "I kept going back and noticing parts were missing, more parts were missing."
Velasquez said the 10 month deadline came and went and the car was nowhere near being finished and, in fact, was completely torn apart. After more than a year of the car being at Monaco, Velasquez tried to take the car back but said Cervantes refused. She had to call the Sheriff's Office to get the car back, which she did but in pieces.
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