American Pasquali - Jack Speake

[svcguy]

Just a warning to other Pasquali owners about American Pasquali, owned and operated by Jack Speake. Jack is still accepting orders from customers, insists they prepay for parts, then doesn't deliver them. I sent Jack $1500 for parts, waited 5 months before getting the local Police Chief involved, then received a partial shipment of nothing but junk. After repeated attempts to recover the rest of the parts owed to me, I have been advised by the local Police to contact the Newport District Court and file a civil claim against Jack. This is not an isolated incident, others have been advised to do the same. If you have been taken advantage of by Jack, the Wilmot Police Chief has advised us to file civil claims against him. You can contact the newport district court at 603-863-1832 and they will forward you the paperwork to file. I doubt any of us will see our parts, but we may be able to stop his deceptive business practices.

All the best,

Tom

P.S. It may be worthwhile to consider a class action lawsuit, as it is impractical for all of us to travel across the country to appear.

 

[smb]

Thanks for the heads up. I had spoken to him months ago about buying clutch parts but decided to wait. Glad I did. Good luck with getting parts or $ back. My experience with similar situations have not had happy endings. If you win a judgement you better hope he has assets or it will be for naught. Anyone else out there with problems with Jack?

 

[ponderingjunkman]

The following account is one side(mine) of the story. If Jack would like to respond, I welcome it- maybe I am wrong on my viewpoints.

Alright- here is my experience with Jack thus far. Made contact with him in July- he told me about a loader he had that would fit my newly acquired 462e, and said he had a manual. I sent out the check for $60 for the manual(shipping included). August rolls around- no manual yet, but another trip puts us close to Jack's place, so we make arrangements to see that loader. We end up buying 4 wheels and tires, also make a deal for various 3pt parts that my machine is lacking. We get the tires loaded, and grab what 3pt parts are loose. The balance- he says- will be shipped to us "next week" after he gets them off the parts tractor. "Along with the manual too, right??" I say. Yes- that has to be picked up from the printer "next week" he says.

September arrives. No manual or 3pt stuff. However, we get extra money from a good job, so we decide to spring for the loader. So arrangements are made to go pick it up(we are 4 hrs away from him) on Sept 26. He is to have a crack welded in the frame of the loader, a lift cylinder rebuilt, and all new hoses made up.(The tractor this was on was on fire) He says 2 weeks will be enough time to prep everything, I gave him 3 weeks, called him on the first.(yes, i have records of all this)

We get there, the cylinder is not rebuilt "but it was tested good". No new hoses made- and 5 were burnt and unusable. Frustrated at this point, but we went and took the remaining 3pt stuff we were owed off ourselves(we means my dad and I- Jack just sat and talked&talked&talked). But when it came time to settle up- I say "what are you going to discount for not keeping your word?" Wouldn't hear of it!! "I'll make you up the hoses and send them to you". No manual yet either!!

Which brings us to the present. A month ago, he said he had to go pick up the hose. Now he won't respond to email or phone calls. I don't expect to get anything out of him.

Conclusion: If you can go to his place, have what you need in hand, and then pay him, you MAY not have a problem. I would not send him any money! You may never see it or your stuff! In my experience, He can NOT be relied upon to follow thru.

Why is this?? -The following is not a personal attack, just observations on the situation: He has health problems and bad knees- he has a hard time moving around. He had calls while we were there from people asking for money. He talks bad about others to us- total strangers. He seems depressed and lonely. I feel bad about the whole thing from a humanitarian standpoint. I feel bad for him, yet shouldn't a grown man know what is bad business? Sad, really!

I chose to deal with him in the first place mostly because of what others on this board have said about him in the past. He seemed decent! Hopefully others will not have to put up with this in the future...

Again, if I am in the wrong with any of this, I invite Jack to respond- I would like to come to an agreement!

I just want my manual and the hoses!!:confused2:

 

[JoeZZ]

I waited a very long time (6 months) for "in stock" parts from Jack. I ended up numbering the emails and not being so nice about wanting what I had paid for.

Over the last 3-4 years I have spoken with many others in the Pasquali world and basically the stories all read the same. Send money and get no parts, only excuses.

Luckily these guys Pasquali tractor parts, North American Pasquali dealer, Pasquali tractors, Italian Tractors have stepped up to the plate and are now what I would call the go to guys for Pasquali parts in North America.

I have done business with them and will continue to do so in the future.

Joe

 

[wdchyd]

Wow, I saw this name and it jumped out at me....

I met Jack when he bought out an old defunkt hyd repair shop that he was selling off in pieces.....(previously PMA Hydraulics, Antrim NH)

He came to my shop a few times but haven't seen him in 3 or 4 years....

Sorry to hear this news about his business dealings.....

 

[msjanket]

Jack Speake is his own worst enemy. I was recently in the market for a used Pasquali tractor and Jack had, had, mind you, a 988 in stock. I asked him to send me some photos of what he had. Nope, no camera. He gave a cursory description of what he had, essentially he was not lavish in his description, almost annoyed. I then offered to buy and send him a digital camera so he could send me pictures, as well as help him in his business by sending pictures to potential customers. No dice. Never heard from Jack again. Recently, just recently, emailed him again. No reply.
Jack has severe psychological problems, I'm sure of it. He's incredibly self destructive. Most people who deal with him feel very sorry for Jack, he's cordial on the phone, but there is nothing behind that front he puts on. I've done well, extremely well, with Mr. Tom Brach in British Columbia, Italian Tractors. Tom is a gentleman and has poured profuse amounts of information my way. I can't ask for anything better, Tom sets the standard for courtesy, service, and TRUTH. A true credit to those of us who are around Pasquali equipment or wish to be. Thank goodness that Tom is around, there are simply no other places to go for parts/info. Let's all say a silent prayer for our Jack Speake, a victim of some things that have not gone right for him. Many of us have tried to help him, but Jack has some inner angst directed at himself and it just prevents him from realizing his potential, and Jack is knowledgeable. 'Tis a sad situation. Jack, straighten up and fly right......please.

 

[smb]

msjanket, are you still looking for a 988? Mine is for sale but it needs a clutch as it seems to lip in higher gears. Otherwise its in decent shape.

 

[mpilihp]

Hi all, yes I too have had problems with Jack, I sent him over $600 for clutch parts and recieved nothing. He isnt too far for me to drive so I took a day and went down, met up with my brother in law who lives about an 45 min from Jacks and we headed over. Went by and he wasnt there, his wife said he was on an errand. We went to get a bite to eat and came back and he was there. In person he was nice enough, I told him I wanted my money back adn he said he would send a check on Tuesday.. (Monday was a holiday) I said no way, saw some decent wide flotation tires and bartered to get those as payment. So I didnt get a clutch but got some nice tires and rims.

As someone else said, go in person with cash and buy if you can leave with the item then. I think he is in major financial trouble and is taking money for orders to pay off other bills..

Also, while I was there Jack had a really nice 988 for sale, I think he was asking $15K which is way to much for one to me even as nice as it was. IE could get a fairly new JD for that much.

 

[JoeZZ]

mpilihp,
I meant to ask you when we were working through the clutch issues on your Pasquali...but I forgot.

Since you've been to Jack's to pick up parts, what is your impression of the quantity/quality of the inventory that is there? Are there salvage tractors...bins of parts...mountains of fenders or what? As a curiosity, I'm trying to get a mental picture of it all.


Thanks,
Joe

 

[ponderingjunkman]

Let me preface the following by saying I am not the most organized , BUT, I am not posing as Pasquali's national distributor!

I have been to Jack's place. It is a mess! The place directly reflects on his business practice. There are parts strewn around outside, a couple of tractors and various bits laying all around in the rain, no organization or effort to the arrangement. Sad. Tools laying around rusting, parts rusting. The shop building is equally messy, a couple of tractors in various states of disassembly, with thick layers of dust on them- been that way for a while. Hope they aren't some customer's machines... There are parts and tools scattered about, no organization to anything. Truck and mower and other parts here and there in the mess- forgotten projects left haphazardly. SOme parts bins were in view- but couldn't get close to them due to the clutter. A lean-to around the side was full of stuff just thrown in.

When it came time for him to find us parts, they were located in various little sheds and corners of the place- but half of what we needed couldn't be found- again, no organization.

All this makes me wonder why Pasquali has anything to do with him! Why don't they toss him? They must not care about the US market one bit to put up with his antics! According to jack, he is the only source for parts- thank goodness for Tom up in BC!