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BluePrint crate motors......buyer beware

keymonkey

Newbie
Joined
Feb 5, 2020
Messages
65
Hey all,

If you're looking for a crate motor for your Bronco be aware of BluePrint's warranty policy.

TLDR: I chose BluePrint and am now out thousands for my trouble.

I had a BluePrint crate motor installed in late September after my original gave up the ghost. Break-in period went off without a hitch so decided to take my 74 out of state for a car show (90 miles). No problems that weekend but on my way home, a mere 600 miles on the engine, a lifter seized and wore the cam. So I'm stuck on the side of the road for a couple hours waiting for a flatbed to bring my truck back to the shop that installed the motor (costing me a couple hundred out of pocket due to the distance).

The next day I call BluePrint and open my Warranty claim at which time I'm told they are super chill about claims and it should be resolved in no time. Two weeks go by without a peep from BP and a call or two from me with no status change. So my brother jumps on Facebook and posts that he loves his BP but his brother is not experiencing the same quality of product or service. I almost immediately receive a call and am promised my issue is escalated to the highest priority and I should have a solution soon. My mechanic confirms the cam wear and bad lifter, checks the oil filter and pan for shavings, on BP's request, and they ship some parts. My mechanic then sends in the estimate for installing those parts, and we wait, and wait, and wait. After a week of my "escalated to the highest level" issue still sitting idle, I call again. After a month of patiently waiting for them to go through their much touted Warranty service, I am no longer patient.

I tell them that my restored 74 is sitting in a parking lot in New England waiting for them to stand by their product, and I have waited long enough, I need a decision or I was going to be forced to start publicly talking about my experience with their products and services. Either approve the estimate or drop ship me a new motor and a check for installation. Once again, it takes public admonishment or the threat of it for them to take action. They reverse course and decide to ship a new motor and pay to have the old removed and shipped back. Great..right? Well...except they are not paying to install the replacement! So I now have to absorb the cost of installation because they put a janky lifter in my motor. I don't see how you can claim to stand behind your product but not cover the full cost of replacement when something goes wrong.

If you already have one and love it, that's great, but if you are shopping for a crate, I would think twice before spending hard earned money on BluePrint.
 

tasker

Contributor
all knowing of nothing
Joined
Jun 2, 2006
Messages
20,981
Loc.
NH
BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU of any help? Where in New England?
 
OP
OP
K

keymonkey

Newbie
Joined
Feb 5, 2020
Messages
65
I'm hoping a little bad publicity will get them to re-think the install coverage before I go the BBB route. I'm northwest of Boston
 

Brush Hog

Contributor
Jr. Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2022
Messages
144
Loc.
NorCal
Is your installer on their list of licensed and approved installers? Think that is what their warranty specifies for labor to be covered. I remember looking at that when I was deciding what route to go.
 

Wild horse 75

Sr. Member
Joined
May 9, 2023
Messages
394
Loc.
BC
Unfortunately coming from the auto industry this is far too common. Companies will stand by their product and replace it usually without too much fuss. But as soon as it comes to labour they bail. It ends up on the shop and customer to sort out.
 

Brush Hog

Contributor
Jr. Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2022
Messages
144
Loc.
NorCal
It’s not just the auto industry. Appliance and HVAC companies have been covering parts but not labor for many years stinging me with several labor bills due to crappy parts.
 
OP
OP
K

keymonkey

Newbie
Joined
Feb 5, 2020
Messages
65
Yeah....seems like despite it now being apparent that the pushrod/lifters were over torqued, that it is still on me to come up with this money to pay my installer; I don't know that my shop is in an approved installer list, but is is a Bronco builder with several BP engine installs under their belt. I just happen to know the owner who is gracious enough to squeeze me in to their schedule. I hoped that perhaps BP was more old school in their warranty where they return you to original spec but it does seem to be a larger movement to push installation costs onto the owner because what the hell are you going to do...not pay to install it?
 
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