CHOCTAW, Okla. (KFOR) – X Power Racing Engine has been working on a 2006 Pontiac GTO since March 2021, but the family who owns the car says they haven’t been given any updates since early this year and are now unsure if the shop even has their vehicle anymore.

News 4 first talked with Parker Roberts in December 2022. He explained X Powering Racing Engine lacked communication and then ceased altogether shortly after his interview aired.

“We’ve tried to get in contact with them, try to go up there. Nobody’s ever up there. We’ve tried to text them. I mean, my mom, brother, myself. No replies, no text backs, no nothing. We just really don’t know what to do because, you know, we’re just trying to get my car back,” said Roberts.

In December, Roberts told KFOR his family planned on fighting the charges because they felt as if waiting nearly two years on repairs was outrageous.

X Power Racing Engine Owner, Justin McDaniel told News 4 in December, “His car is almost done and ready to be delivered. We had some parts delivery issues due to Covid. And loss of labor help due to Covid. We have been chronically under manned at the shop and doing everything possible to get his car finished.”

McDaniel told KFOR Roberts’ car would be available before the new year.

He said the repairs and labor would cost Roberts in the ballpark of $1,200.

News 4 asked McDaniel on December 31 about the car being picked up. He said, “They plan to fight the charges. So I’ve been inclined to contact my lawyer to confirm my legal rights on getting paid for services rendered vs. putting a lien on the car.”

After reflecting on the situation, Roberts said they were willing to pay whatever it’d cost to get the car back.

“We agreed to pay him money, and, I mean, he seems to have no interest to do anything with it besides just not say anything. So, I mean, we’ve agreed to pay the money, get it fixed, or just get my car back as a roller. That means no engine in the car. That hasn’t happened,” said Roberts.

Text messages provided to News 4 show other family members reaching out to McDaniel for an update.

McDaniel told Roberts’ brother he stopped working on the car once News 4 aired a story.

“I don’t want his car. I don’t want any issues. I just want to be past this and move on,” said McDaniel.

McDaniel said $675 would make him and the Roberts family even.

According to the text messages shared with News 4, McDaniel stopped replying to the family on January 9.

“It’s crazy. I mean, I just don’t know what to do. You know, I’m still paying on it every month. My parents are paying insurance on it,” said Roberts.

Roberts has dropped by X Power Racing Engine in Choctaw several times, but he said he has never seen his car in the lot.

“It’s not even in the lot. It’s not in the storage container. Nothing. We don’t know what’s inside because he’s never there for us to try to go inside or talk to him. We don’t know where my car is at or what he has done with it,” added Roberts.

Because Roberts hasn’t been able to recover his Pontiac GTO, his family has been forced to buy another car for $7,000.

“We’ve had to put that money out as well so I can get back and forth to work and make payments on my car,” stated Roberts.

X Power Racing Engine did provide Roberts with a loaner truck, but Roberts said it had a multitude of problems and he was concerned about breaking down on the side of the road. He also said his family put in a good chunk of money to repair the truck.

That loaner truck was returned to X Power Racing Engine on August 6, according to text messages.

When Roberts returned the truck to McDaniel, he was hoping the two could exchange vehicles.

With several text messages to McDaniel and zero response in months, Roberts said he feels like he’s out of options and now has to hire an attorney.

“We would love to just get my car back and say let’s go our own way, but I mean, at this point, there’s nothing really else we can do besides actually look for a lawyer to try to see what we can do,” said Roberts.

Meanwhile, McDaniel has been tied up in at least three small claims cases this year.

Two are for indebtedness greater than $5,000 and one is for indebtedness less than $5,000.

All three Oklahoma County cases were ruled as a default judgement, meaning the Judge or court ruled in favor of the Plaintiffs because McDaniel either failed to respond to a court summons or did not appear in court.

The Roberts family said they will continue fighting to get their car back. In the meantime, Roberts wants people to “be careful” when working with X Power Racing Engine because it could result in being without a car for “years.”

News 4 called and texted McDaniel on Monday. The text didn’t go through and the phone call immediately went to voicemail.

News 4 also called the shop, but it rang for 45 seconds and no one answered. We stopped by X Power Racing Engine Monday morning, but the parking lot was empty.