This very true. If it is in a shop with LLC after its name you will only be able to go after the shop, not any one there. LLC's are created to give the owners personal property protection from this very thing. So the owner could have a garage full of Original HEMI cars, might own a 1000 acre spread worth millions and you can not touch it.
Then there is the other side of the coin. You sue him, costing you x amount of legal fees, of which if you win will be reimbursed for. But guess what, you only have a piece of paper saying he owes you, the famed judgement. Good luck collecting on it.
We got ripped off to the tune of 21K a short while ago. The guy admitted he stole our money, even started making payments to us. But he has fallen on hard times.....again. Have talked to an attorney about him, and the attorney told me that he will gladly go after him for us. Going to take a 3k retainer, plus anything additional he spends. But he warned that "you can't get blood from a turnip". He opened a filing cabinet containing all the judgements he has won........of which 95% remain uncollected. Which is why when some of the folks on here start the sue sue sue chant when someone gets ripped off for $300 I damn near p*ss my pants laughing......Some folks need a reality check....