Not happy with a supplier

[Uncle Skip]

This is just sad. After more than 15 years of happily buying parts from Obsolete Parts in Oklahoma City, I will no longer be using them.
At Pate this year I bought, at the catalog price ($289.00) and without comment, a 1961-66 Ford core support, then as I was leaving the area I saw a sample on display for $275.00.
When I went back and asked for my discount the guy in charge got snooty and said it was mis-marked, instructed one of his guys to remove the sale tag, and refused to refund the $20.00 remarking instead that he would refund all of my money but he would not sell me the core support at the discounted, advertised price. Nothing more.
I guess they have so many customers they don't give a rats ass, but they'll never get another penny from me. I sent them an e-mail with my complaint and so far, no response.
From now on, I'll buy from people who appreciate my business..... and I did get the same core support from another vendor.

[slickmainer]

that's the beauty of being able to get the part from other places. that $20 mistake cost them $100s in future sales.

[The Big M]

I had a similar experience this week. I was looking for tires for the daily, and was really wanting to get the same tire I had before. Unfortunately they were discontinued and my regular tire shop only had two in stock. So I set off in search of two more, called just about every shop in town, and finally found someone who had 4! I was pumped and asked if he would just sell me two tires (I wanted to have the regular place mount all four). The guy got pissy and quoted me a higher price than the installed/balanced price. I thought that was odd, but had him hold two for me anyway.

After thinking about it for a bit, I decided to have this new place install and balance all 4 because the price was right and they were in town (the regular place is actually in Red Deer, about an hour and a half away). I was at work so I had my wife drop off my summer wheels to get the tires put on. The guy was rude to her and got pissy again, this time because I wasn't dropping off the car.

Finally, I get there after work (45 minutes out of my way), make sure the price is what was quoted, pay it, and head out to the shop to get the wheels.

They mounted the wrong tire. I knew it instantly. They mounted the "updated" version of the tire I requested, which is much less aggressive, softer sidewalls, etc. The brand and size was the same, but that's it! As it turns out he has 0 in stock of what I asked for, and no one in the country has any available. Then I'm informed it's discontinued. Thanks, knew that.

The price was really reasonable so I'm trying to decide what to do. Meanwhile, the guy is getting more indignant and condescending by the minute. He insists I got the right one, as it's the only H-rated tire he has in that size and brand. He shows me the catalogue, which, surprise, shows the discontinued tire (completely different tread pattern). I ask what the treadwear is on the new tire, and he shoves the catalogue at me, saying "Here, look, 400!". Again, that's the old tire. I know all about that one, as I've been running them since '05. Then he offered to dismount the tires if I wasn't happy, but somehow managed to do it in the smarmiest, most venomous way possible.

I too like to reward good service and don't like giving my money to jerks. Thankfully for him the other guy there was much nicer and more accommodating, so I decided to keep the tires. But I won't be going back there unless I have an issue with what I bought. That means no alignment from them, and I'll be getting tires for the sports car at the regular place. And those will easily cost 4 times as much as I paid for the tires on the daily, and they'll last half as long.

[Truckrat]

I recall an incident some time back with the Roddoors company and one of our members.
As was said, they were indignent and pissy about anything related to customer service.
I think it is sad that outfits that advertise in national publications would treat customers and potential customers who need to ask questions about a product concerning price and whatever else would act that way, but it has happened to me too.
It is like they think everyone should immediately know all that they know and any question you may ask just bores them to death.
I have bought items at Classic Auto Parts here in town and always been treated well.
I wish I knew which ever one of the guys who was the one that waited on Skip at Pate.
I would speak to him about his attitude with customers next time I visit there.
Sorry you had a bad experience with them Unc. TR

[Broncotom]

Gary I'll point him out to you next time I'm in town, I think you and I can take him?

[DukeRoche]

Never dealt with them but Skip's word is good enough for me. If he won't buy from them, then I won't buy from them. Customer service ranks right up there with youth manners towards adults and safe driving as one of the great lost arts.

[64 f100]

Sorry you had a bad incident with those people. When I've dealt with them, I've not had any major problems. Had you been up here, I would have let you have one of mine. I bought one and put it in my attic, forgot about it, and bought another not remmembering I already had one. I've had those in my attic for a few years now. Price on new stuff keeps going up. I need to invintory my stuff and keep a list when I'm going to a swap meet. I've got a fortune in parts around here. I know I don't ned it all, but I'm afraid to come off anything I might need later. I know I won't need wo 61/4 radiater supports unless I decide to build a 66 out of one. I've got two good used ones for those years also.

Rich

[Toyz]

Skip took it a lot better than I would have. Mistake or not, in most cases he is required to sell at the marked price, and most vendors would rather eat the difference than alienate a potential repeat customer, especially for that small difference. As i mentioned at Pate, the OEM style mirrors I bought from them over a year ago are already rusting, and have not been installed or exposed directly to the elements. It's another value of this forum; we can relate vendor experiences and judge accordingly.
On another note, that will be my last time to stay at Best Western Fossil Bluff. I travel enough to get pretty good treatment at BW, but this was an exception.
The young lady at the counter at check-in seemed to not particularily like her job. Two of our members had reserved a two bed room, and was given a single bed. Since my son was not able to make it , we arranged to swap rooms, and all was well!
Until Saturday evening, that is. I returned to the room to find just a trickle of water from the shower. I called the desk, and was told no one else had noted any problem, but she would check and get back to me. I put the plug in the drain, turned on the hot water, and lierally waited an hour and a half to get enough water to wet my heels. While basically sponge-bathing, I hear an attempt to enter the room ; no knock, just an attempt to enter, without success due to the security latch. I assumed it was maintenance, decided I would call down to complain and proceeded to start dressing. Repeat performance; door being unlocked, jammed against security latch with no greeting. Into the other leg of my jeans, security latch released with pressure, full intent of handling this up close and personal. It's a disheveled-appearing person with a rather wary look in his eyes at this point. He announces something about being the night manager, and I should have notified someone if I intended to stay past departure. I told him I was booked through Sunday, was very pissed about the lack of water, let alone the attempts to enter without announcement. He told me I was reserved only through Saturday morning, and had already checked out. He then addressed me by the name of the member who had indeed left that morning, and with whom I had swapped my original room. Ah, now I'm more irritated. I told him as far as I was concerned, he should have extended an apology to the other two members for his establishment's screwup.
Long story, but bear with me. I told him that when I originally found that the Best Western Roanoke was fully booked, I had booked a stay paid with HHonors points at Hampton Inn Alliance, but had opted to stay at Fossil Bluff since a large number of our group had booked there. He then became a little more agreeable, insisted that the water problem was due to hotel laundry, and would discount my stay- to a rate in excess of the original booking if I would continue my stay! He again addressed me as the departed member! Still irritated, I went down to check on my bill to see actual charges; the girl handed me the other member's bill. I told her to get my bill straightened out and that I was going to pack to leave. Repeat of attempted entry- "I thought you had left". I unloaded on him again, he said he would not charge me for Saturday, but there were no rooms available in the entire area. I told him he was incorrect as he had one available as of right now! I went down to check out, bill is now in my name with a credit for Saturday, but at full rack rate. I told her to get the "manager" , but she said he was unavailable. Yesterday, I was finally emailed a statement showing the discounted rate, and even in the right name! That's enough, next year it's Hampton Alliance, and I can walk to breakfast to make up for the biscuits and gravy.
Even with this experience, it was a great and memorable trip.Thanks to all, and sorry about the long rant!
Rich, glad to see I'm not alone; I come home and unload my goodies, and my son says "what did you buy another for", and he wasn't talking about the Slick that followed me home
Paul

[Frank Kelley]

Sorry about that Paul I guess I should have made it clear when I checked out what room I was actually in and that might of saved you some of your anguish. Paul I found me some mustang seats now I need a Falcon console you got one. I'm going to the Humble swap meet Sunday are you?

[Johnny Canuck]

Well I don't know who old truckrat is referring to but I had a similar incident with a company that made plastic headliners, Skip.
They told me that all ford truck owners were "Frugal".
Guess they were right.
But we ain't stupid, neither.

[banjopicker66]

I don't feel so bad about ranting over poor service from Totally Stainless then. Not quite the same, but still a case of making the customer pay for their mistakes.
I ordered the '65/'66 kit to replace all the screws, nuts and bolts, but they sent me the '61-'64 kit.
When I discovered the error, they would not ship me the correct set until they received the incorrect one, or, unless I would let them bill my credit card again - twice. They promised, of course, to credit the amount back, but would not ship the correct set merely upon my promise to send the incorrect one back.
They said they have been burned before by customers who so promised and didn't deliver, which I understand, but........, that is poor customer service.
Worse, I had to pay return postage for the incorrect kit, and pay additionally for shipping the correct kit to me.
I rather suspect that the difficult economy is trumping ethical behavior. The problem, of course, is not the economy, but people who find it easy to act ethically only when things are going well.
Fortunately, our own folks like Tom at Flashback F-100s and Rick at Carolina Classics are made of much stronger stuff.

[Toyz]

Sorry about that Paul I guess I should have made it clear when I checked out what room I was actually in and that might of saved you some of your anguish. Paul I found me some mustang seats now I need a Falcon console you got one. I'm going to the Humble swap meet Sunday are you?

Wasn't your fault by any means! I just hope they gave you a good rate after his failure to apologize to ya'll. He tried to blame it on the girl who took the reservation; I told him I felt she was more professional than he was. She just screwed up; he failed to act as a competent manager.
He told me he had twenty years with the major chains, I replied that I understood now why he was night manager at a Best Western, and not doing a very good job for them.
Anyway, it certainly didn't dampen my enjoyment of the trip. I ended up at another Best Western with a so-far proven record of doing everything quite well
I'm glad to hear you found the seats. I don't have a console, other than the (later design) one in the Cyclone, but will keep my eyes open. You might ask Fire Truck to do likewise, he plays with the Falcons also.
The hides I bought are of top quality; now I've got to figure what will get a buckskin interior!
Just returned from Kemah, not much there tonight! I will probably skip Humble,; i've got a tow truck to pick up in the next weeks and will probably catch some Heartland meets.
Paul

[Truckrat]

Wow Paul, sorry to hear about the snafu at Fossil Bluff BW. I have stayed there 3 times and the only gripe I have had was this last time when the little refrigerator in the room quit working and my beer and soda didn't get cold. Told the girl at the front desk about it when I checked out. Ben told me he and his dad and son booked at a LaQuinta just up the road for $75 a night. I will find out where and check on it. I would really like to stay in a little closer to TMS, but the rates go up quite a bit the closer in you get. Roanoke BW wanted to immediately charge my credit card for my entire stay when I tried booking over there several months before I would even arrive. Nuts to that! I am thinking next time I go down there I will do a search for places to stay online and drive by the hotels to check them out for future visits. TR

[Toyz]

Gary,
I just looked up the Hampton at Alliance that was my first choice. If I have the weekend right (first weekend of May), they are sold out already! I was looking to find the price range, but didn't find that either. Hampton will guarantee me a room with forty-eight hours notice (under most circumstances), but the price may be too rich for my blood! i'm going to verify the weekend for Pate, then see what I can find. I am hoping I happened on a NASCAR weekend rather than Pate.

Paul

[stronger66ratfink]

don't loose a good supplier over $20

call the next man up at OFP and have the "Snooty" bastard tarded and feathered!

[Truckrat]

Mike, I still go over there on occasion when I need something, but not on a regular basis. Lots of times I go with a member who is in town for a couple of days like Brian and Tom. Brian bought a headliner and Tom got a cab corner patch panel. I bought a couple of leftover hubcaps for a couple of Wheel Vintiques wheels I have. They only had two and offered them to me at half price. TR

[tomsrod]

A while back I ordered a part for my Fairlane from Obsolete Parts. I waited for two weeks and it never came. So I called them and was greeted by a clerk who acted very bothered by my call. She then told me they no longer carried the part and that someone should have called me. I told her I agreed that yes, someone should have called. She said it wasn't her job to make those calls and that she didn't know whose job it was. She couldn't have cared less about me as a customer. A lengthy letter to the company was not answered.
I will never buy from them again despite the fact that they are cheaper on a number of Fairlane parts. Now I've learned another Fairlane parts supplier, Dearborn Classics, has been bought out by Ecklers. I have no experience with Ecklers, but some in the Fairlane club have found them to be less than helpful with Ford parts. If I ever owned a company, I would do everything in my power to please my customers to make sure they kept coming back.

Pat

[Rusted64]

I had such mixed experiences with all the online vendors I have used in the past year on my build.

Here is a brief list.

LMC
Obsolete
Dennis Carpenters
Johns Fun F100
SNS Classics
Summit
Mac's
EZ wiring
Nostalgic Auto Air
Others I can't remember right now.

It seems I have had an issue with all of them at some point. In most cases, either I would call and they had horrible customer service, or wasn't able to get someone on the phone all together.

I does sometimes seem that customer service is dead. Almost like they have what we need, they know it and they don't care.

I do know that in my experience summit, Mac's and Dennis Carpenters probably has the best tech support and sales staff.

Just putting in my 2......



J

[6166 Junkyard Dog]

I know several times I have to eat it I I or Kathy made a mistake. or forget to bring it and then will send it since I did it and to make it right,, I would say about 98% of the time I would keep a cool part on when talking to customers,, you ask about the other 02% well lets say when someone confronts you with those 3 letters and just sits there and throws it your face Via by phone website or book well will just leave it there,,, I say....... and take it but some I think enjoy it........

[Toyz]

It's pretty competetive out there, when anyone can get on the web or eBay and become a retailer. I would hope that the vendors who make the extra effort, and, as noted, "eat a few" will be the survivors in the end. I don't know what changed at Obsolete, but there has been a landmark change, and I will shift to suppliers who continue to offer customer service, simply because they are the ones who need, and deserve, to survive.
I have had nothing but good dealings with Eckler, but often chose to use their direct competitor because, it seemed they were a little more costomer, and community oriented. Dearborn and Crites have both been high on my list in the past, but there are horror stories floating around about both.
It's the "W*lmarting of the world"! Now we are seeing the downside! The upside to me is the "great equalizer" of the web. Good vendors will continue to pop up and prosper, while knowledge of the "ripoffs" become highly disseminated.
I shop based on price, and have always felt that avoiding sales tax by utilizing an 'outside the state" vendor was a considerable savings, oranges against oranges. Seeing Obsolete's interchange with Skip has given me a new attitude: Having a vendor deliver in Texas, and pay no Texas sales tax, then attempt to (illegally) inflate the price, is not in my best interest. Pate had plenty of "Mom and Pop" vendors, who even though I may have done nothing more than make inquiries with them in the past, seemed to offer recognition and helpfulness. They , and local vendors such as speed shops, used parts emporiums, etc. will now be my vendors of choice.
LKQ is another good example; they have "standardized" the wrecking yard process, and now their prices are beginning to reflect their dominance.
Paul