3 Years ago I bought a full set of O ring calipers and Sports rotors from VB&P since the rebuild of my car was completed I have done 4000 miles so I was quite surprised when a caliper let go at the O rings. Now I live in UK so returning calipers and waiting while they were assesseed and replaced would take a long time and wanting to make the most of what is loosely called summer I thought I would order up a set of O rings and get the car back on the road ASAP.
So I go online and VB&P have O ring sets at a very reasonable $14.99 so I order 2 sets at 30 bucks, next day I get an email from them saying that shipping would be $47.02 and did I want to continue with my order (so what choice do I have!). I explain what happened that they had only done 4000 miles and that I was very dissapointed but in the interests of getting my car on the road I would take the hit. I had no further emails from them and today about a week later they arrived with a bill for a further $70 for tax and duty (we pay tax for shipping as well as the unit cost).

Therefore my bill for parts costing $30 that shouldnt have failed is $150
And now of course when you guys go on about American build quality I now raise an eyebrow and move on

 

Don't blame you for being pissed, I would be.

 

Could they have not been sent in regular mail a lot cheaper? I don't know much about over seas shipping but that is just rediculous. I don't blame you for being pissed. Could one of us here bought them and just mailed them to you without all the taxes and duties. I'm sure anyone here including me would help you out on that.

 

Thanks guys I appreciate your sympathy, but my priority was to get the vette back on the road ASAP and $15 for new O rings didnt seem to be too big a price to pay for that.

Its their lack of caring that their product should fail after 4k miles and their minimum shipping charge. BTW there was also a $5 surcharge for what I dont know.

Graeme

 

Ever own a Jag?

 

So what your saying is, you whine about US build quality because of your country's habit of screwing you on tax and duty charges, as well as pretending you don't know how much it is for shipping?

How European.

I have a suggestion. Sell your car to an American and you won't have to deal with our awful country.

 

My father had a Jaguar garage and he ran them all his life, great cars, they had their faults like many others, but still great cars. My point is that VB&P produce an after market part thats meant to solve a problem in the oriinal C3 vettes that fails after a few miles. You can get after market parts for Jags as well!

 

No I whine about US build quality because this comes from a much vaunted after market part maker thats meant to solve the problem with the original vette brakes and the excessive shipping charges for some O rings that weigh next to nothing, not to mention the 'surcharge'. I also explained the problem to them, i.e. failing after 4,000miles and all I get is silence! The excess tax is a consequence of the excessive charges.

I didnt say your country was awful, I have spent a lot of time there both working and for holidays and enjoyed it. Like you though I dont like being ripped off and thats what my post is about, not nationalistic jingoism.

BTW I'm not European, I'm Scottish and proud of it, just as I am of my vette!

 

That does suck that your o ring failed, was there a warranty? I didn't think you should have called out the American built deal. You should expect to take some backlash for that.

 

Fuel surcharge maybe.

 

Perhaps the O-ring failed due to excessive run out? Might be a bearing problem and a rebuilt caliper will only Band-aid the real problem.
Just a thought...
I bought my calipers from VB&P too, my core credit hadn't come for 2 months! Then after a phone call to the right person, I got: "Oh!, it's right here on my desk! I'll be doing it today" Hmmmmm.

 

Yes I suppose you are right, but in fairness there are some here who bang on about it...a lot!

The problem with the warranty is that I would have to return the calipers, they would then refurbish them and return them to me. Timescale a conservative 8weeks, perhaps? So my car would be off the road for most of the summer. Just taking the hit and buying the O rings seemed to be the quickest way forward. BTW they arrived yesterday so you know what todays job is.

 

Dont get me going on that one. Fuel is approaching $4 a litre here

 

No excessive run out, new rotors bearings etc at time of rebuild and not rebuilt calipers but brand new.

There does seem to be an element of confusion, lack of organisation/direction in VB&P I have seen many similar comments on here about core charge credits here and I have to say it was with this in my mind that I decided to take the hit and just order O rings.

Anyway guys I had my rant and I took some flack for the 'American build quality' quote and rightly so. To those I upset I apologise, maybe it was one too many glasses of wine last night but you can see where my frustration comes from.

Be safe.

Graeme

 

VBP, apparently ain't what it used to be, and were not getting the real story, as usual. Bet it was sold to a group of bean counters who don't know a trailing arm from a leaf spring. The people who have integrity won't talk about a co. they just 'left'. You just don't stop monitoring a vital sales channel out of the blue. I would bet if the 'old' staff was there it would have been in the mail to you in a envelope. Speculation on my part, but with no word from them, who knows??? I would say, try to establish a report with a known good supplier here, like Van Steel? those guys know there way around a 'Vette.

 

I understand where you’re coming from however; Americans get very tired and defensive when we are constantly bashed. We are the ones who are continuously "ripped off" by the rest of the world; just review the news on any given day. Then at the same time look at how many enter this country in contrast to those who depart. And when others come in they act and behave in any manor they would like knowing this country has the freedom that tolerates it. And we "Americans" are exspected to provide apologies for who we are.

The parts are just that, a part, like any other mechanical item that can and will fail. The stock parts have lasted many miles with out modification.

If your father had a jag shop then you are very familiar with the “Prince of Darkness” and the over priced repairs and engine rebuild. Is that not the reason any long living Jag has a Chevy under the hood?

Any time you import a car especially a classic or special interest car a high cost will be involved.

I have not witnessed any type of contempt for foreign members and in fact I have read nothing but praise and appreciation for those who live out side this country that enjoy the Corvette.

 

People wine and moan about american quality, but.....



I drive a 1976 corvette (not known for reliability, like all sports cars), that is older than me, and all that has been done to it is a tranny rebuild, and new brakes. It has well over 100,000 miles on the clock, and everything is original. Show me a honda that can make that boast, or a nissan, aston martin, jag, what have you. And let me tell you, mine wasn't babied. When I did the tune up, I found FORD sparks plugs in it, and they were so loose they coulda fallen out. Thing has been through the ringer, and it still runs strong.





Now, on the origional topic, you gotta handle this the way we americans handle it. It's all these new company managers know. As someone else said, all the old companies in this country are going through a changing of the guard. The folks that started them are retiring or dying, and they are leaving it to some snot nosed, ivy league punk who has never put in a hard days work in their life. Look at Walmart. Sam would roll over in his grave if he saw what was going on. Walmart used to be one of the best places to work for in this country, and now it's one of the worst, and for nothing more than greed and incompetence.

So do what we do. Treat them like the scumbags that they are. Call them, and harass the management. Call, and ask for their corporate office number. I promise you, you can get a brand new caliper out of this.

 

Graemeinvette , shipping sounds like a big PITA for you.. next time contact a forum member and have them ship it to you....

 

I was reading the post and thought this info. may help some of the International Corvetters.

When ordering, it is best to have some info. in your pocket. I know and believe that the company you are ordering from should know this info. and tell you about it, but that does not always happen. I am familiar with alot of this because I have been shipping product Internationally for over 25 years.

When ordering, tell them to ship via the Post Office. If the product is light enough, the postal service is the least expensive method. The USPS has actually stepped up their services to compete with FED-X and UPS and shipments can be processed on line with tracking capability now. They have Priority (which typically takes about 4-6 days) and when processed online, you get a tracking number. Sometimes the info. is not posted on the USPS website quick enough and you will get the shipment before the info. is posted, but this number is good to have for tracking if the shipment is lost or for any claims purposes.

IMPORTANT: Ask the supplier to mark the postal document AND the invoice that the parts are for an Antique Corvette or that the parts are and for restoration of an Antique Corvette/Vehicle. This helps with the duties and taxes.

Sometimes suppliers are asked to make the parts no charge on the invoice. This is not a good request because of insurance purposes. But the statement that the parts are for an Antique Vehicle will sometimes helps

When the parts are heavy, sometimes you have to go with UPS or FED-X and hopefully they will go with a service/delivery time that is not too expedited and will be least expensive for you.

Just wanted to put in my .02 and maybe it will help some of you out in the future.

Pattie