I'm tired of these guys (Ecklers Corvette). They've continually fallen short of my expectations. Questionable quality...customer service...etc.

Anyone have the same experience? I'm thinking about ordering my stuff from someone else. I've ordered THOUSANDS of dollars worth of stuff from them over the years, have to return I'd say at least 1 out of 3 things I get from them. I'm gonna switch to using someone else from now on. What are my alternatives?

 

I've never ordered through Ecklers. Besides quality, what expectations have they fallen so short on?
As for alternatives, a few include Wilcox, Zip, and Corvette America. If there's something specialized you're looking for, such as chroming or paint services, I know the forum members can help out without issue.

 

Wow, that's a tough one... Let's see, Paragon Corvette Reproductions, Wilcox, Zip, Corvette Central, Al Knoch, Trim Parts, Keen Parts, Long Island Corvette, Vansteel, VB&P... heck there may even be a few more.

And yes I think a few have been disappointed in the afore mentioned folks at one time or another. Sadly because they may well be what kicked this hobby in the butt so many years back. They were definitely the go to folks back then. But times change.

Good luck... GUSTO

 

This is a sad subject for me, I grew up in Orlando would pop over to Ecklers a lot, in the late 70's - early 80's they were still corvette people, you could walk up to the desk and the fellow knew what you were talking about,

Ralph ( RIP ) might be there to BS with, if you were cool about it you could go around to the production shop and see the parts getting made and BS with those guys,

The last thing I bought from then was in 88 the last turbo wide body kit they had ( at the time )

Ralph sold the business and name and things changed it went from a company where the people there liked corvettes as much as we do to a pep boys or auto zone where the kid behind the desk or on the phone quit a lucrative job at the KFC drive thru to work in car parts,

They are hardy car people and not corvette people,

I am a big pain in the butt to people in business ask anyone I have bought from,
And the shining star I found was Willcox,

The man helps on here with tech, pictures videos etc with no concern of making a sale from it, not thumping his chest he owns a corvette shop, ( how many other vendors supporting or not do that? ) his drive is his love of corvettes, they got me parts that other places said no way, in most cases they are conceptive if not the best price and the best part is if the part isn't right or you have a problem Mr Willcox will do what he can to make things right.

I gotta get off some money soon for a bunch of stuff I don't want to buy but have to have so you know who I will pester.

 

I have used Ecklers for over twenty years and overall they have been good, I can remember two times when they have dropped the ball.
I just recently bought from Volunteer Corvette who gave me 15% off and free shipping (over $199) . Their in Tennesee , I ordered on July 25 and expected delivery is the 30th, not bad.

 

Ive only ordered a few little things from Ecklers like grommets and a storage comp button, nothing easily mishandled, but 90% of the time when I'm looking for a part I find another seller has it cheaper than Ecklers, like Corvette Central, Corvette America, Big City Corvette, Zip, etc. Never had any problems with Ecklers though, I'm just too cheap to buy through them.

 

I am not supporting Ecklers, as I have bought almost nothing from them....BUT, and I do not know this for a fact, but somebody does know this, and that is that almost all these parts come from the same manufacturer, whoever they are, wherever they are made, whether it is sold at Zip, Paragon, Doc Rebuild, Volunteer, Corvette America, Willcox, Baers, Keen or Mid America......I challenge anyone to argue that. There are some exceptions, but how many different manufactures could there be in reproduction C3 Corvette parts?? Not really a big market to have lots of competition. So all you really have left is price and customer service, but the products are most likely all the same.

 

Argue no, but you are painting a broad subject with a pinstripe brush,
there isn't one manufacture that makes ALL the c3 parts,

All of the places you named sell some parts unique only to them, one of them that I will not name I was under the impression he makes some/all of his seals, some sell crappy import stuff others only sell better parts.

I tried several places when I needed a #3 bird cage repair part and I was greeted with answers like "whats that" and "its not being made" but Willcox got me one....

 

I buy from Willcox for the simple reason Willcox is always on the forum and answering questions. That type of commitment to customers is priceless in my book.

 

I buy EVERYTHING from Willcox.... the ONLY exceptions are parts that they don`t hahdle.
And in those cases, I STILL call Willcox first, to check on it.
In one case I recently was surprised to find a spreader bar... that Eckler`s had on sale. Willcox doesn`t offer them, and other places were higher. So I ordered it from Eckler`s, and it made it in a couple days.

 

Looks like I'll use Wilcox for now on.

 

There's not enough time left in the day to answer this question.

 

I use all of them. I recently placed an order with both Ecklers, and from corvettecentral. Price was the reason. Its kind of like shopping for groceries, 1 store has a better price on bananas, but the oranges are more than the others. Also, Ecklers shipping is about the fastest.
Ive hd 1 disappointment with Ecklers, it was a damaged part incurred during shipping. But they made it right, and gave me a steep discount.

 

Over the past 6-8 weeks I've ordered about $5k worth of stuff. I checked the forum first, and that's how I found Wilcox.

I ordered most of the parts from Wilcox and have found them to be fantastic. I've spoken with them a few times and they always have great answers and customer service, and they called me when they didn't have line of sight into the exact part I ordered and provided a very acceptable alternative. I've been very impressed.

I ordered a few items from Eckler's that Wilcox didn't have in stock, or just plain didn't have. Eckler's was very good with their shipping, etc. No issues there at all.

To me, if a supplier is virtually equal in all ways, and one stands out by providing lots of self help videos, schematics, etc., and is on the forum helping with questions - - that is the supplier that will get the business from me whenever possible. Wilcox.

 

You are right Bats, I am making a general broad statement, but you also have to agree that some people are under the illusion that each of these vendors makes everything in their catalog, and they certainly do not. We could go through catalogs and list every one of the thousands of parts, and I bet that the majority of them are manufactured at the same place, and I don't mean one company makes all of them, what I mean is, for example, a given part, like exterior door handles are either Trim Parts, or ONE Chinese company making the others, TWO choices, and that's it. Those two manufacturers are distributed by ALL the vendors listed. There may be 10 vendors, but only two manufacturers. Same story for the thousands of parts available.

Obviously, a few vendors like Corvette America actually manufacture parts, like door panels, seat covers, interior plastic parts, etc. You can buy a door panel from Willcox, and it comes in a Corvette America box, or possibly Al Knoch.

I am making a sweeping generalization, but it is in contrast to people who think that each of these vendors are actually selling different parts from each other. I would love to know the truth behind this on each and every part, just for a matter of interest.

So to the OP question, I pick vendors that deliver what I expect. I bought the majority of what I needed at Zip...despite them being this evil company according to one of the other vendors that believes his medical license makes him the sole source and only provider of quality Corvette parts. Willcox and Corvette America also do a great job, and as quoted above, are very engaged in the Corvette world.

 

I have never had a problem with Eckler's and I can agree on the fast shipping on parts . Last year I ordered a new door skin and coming from Florida to Pennsylvania I was amazed that it showed up in two days in a huge box with plenty of protective packing at a very reasonable fee.

 

I use Volvette as well. Nice guys and have not had an issue.

 

It's all good,
You likely know how in the last couple years I had techs one a buddy of 30 years hose me but good so yeah, I am snarky and jaded on that whole subject which spills over into the parts world,

But the long and short of it for me is I happen to "trust" Erine Willcox

 

Willcox unless they don't have it.......