About 8 months ago (october) I orderd a set of O-ring piston calipers from them aas well as new pads, rotors, and an e-brake kit.

It took about 6 weeks for it to get delivered. By that time I had torn out the interior and couldn't have the brakes installed until the interior was finished. that was about a 6 week project, mostly waiting for parts.

So in December I was finally able to have the brakes installed by a reputable shop in town. The shop told me that the right front caliper was leaking and it needed to be replaced. So I called Vettepartsonline and told them about the problem. He insisted that the shop didn't install it correctly because the O-ring pistons don't leak. I told that to the shop and he said that it is installed correctly and he can not get all the air out of it.

My first mistake- I trusted vettepartsonline! So I decided to take the car to a corvette specialist to have them look at the brakes. The new brakes seemed to work ok so I never did anything- that was my second mistake.

Now about 6 weeks ago I took the car to a Corvette specialist to rebuild the front suspension. I told them to look at the right front caliper. Not only was it defective and leaking it didn't even have O-ring pistons!!! nor were any other calipers on the car.

So I basically ended up paying $250 plus labor and trading them 4 working stock calipers for 3 working and 1 bad.

When I found this out I called them immediately. They said that I must have ordered a "restoration grade" set, not the "Caliper 2000". I explained that I never wanted nor asked for stock brakes.

While not admitting to a mistake or apologizing, he agreed to replace them.

I asked when they could be shipped out, he said he would call back and let me know. He never called back so I called again. He said they will ship out friday. So I asked for a tracking number and he said he would call back with one when he had it.

Friday came and he didn't call, so I called again to make sure they were shipped out he said yes and he would get me a tracking number the next week.

After 10 days he hadn't called and the brakes didn't show up. So I called to see what was going on. When he answered he acted like he had never talked to me!

I spent quite a while on the phone with him and he looked up the paperwork and said it was my fault for not reading the invoice or inspecting the brakes. (it was my fault that I trusted him) I tried to explain that I couldn't have possibly asked for the "restoration grade" because I have never heard of such a thing and tried to explain that when I called I wanted to make it clear that I was getting a very specific type of O-ring claiper. He cut me off and wouldn't hear anything I had to say.

He said he would see what he could do and call me back. Two days went by and he never called, so I called him again. He offered a "deal" if $40 each plus shipping. Because he is the only person in the world who has these type I hesitantly agreed. I also agreed to pay for second day air because I had planned on having the Rear suspension rebuilt and there wouldn't be any additional labor to install the new calipers.

That was Thursday July 8th. The Car was scheduled to be in the shop Monday the 12th. The brakes didn't show up monday. So assumed he waited until friday to ship them so I wouldn't get them until tuesday. Tuesday they still weren't there. So called wednessday morning asking if they had shipped, he said yes and he would call back in a few hours with a tracking number. He never called back so I called latter that day and there was no answer.

Thusrday I called asking again for a tracking number and he said he'd call back in a few hours with it. An hour had gone by so I called again because of his history of not calling back. There was no answer. I called latter, and he siad he would call me back with the tracking number in a few hours.

At that point I got very demanding and asked why he can't give me the number. He said I'll tell you what I'm gonna do- I'm tired of you whining, I'm just gonna recall the shipment then he hung up on me.

Meanwhile my car is in the shop taken apart waiting for the brakes.

I checked my credit card and he Charged $243 the week before.

Saturday I got an invoice in the mail with a ship date of Wednessday July 14th.

I checked with the credit card company and he didn't credit my account!

I have called several venders looking for these brakes, but only he sells them. Several venders are aware of him and can not do business with him for the above reason. One vendor told me that Vettepartsonline has had to change there name 8 times in the last 15 years because of their reputation.

Do I have any legal rights?

It's really a shame that he has developed such a great product, but it isn't widely available because he can't be honest or get along with people.

So I have been screwed out of about $400 (the brakes + labor + repairing the defective caliper)

IF you choose to buy from him be very careful! bad parts, bad person.

~Jay

 

Contact your credit card company. They are usually pretty good about covering you on merchants that fail to provide what you paid for. BTW, I've been very pleased with vette brake products.

 

I have to agree here.
VBandP are about the best your gonna get.
and customer service is more than you exspect.

 

They're well known here under the various names. Your experience is about the same everyone else has had with them.

 

caliper 2000 ... isn't that ... [insert scary tune here] FLORIDA CALIPER ????

I would call the credit card company. Good thing you posted it here, I hope it costs them quite a bit of business.

 

Vette Brake and Muskegon both have o ring calipers, I believe.
Not sure what is so special about the vettepartsonline calipers, anyone care to explain?

~K

 

ITS THE NAME, THE NAME I TELL YOU

CALIPER 2000, Sounds fast to me, or is it EXOTIC

 

I'm sorry to hear about your misfortune. I hope you are able to get it taken care of.

I couldn't have been happier with the service I recieved from Tony at Vette Brakes. You should contact him for your replacement O-ring calipers.

 

I agree with the others, call your credit card company, they will act on your behalf.

 

Let be be clear...

This is not Vette Brakes and Products that I am talking about! Vette Brakes and Products has an outstanding reputation for customer service on the forum. I have not ordered from them , but only hear good things about their service.

This Florida Bassed company www.vettepartsonline.com is te one I am talkling about.

What makes there piston so special is how it is machined. It is designed so that the o-ring expands when th piston retracts. I have been told that this design works much better than some of the other o-ring designs that are available.

~Jay

 

Do a search on florida caliper when the archives are back up...there's some interesting reading there

 

Jay M,

I have read your story and we here at Vette Brakes & Products are going to help you out. We will ship you a set of our PATENTED O-Ring Calipers tomorrow if you want. Corvette Forum Members account for a large portion of our business and we hate to see you in this kind of a situation. We will give you a very special price so you can get your Vette back on the road where it belongs. CF members, this is for Jay only due to special circumstances.

Tony
VBP

tony@vbandp.com
800-237-9991

 

Now THAT is what I call a good deed

 

I don't know Tony, Jay seems to be bamboozled by the crook and his product...

 

Hats off to VBP for being so kind and making such a generous offer

 

By going out of there way for like this for somebody that's not even their customer, VBP will have my business from now on! Way to go Tony.

 

You guys are awesome!
A company who I have never bought from is offering to make up for for another company's poor service!

Thank you Tony.

~Jay

 

now that's what i call a supporting vendor!!!
way to go vbp!!!

 

I told you Tony was great.

 

they've got good stuff as well....I like mine!