All I can say is keep your cool and be nice!

If you happen to talk to an idiot clerk, call back in
twenty minutes and talk to another clerk.
Don't fight with the clerks!! They work for a paycheck
only and don't care about your fits of anger.
After talking to you, they'll put the phone down and tell all the other clerks about you and then you're really screwed.

Be polite, explain your self as best as you could, even if you have to do it four times with four different people.
Chances are that one will be understanding and willing to meet you in the middle somewhere.

It helps to talk about the Vette and the growl of the engine and nice sunny days of cruising before you politely request an exchange due to the builder of the part (that supplies the store you are buying from) having done a horrible job and needing a slap in the head.

Blame the guy who supplies the guy whom you are talking to and you'll have a great conversation......and most likely a brand new part!!

 

So I gotta spend 4-6 hours begging someone to do the right thing? I always do the first time I call. If I gotta call back then the company is inept.

SummerFun, thats my point they always offer to replace the part. Why can't they just build it right the first time? Thats the difference between a hobby and a profession.

How would you feel if you were in court for something you did not do and because your lawyer screwed something up he said
"Whats the big deal? I'll give you the next case for free?" or "I only messed up a little bit"
or the doctor says
"gee I'm sorry about that misdiagnosis but bring your one of your friends by and I'll make it up to you."

Unless we, the consumers, put pressure on these companies nothing will change. If Detroit would have built a quality car during the mid to late seventies Toyota's and Honda's would be collector cars.

 

Not beg! Just be polite. Either that or drive yourself crazy with frustration.

.[/QUOTE]SummerFun, thats my point they always offer to replace the part. Why can't they just build it right the first time? Thats the difference between a hobby and a profession. .[/QUOTE]

What percentage of time would you venture to guess that people get crap parts? I honestly don't know, but would feel that it is pretty low.
Otherwise they would get a really bad name really quickly....like "leyland".....and now I presume that I have stepped on some toes

.[/QUOTE]How would you feel if you were in court for something you did not do and because your lawyer screwed something up he said
"Whats the big deal? I'll give you the next case for free?" or "I only messed up a little bit" or the doctor says
"gee I'm sorry about that misdiagnosis but bring your one of your friends by and I'll make it up to you.".[/QUOTE]

Lawyers can get away with it as they have a million loopholes.
Doctors are simply not allowed to screw up!
Parts manufactures deal with metal and plastic.....

.[/QUOTE]Unless we, the consumers, put pressure on these companies nothing will change. If Detroit would have built a quality car during the mid to late seventies Toyota's and Honda's would be collector cars.[/QUOTE]

......why do you think they get paid 50c an hour in "some" car companies and a certain minumum wage in others? To cover the wage you need a higher turnover, I would guess again and therefore make them not last as long and use cheaper parts.

......now I've opened a can of worms

 

Jeeesh, I screwed up that post.....still haven't figured out how to answer a little piece at a time so it is not all one quote with several answers in the middle of it.....Sorry!

 

I've only dealt with 2 of those vendors.
Van Steel: I've sent my car to their shop 2 different times and bought gobs of stuff. Let's see: They've installed a polyfront end kit, trailing arms, motor mounts, radiator, elect cooling fan, I had my Bowtie tranny sent there, they installed it, headers, cam, MAD chambered exhaust, belts, hoses, a couple of rotors and a caliper.
I purchased a remaned diff from them and control rods. I got my full core value back on the diff and the TA assemblies. They do top notch work and I have every confidence that if you have a problem, they'll make it right. They are honest. If your core was in fixable condition, they'd give you full credit.

Mid America: The only thing I've purchased was the chambered exhaust. The only problem I am aware of is that they sent it to my house instead of drop shipping to Van Steel like I asked. I sent it up inside the car.

 

I've said it before and I will say it again. Vendor-bashing posts are a useless waste of bandwidth. Most are just isolated incidents with complicating circumstances of varying sorts. The real truth on both sides never comes out and both parties are left with bad feelings. With dis-interested spectators who know who the quality sellers really are and don't give a darn for a personal disagreement. Take the petty disputes off-line and resolve them in private. I do not know why the Forum allows these threads.

 

I appreciate the feedback. The people that do there own work seem to understand my frustration and the ones that don't, won't.

In closing every vendor listed offered to replace parts none offered anything extra for the additional labor and aggravation of doing it 4 times and returning parts and downtime in between.

1)Removal of old
2)Install of part
3)Removal of part
4)Reinstall of part

Since I'm doing a total frame on rebuild. Multiply that by at least 4 major systems in a Vette and 6-10 subsystems and you may start to understand that by the end I'm pizzed off.