buyer beware

[stevey]

a word to all you propspective or current builders on the quality of the parts/ services we have to purchase. I have been building for close to 2 years and : m nearing completion but after another wild goose chase this weekend I felt it time that I shared some of the questionable service I have endured. First I need to let the reader know I have spent close to 30 years in the service industry and long ago got used to being read the riot act if any promises or deadlines, I or my colleagues, may have missed so why if we are spending a fair chunk of our disposable income on our toy do we allow suppliers to "jack" us around so much? let me illuminate - day 1 decided on kit, contacted supplier, arranged delivery and paid 50% deposit (about 2 grand) and waited and waited chassis turned up 8 weeks late and when checked it was welded wrong on the scuttle so that chassis was sent back and another arrived a week later, assembly started- numerous parts missing, more shouting down the phone got parts delivered, body panels arrived a further month later and were crap! cost me a fortune in body shop hours to get them right, placed an order for fuel tank etc with same clown, again jacked about I finally went to the works 7 months later and siezed the outstanding parts and finished them off myself. Now if this was isolated to the crap kit supplier hey my fault, right? WRONG!!!! tried to order wheels, promised delivery slipped by 4 months until I got fed up and went to a 2nd supplier who again jacked me around (I was trying to break the spiral and not fit Halibrand replicas) in the end got so fed up went to Image and wheels sorted instantly! ordered gauges which needed adapters to fit Rover, took 3 months of back and forth between me and supplier before all adapters were right, opened up fuel filler from same supplier, wrong fitting bolts, more phone calls, lights ordered from same supplier arrived wrong and broken, you know the score by now more phone calls and more parts sent back and forth-- the icicng on the cake here was 5 months after I gave up dealing with them I got a letter threatening legal action for an outstanding debt of 5.77, I rang their accounts dept and sorted that one. come up to date I am now gun shy so I ring a supplier and arrange collection of part, ring one week before and confirm collection, drive 250miles only to be told part I required was not ready!!!!!!!! went and found a pub after that one and threw 3 wife beaters down the neck and threw car keys to management! you may notice I do not name the suppliers as to name check them would be wrong however companies that do go the extra mile? Real steel, SVC, Image wheels are head and shoulders above some of the clowns who want top money for 2nd rate product and service. So shop around and ask each other who "does the business" maybe we could start it on hear.
Steve:boohoo:

[TINKA]

What is the point of complaining to warn the rest of us if you don't mention who you are complaining about ........ Names please

[TINKA]

Just done a bit of snooping ( clicked on the all previous posts button ) and I see you are building a Euro 427

[dave.n]

Stevey
Really sorry to here your news.
Hopefully you will enjoy it in the future.

As for naming "no need" I've just read all your previous posts.

[Purple AK]

Stevey.
Firstly commiserations, and I hope you get it sorted :thumb: However, Now knowing your chosen make I am not supprised who are having a few problems in view of the past problems/ownership changes/web support

[wilf]

Hmm - I have to say that I have some sympathy with stevey.

Whilst my build has been complete for some years now, I still recall the downright poor service I got from many suppliers, although, to be fair, some shone out as damn good as well.

My main gripe was usually failure to meet agreed delivery dates - not something I can do in my own business if I want it to remain trading.

It is little better in America - friends there report similar difficulties.

Why do we put up with it?

Tink - I think I named and shamed years ago, little point in going back 6 years now.

[stevey]

Sorry Tinka did not mean to confuse and yes my choice of kit was unfotunate but that is a done deal my point of the post was to sugest that somewhere on this forum space is made for a good guys section and maybe a villians section (although litigation may taint the villian side of things!) as I said folks that deliver good product at a good price on time and are genuinely helpful are in no particular order- Real Steel, SVC, Image wheels and Merlin Motorsport. over to you guys to add if you want, me? I'm for a couple of pints of wife beater!
Steve:thumb:

[Purple AK]

Steve. I think we wholeheartedly agree with you :thumb: And those that give bad service should be named and shamed Unfortunatly most of those that get stitched fall shy of publication

[rich]

Sorry to here your woes Stevey,
The list of good firms is long and can be added to all the time,however unless your prepared to name names and say why you have had bad service then its just another urban myth, and very little help to new builders who don't know one supplier from another

[dave]

Supply chain failiure is the nature of this industry, you should try building a car every three/ four weeks.
The kit car business is made up of lots of cottage industry companies and (As I say to my customers) "If some blokes cat needs to go to the vets then the chain fails and the whole industry grinds to a halt for the afternoon".
I hope you have more luck in the future...And me too.