had a problem with bowtiebits.com , first, I got to this site (classicparts) by a link a while back and never realized it was a parts store, duh ! learned my lesson.. anyway, this is my first truck, I build 2-3 cars a year. so I placed a couple small orders with different companies to find one that is best.. Bowtiebits.com is bad at customer service... I found them on ebay.. they had a $94 item with free shipping..I called to inquire if they were just a parts warehouse or did someone there actually know about trucks, I added a $45 small item to my order..verified free shipping, and done... 1 week later, small package arrives( 2 door handles and set of locks) along with $15.50 shipping... Now, it's not the money..it's the principle..so I called .. receptionist got pissy, told me I had to order through ebay to get free shipping, ok fine, so I called the owner..Jeff.. he answered the phone also pissy and told me he already knew the background and should have ordered through ebay.( hope I'm not the only one who knows it's cheaper on them for me to order direct, right?) anyway they then said even it the one item ($94) was free, they charged me 15.50 for the "other" items.. lock set?.here's the point where I read HIS webpage to him... this is a cut and paste... Shipping: Shipments within the continental US are sent via UPS unless the customer requests their package be shipped via Postal Service or it is an international shipment. There is a 10% shipping charge for orders under $500 with a minimum charge of $8.95; this does not include oversized or truck freight. 10%, right, my total was $139...COUNTING the $94 "free" item, still don't get to $15.50. He was rude, accused me of not listening to their explanation... it seems everyone wants to stick you for that extra dollar , huh? be aware...
We have done business with BTB for years now & never had a problem with them.... Jeff has always been friendly with us & his prices are some of the best around. We been selling truck parts for over 30 years now & from our experience....We have seen it all when it comes to crazy customers & there are always a certain percentage of customers that will whine & complain no matter what you do.... We are sure the host here will agree with this also. These are the same guys that would still complain even if you had shown up in person... installed the part & rotated their tires for them also. So,One guy thinks he got hosed for $15 on shipping & calls up & acts like a douchebag with the seller & gets told to F@*K off......then he goes to every website he can & tries to ruin the sellers rep happens all the time.... it's just the nature of the business. When you do run across guys like this.. the best way to deal with them { & still maintain your sanity } IS to hang the phone up on 'em.
A tale of two vendors: VENDER #1, Heidt's Hot Rod Shop. Bought an $8000+ IRS to put under a 1930 Plymouth Taxi. Rear hub bearing siezed ruining both the spindle and hub carrier after 3600 miles and was told "tough sh*t". It is a sealed bearing so no low lube problem could exist. Wanted big bucks with no discount even though it was 100 percent the fault of their inferior parts. VENDER #2, IDIDIT steering column---same 1930 Plymouth. When steering wheel was turned it would move the shift lever, a possibly dangerous situation. Was told to send it in for them to check. Was back in one week with a check refunding my shipping cost and a note saying it was their fault and since it was a painted column and if it got scratched reinstalling it to send a bill for any costs incurred. I'm very loyal to good venders (been with Mark since it was Chevy Duty, he answered the phone himself, and sent the parts from his home garage in Shawnee Mission, Kansas) and boy, do I cost the a$$holes a bundle. Have switched dozens wanting IFS units from Heidt's over to Fatman, Alston, Morrison, Chassis Engineering, etc., ANYBODY but Heidt's.
Vendor Feedback I am sorry to hear Bowtie Bits isd getting bad press , Jeff runs a very small shop there and calling him is always the best way to go . I too have been hosed on shipping over the years from other vendors , it sux . Nonetheless , I'm told Jeff is an honest guy who's easy to work with . Feedback , good or bad , is always a good thing .
if you want to stay in business I have no experience with the vendor mentioned. However, it appears you should have been charged the min shipping of 8.95, but you did not mention here what HIS explanation was - which would have only been fair. I certainly would not insinuate that you were a 'douchebag' like someone else here has done - that is not good for business either. You have every right to be disappointed based on your experience and vent about it here or anywhere else. If a company has set an expectation and they do not deliver, that is bad business. Sounds like there are several on here that have had positive experiences with this vendor. Everyone has bad days - customers AND owners. If you were satisfied with all other aspects compared with other vendors, perhaps you could contact the owner again and try to start over. Tell him you have been shopping around for truck vendors for a new project. Apologize that you might have gotten off on the wrong foot and see where it goes from there. Be willing to go back and update your post(s) either way it goes. You have nothing to loose and possibly a good lifelong vendor to gain. Good luck with this and your truck!
A respektable way to do it is to make a phonecall to BTB here Nagging about an "negativ" buying experience is one thing. It has allways to sides , the buyers and the sellers understanding of the facts in case , different opinions ect. But it includes mostly disagreements about quantety or quality , in this case the money you had to pay extra.I suggest that as growen up truck owner we do that at home and discuss the issue with the wife or with a nabour friend. This is after my opinion not the right forum to publish this kind of threads. If you are still unsatisfied with your deal give BTB a phonecall and try to compromize with the guy in fact. Gypsy truck and Nate to make there points very well. Have a nice day Martinius.
parts first off...deadzonetrukin, you are totally wrong in your "douch" remark..yes, these things happen all the time... I've built a lot of cars and bought a lot of parts in my life, I've dealt with lots of small business and ru a couple of my own. I would say 99.9% of the time problems have been worked out, but this is probably the first time I have ever dealt with such a bad attitude... did he have a bad day? could of... he also could have called me back and admitted that he was wrong.. most likely I would have said "forget it, sh*t happens" but not even close on his part.. ssnow... I'm a really easy going guy, I initially had the conversation with his "order taker" and when he got on the phone he immediately had attitude, trust me, I know it's better to talk sweet than nasty, and I did, I explained myself very well, and when I pointed out what his own webpage says , "10% or $8.95" well, there's right and then well, there's right. pretty simple, I told jeff I placed orders with a couple vendors, just to check on such things as customer service, speed, etc. and I would probably have orders totaling 4-5 thousand a year, not huge, but not a drop either.. and again... I'm probably like a lot of guys out there, if he had just OFFERED to do the right thing, I would have said drop it. JUST BE HONEST WITH ME, AND WE'LL DO BUSINESS. Blueflame, this is exactly the place for this type of thing, it's how we find out who does good business and who doesn't, why would I bitch to a neighbor, ? he's not building a truck.. but I 'll bet big money that anyone who reads this, including you.. makes sure you know the $ amount of shipping first , huh? again, I have no problem paying for anything I do or use, just don't screw me... and by the way... he has MY number..I already tried to play nice.
Was going to stay tight lipped but, I have bashed the China Clipper parts houses for some time and there are those that I will not do business with and at times have ask for refunds and to kill my bid on eBay because I’m mad at everyone. Maybe just maybe that day it was the size of the moon and tidal flows or he has an all female staff and all went off on the same day, which caused a very bad day for a shop keeper or their client/s. I work with the public every day and no matter what ever they throw at me I have to be nice and keep my cussing inside my head. Then after they have cussed me and called the Mayor and who ever else I have to be nice to them and make sure they go away with what they came after. For someone that has to tell people No that aint easy. So go ahead call the dude back and apologize he took exception to your conversion and get the parts you need.
The way I was raised... ...the customer was always right. Those days are l-o-n-g gone, unfortunately. All I can say is, I tend to use the crew with the best service. The price, in the long run, may not be as great as it seems.
right on zig thats my point Zig... and that's why I ordered a couple parts from a couple different places, Grumpy's truck parts? fine , the best, nice to talk to no problem... but what ever the reason.. BTB was a bad experience and I felt that was what a forum was for, to help out the 100's of parts buyers, not just the one vendor.. also... I will never call BTB again, they had plenty of opportunity to make it right, again... he has my number too
I try to buy parts from here, BUT if we look at the help DeadZoneTrucking gave by cutting the skin off of a door to show the insides, we would do well to consider him what ever the cost. Lifes tough, espically on a bad day!
bashing everyone It looks like the Deadzonetruckin guy has learned a new curseword and is using it on everyone. Just a few weeks ago he went sideways on another member at another site and called him a douchebag also. Then to add more class to the situation,referred to all 25,000 members on the site as "a$$holes". Needless to say, word has gotten around about this character and pretty much nobody from that site will be dealing with this immature hothead. Its a shame that disagreements have to come down to namecalling and such. CANT WE ALL JUST GET ALONG?
Chevy Duty I used to shop Chevy Duty, too, and still have their catalog. Been away from the truck for too long and must have missed it, what's the new name?
A perfect example of the Stovebolt Page mentality. You guys on the SBP crack me up. Steal our name & then come over here to start trouble just like a typical "StoveBolter". The parts business is a cut throat business anyway ya cut it. We been in the parts business for over 30 years now & the Stovebolt Page has only been around 10 years.... that is nothin' but a pimple on our A$#es It's no secret that there is bad blood between us & the owners of the SBP. As a matter of fact.... I originally met Nate over on the SBP 10 years ago but we both got smart & got the heck off of that site years ago. If you want to read pages & pages of useless posts & get incorrect techinical information along with constant bickering.... then the SBP is for you. The only guys that hang out on the SBP anymore are the guys that don't know any better . Most of the dummies over on the SBP don't even know when they are buying our parts anyway.... we make some of the parts that their "hosts" sell & we wholesale some of our used parts to guys that sell them over there also. Hell.... one of the famous Stovebolt Page moderators {Cletis} is on his way here from Texas as we speak to pick up some seats for his 1954 Suburban !.... so .......... So much for the big SBP boycott
If you all think Stovebolters are bad,check out jeepforum or jeeps unlimited. They are always crackin' on newbies because of their ignorance and stupid questions. I rather enjoy reading some of their posts. Its refreshing.
Rideswithyah, You have found a home. The sponsor of this forum is Classic Parts, formerly Chevy Duty. Gater
Useless Thread I have to admit I am finding this to be a completely useless thread and I certainly hope that there are no more posts to it after mine. Over the last few years I have been watching this I have gotten some good help and had some fun with comments folks make but this thread is o much the opposite of that I hope it ends. I do know I wont be coming back to read it if there are any more comments after mine, which is my coice and the same choice everyone else on this forum has. Bill
Bad suppliers I think as long as someone just puts the basic facts of their bad experience with a supplier on a post there is no harm done, if then, over a period of time, there is a build up of posts about one particular vendor then it serves as a warning to others, as long as new members are not allowed to post on that thread to stop bogus complaints from rivals, I have had a couple of complaints about US vendors, nothing major, but it would be nice to be able to pass on my experience without any bitching or whining,
