Things Unlimited. still in business??

noicing · Samba Member Joined: April 13, 2006 Posts: 23

Are they still in business? I placed an internet order and have heard nothing in two weeks. Sent emails, no response. Called on the phone, no person answers and mailbox is full. What's up?

markie61 · Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 8:25 am Post subject:

This thread http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=158200&sid=0ef80708e901f0f7246665dfead3d38f and this thread http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=125472&highlight=unlimited might give you some answers.
Mark
_________________
Whut is that-there Thang!?
------------------------------
Chicks dig my Thing - so what if it's little and yellow...!?

ztnoo · Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 5:02 pm Post subject:

I have discussed this situation about Basso in several forums and in several threads, and caught heat and some considerable hell for it in places. But I didn't get scorched.
A sense of reality about circumstances, and the element of time and perspective has lead a host of others to reach the same conclusions I did long ago.
At some point, being a nice guy and a great Thing parts supplier, just flat changed. ....and frankly, wasn't quite enough to satisfy the parts needs out there.
The past is the past .....and if you are searching for parts to buy in a timely fashion....you realize sooner or later....T.U. isn't the horse you want to ride to get from Point A to Point B.

A year ago Mike was doing a great job. I had a motor out (my first) and was reading my butt off (online and the available literature), and when I needed something he was generally getting it to me in 4-6 days. He even called my cell phone once to tell me he had the right length studs for the oil sump cover plate I had previously ordered which he didn't have in stock. My time reference was January-May 2005.
Things (no pun intended) went to hell in a hand basket shortly after that...

1. Mike got hurt and got a staff infection.
2. Mike's wife left and a divorce followed.
3. Mike wasn't minding "the shop". Maybe locked out.....no one knows
4. Mike wasn't communicating .....ie. no more phone calls answered, no more emails answered, no faxes answered, phone recorder was full and maxed out. Nada
Again, no one knows. Why? Because he couldn't or wouldn't communicate.

I have seen nothing to lead me to believe, even though M.B. claimed he "was back", that the years of love, hard work, and considerable effort Vince gave to and applied to Things Unlimited will return in short order.
It's a shame.....but it's reality.....and the truth.

In a nut shell....Basso has major problems.
I'd love to be a little mouse in the shop to see what is really going on there.
If you can look 4-6 months out for something you know you will really need....you might just get it.
If your parts time frame is much shorter (almost everyone), ya better look elsewhere because timely parts acquisition from Things Unlimited ain't happenin' now....and ain't likely to happen in the future.

Mis Dos Centavos.
Meine Zwei Cents.

Cie la vie.

noicing · Samba Member Joined: April 13, 2006 Posts: 23

Ok, so how do I get to M.B. to tell him to cancel my order. I don't need it now, HAD to get it elsewhere.

kubelmann · Samba Member Joined: April 13, 2003 Posts: 3268

see below

ztnoo · Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 6:06 pm Post subject:

Forget M.B.
He probably won't get to your order for 3-4weeks anyway.
Go where you can do timely business and forget past alliances and loyalties.

radioman · Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 6:39 pm Post subject:

Sadly I agree. I tried to order a steering gear....two emails, three weeks and three phones call..no reply and no answer. TU is gone unless something or someone comes along. I really like Mike and hope he is OK. But I'll not order parts from him again. Sad

CIP1 has been good to me thus far....that is where I will order the steering parts...........unless someone has a thought about shopping prices and suppliers. (I won't buy from MAMO....TOOO high!)
_________________
It's a Southern Thing, 73, stock.
Bill

kubelmann · Samba Member Joined: April 13, 2003 Posts: 3268

see below

MajerThing · Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 6:42 am Post subject:

Has anyone ever tried Bughaus.com? They have a bunch of stuff I haven't readily seen elsewhere and have been very good with correspondence. I have purchased anything yet, but plan to...

amishman · Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 9:52 am Post subject:

What about The Thing Shop. They seem to carry everything Thing. So far my experience with them has been fine other than I think they overly charge on postage of small items but at least they have the goods.

tj

radioman · Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 3:16 pm Post subject:

My experience with The Thing Shop over the past four years has been nothing but great. Mike just seemed to beat their prices and shipping (to me in SC) but with that issue over, I would surely look to theThing Shop.
_________________
It's a Southern Thing, 73, stock.
Bill

Ferretkona · Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 3:59 pm Post subject:

I got a email yesterday from Mike about the VW event at the Irvine Spectrum, or whatever they call it now. More of a generic mailing for gathering up reservations so the Things could all park together.

kubelmann · Samba Member Joined: April 13, 2003 Posts: 3268

see below

ztnoo · Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 4:59 pm Post subject:

Ferretkona,
huumm....
Well that's a great example of the oddities & complexities that have been going on with Basso.
He won't answer the phone lots of times, the phone recorder is maxed out and you can't leave a message, he seldom answers emails anymore (you should feel very blessed & PRIVILEGED he chose you to respond to ....he hasn't or won't respond to K-mann, so what can one conclude?), and he has generally been AWOL for huge periods of time.
A great small business run by a nice guy (and purchased from a Super Guy), which was performing admirably only a year ago just goes completely to shit for any customer attempting to do anything serious and in a timely fashion.
Personal issues changed everything about T.U.
Poof.
Hoping from afar won't change that.

Some parts are apparently getting out from time to time, but there's no consistent delivery pattern.
It's like being in Vegas and rolling the dice if you attempt to order parts from T.U.....not something you want to deal with if you are trying to truly do something serious in a short time frame.
What's happened with T.U. is what wouldn't happen in your family dog's cage (most likely) .....he crapped in it.....and Things haven't been the same since.

Cie la vie

kubelmann · Samba Member Joined: April 13, 2003 Posts: 3268

see below

ztnoo · Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 5:34 pm Post subject:

If Mike would choose to go the the west coast for an event.....that would be a first......and a beautiful excuse to be away from the phone, the computer, and "minding the store".
Not good for parts customers....
Rolling Eyes

radioman · Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 5:37 pm Post subject:

Even if Mike picked up the pieces....his loyal customers are gone. Crying or Very sad

Find someone else. Mike killed his business. Sad

_________________
It's a Southern Thing, 73, stock.
Bill

kubelmann · Samba Member Joined: April 13, 2003 Posts: 3268

see below

Ferretkona · Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 5:42 pm Post subject:

ztnoo · Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 5:51 pm Post subject:

I doesn't matter what Mike we are talking about.
T.U. as lots of us knew it previosuly, is..... TOAST.


Hello! Log in or Register \| Help \| Donate \| Buy Shirts	See all banner ads \| Advertise on TheSamba.com

Things Unlimited. still in business??
Page: 1, 2, 3, 4 Next

	Forum Index -> Thing/Type 181	All times are Mountain Standard Time/Pacific Daylight Savings Time Page: 1, 2, 3, 4 Next
Page 1 of 4