TYPE 4 PARTS - tired of BD

[jmfoust]

Once again BD has left me high and dry. I ordered two parts - oil dipstick tube o-ring, and the fan hub o-ring. I then added several tune-up parts and regular maint. parts to offset the shipping. Got my order today - all parts except the two that I needed made the shipment. Once again they deleted my much needed items from the order, I'm really getting tired of this from them. They've been screwing up orders for the last 12 months.
It's always the little stuff! Can anyone recommend another supplier for the little stuff? I think I'm about done with BD. (sorry ron, you can only drop the ball so many times) If you don't have in stock or are ever going to carry it, take it off the website!

jamie
'82 aircooled vanagon federal

[mightyart]

Have you been ordering online or by phone?
I order everything I really need From Bus Depot over the phone.
I just learned you can't trust the aircooled.net website to have accurate info. on it.
So from now on all my parts will be ordered over the phone.
Welcome to the 20th Century...
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My Art:
http://www.instagram.com/flynn8552/

[dembus]

I got a replacement battery tray from Bus Depot and it arrived bent and scarred up. To much of a pain in the ass to send back w/ packing & shipping and time. I'll just deal with it. I also got a cargo mat from cip1 and it is a two piece mat that is fused together. It arrive partially separated. I got some adhesive and fixed it but geeeeeeezzzzz, c'mon guys. TIGHTEN UP!!!!!
I will also call ahead for any future orders to let them know what I expect.
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"Want a little peace of mind, grab the lowest branch and start to climb"
JJ Grey

69 Westy (R.I.P.)
68 Kombi
70 Westy
68 Beetle Sedan
69 Beetle Sedan
68 Deluxe
71 Deluxe
71 HT Westy

[covelo]

Unfortunately, this has been my exact experience as well. I still like them, but the slow and incomplete shipments are a real drag.
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'80 Vanagon Westfalia

'72 Bay Window Westfalia (with 2L AVP engine and dual solex carbs) -- sold in 2009

[Hippopotabus]

Talk about heads up asses. They have a hard time taking orders via the phone. I'm done with BD.
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Celer, Silens, Letalis
www.2dreconbn.net

[[email protected]]

I would like to find an alternate parts supplier too. I have never recieved all of the parts I have ordered at one time either. This amazes me, when I call the order in the parts in in stock. When I recieve my boxe, the stuff I needed was back ordered. The orders are ussualy wrong when I get them, like thw wrong quanity. The stuff normally take at least 2 weeks to recieve, and I am in Ohio. I have called repeatily about a spare tire cover I never recieve, and got the run-around all 4 times I called about it. I was charged for it, why won't give it me? This is a small ammount of my dealings with them.
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luck is the result of good preperation

[Thirstytank]

I have never dealt with them, so I have no input there. I have had good luck with Mid-America Motor works for the most part and they're shipping is only 1 day away for me.
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Ryan

1985 Vanagon Westfalia
https://www.facebook.com/VanagonMorrison

[vdubyah73]

Do it on the phone. Use a credit card. When you are unhappy with anybodies service, or they charge you for a backordered part, just call up your credit card co. and contest the charge. That gets thier attention real fast! The credit card co. takes the contested money and freezes it, if the problem isn't resolved to your satisfaction your card is refunded and the vendor pays a penalty 25$ I think. It's worked for me. You may not get your part from that vendor but you get your money back pretty quick. Use this carefully, If you think you're gettin' jerked around hammer them.
Bill

[VWBusrepairman]

Patience is a virtue and we're lucky someone is kind enough to supply us with bus parts. I've never had a bad experience with BD, however.

[steponmebbbboom]

Have you spoken with Ron over the phone. This is a real problem that needs to be properly documented and managed. I have dealt with suppliers that were the only gig in town and sometimes you have to fix the bridge rather than burn it. I have spent many hours with a few suppliers to help them increase the quality of their service so that my companies could continue dealing with them. A business relationship always has to be equitable for both parties, and with a little patience and respect, quite often a solution can be reached. Having said that I think this thread needs to be put in the classifieds/vendors section where it can receive the proper attention.

[EdW]

[bdann]

It's obvious BD's website isn't tied into their inventory in any manner, this is my biggest bone to pick with them as well.

I understand, small business, don't have time/money/etc to do what the big guys do, but still, it's really annoying.

I mean you place an order, wait forever for it to arrive only to discover the order is not complete. I wish they'd at least call or something and let you know so that you could then try to source the part elsewhere.

[covelo]

Why is it that the used part suppliers like the Bus Co and the DDB are so much easier to work with than the new part suppliers like BD and Cip1? I would love to see one of those used parts suppliers get into the new part business, so you could buy an old part if it were available and a new part if you needed it from the same supplier. That would make a lot of sense, especially since old parts are generally much better quality than new parts.
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'80 Vanagon Westfalia

'72 Bay Window Westfalia (with 2L AVP engine and dual solex carbs) -- sold in 2009

[rsorak]

I agree when they can't send a complete order, they should contact you and ask what you want to do, wait till they DO have it all to ship, or ship a partial. Personally I hate paying the redundant shipping charges when orders get split. I have not ordered from BD in the past 6 mon. but have have had good exp. with them.
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Rick '71 Westfalia & '73 Thing

[steponmebbbboom]

Is there anyone here who feels confident enough to do a better job than some of their staff? Perhaps these problems are due to a talent shortage in this very small niche market. If you think you can do better, why not send a resume' and see what happens?

[covelo]

[steponmebbbboom]

I dont know quite what you meant by that, I was suggesting going to work for Ron if you thought you could do a better job. If you need to be independently wealthy to work for him, then ol' Ron needs to rethink the salaries he is paying his employees. You cannot pay bottom dollar for talented staff, it has been proven many times.

[covelo]

[souledout]

I had a recent order problem with BD which started due to my mistake when using their website. Careful of what you click on when ordering late at night! BD went out of their way to contact me because the parts didn't match up with my previous '71 bus orders. Ron responded to my email and has put a lot of effort into making things right.

I'd rather support a small vendor who cares about his customers and quality of parts offered than a large supplier who can quickly ship out crap. I mean, come on, look what I put up with to drive (my SUV; Slow, Unheated Vehicle)!
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To the Beach!

'67 bug

[steponmebbbboom]