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jmfoust Samba Member
Joined: February 01, 2005 Posts: 130 Location: Des Moines, Iowa
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Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 2:02 pm Post subject: TYPE 4 PARTS - tired of BD |
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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 |
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mightyart Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2004 Posts: 6188 Location: Portland, Oregon
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Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 2:32 pm Post subject: |
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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... _________________ My Art:
http://www.instagram.com/flynn8552/ |
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dembus Samba Member
Joined: February 02, 2005 Posts: 1272 Location: Fleming Island, Florida
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Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 2:48 pm Post subject: |
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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. _________________ "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 |
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covelo Samba Member
Joined: February 20, 2005 Posts: 825 Location: Fairfax, CA
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Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 3:05 pm Post subject: |
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Unfortunately, this has been my exact experience as well. I still like them, but the slow and incomplete shipments are a real drag. _________________ '80 Vanagon Westfalia
'72 Bay Window Westfalia (with 2L AVP engine and dual solex carbs) -- sold in 2009 |
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Hippopotabus Samba Member
Joined: May 27, 2004 Posts: 1600 Location: Miwuk Village, CA
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Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 3:13 pm Post subject: |
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Talk about heads up asses. They have a hard time taking orders via the phone. I'm done with BD. _________________ Celer, Silens, Letalis
www.2dreconbn.net |
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[email protected] Samba Member
Joined: June 12, 2003 Posts: 747 Location: Colorado Springs, Co.
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Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 3:23 pm Post subject: |
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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. _________________ luck is the result of good preperation |
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Thirstytank Samba Gaucho
Joined: August 05, 2005 Posts: 667 Location: Lake Geneva WI
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Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 3:33 pm Post subject: |
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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. _________________ Ryan
1985 Vanagon Westfalia
https://www.facebook.com/VanagonMorrison |
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vdubyah73 Samba Member
Joined: July 05, 2003 Posts: 2541 Location: somewhere in Texas, my house has wheels
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Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 3:55 pm Post subject: |
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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 |
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VWBusrepairman Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2004 Posts: 4726
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Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 4:03 pm Post subject: |
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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. |
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steponmebbbboom Samba Member
Joined: May 01, 2004 Posts: 6390
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Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 4:14 pm Post subject: |
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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. |
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EdW Samba Member
Joined: January 13, 2005 Posts: 2385 Location: Unemployment Office
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Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 4:20 pm Post subject: |
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VWBusrepairman wrote: |
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. |
Yeah, I'm not gonna berate BD because I like Ron and he does a helluva lot for our machines. Who else goes searching out NOS parts all over Germany that we here in the US would never see otherwise. That being said, I've had my problems with shipments from BD and have learned one thing that many above has mentioned. Call your order in and make sure the parts are in stock and when it will be shipped. Now, I use the website to locate the parts and corresponding part numbers before I call to shorten the call. If I need something, I pay for the expedited shipment because it will be shipped same day if possible. Their delayed shipping is spelled out on their website, so taking up to 2 weeks should be expected in some cases/locations. |
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bdann Samba Member
Joined: December 23, 2003 Posts: 460 Location: Rowlett, TX
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Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 4:26 pm Post subject: |
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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. |
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covelo Samba Member
Joined: February 20, 2005 Posts: 825 Location: Fairfax, CA
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Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 4:32 pm Post subject: |
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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. _________________ '80 Vanagon Westfalia
'72 Bay Window Westfalia (with 2L AVP engine and dual solex carbs) -- sold in 2009 |
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rsorak Samba Member
Joined: March 07, 2005 Posts: 2005 Location: Memphis
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Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 4:32 pm Post subject: |
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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. _________________ Rick '71 Westfalia & '73 Thing |
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steponmebbbboom Samba Member
Joined: May 01, 2004 Posts: 6390
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Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 4:33 pm Post subject: |
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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? |
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covelo Samba Member
Joined: February 20, 2005 Posts: 825 Location: Fairfax, CA
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Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 4:36 pm Post subject: |
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steponmebbbboom wrote: |
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? |
I would love to get into this business, but I'm afraid you would need to be independently wealthy first. Colin is probably not the only one who isn't making any money serving us cheapskates! _________________ '80 Vanagon Westfalia
'72 Bay Window Westfalia (with 2L AVP engine and dual solex carbs) -- sold in 2009 |
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steponmebbbboom Samba Member
Joined: May 01, 2004 Posts: 6390
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Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 4:44 pm Post subject: |
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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. |
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covelo Samba Member
Joined: February 20, 2005 Posts: 825 Location: Fairfax, CA
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Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 4:51 pm Post subject: |
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steponmebbbboom wrote: |
I dont know quite what you meant by that. |
What I'm saying is that selling bus parts is probably not a very high margin business or very scalable. That limits how much time and money you can devote to supporting a sales infrastructure (i.e., updating your web site or staffing the phones). Still, I dream sometimes of having a nice bus-related job or business that could pay the rent. It must be very rewarding. _________________ '80 Vanagon Westfalia
'72 Bay Window Westfalia (with 2L AVP engine and dual solex carbs) -- sold in 2009 |
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souledout Samba Member
Joined: May 19, 2003 Posts: 55
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Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 4:54 pm Post subject: |
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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)! _________________ To the Beach!
'67 bug |
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steponmebbbboom Samba Member
Joined: May 01, 2004 Posts: 6390
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Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2005 5:01 pm Post subject: |
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covelo wrote: |
steponmebbbboom wrote: |
I dont know quite what you meant by that. |
What I'm saying is that selling bus parts is probably not a very high margin business or very scalable. That limits how much time and money you can devote to supporting a sales infrastructure (i.e., updating your web site or staffing the phones). Still, I dream sometimes of having a nice bus-related job or business that could pay the rent. It must be very rewarding. |
totally agree, if you want to work in this business you need to have a very high degree of personal integrity and very low need for material possession, I take my hat off to anyone making a living off of this hobby, the opportunities for great personal wealth have come and gone. |
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