815Cutlass1972

Keep your money. Joe is a jag-%%%!! It's amazing how so many buisness owners act like this now!

TheNewGuy

I'm a new guy to the olds game....well I have a 72 supreme conv....I'm trying to get a RAM air hood and spoiler.....I've been told parts place is the way to go....my car will be a driver.....not a Barret Jackson restoration! I jus want a good looking hood that will look good on there.......I was going to order the hood and spoiler combo for 899 but I'm scared to now! I've jus looked at the glasstek website and found this hood though

http://www.go-fast-parts.com/5735810.html


.....I jus want a good buy for my hard earned money!

Texas69

I have ordered from them several times online for a number of smaller pieces. I always got what I ordered and have not had a problem. I have never talked to anyone live (have not had the need), but they have responded to email questions regarding fitment or clarification etc. of parts. I will keep using them for the small stuff.

66 Olznut

Wonder if they merged with Brudders, sounds just like them. Never had dealt with TPP, it was only Fusick and OPG (which is an hour away)

OLD SKL 69

I have ordered mostly from Fusicks, Tamraz and Brothers, never had any problems with any of them, including returning merchandise. I have also ordered from TPP, but never had to return any items.

The real test of any retailer is how they handle problems and customer satisfaction. Based on this, I will make sure I never order from them. Enough bad press gets out, their attitude will change.

coppercutlass

I never had an issue with the parts place they usually have what i need in stock so im stuck driving up there buying what i need. It's not the best but they are the only place in the chicagoland area that if i call they got it in stock. Tamraz is close but they usually have to order some things.

Aceshigh

This is the brunt truth of it right here.

Us local guys have the luxury of checking the stock BEFORE we buy it, so we never have the CHANCE
of experiencing the **** poor customer satisfaction with returns Parts Place has a reputation for.

So if you're not local, you should heed the experiences of others who are also NOT local.
That would be more along the lines of what you'll be facing since you can't check it until it arrives
and you've already paid shipping one way.

valvecoverred

i have no idea why people still buy from this vendor,when there are better ones out there.

Allan R

The hood in your link is the pin on style. Is that what you are looking for? Also it has no airbox underneath; just 2 straight tunnels that could probably cause a fair bit of hood instability with all the air buffeting in there at high speed. One of our members Blackpage has a PP hood & wing for sale I think. Maybe worth a PM to him to find out if it's still up for grabs? https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...tml#post354954

You can obviously buy whatever product you want. ah64pilot speaks highly of the quality and fitment of his VFN hood (with airbox) https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...tml#post380642
https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...tml#post305704

boondocker likes his fiber concepts hood
https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...tml#post366657

71 Cutlass

Based on this thread I'd say he's neither. He alienates his customers, screws over your friend, loses more business and now makes less money due to his own stupidy. Hardly a successful genius.

Fusicks has always been a safe bet, and the cust. service is outstanding.

Lady72nRob71

Amen. They cost more, but the expertise and service is not free. Their selection is less, but thats because they are not selling Chevy parts that ~should~ fit the Olds. They also tend to not sell problem causing stuff, like power window kits or big A/C parts.

hinz57

Had an issue with the temp sending unit as part of the Rally Pack gauge installation kit. They blamed the poor gauge readings on the manufacturer. OPGI helped me out in getting the correct one for the application. Parts Place did offer a refund after many an email, but when I wanted to use my credit for the part, they said we have no record of that! They are last on my list for parts. Fusicks, OPGI and Supercars Unlimited have been good to me.

Aceshigh

More **** poor reviews. You're right 71 Cutlass, apparently I gave Joe too much credit.
It seems he's nothing but a con artist ripping people off is the vibe I'm getting.

Buick boards
http://www.buickperformancegroup.com...ace-Inc-BEWARE!
Pontiac boards
http://www.pontiaczone.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16418
Third Gen Camaro board
http://www.thirdgen.org/techboard/af...r-service.html

66-3X2 442

I have heard stories about Joe from people who know him personally and they pretty much say he's a ruthless guy. He's successful from making $$$$ standpoint because my understanding is he's very well off. If I was told right,he worked for Tamraz and left to start his own business. I've bought some parts from him and returned some parts with no problem. They sent me a wrong mirror and I called about it,they sent the correct mirror right out and sent a return label for the wrong unit. They didn't charge my card for the replacement and issue credit when they received the wrong one. I have no reason to doubt what has been said,just saying what my experience has been. One thing I do before ordering parts from any vendor,I look the part up myself,this seems to help from getting a wrong part.

TK-65

A lot of these replies sound like another company Ive dealt with.

joepenoso

And that company is....................????????

507OLDS

I buy as many parts as possible,from Fusick,but there are a few things that they just do not have,so every once in awhile,I need to buy them from The Parts Place.Their customer service lacks quality,and their shipping charges are inflated,but when they list a part for less than a competitor,it lures the buyer in.Another thing they did was print your whole card number on your invoice,along with your name address,and phone number.Not good if you lose that to an ID theft.
Tamraz has always been good,but they are just across town from The Parts Place,and from what I understand,those guys are brothers.
As far as the hoods go,there is no cheap way of doing it.I know $600.00-$800.00 is a good chunk of money,but you won't get much for it.Even the factory hood needed tweaked & trimmed when they were installed 40yrs ago.
A note on on the red fenderwells:The ones that Fusick sells are supplied by The Parts Place.They must be the best out there,if Fusick is selling them beacause they are pretty picking about the products they sell.
The Parts Place has grown to a huge business,in the last decade,and they have the coin to get some of these parts made that are not made at all,and other parts made better than what is currently being offered,but is still overseas.

WhatIf

Illinois Better Business Bureau

• 12 complaints filed against business

• 3 complaints filed against business that were not resolved.

• BBB does not have sufficient background information on this business. BBB made two or more requests for background information from the business. BBB has not received a response from this business and/or has not been able to verify information received from this business.

507OLDS

Only 12 complaints? That seems REAL low when they sell thousands of parts.I expected more.

droptopron

Also since they are a multi-line business (not just Olds) their pimp hand could be stronger with the manufacturers that someone that only offers the manufacturers the prospect of limited business from one car line.

69HO43

If people would actually make the complaints, I bet they would get more. But if most are like me, I just never go back.

oldcutlass

There has been more than 12 complaints just on this thread!

DreWRoolZ

^ This. lots of people don't bother reporting to the BBB.

Lady72nRob71

x2
Another hassle and very little chance it would help...\


Wow...
Are we talking about the same company??
Glad you got your issues fixed, but generally they are in strong denial of any discrepancy... Bap is that way, too.

1970442

I have bought alot of parts from them in the last couple of years never had to many problems,they forgot to send lens for my rear panels and and the eyebrow chrome for my fenders and after i called them they said they knew it was for someones order and they shipped them to me at their expense and my door sill plates came in bent in half and i called and explained it would cost me more to send them back than what they were worth.So i took high quality pics and sent them to them and they sent me new ones right away.I hate to hear of people having problems with them but they do have lacking customer service but all in all used me good so i am not going to complain.

Intragration

I hate to generalize because I know there are exceptions to everything, but most smaller businesses won't have any complaints, or they shouldn't. They should be flexible enough to make it right for their clients. 12 complaints seems to be a huge number to me. The only parts seller I've dealt with out of the ones mentioned is Year One, and I can't imagine ever having a problem with them. One time _I_ screwed up and ordered the wrong pulley set, they expressed me out the part to make it correct, a return label for the wrong one, and never charged me anything at all. That's how a reputable business handles things.

Aceshigh

Alot of people don't bother with the BBB since they are about as useless as **** on a boar.

Most car guys just get dicked once and go somewhere else permanently.
You were just fortunate that your own mistake was covered by the business.
They went above and beyond to keep a customer happy who made a mistake.
They ate a loss.......just to be nice

That's not what a reputable business does routinely nor should it be expected.
What should be expected is that you pay for your own mistakes, not the business.

If that is expected, that brews the entitlement mentality and this is what makes doing
business so difficult in today's market. I've seen posts on here where people complain
about orders shipping late, and expect discount codes and free things. An apology for
a delayed order is all that's necessary.......but that's the entitlement attitude these days
some people have learned to think is normal.

Intragration

Jeez, I wasn't saying it was expected, nor was I saying I was entitled to it, I was merely giving it as an example of a business doing something nice for their customer who made a mistake, as opposed to screwing a customer over when the business makes the mistake, you know, the opposite? The loss to them was minimal, only shipping both ways on a pulley. But because they were so quick to make it right, I was happy to give them the other $7,500 worth of business on that project, and I'm quick to point out that they're a reputable company that I highly recommend. A reputable company DOES right wrongs, and they don't make their customers feel like dirt while they're doing it. Are you actually blaming a company's good customer service practices for "making business difficult in today's market"? Would you suggest that more companies should treat their customers poorly, so that people get used to crappy customer service?

69HO43

In today's environment, however, money isn't falling off trees. Like a lot of "hobbies", car people generally pull back on their restoration efforts, meaning less $$ spent.

This means that businesses must pay attention moreso today than they did during the boon times to customers' needs/wants. Too often, sadly, I'm feeling many businesses today have some sort of the "entitlement mentality" nowadays from customers. If that weren't true, then you'd never see threads like this.

RetroRanger

perhaps the most lucid post I have read on the internet ever !!!

WhatIf

I agree on the entitlement mentality. When the economy was good, businesses screwed people over. When Hope And Change came along, with 10% unemployment, food stamps, welfare, etc., people started questioning everything on their receipts from the grocery store, and demanding they get their money's worth. Just being frugal, wiser, paying attention to details. Now with no hope (and a lot of change), with gas prices sky high, foreclosures at an all-time high, unemployment numbers fudged, people are going overboard with their demands.

Now if you don't get enough napkins at a Wendy's, people demand to see the manager, then demand a free meal. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Because of that, I feel sorry for Parts Place, because they lived off pissing people off and screwing people over. From what I've read on other sites, this Joe guy doesn't go to car shows or cruise nights, because he'd need a bodyguard.

Allan R

I (personally) like the 'dripping sarcasm' theme of your post. You're prolly right about Joe not going to cruise nights, but I doubt that anyone who could give 2 rips about cust service would bother with bodyguards. He prolly doesn't go because he doesn't give a crap. That said and done, I DO feel sorry for the honest folks at PP caught in the middle, whose livelihood centers around shipping or production.

I hear by the end of Nov you'll have a chance to redeem your Hope and Change promissory notes for a new administration that will likely do you over like all administrations do once they're in power - in spite of their 'Promises'. I hope I'm wrong because I hate when the working people get screwed over by economics. K, this is getting dangerous with politics. Gotta stop.

WhatIf

Ok, everything's cool. I didn't mean to start up a political thing, I was just using the current state of America as to why people are demanding more nowadays.

Allan R

Actually I think nowadays people aren't really demanding more; they are finally standing up and demanding what is 'fair' and 'good value' for their hard earned money. For most of us, money doesn't fall from heaven, so it pays to shop around and buy from those who give the best value and service. IMO expectations decayed a lot in the 70's, 80's and 90's. The 2000's were simply the point of no return when everything started collapsing. I'm old enough to remember social and corporate changes I became aware of starting in the 60's. The reference to the 'good old days' means something different to my generation than it does to today's generation.

devmar07

this is a right on the money statement i think too many people just except things the way they are and just fall back on the fact that things arent made the way they used to be when i think they could be better made

oldcutlass

AAAAAh the good ol' days! Let me tell you something, sometimes they weren't all that great either.

The bottom line is - If the business fails to provide a service thats is equitable in value to both customer and the owner, it ceases to exist!

It's capitalism!

Aceshigh

I hear ya.
I was only suggesting the way you laid it out could have been perceived as slightly slanted to allege that all businesses
to be deemed "Reputable" should do that. You have to admit, it could be perceived that way.

I completely agree, when the business makes the mistake only tho.
Beyond that, in your example is just a blessing. I would also highly recommend them so we both agree there.

Nope, that's not what I was stating. I was just clarifying my perception of your post.
Prior to this quoted final section we were on the same page. I wasn't trying to dog ya in any way.
Just clarifying something I had noticed with other people's posts too and took the opportunity to expand on it.

While I agree with you, there will always be those people who abuse "The customer is always right" mantra
These people are retail's entitlement nightmare. I've seen threads on this forum itself with this mentality.

For example, all it takes is repetition from ONE vendor of something extra for a customer to get used to it
and then suggest that all vendors do it or "it's not good customer service". .

Take McDonalds for example handing out free ketchup, and some new place charges for it.
That would start holy hell because people just expect it now.....

Technically McDonalds just works that cost into everything sold......but people don't realize it.

Allan R

Yup, can't argue that, and I'm actually one of the few who believes that the customers isn't always right. Seen too much inequity from both sides. And the other thing that makes this difficult is that no two people really see eye to eye on everything, so it's never a perfect world out there. Too bad there's no such thing as a uniform code of conduct and expectations on both sides....but that's also 'unreasonable' in todays world.

69HO43

If you're in business, and you believe that, then you will soon be out of business or miss a lot of opportunities. Personally, I wouldn't want to be a poor store owner. I do agree the customer isn't always right in the strictest sense, to which you may be addressing, but in business, it's simply an attitude that if followed, you get and maintain more of a customer base. Which means a bigger bank account for you. And isn't that the real reason you're in business?

If you have no competition, you can do what you want. With competition, look out. You have to stand out from the other guy, whether it be in price, atmosphere, quality, or customer service. You MUST somehow differentiate yourself from the pack if you all are selling pretty much the same thing. For most businesses, establishing an initial customer base is sorta easy. Especially if someone is running from one of your competitors for **** poor service. It's maintaining and growing a customer base is what takes a ton of work. If you can convince any customer YOU are the best solution to their want/need, you will make a sale. Some take more work than others, that's all. And some vendors don't make much of an effort. Those that do, drive Escalades and Denalis, etc. Those that don't will never get past a Ford Focus. You truly get back out what you put in if you do it right.

If you have 10,000 customers per year, and the only place people b**ch about your service/product is on ClassicOlds, then the ratio of happy customers to non-happy customers is still very very good. But ClassicOlds members may stay away. Word of mouth is a very powerful tool, warranted or not. You'll never please every customer. But 95% success is better than 73% every day of the week and can be the difference between driving a Focus or an Escalade.

Imagine how much better the Parts Place could be if they actually CARED about customer service??

citcapp

Been in business and in sales for over 40 years and the customer is always right in the sense that you treat him/her with respect and work to resolve their issues. What you don't have to do as a rep for your business or as a business owner is take verbal abuse or threats from a customer. When I get that from a customer I politely tell them to call be back when they calm down and then I hang up the phone.

There is not such thing as a no conflict work environment. Stuff happens its how we treat each other that makes it all work.