Date: Thu, 27 Jul 2000 22:53:32 -0400
Reply-To: Carl Krucke <ckrucke@awod.com>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Carl Krucke <ckrucke@awod.com>
Subject: Re: Parts Place - Dear Vanagon List Subscribers
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
To the hacks at Parts Place-
In order to make 99% of the people happy, you must have satisfied 297
customers, because you did me wrong 3 times in a row. Or, 100% of my
dealings with you have been unsatisfactory, to put it another way. What I
can't believe is that I gave you 3 chances.
The first time, I needed a fuel distributor for a 77 Rabbit. Most basic
CIS. You sent me one for an 83 or later, with ports for the frequency
valve. When I called to return it, you told me to just plug them up and it
would work. Wrong. The next person I talked to agreed that was not so.
And agreed I should return it. The one I got sent back was the same type.
Not usable. I returned it. Finally I did get a functional one, but not
without a sob story about how you had to take it off your race car. Used
race parts. Hmmmmmm.
The second time I needed a distributor for an 80 Rabbit, mine had suffered
the typical sloppy shaft problem. I don't know what the one you sent me was
supposed to fit, but it wasn't the same as mine. Fortunately, it was
similar though, and I was able to use most of the pieces from mine to make
it work. Easier than trying to get a correct part from PP I suspect.
The final time, I bought an S&S exhaust header for my 83 GTI. Admittedly,
this part is still on the car. Getting it on the car was another story.
The flange face that bolts to the head had many places with weld where it
wasn't supposed to be I had to remove. The oxygen sensor port threads
looked like someone had already galled them and needed retapping to work.
The best part was the flange on the tail piece that was supposed to bolt to
the cataclysmic perverter. It was nearly and inch away from where it needed
to be to bolt up. I had to cut it loose on the lathe and reweld it in the
right place. As long as I was customizing the installation, I also welded
on a brace at the lower curve in the pipes, which bolts to the block. This
makes the assembly a whole lot less likely to break at the head flange when
the header is hitting the front sway bar under acceleration. (no, there's
nothing wrong with my motor mounts) Also, now that I fabricated some
special heat shields, the plastic bushings on my shift linkage and the
rubber boot on the steering rack last much longer. I've even managed to
customize an oxygen sensor and the heat sheilding around it to keep the wire
from breaking off due to the beating it takes against the exhaust heat
shield.
Admittedly, PP didn't design and manufacture the header, but they did choose
to sell it as quality goods, which it was not.
As far as trying to take advantage of an obviously unaware Vanagon lover
goes, and then throwing all public relations common sense to the wind, by
trying to defend it to what is likely the largest group of vanagon lovers in
the country, well, no surprise to me. You've shown your ignorant
unscrupulous colors yet again.
The biggest shame is that there are probably still enough unaware new VW
owners out there to keep you in business for another 25 years.
Carl
Date: Thu, 27 Jul 2000 18:41:04 -0400
From: Kevin Hale <kjhale@earthlink.net>
Subject: Parts Place - Dear Vanagon List Subscribers
<snip>
Dear Vanagon Group,
In 25 years we have made many mistakes. We try to make 99% of everyone
happy, not 100%, because some people expect more than is reasonable. Like
it or not, there are flight delays, luggage gets lost, orders are shipped
wrong, and salesman give answers which are incorrect. We make 99% happy,
our crew does it's best, that is all we can do, and that is all that's
reasonable to expect.
<snip>
Jack Finn
--- Kevin Hale
--- kjhale@earthlink.net
--- EarthLink: It's your Internet.
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