Date: Sun, 9 Sep 2001 03:22:45 EDT
Reply-To: JKrevnov@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Rico Sapolich <JKrevnov@AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: ??Where Don't I Get Good Frt. Whl. Bearings??
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
In a message dated 9/7/01 6:28:11 PM, vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM writes:
<<
It is generally considered appropriate to contact the vendor directly FIRST,
and then the list SECOND only if the vendor fails to make a reasonable
attempt to solve the problem, rather than the other way around. >>
I did contact you FIRST. When I discovered that you shipped me a bearing
which was NOT AS REPRESENTED to me, I called only to be told that YOU WOULD
NOT SUPPLY THAT WHICH YOU HAD OFFERED AND WHICH I HAD AGREED TO BUY.
Since you are an arbiter of propriety, Ron, perhaps you can tell me if it is
appropriate to send me a part which was not as represented to me both on your
website and orally. When I placed the order, I was led to believe that you
were providing the answers to my inquiries because your telephone attendant
kept calling out," Hey, Ron . . ." each time I stumped her with a question.
Your vicarious reply was that the bearing was made in Germany and that the
kit was complete. At the time, I had no cause to doubt what you said.
<<Frankly the only way to be absolutely positive that the bearing you get is
actually made in Germany, will probably be to buy it locally and literally
open the box and read the writing on the bearing before you pay for it >>
Great idea!
<<And even if it is made in Germany, this will not necessarily mean that it
is any different quality from one made in another factory. You're dealing
with name brands here, and generally the quality is quite good regardless.>>
If the country of manufacture does not matter, why, in your website entry for
that item, did you highlight the fact that you were offering GERMAN bearings?
Now, you attempt to diminish its importance when we both know that the
country of origin matters one hell of a lot. I guess you thought it only
mattered before you got my money.
I would like you to consider this hypothetical as honestly as you can: In a
room there are two cutting tools on a table, one made in Germany and one made
in Spain. A chef, a cabinetmaker or even a rabbi comes into the room. Which
one do you think he will pick up to do his work?
<<You could call Febi's product "junk" in an email
to 1000 people, as you have, or, conversely, I could perhaps question the
quality of your installation>>
There is one great fallacy here. I make my statement based on my firsthand
experience, while your conjecture is baseless. Please do not even suggest
that this minor bit of assembly work was botched because of my ineptness or I
may overload the capacity of Gerry with my resume to prove otherwise.
Mechanics, and I use that term in its broadest sense, come to me to find out
how to do something.
This was the fourth time I had been through this drill, but the only time I
did not use a German bearing.
<<So, the bottom line is, regardless of the cause, if it has been less than
one year we will be happy to exchange the part under warranty. So that you
don't have to be "bearingless" in the meantime, I can sell you a
replacement, and then refund you (minus shipping) upon return of the
defective one in the box from the new one. Just let me know if that's what
you want me to do.>>
I have a better idea. You send me what you told me you were selling me in
the first place, a Syncro front wheel bearing made in GERMANY, and I will
return the piece of drek you sent. At this point it has been more than a
year, but the bearing has yet to see 12Kmi. of use.
<< See, wasn't that easy? This could have been handled very easily off-list
to
begin with. >>
Easy? If you want easy, send an invoice to my local VW dealer for the R&R of
that wheel bearing. As I said previously, I did contact you personally.
Anyway, this was not an attempt to provoke you into action. This has very
little to do with a minor automobile part, but a lot to do with the veracity
of a man's word.
While I have your attention, Ron, I have a question. A while back I bought a
set of chrome hubcaps from you. According to you, they are suppose to be the
superior one's made in Germany, yet, there are no markings on the hubcaps nor
their packaging. Are these hubcaps made in Germany in the same manner that
the bearing you sent me was made in Germany?
Rich
