Automotion Rant, Regarding Recent Purchase Options

[Kaduku]

Okay, I need to vent out regarding a recent purchase of a rear valance from Automotion (Ecklers).

It was cheaper than AA so I ordered one online on the 03/18/13. According to their website it was dropped ship from California. I am in California so I thought it would not take too long.

After a week I called Automotion, who told me it usually takes 10 days for oversize items, so I called them again after 10 days, and they said to give a little more time.

I called them on the 15th day, and they finally called the vendor and found out that the vendor failed to ship it. I received two calls from managers the next day, who assured me that they had straightened out the vendor and my item is enroute. I should get it by last Saturday no later than Monday.

Guess what still no package. I called today, and they checked the vendor and found out again that the item had not ship and they will ship it today (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif)

On a separate matter, I also ordered one of those red heater knobs on the floor to replace my faded one. I returned that because it was colored more like a red grape. My old one looked better.

I am not telling you folks not to buy from them, but I will never buy from them again. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bs.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bs.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bs.gif)

Sometimes paying more is better.

[brant]

but you will get ripped off much worse if you pay AA...

I would only buy from GPR or pelican, this clubs vendors, or speciality places....

[carr914]

I Believe Automotion is part of a Butt-Fuch Company now out of Melbourne, FL that was once Eckler's.

I ordered a small Part that would fit in an envelope a couple of years ago and they wanted $20 Bucks to Ship

[VaccaRabite]

I have found if you call them and talk to someone the shipping charges become much more reasonable. Online they simply ship by price bands. Lots of shops do this, including really good ones like Bus Depot.

All it takes is a phone call.

Zach

[ThePaintedMan]

Mikey914 (Mark at 914Rubber.com) has the red heater knobs. Better pricing, more honest, great quality and in general just one hell of a guy.

[euro911]

I painted my heater knob (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

[Kirmizi]

I painted my heater knob (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

That's TMI Mark (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif)

[ThePaintedMan]

I painted my heater knob (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

That's TMI Mark (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/cdn.cyclingforums.com-13527-1365650488.1.jpeg)

[Kaduku]

I think they sent it ground from Ontario to SF. Probably going to take another week.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/bs.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bs.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bs.gif)

[euro911]

In the back of my mind, had a feeling this might turn ugly (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[Elliot Cannon]

I always try a local vendor first. GPR, Pelican etc. Having said that, if a part is drop shipped, anything can happen because you are relying on a third party to do their job. Many times your shipment might be a priority with the vendor but not so much with the company that's actually shipping the part.
Cheers, Elliot

[MoveQik]

Mikey914 (Mark at 914Rubber.com) has the red heater knobs. Better pricing, more honest, great quality and in general just one hell of a guy.

Placed a couple of orders with him in the last few days. Awesome to deal with and prices can't be beat! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[Scott S]

They know nothing. The call center folks, while friendly, are not car people at all. I have a 22 weltmeister bar on my 911 that needed new bushings. They had no idea what I was talking about. Then I was told by a "senior supervisor" that the bushings were not available - WTF. He said I should probably just buy an entirely new swaybar kit. I asked him why he would think I would buy another one of their products if they could not even provide replacement parts of normal wear items. He could not answer me.

After searching both here and on the bird board I found a old post that contained old part numbers. Called back and give them just the numbers. Sure as sh!t they had them available. Ordered two sets just to be safe.

Total idiots. Oh, and yes, my 20.00 order cost 20.00 to ship. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)

[Dasnowman]

Okay, I need to vent out regarding a recent purchase of a rear valance from Automotion (Ecklers).

It was cheaper than AA so I ordered one online on the 03/18/13. According to their website it was dropped ship from California. I am in California so I thought it would not take too long.

After a week I called Automotion, who told me it usually takes 10 days for oversize items, so I called them again after 10 days, and they said to give a little more time.

I called them on the 15th day, and they finally called the vendor and found out that the vendor failed to ship it. I received two calls from managers the next day, who assured me that they had straightened out the vendor and my item is enroute. I should get it by last Saturday no later than Monday.

Guess what still no package. I called today, and they checked the vendor and found out again that the item had not ship and they will ship it today (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif)

On a separate matter, I also ordered one of those red heater knobs on the floor to replace my faded one. I returned that because it was colored more like a red grape. My old one looked better.

I am not telling you folks not to buy from them, but I will never buy from them again. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bs.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bs.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bs.gif)

Sometimes paying more is better.

Sometimes people screw up, sometimes parts are made to order, sometimes parts are made in runs to be cost effective. Sometimes people fail to pick up the phone and talk to the company or supplier. It's great to talk to a person but always quote what was said after the call confirmation email of what was said and ALWAYS ASK FOR A TRACKING #. A tracking # is like a lie detector test, if the product hasn't been ordered or shipped from supplier they don't have one, they forgot to order it or it's on back order. If they say it did ship then ask for a tracking # again if they say they don't have one they are lying it hasn't shipped. If they said it did ship and have a tracking # then you know when it was shipped. Again you can tell when it was shipped and if they lied about it or not.

I have had a group buy that said they will take a week to a month turn around after payment, then it took 8 months to only get a damage one from lousy boxing from the manufacture or the courier throwing it around. If I overreacted I wouldn't have got to keep the damage one till the replacement showed up. In the end they let me keep both and I was able to sell the dented one for a couple of hundred bucks.


I have order parts from Cali to go to Seattle but they got shipped all the way back east to a sorting facility and then got lost for a few weeks as the label came off then finally shipped to Seattle. To be honest I'm amazed how often I order parts from the other side of the country and have show up a few short days later at my door for under $20 undamaged or lost or at least thats the case 99% of the time.



We are so lucky that we still have people building parts and suppliers carrying parts that are for a car that's 40+ years old. Sometimes it pays to be patient sometimes it doesn't pay to be cheap and go with used or a cheap product from a Z supplier that doesn't have much or good feed back.




Anyway good luck and let us know how it goes.

[dcheek]

I'm going to put one in the plus column for Automotion (Ecklers). I ordered front an rear hood struts for my 911 nine years ago with a lifetime guarantee. Since then Automotion was combined with Ecklers. The struts no longer worked so, I was interested to see if they would honor the guarantee. I expected the worst like, "We no longer honor the lifetime guarantee since we are now part of Eklers". When I called they said to return the old ones, with a copy of the original invoice, and they will ship a new set. It took a couple of weeks but, I got them, no problem.

Dave

[wndsnd]

Is thos tho old
PB Tweeks

[GeorgeRud]

PB Tweeks was purchased by MidAmerica Motorworks, the they shut down the Porsche parts division. They still sell VW and Corvette parts from Effingham, IL.

Automotion had combined with Performance Products years ago, and now was sold to Ecklers.

It seems all these suppliers seem to go downhill once the original owners retire/sell the business, and the new owners just look at the bottom line. GPRS seems to be the notable exception.

[ConeDodger]

I only ordered once from them. I ordered CARB legal headers for my Boxster a few years back. Said right on the website that they were CARB legal. I got them and they had no bungs for the O2 sensors and no CARB#. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

Called them right up, oh yah... we are 'working on getting the CARB#.' (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

Ok, well I'm going to to need a return authorization for these...

No problem, you can return them - AT YOUR EXPENSE!

Really? you lied in your advertizing and I called you on it so I can return them at my own expense?

Ok, I learn quick. You're toast... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

[Kaduku]

Sometimes people screw up, sometimes parts are made to order, sometimes parts are made in runs to be cost effective. Sometimes people fail to pick up the phone and talk to the company or supplier. It's great to talk to a person but always quote what was said after the call confirmation email of what was said and ALWAYS ASK FOR A TRACKING #. A tracking # is like a lie detector test, if the product hasn't been ordered or shipped from supplier they don't have one, they forgot to order it or it's on back order. If they say it did ship then ask for a tracking # again if they say they don't have one they are lying it hasn't shipped. If they said it did ship and have a tracking # then you know when it was shipped. Again you can tell when it was shipped and if they lied about it or not.

I have had a group buy that said they will take a week to a month turn around after payment, then it took 8 months to only get a damage one from lousy boxing from the manufacture or the courier throwing it around. If I overreacted I wouldn't have got to keep the damage one till the replacement showed up. In the end they let me keep both and I was able to sell the dented one for a couple of hundred bucks.

I have order parts from Cali to go to Seattle but they got shipped all the way back east to a sorting facility and then got lost for a few weeks as the label came off then finally shipped to Seattle. To be honest I'm amazed how often I order parts from the other side of the country and have show up a few short days later at my door for under $20 undamaged or lost or at least thats the case 99% of the time.

We are so lucky that we still have people building parts and suppliers carrying parts that are for a car that's 40+ years old. Sometimes it pays to be patient sometimes it doesn't pay to be cheap and go with used or a cheap product from a Z supplier that doesn't have much or good feed back.

Anyway good luck and let us know how it goes.

You are absolutely right, I should have asked for a tracking number last week. I did ask one yesterday. UPS has not updated their website and it still shows the item at their UPS store. I guess they did not ship it overnight (IMG:style_emoticons/default/hissyfit.gif)

[Eric_Shea]

Many times your shipment might be a priority with the vendor but not so much with the company that's actually shipping the part.

Had that exact same thing happen this week. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Good customer cancelled an order as the vendor is having trouble getting the shipment together. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

It happens.

That said; I just moved out of the corporate "Big fish eats all the little fish" world and so far, they have a 100% track record of killing off what they purchase. I was in management with Guitar Center until last November. I watched them purchase The Woodwind and The Brasswind, the worlds largest band and orchestral retailer... they killed it. Music & Arts? Dead. They purchased Harmony-Central... and killed it. They purchased Music123... and? Ready for it? They killed it. They are currently in the process of killing Musician's Friend as well. Bain Capital at work.

Companies are started by individuals with a passion, like Rob Eastman and Al Denardi of Musician's Friend. When they are sold off, the buyers simply have a passion for one thing... margin. While margin is good and can keep the lights on and the website humming, critical business decisions involving customer loyalty and competitive marketing are often tossed aside in the name of the holy mission - profit. I can tell you first hand, they may spends months or even years crafting a fancy mission statement but in those board meetings, the only thing they think about is comping to the previous year/quarter/month and... margin. I would bet my 401K that "None" of the top executives could even recite an "overview" of their companies mission statement. Every CEO out there should spend a mandatory minimum 1-week on the phones or on the assembly line.

So... Automotion swallows Performance Products. Eckler swallows Automotion. Big call centers answer the phones and you need to figure out which CV you need for your mid-year 1975 911. Good luck (to all parties involved).

Whew... that was a load to get off my chest! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

The good thing is; those giants are DYING a FAST death. No? Best Buy? Staples and Office Max merger as they both flail while treading water? Guitar Center? read this: "All of them are getting their @$$'s handed to them by some guy on eBay or Amazon who can not only beat their price but kick the living crap out of their service." The Mom and Pop's are back! CARma.

Almost forgot: FDLFBFG