Jump to content

problems with Cars Inc


krw

Recommended Posts

Before I saw this thread I had already placed a substantial order on line with Cars for my 65 Wildcat. When I saw all the comments I thought I was in for trouble sick.gif

But the large box arrived here in Australia with everything correct and nicely packed so I'm happy. smile.gif

The only negative coment I could make is they have no direct contact via email only a message area which is time consuming when you want to ask a simple question.

But the order was processed and sent within good time and the shipping was less than expected. smile.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cars has been around for a long time and they are what they are.Glen , the owner and friend has spent a lot of bucks reproducing items that are needed by collectors. Being a Tech. Advisor for 63=65 Rivs I get many calls from new collectors that ask where to get parts . My standard answer is :

1. I have many hard to get used parts but do not sell parts that are being reproduced.

2, Contact CARS and get their catalog - or order from their catalog online . Do not expect warm fuzzys when you call. You will be talking to an order taker for the most part and will not engage in conversations about how to fix whatever . Have your credit card ready when you call. You might find that the shipping / handeling is a little high but thats the way it is. If you are going to restore your car - CARS will be a big help parts wise.

3. If you want to know how to do whatever - call me.

4. There are other great places to go to get certain items, call me with what you are looking for - I will tell you where to go to get the best reproduced item. As an example -Clarks Corvair for interiors stuff - never heard of any complaints about them and on and on.

Thats the way it is folks, CARS has decent product at decent prices - shipping is a little high on some stuff and customer relations in not what most expect but , we need them and they need us . Their are a lot of Con-Men out there that screw or try and screw us but CARS is not one of them. If you want warm and fuzzys call me otherwise - order your parts. I have what CARS does not have . Time to spend with you . I enjoy talking with all collectors on your dime. I also have parts . Thanks for your time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3Jakes,

Once again you acusing the BOD of being crooked while not having one shread of evidence to support that fact.

As I have said before, the only thing we get from Glenn or any other advertiser is the money required to run the ads.

Dick may be a friend of his, but does that mean he is in his back pocket as you put it ?

We are all volunteers on the BOD and if you think we are crooked or recieving kickbacks, then why dont you run for a position ? Maybe then you could help the club instead of saying deragoitory words about the BOD.

As you can see from reading this thread, people have had good and bad luck ordering from CARS. I imagine they can say the same about a lot of vendors both in the Old car business and outside of it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I, too, am getting a little tired of comments that CARS has some "under the table" connection to the BCA. If that's really true, I'd like to see some significant evidence of that!

I feel that Dick's comments of how to deal with CARS are very good. It gets the potential customer ready for what to expect--advance damage control, if you will. The fact that Dick might be a friend of Glenn's does not seem to be influencing his comments.

I have friends that order from Jegs or Summitt Racing, usually by phone. It usually takes two shipments to get everything AND to get the right things. At least their shipping department gets things shipped with plenty of "peanuts" and the things they ship are usually in some sort of manufacturer's box to start with. I've ordered from them online and things happen as expected. Be that as it may.

I detect a certain amount of angst in the statments about CARS' poor performance . . . from many posters. I can understand this on many levels. Still, if you're dealing with somebody across the countryside from you who has what you want (when no other vendor does), things CAN go wrong. In some cases, there are no other choices for international customers. BUT with the Internet, at least more shopping can be done prior to placing ANY order with any parts vendor (especially for mechanical parts). In many cases, people want to take the easy way out rather than do due dilligence in their research-before-purchase situations.

When it comes to reproductions and "used" parts, then things can get a little different in nature. If you want a catalog, that can be flaky too, sometimes, if your request might be made between printings.

Also keep in mind that many of these vintage parts vendors are small businesses, not multi-billion-dollar affairs with unlimited budgets. Think "local embedded parts store" rather than "chain store", for example. A main concern will not necesarily be having a cutting edge website but to get needed parts to those that need and can pay for them. Longevity can mean they are doing some things right, but it's NOT a guarantee that everything is going right in all transactions. Just as with politicians . . . just because you might see the business entity's name "everywhere" does not mean that it might be a good place to do business. BUT you have to try and see, especially if they have what you want or need.

If, as Dick mentioned, Glenn is getting some things reproduced, THAT in itself can be a big financial and time-consuming undertaking. Plus the decision of how many to get to get the best price and projecting how many might sell and when is a situation that many dealership parts managers don't even want to think about as once you get them, they're yours until they sell out. If they don't sell quick enough, you can't send them back to anybody "return for credit, less restocking fee"--period.

I've usually tried to look on the positive side of things. If Glenn didn't have the things he has (and has chased those things for many years, so he can service the needs of people in a section of the Buick hobby that are apparently underserved at this time), where might we get them? It's a lot easier to talk about it than do it! Not that we should have to seemingly tolerate a low level of customer service to get them, but I suspect we should be glad we can get what we get from CARS or other hobby vendors for niche market items.

IF there's a concern about the quality of shipping/packing, then you might request "Overpacking" of your shipment and have that put on your invoice for a little extra charge--if they'll do it. Even if you purchase insurance, it's not going to cover insufficient packing material inside the container, but insurance can be good to have just in case.

While you're on the phone with them, if there's anything related to the transaction that you might have a question about, ASK. Ask about how many boxes and how the items will be packed to arrive "in one piece", for example. Ask about return policies, too, making sure that you will be getting what you think you'll be getting. Leave nothing to chance, ask about it up front.

I recall hearing of one "THE BUGLE" advertiser being banned a while back. It was from highly negative feedback, among other things. So, it has happened.

An interesting point of interest might be how Hemmings Motor News handles things when they get negative feedback from advertisers? It is a highly respected publication, just as our BCA magazine is, too. If we might pull Glenn's ads, who is going to be hurt, if that's what is trying to be done? If his ad is not seen in our magazine but is in Hemmings and elsewhere, he's still got plenty of exposure to the old car hobby. In that orientation, trying to decrease Glenn's business (for allegedly poor customer service to some in here) by pulling his advertising priviledges in our BCA magazine quickly becomes moot.

Just some thougths,

NTX5467

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think anger management might be needed here ! I must confess , I did allow Glen to give me a beer , perhaps twice while a visit to one of the big meets that he attends with his crew in the last 20 years. Aside from that I pay the same price , get the same bad service and pay the same high prices of shiping that everone else does. Fact is , if I need something CARS has - guess what. I send a lot of folks to CARS , Clarks Corvair , Wheatbelt, Larry Daisey , AB & G ("Gene" ) and the list goes on. Where I send folks depends a lot on what they need and where they are located. I take an active roll , world wide on helping those in need of parts and tech. help - how about you Jake, what do you do . I have been doing it for 25 years and still going strong. I think I have made my case and will not be back to this thread. I do suggest that if you have problems with the way the BCA runs their program , Please , volunteer to serve ! The BCA is looking for GOOD FOLKS TO SERVE !

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have 2 comments on this thread.

1. The quality of a vendor's products and services. This forum is an appropriate place to honestly share facts related to experiences with vendors... good or bad.

2. Implications the Buick Club of America Board of Directors has an inappropriate relationship with a vendor. This forum is NOT the place to simply accuse the BCA BOD of inappropriate acts without backing it up with facts.

For those who have accused the BCA BOD of inappropriate actions -- back it up with facts or retract you statements immediately. Otherwise you will be banned from this forum.

Peter Gariepy

AACA Webmaster

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In any Internet forum, I have observed that many can tend to be platforms for those who have (generally) negative comments about things. Several years ago, in the Yahoo! Groups Catera group, every time some new person inquired as to what to look for in the consideration or purchase of a Catera (a normal inquiry as we've seen some of in here), one regular poster always said "Don't . . ." (and went on to justify that statement. There were also new owners who had purchased one thinking the German heritage would mean something, just as the Cadillac emblem on the hood would do similar. LOTS of negative comments about the vehicles (some of which might have been justly deserved), but then there were some comments from original owners who had logged way past 150,000 miles with no breakdowns or serious repairs--just the opposite of what the other poster had stated. Still, in some cases, it was obvious that some of the owners would have been better off with another vehicle (for various reasons), but bought it as it was "German designed" and "Cadillac" AND it was at a price they could afford--what a deal (seemingly).

Over the years in the parts business, I've seen some vendors and repair shops that were the best around AND who I didn't mind referring people too. I've seen some who had great reputations, but you had to deal with them on THEIR terms (which loyal customers readily admitted to). There were also some that looked flaky but were great. There were also some who were as flaky as their places looked.

I've known of customers who went to the great places and felt they didn't get what they paid for. I've also know of customers who patronized the totally flaky places and were completely satisfied and were became loyal customers. That just seems to be the nature of the situation. In other words, NO GUARANTEES about how a customer-and-vendor relationship might blossom or crater over time.

Sometimes, you have to use what I term "professional tolerance" to deal with some vendors (even co-workers!) in order for your projects and desires to progress. Having a lower level of expectations might also help in these situations, such that when things do happen, a higher level of satisfaction might result. Back to those pesky "point of reference" situations . . .

Now, I'm going out to chop some tree limbs for the city to pickup this week.

Have a great week!

NTX5467

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I suggest the following:

Someone start a new thread discussing Cars, Inc. in the General Discussion forum. Let the entire antique car community chime in. (Cars, Inc. is not a Buick only vendor after all).

Please share the following:

Good experiences

Bad experiences

Regular experiences

Be specific, be honest, be direct.

"IF" there a an overwhelming trend that Cars, Inc. has issues, then as a community we should contact them about the issues posted in the forum.

Fair?

Peter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

While the two orders I've placed with CARS were both screwed-up, I don't really think they're dishonest. Their customer service techniques may have been learned from Ma Bell before the phone monopoly was broken up ("We're the phone company--<span style="font-style: italic">we don't have to care!</span> smile.gif ), but that doesn't make them crooks. I also think that they may possibly be over their heads in many areas: think of every single little part on your particular car. Can you identify every one? Now magnify that by decades of Buicks and dozens of models. There are a lot of parts to identify, and it's my opinion that Glen and his staff in many cases just don't know whether they're sending out the right part--they're hoping that they do, but maybe not. That's no excuse for it, but it could be an explanation.

Now the other side of that coin is indeed the customer service issue. Perhaps it's pride, perhaps it's arrogance, I don't know, but they rarely own up to mistakes and make them right, and that's why we get threads such as this one.

I learned a long time ago that a customer who has a problem that is fixed quickly and properly to his complete satisfaction is a better, more loyal and louder proponent of your business than one who didn't have anything go wrong at all. In the end, it really IS service that builds a company, no matter what they offer, even very rare car parts. However, unless it's one-of-one, I can find it elsewhere and perhaps avoid the hassles of dealing with CARS, which I do. I vote with my wallet (or credit card, as the case may be). I'm <span style="font-style: italic">always</span> willing to pay extra for good service to get the exact same parts.

Finally, I think the presence of Internet message boards such as this one tends to magnify problems beyond statistic norms. Only the people who have problems will actually start a thread about it, and most of the enjoinders will have also had similar problems. Those who haven't had problems likely don't participate because they have nothing to say--service was adequate.

For example, I am terrified that the transmission on my Dodge 2500 pickup will fail soon. It works fine, but on Internet message boards, as many as 60% of Dodge truck owners report failed transmissions, and it makes me leery. I know, however, that it certainly can't be that high in the real world--perhaps 10-20% of that number is realistic. But still I worry.

This is also why the board hasn't done anything--it may seem as if there are A LOT of problems, but en toto, there are probably not enough to justify pulling an advertiser (though perhaps a well-placed phone call from the top to the top could help things a little on the customer service end). Sure, they're jerks on the phone, but most people probably get what they ordered the first time. There's no foul play here. We're just getting distorted data because our cross section is so small.

The presence of open forums seems to magnify problems out of proportion. If Glen and CARS botch 20% of their orders, that's <span style="font-weight: bold">a lot</span>--perhaps unacceptably so. But on the other hand, it also means that a vast majority of people have no problems and you won't hear from them at all, here or elsewhere. This seems common to all Internet message boards, no matter what the topic, from garden ponds to antique car parts.

Just my (rather lengthy) $0.02. Thanks for reading.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> But on the other hand, it also means that a vast majority of people have no problems and you won't hear from them at all, here or elsewhere.</div></div>

Matt, don't forget to mention that there are still a lot of car people who have no use for the internet or computers. You'll never hear their problems on a forum like this.

Wayne

Link to comment
Share on other sites

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Matt Harwood</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Their customer service techniques may have been learned from Ma Bell before the phone monopoly was broken up ("We're the phone company--<span style="font-style: italic">we don't have to care!</span> smile.gif ), </div></div>

Matt, I am a proud retired phone company guy and I don't appreciate anyone mailigning the company I used to work for nor the fellow employees with whom I worked shoulder to shoulder providing outstanding customer service over my 28 years of service. For many years I had to forgo my Thankgiving day feast to climb poles in the rain just so you could call your Grandma. Be careful when you gore somebody's Ox. You never know who you might offend!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can't resist. I have to chime in here.

1. Matt - as a business owner I can tell you that Ma Bell beat the hell out of Verizon, etc. In the old days you could set up a company with 20 employees and have your phones installed in a couple of days, and, for free. Now it takes 25k -50k and a few weeks, and, forget about customer service.I love your site and am disappointed that your restoration is on the back burner for awhile. But, as far as the phone company, you've got it wrong!

2. Concerning Cars; I have purchased a lot of parts from them. The real issue with any company is not the buying, but how they handle issues. I have had issues and have been taken care of, so far, in a very satisfactory manner. And, I do have to say that the perceived favorite vendor has had moments of less than stellar customer service, at least for me. Since I don't expect much these days from anyone, I'm usually not that disappointed.

3. Until the popularity of Buick's reaches the level of Chevy's, we're stuck with what's out there.

4. Accusing the BOD of having some hidden agenda with CAR's is most likely similar to thinking the moon landing was a hoax.

'Cmon, we're big boys. If you don't like a vendor, go somewhere else.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest unclefogey

Here we go with the "point of reference" problem again. The bigger the organization, the more likely a lot of individuals harbor some or a lot of disatisfaction with that large organization. Toiling away on a Thanksgiving keeping the phone service open will be totally cancelled out in the customer's mind who can't get DSL service because the company owning the lines determines that it is not in their plans at this time. Since you are in Washington, and I am in Minnesota, we know what phone company I am talking about. Tried to turn to the city for help, but city manager was just as frustrated as I. If the phone company doesn't want to provide DSL service lines, they don't have to.

For the record, it was Ernestine (Lilly Tomlin) who said, "We are the phone company, we don't care because we don't have to." One ringy dingy, two ringy dingies, etc., etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest unclefogey

Point of Reference. How soon we forget about the old phone company days and such things as the EPP, better known as the Extension Phone Police. Ma Bell would determine how many phones were resident in the confines of the sacred area known as your home by measuring the current draw when the phone rang, and if you had a phone not manufactured by Western Electric or any number of phones greater than the one that you were allowed in the price of a phone line, you were branded as a scofflaw, sent a bill for each additional phone, or told to remove the non Western Electric phone because it could damage the network.

I agree, unless sufferring a financial loss, a bad experience with a vendor should be cause to move on to a different one with a suck it up attitude and no more. I did it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I didn't mean to hijack this thread into a discussion about my former employer. I was just pointing out that when discussing a topic, posters should keep the discussion civil. There was no need to inject the negative stereotypical reference to make the point. Just as political or other invectives should not be used unless you don't care if you offend someone.

That said and getting back on topic, I have had nothing but positive dealings with CARS over the years. My good car buddy has had a bad experience with them. I will order from them when I have to and if I can get it somewhere else, I'll probably do that. That is how the American free enterprise system works.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ol' yeller</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

Matt, I am a proud retired phone company guy and I don't appreciate anyone mailigning the company I used to work for nor the fellow employees with whom I worked shoulder to shoulder providing outstanding customer service over my 28 years of service. For many years I had to forgo my Thankgiving day feast to climb poles in the rain just so you could call your Grandma. Be careful when you gore somebody's Ox. You never know who you might offend! </div></div>

Greg, I certainly meant no offense. That comment is from a Saturday Night Live skit from many years ago, I think with Lily Tomlin as an operator. It isn't my personal feeling, just a pop culture reference that went over everyone's head--hence the smiley. Sorry.

Also, my father-in-law worked for the phone company for 35 years, climbing those very same poles, so I can definitely respect your work.

My humble apologies, but I meant no offense. Happy motoring!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest imported_MrEarl

Geeeez, do ya reckon Gene has been following this thread. Personally in the past I have just passed it off as being due to them d*** yankees recognozing my southern accent and not wanting to break tradition by being nice to a cracker. But it appears demographics is not part it,so why don't somebody invite the staff of CAR's to participate in the friendly discussion here. crazy.giflaugh.gifshocked.gifwhistle.gifblush.gifshocked.giffrown.gifwink.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest my3buicks

Because then it wouldn't be friendly any more, I am sure the same attitude we get when we deal with them would be magnified here : )

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Perhaps the point some of us are trying to make is lost in translation.

- Not everyone has dealt with CARS for parts (I for one have not).

- Many have dealt with CARS for parts and completed transactions.

- Of those many transactions, some transactions were not to the satisfaction of the consumer.

- Some of the dissatisfied customers are attempting to voice their concern for a vendor problem so those that have not dealt with CARS know the "track history" of the company.

I myself would like to know how a vendor supports it's customers. The posts tend towards -- I've dealt with them for years, the customer service is what it is. Or -- We don't have another supplier, so we deal with it. We don't expect much more.

Whatever the opinion, those that are new to Buicks will be looking for parts. If the main part supplier for these parts (only supplier for some parts) is so hard to deal with, don't be surprised when the new Buick enthusiast becomes a Chevy enthusiast. It's hard enough to get somebody excited about Buicks to begin with. Then to say, well, this is the only supplier, and the service sucks, and it may cost you for their mistake...but that's how it is. Well, you're just shooting yourself in the foot. I'd like to know ahead of time if a supplier is hard to deal with, so I can either try to find another source or lower my expectations. I just don't want to be blindsided on my first dealings with a vendor.

Perhaps a separate forum can be created where feedback can be posted about transactions by vendors. This would be a moderated forum where moderators would prevent flame wars from happening, and possibly help get parties together if problems do arise. A semi-mediator if you will.

This is all just food for thought.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Very well said Mr. McCann! I'll just add that I have had both good and bad dealings with Cars over the years-I generally avoid them if I can. Some years ago Glen emailed me (among others I'm sure) to inquire about my transactions. My impression was that he realized that he had an employee or two that he needed to deal with. I also got the feeling that he had been rather 'hands off' and unaware of some of the problems at that time. Doesn't sound like much has changed! Dan ROA/BCA

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Maybe the Bugle can put a disclaimer over or under their ad stating that there have been complaints about poor service, attitude and products...proceed at your own risk.

At a local chapter meeting today a member asked if anyone had dealing with CARS because his first impression was that they were the most obnoxious jerks he has ever contacted...and that was before he ordered. I told him that it will only get worse.

Willie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I suspect that BEFORE any comments might be levelled at CARS (or any other vendor, for that matter) for their mentioned "indiscretions", it might be good to actually see what's going on there in a normal business day RATHER than building suspicions about that from the signals the customer might "see" on the other end of a phone line. That might explain some of what's apparently gone on and why--plus OR minus.

When you might call a vendor on the phone, or even a local parts house (dealership or otherwise), the customer expects the phone to be answered in a few rings (understandably), then greeted pleasantly by a knowledgeable and willing sales person (understandably), with the total experience being positive and not taking too long to execute. To me, that's the "bar" standard. Then, when a problem might happen, it is expected that the phone person would show a high level of empathy with the customer's situation and then make all efforts to "right the wrong", quickly and efficiently . . . always taking the customer's word over what they might know or perceive to be "reality". Also, openning the cash register drawer for the customer with "no questions", if need be, even if it means less of a paycheck for them in the process.

But, when you also realize that any parts store/vendor does not have the resources to have what might look like a "phone bank" of people as you might see on a fund-raising telethon in the background to take calls, things can change. Phones might not get answered "quickly" by unstressted or unhurried employees who might have just spent "way too long" dealing with a prior phone or parts counter customer (who might have required "more care" to get the order consumated). Then the order is passed to a warehouse person who is trying to get another project achieved in order to get it all done before the shipping company's truck arrives, which might be a little behind schedule that day and whose driver is ALSO under pressure to get back by the appointed time on their side of things.

In other words, things (as a "service provider") are not always "perfect" on the vendor side of things and some mistakes or other things can happen for a host of hidden reasons. Until you've been in these situations, these realities are usually NOT known to the customer . . . with all due respect. Having a trained, knowledgeable, and MOTIVATED staff that can successfully and expeditiously handle these situations as a normal course of action is great, but that doesn't always happen either--for various reasons.

In many cases, the customer can be as much of an influence of the "good customer service" they might receive as the vendor can be . . . even if "the customer" was the one that got there just before you did. The customer can be as much of a "victim" of customer service as they can be a (unknowingly, but willing) "co-conspirator" of customer service . . . plus or minus.

A trained professional or someone "seminared" in customer service can minimize the negative items, but such a trained professional doesn't automatically happen nor are they everywhere. Good Customer Service is not really rocket science, but just a lot of reality issues on BOTH sides of the transaction. Plus, ALL Employees in the enterprise have a part in the total situation rather than just the contact person . . . which puts lots of other variables in place for things to happen "not as desired" on either side of the transaction.

Just some thoughts and observations . . .

NTX5467

Link to comment
Share on other sites

just to change the subject for a minute I thought this was funny(kinda it shows the detail cars has)

I recieved this letter from CARS today and it states

"Welcome to the Riviera Owners Association"

I am not a member of ROA and I do not own a Riviera

I assume this was a form letter since i joined the BCA

if they got my name and address off the bca roster it clearly states that i have 2 wildcats.........

at least they got the buick part right LOL

as i said not trying to start nothing but I thought this was funny.............................

scott

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looks like another strike against CARS...

http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?t=135714

I must say that in my dealings with them, they were fine. I did have one problem (I ordered a SkyHAWK taillight and they sent me one for a SkyLARK and charged me shipping both ways), but once the problem was made clear, they had no problem refunding my card the cost of the taillight (tough luck on the shipping).

I have found it better to order "on-line" with them instead of trying to call.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: pphil</div><div class="ubbcode-body">just to change the subject for a minute I thought this was funny(kinda it shows the detail cars has)

I received this letter from CARS today and it states

"Welcome to the Riviera Owners Association"

I am not a member of ROA and I do not own a Riviera

I assume this was a form letter since i joined the BCA

if they got my name and address off the BCA roster it clearly states that i have 2 wildcats.........

at least they got the Buick part right LOL

as i said not trying to start nothing but I thought this was funny.............................

Scott

</div></div>

I got the same letter... IF , and I doubt it's the case, the BCA is selling their roster (Which is commonly done in business.), we should be able to "opt out" of these mailings. That said, after getting a "greeting" from CARS, welcoming me to the ROA, I have to wonder if I want to do business with them. confused.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I believe that you'll find a statement in the front of The Roster that it is NOT to be used for commercial purposes . . . ONLY for networking with other members.

From the "Notes and Information on the 2003 Edition of the BCA Membership Roster" page, at the bottom of the "Membership Contents Page" of the 2003 BCA Roster . . . Paragraph 3

"The Roster is prepared solely for the use and information of the Buick Club of America members in conjunction with Club activities. To use this for purpose of solicitation or any commercial purposes, reproduction or distribution without prior written permission from the Buick Club of America Board of Directors is strictly prohibited."

So . . . the question might be whether or not CARS has been given that written permission by the BCA BOD, when it was done, and if it was for a particular time period (in particular calendar years), a blanket approval until the BOD might withdraw it's written permission, or whatever. If such approval was given to CARS, we might also inquire as to what other commercial entity might have similar arrangements with the BCA . . . just so we know what's going on and whether or not to expect commercial solicitations (whether targeted at one particular group of Buick owners, by the particular Buicks they might own or "in general" Buicks) from other similar vendors.

I somewhat doubt the specific intentions of that particular wording in the 2003 BCA Roster has changed with more recent versions or is significantly different from prior-to-2003 Rosters.

Just some thoughts.

Willis Bell 20811

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest edalfa

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> they had no problem refunding my card the cost of the taillight (tough luck on the shipping).

</div></div>

Any purchase made with a credit card can be disputed and, if warranted, charged back through the issuing bank. It is then up to the vendor to justify their actions. Of course, this would be the last resort if you have not gotten satisfaction. Also, I think it is safe to say this approach severs all ties to that vendor. But, then again, if you get to this point, you don't want to deal with them again anyhow.

Ed

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest imported_BCAOffice

In the many years of working with CARS, Inc concerning their ads in the Bugle magazine, we here in the BCA Office have found that almost all of the "complaints" leveled at CARS were just a matter of an unsatisfied customer who wanted something that CARS was not able to reasonably do. Glenn can indeed be a bit grumpy in his manner of talking to customers, but most of the other customer service people have been ok. As to the use of the BCA Roster for solicitation purposes, that is a clear violation of BCA policy. Many Vendors are BCA members as well, but no one is allowed to use the information in the Roster for solicitations. The information in the BCA database is NEVER sold to a company for that type of use. A few years back the BCA Board of Directors voted to allow a credit card company to use the data in return for a percentage of business generated by BCA members purchasing and using a credit card. This generated about $1600.00 - $1700.00 in BCA income per year for about three years. When the contract came up for renewal, the Board decided not to continue this practice. Anyone that receives a solicitation that you believe was generated from the information in the BCA Roster should contact us in the BCA Office at phone number 614-472-3939 or email us at buickcluboffice@aol.com and we will immediately contact the solicitor and explain the legal ramafications of continued use of BCA data. Hope this message helps!

Mike & Nancy Book

BCA National Office Administrators

Link to comment
Share on other sites

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BCAOffice</div><div class="ubbcode-body">In the many years of working with CARS, Inc concerning their ads in the Bugle magazine, we here in the BCA Office have found that almost all of the "complaints" leveled at CARS were just a matter of an unsatisfied customer who wanted something that CARS was not able to reasonably do. Glenn can indeed be a bit grumpy in his manner of talking to customers, but most of the other customer service people have been ok. As to the use of the BCA Roster for solicitation purposes, that is a clear violation of BCA policy. Many Vendors are BCA members as well, but no one is allowed to use the information in the Roster for solicitations. The information in the BCA database is NEVER sold to a company for that type of use. A few years back the BCA Board of Directors voted to allow a credit card company to use the data in return for a percentage of business generated by BCA members purchasing and using a credit card. This generated about $1600.00 - $1700.00 in BCA income per year for about three years. When the contract came up for renewal, the Board decided not to continue this practice. Anyone that receives a solicitation that you believe was generated from the information in the BCA Roster should contact us in the BCA Office at phone number 614-472-3939 or email us at buickcluboffice@aol.com and we will immediately contact the solicitor and explain the legal ramafications of continued use of BCA data. Hope this message helps!

Mike & Nancy Book

BCA National Office Administrators </div></div>

I have recieved 2 solicitations since the august bugle came out where my name address zip state and cars are printed for anyone to see........

dont have to sell whats free

i did not mean to start anything when i posted about cars

but apparently I opened a can of worms

scott

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest imported_BCAOffice

Hi Scott.....Not a can of worms, just some potential misuse of BCA info. Please let us know who sent you the solicitations and we'll be happy to check into it. If someone doesn't let us know there is a problem, we can't fix it.

Thanks!

Mike & Nancy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

I have always been tremendously dissappointed in cars! they are using repop.parts that don't fit or charge excessive handling or shipping charges. They have got the ruddest and least knowledgeable phone staff. Every order is always difficult at best. They know they got us by our wallet's and I'll do anything possible not order from them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...