Ethical Use and Treatment of Vendors

[Smitty_67]

All,

I spoke to two site sponsors today regarding a wheel and tire combo for my project.

Both vendors were good guys and helpful.

One vendor gave me a really good price for a combo with the specs I thought I needed.

The other vendor took the time to discuss my setup and steered me a different direction due to fitment issues he predicted would occur with the setup I requested. This vendors price is somewhat higher but then again, it's a different product. Maybe not apples to apples but very close.

Now I'm thinking that I would feel like a dirt bag buying the first vendors products with the new specs that I learned from the other that quite possibly saved my a bunch of trouble.

I know this is an odd post but we have multiple vendor on this list that sell goods and participate in the forums and we are a small community.

Any thoughts?

[SatisTraction]

tough call here for me. Price means ALOT these days. I would check the feedback and customer service of each and go with which ever felt best. IF you had a problem which would work with you better and replace the faulty parts? all things being equal I would go for the better deal.

[MrQuick]

All vendors are here to help and it would not be an issue....that is till you posted this and brought attention to the deal. Now someone is going to feel left out. LOL , just kidding. use your heart.

[wolf28]

I would always do my best to go with the vendor that provided the most help. Maybe they would be willing to work with you on the price a little...

[Steve1968LS2]

Buy based on service first and price second.

Especially if the prices are close.

[BritishGreen68]

Sometimes the better deal isnt always the better deal.. if you get something a little bit cheaper somewhere it could bite you when it comes warranty time or if there is a problem.. say your wheels shows up with a dent or scratch, one vendor might say send it back we'll get you a new one ASAP and the other might say well deal with the shipping company its not our fault we gave you a good deal etc.. just an example.. actually come to think of it, that happened to a friend of mine.. he bought wheels from a company because the website showed them to be for a certain price, and when he called to order them, they argued and said it was a typo and they then changed the website right away. They still gave him the lower price after a talk with a manager.. when the wheels showed up they were very poor quality, had polishing compound all over them, some unpolished areas, scratching on the lips, and the centers were blasted and they did a horrible tape job on the blasting and blasted into some of the polished areas. He called to complain, and guess what, they said hey we gave you a rock bottom price so thats what you get and we cant do anything for you.. nice huh? Not from a vendor on here but a VERY well known wheel company. Anyway ya i usually go for the better price myself but just make sure you use your gut instinct and ask alot of questions, like if it shows up broke what will you do about it and warranty and whatever the case may be..

[Smitty_67]

Buy based on service first and price second.

Especially if the prices are close.

That's what I normally do.. The price difference is quite a bit, but I think I'll pay it. I plan to do more business with this vendor and he already saved me quite a bit of trouble.

We have so many good vendors giving advise and support to this community. Good problem to have.

[BritishGreen68]

That's what I normally do.. The price difference is quite a bit, but I think I'll pay it. I plan to do more business with this vendor and he already saved me quite a bit of trouble.

We have so many good vendors giving advise and support to this community. Good problem to have.
tell them about the price from the other maybe they can meet in the middle or something..

[FirstGenZq8]

don't feel bad about whoever you end up going with, but perhaps tell the vendor that you didn't purchase from WHY you didn't. it'll take some stones on your part. but i would think the "loser" would appreciate the feedback, and be able to use it to their advantage in the future. :dunno:

[JamesJ]

That's what I normally do.. The price difference is quite a bit, but I think I'll pay it. I plan to do more business with this vendor and he already saved me quite a bit of trouble.

We have so many good vendors giving advise and support to this community. Good problem to have.

I think you made the correct choice. Seems that you understand that these were two different things so price should be different. The thing maybe to find out is if the new setup really is better and will it really not work out.

Dont feel bad going with the smarted person or company, that may be why they are better...

[Smitty_67]

Thanks Guys.. I definitely would have worked the vendor on price if we were talking the exact same wheel, but we weren't. I have no doubt both vendors would have given great service before and after the sale. I did go with the more expensive option because i trust this vendors judgement and experience.

I Ordered my wheels this morning. They cost more than my first two cars.. :-)

Thanks to Frank at ProdigyCustoms. I think you helped me make a good choice..

BTW.. Now I don't have to feel like a Dirt Bag..:1st:

[ProdigyCustoms]

Thanks so much Dave. All I can tell you is your first set of specs given to you elsewhere where completely screwed up. It really threw me for a little loop trying to maximize your fitment and keep everything in perspective. The information you had was all wrong aspect ratio and tire bulge. One has to look at overall height in relation to rim diameter and also overall section width in relation to the rim width for "bulge" among other things.

We have a perfect combo now that has our guarantee to fit. And now the front tires won;t bulge more then the rears, YUCK!

And no, we were not comparing apples to apples, but wheels are one place not to cheat.

Thanks again, glad to see the extra effort paid off. Often people abuse my openness and expertise and then price shop and buy elsewhere for pennies less because they gave my price and the competitor beat it by pennies to get the sale.

A lot of people like to hold technical information (if they actually know it) close to their chest for their confirmed sales. Whatever, I will continue to bend over backwards with free tech information for all members here. Guys like you make it worth it.

[Lowend]

From all of my years in the Speed industry there is one thing I learned:

You get what you pay for

A good vendor or product may cost a little more... and it's worth it

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

buy Snickers not Milkyway..

[Smitty_67]

You earned it Frank and I fully intend to take you up on the free advise for the rest of my project.:6gears:

[bret]

Im glad to see another soul who has exposed the difference between price and value.
We are running some ads in the mini truck market right now that ask the question "Can you really afford Cheap?".
Franks information, along with most of the info given by reputable manufacturers, is priceless. Thanks you for not abusing it. It makes it easier for all of us to pick up the phone the next time!

[JamesJ]

Franks a good guy, been to his shop, got a procharger from him, bolt kit, and a few other small things, I have even talked to him and he told me that I might as well just order the stuff from summit since my situation was so weird and i was going to have to send a few things back anyway, but we still talked about what to get and tried to help me out even though i just needed to hear someone say ya thats the right way, I think.......

[venturabeachpup]

Hey Dave. Just the fact that you posted the issue shows that you have some respect for our vendors. You talked to a couple of them then you made a choice. You kept it in the P/T family after your inquiries. Nothing wrong with that. I'll bet my next paycheck you can't go wrong with Frank. To wish you good luck would be redundant, since your in good hands.

[wolf28]

Thanks so much Dave. All I can tell you is your first set of specs given to you elsewhere where completely screwed up. It really threw me for a little loop trying to maximize your fitment and keep everything in perspective. The information you had was all wrong aspect ratio and tire bulge. One has to look at overall height in relation to rim diameter and also overall section width in relation to the rim width for "bulge" among other things.

We have a perfect combo now that has our guarantee to fit. And now the front tires won;t bulge more then the rears, YUCK!

And no, we were not comparing apples to apples, but wheels are one place not to cheat.

Thanks again, glad to see the extra effort paid off. Often people abuse my openness and expertise and then price shop and buy elsewhere for pennies less because they gave my price and the competitor beat it by pennies to get the sale.

A lot of people like to hold technical information (if they actually know it) close to their chest for their confirmed sales. Whatever, I will continue to bend over backwards with free tech information for all members here. Guys like you make it worth it.

:twothumbs

[Smitty_67]

Im glad to see another soul who has exposed the difference between price and value.
We are running some ads in the mini truck market right now that ask the question "Can you really afford Cheap?".
Franks information, along with most of the info given by reputable manufacturers, is priceless. Thanks you for not abusing it. It makes it easier for all of us to pick up the phone the next time!

Thanks Bret.. Got my new Billet Gas cap a few weeks ago. Look forward to installing it.

[buickfunnycar.com]

Good to hear guys...the vendors here and their information is priceless,support those who support you.

[SatisTraction]

cant beat frank!! that is for for sure :)

[Roadbuster]

Frank is a good guy to do business with and knows his stuff on his wheels! You will be very happy with the look of your new wheel/tire combination!

Jon

[DriverzInc]

So which wheels did you end up going with?

[twosaturns]

service and expertise costs. price is only part of the equation.
when I worked in a bicycle shop, we would have people pick our brains about stuff, try on shoes to get the right size, etc, then mail order their stuff. then they would still come in and want to chat and hang out- not cool.
Frank seems like a great guy and I would choose him for stuff myself.

[Smitty_67]

Guys,

I wanted to clarify. The other wheel vendor did not give me the original specs. I got them from the vendor where I purchased the suspension. The wheel vendor provided an excellent price and communicated extremely well. Like I mentioned, both vendors were exceptional. I also believe the other vendor would have caught the fitment issues as well had we gotten further into the process.

The reason I went with Frank is he asked about my project, goals, looks, etc.. right off the bat and seemed to know right away that something was wrong. I have many more parts and pieces to this project and I will be needing further help and advise as the project moves forward. It seemed like a good opportunity to start building a relationship with Frank.

Frank is very open with his information but would he have been as forthcoming if he knew I or anyone else was taking his information and going shopping. Just didn't seem like the right thing to do and would not serve my long term interest.

I am a vendor as well, only in a different industry and I have had people take my knowledge and use it to further their purpose and left my company out cold. It's not the right thing to do, and I won't do it even if it costs me money in the short term.

I appreciate the vendors that support us on this forum and I wish I didn't have to chose between the two. I know I would have won either way. Like I mentioned, it's a good problem to have.

[Smitty_67]

So which wheels did you end up going with?

Hi Jon,

I got the Boze G-Machine wheels and the BFGoodrich g-Force KDW2's.. I got the polished finish, but may paint the centers to match the paint scheme.

[Smitty_67]

Oh! and another point. If I had known about this forum and vendors before I started my project, I would have saved myself allot of grief and money.

I'll start a project thread when Kris gets done with the rendering but just some background. I purchased my car from an "ole boy" in Kentucky. Had a new paint job and looked really good in pictures. I thought it would be a great head start on my father/son project. My son was fourteen when I bought it and I planned to give him the car for his sixteenth birthday. It's allot, but this kid is everything I wish I would have been at his age. When the car arrived, it was completely rotted out. I mean, I am starting over from the ground up. Out of this 9500 dollar car, I got a title, hood, trunk lid, and one fender. Everything else I'm having to rebuild and replace. Absolute nightmare beginning. I made it worse by buying and engine, tranny, and rear end without really having it planned out. Franks planning assistance would have saved me a tremendous amount of trouble and I would have ended with a better car if I had known.

Needless to say, I won't have it done for his birthday, but I'm hoping to have it by his graduation. This is to be my legacy to him and I want to do the same for his younger brother.

[buickfunnycar.com]

Oh! and another point. If I had known about this forum and vendors before I started my project, I would have saved myself allot of grief and money.

I'll start a project thread when Kris gets done with the rendering but just some background. I purchased my car from an "ole boy" in Kentucky. Had a new paint job and looked really good in pictures. I thought it would be a great head start on my father/son project. My son was fourteen when I bought it and I planned to give him the car for his sixteenth birthday. It's allot, but this kid is everything I wish I would have been at his age. When the car arrived, it was completely rotted out. I mean, I am starting over from the ground up. Out of this 9500 dollar car, I got a title, hood, trunk lid, and one fender. Everything else I'm having to rebuild and replace. Absolute nightmare beginning. I made it worse by buying and engine, tranny, and rear end without really having it planned out. Franks planning assistance would have saved me a tremendous amount of trouble and I would have ended with a better car if I had known.

Needless to say, I won't have it done for his birthday, but I'm hoping to have it by his graduation. This is to be my legacy to him and I want to do the same for his younger brother.

You're a good man Dave...:1st:

[6'9"Witha69]

you're a good man dave...:1st:
x2!!

[compos mentis]

Very nice ...

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://img125.imageshack.us/i/gmachinedetail.jpg/)

[Smitty_67]

Yep.. Frank pointed me to them. I think they will look great. I don't recall seeing them on any cars I've seen.

[Vegas69]

Oh! and another point. If I had known about this forum and vendors before I started my project, I would have saved myself allot of grief and money.

I'll start a project thread when Kris gets done with the rendering but just some background. I purchased my car from an "ole boy" in Kentucky. Had a new paint job and looked really good in pictures. I thought it would be a great head start on my father/son project. My son was fourteen when I bought it and I planned to give him the car for his sixteenth birthday. It's allot, but this kid is everything I wish I would have been at his age. When the car arrived, it was completely rotted out. I mean, I am starting over from the ground up. Out of this 9500 dollar car, I got a title, hood, trunk lid, and one fender. Everything else I'm having to rebuild and replace. Absolute nightmare beginning. I made it worse by buying and engine, tranny, and rear end without really having it planned out. Franks planning assistance would have saved me a tremendous amount of trouble and I would have ended with a better car if I had known.

Needless to say, I won't have it done for his birthday, but I'm hoping to have it by his graduation. This is to be my legacy to him and I want to do the same for his younger brother.
Classic and nothing but class.:cheers:

[Daveb]

Thanks Guys..

I Ordered my wheels this morning. They cost more than my first two cars.. :-)

Thanks to Frank at ProdigyCustoms. I think you helped me make a good choice...

You did the right thing, especially with rims and tires. Getting someone that can help you with your project is worth the extra mile.

I always look for the best value. I have talked with several of the vendors on this forum and never received anything but good service. I ordered an engine from Frank because of his participation and help on this forum (OK - it was a great price too). What I like are vendors that are willing to help out builders with their problems on forums. I look to see if they only post in the classifieds or participate in discussions. We all want a great deal, but how many times have I bought a part from someone that doesn't have experience in my application only to spend excessive time getting it to fit or scrapping it completely.

Since Frank carries a lot of the parts I already planned to use on my current project and has done similar builds, he's got my business too.

DaveB

[Boatmark]

Dave,
What you paid a little extra for is experience. Frank's experience, and a buying experience. Both seem to have been stand up vendors, but Frank took the time to use his experience, to ensure you had a good experience.

The talent in sales/service/parts is to make sure the customer leaves with not only with what he or she asked for, but what they really need, and with the expertise you can provide to help accomplish the task.

" . . . here is the part you asked for. You are also going to find you need this gasket once you have it apart. Now you won't need to make another trip. Have you done this before? No, well here is a trick we use to keep the muffler bearing in place while you slide the assembly back in. If you have a problem, give us a call and we'll talk you through it."

As it has been already said in this thread, the lowest price isn't always the best price.

Mark