Problems with GMC Pauls?

[Hawker7]

Just an update. After about 4 weeks I finally got my order in. The bad news, and what really makes me mad is the heater core I got. I had bought one from autozone for $23, but after hearing bad things about them, took it back. I then ordered one from GMC Pauls for $60 as I thought it would be better quality as it was advertised as "made in the usa" and I somehow thought it was a better one then we get in the big box stores. Well after getting my heater core, which comes from brothers BTW (as does a lot of their stuff) I find out it is the exact same heater core from autozone down to the part number printed on it. I also asked for a vented gas cap that would fit my 72, and was sent one for a 70 the does not fit. Needless to say that was my last order from them.

[Dynomutt]

If you have questions about anything they want to exchange emails with you until either you get an answer or THEY find it necessary to have Paul call and talk to you. If you are trying to place an order for multiple items and have several questions it could take quite some time to get the answers you need when a simple phone call would give you answers in minutes. I'm all for the modern era of internet ordering and such but I still believe you need phone support for order and parts questions. I had an order to place with them today for well over 1k but when they would only deal with my questions via email, I've decided to look elsewhere for my parts. I'll pay a little more to get the support that I want and expect.

I wish them luck, it's just not how I prefer to do business.

[Hawker7]

They also were not going to take back my heater core at first, as they told me all sales were final. It wasn't until I told them that I bought something that was advertised as made in the USA, and then got a heater core that was stamped made in Mexico. I have changed vendors.

[GMCPaul]

Hawker7 on Sun. 4-26 you placed a order for 25 different parts in multiple quanties on some yet did not order enough of some parts and you contacted us on Mon 4-27-09 to ask if we could modify the order to reflect the quantity of parts that you wanted, which we did so. We then shipped 21 different types of parts some in multiple quantities that were in stock at our store, we had 4 items we were out of stock on and rather than delay your order shipping we contacted a West Coast supplier that was supposed to carry the same parts as ourselves and had them drop ship these items so as not to delay your receiving them which was a steering wheel, a 67-70 gas cap, alternator conversion harness, and a heater core. Then you contacted us Tue. 5-5-09 asking us for tracking on the shipment from the West coast as it had not arrived and Amber began checking on it. She then discovered from the supplier that they were having a problem with the tracking # and they would get back with her. By closeing Tuesday this had not occured and she fell sick Tuesday evening and did not come in to work and failed to mention to the rest of us that she was dealing with a problem on your order and since she was dealing with the order she had your emails flagged to go directly to her email account to deal with it personally, so when you again inquired on May 6th the rest of us never saw the email on Fri May 8th she returned to work and because she had not informed anyone of the problem and your emails she applogized to you and myself for dropping the ball and I explained to her in the future to try and make surte to let others know if she has flagged emails and becomes sick and she removed the flag and got all information involved in the shipment and let you know what was happening and that UPS lost or misplaced the 1st shipment and that a 2nd would be going out to you immediately and provided a tracking # however the vendor was now out of the steering wheel and heater core and they would ship the beginning of the next week those parts arrived on 5-11-09 and shipped to you 5-12-09. On May 28th you contacted us stating that you wished to return the heater core and gas cap. Danielle then handled this email as you were no longer flagged and she was the 1st to see it and she explained that our return policy was all sales are final unless the product was defective or other than ordered and asked you which of these they were so she could issue you the approriate RMA # for the return. You then replied that the heater core was made in Mexico and we sell a made in USA heater core so she imeddiately issued a refund because it was not what you had ordered and we are now awaiting its arrival here to issue you a refund for it and return shipping costs.
I know were not perfect but we try and I'm sorry the 21 parts shipped to you in multiple quanties we had in stock here were not the 4 most important parts you wanted which seems to be the case according to this post. I do wish you had mentioned the fact in this post that you had ordered the 67-70 gas cap yourself and that it was not a mistake on our part that you ordered the incorrect gas cap. I also wish you had taken the time to tell that you had ordered prior witout problems and everything we did to rectify the problems that occured on this order.
Yes the vendor in Calif. was Brothers but using them to fill parts we are out of stock on so as not to delay you receiving a part I feel is a good thing not bad and they do not supply most all our parts for us we mainly use them as a fill in for things we run out of altough they do have a monopoly on a few parts that we must purchase from them as they have some parts made and are the only supplier.
I hope you have a nice day and that 2009 finds you Healhty, Happy , Prosperous and slightly more forgiving & patient.
Paul @ GMCPauls

[Hawker7]

I have had issues in the past, but have not posted about them. But if you want to bring it up, I believe almost every order I placed has had some problem. I remember one order getting the wrong parts shipped to me twice, and while you made good on them, it still takes longer to get parts that I needed. I have a few times during the year that someone is able to help me get some work done, and when it takes a extra week or two get parts, that window of having extra help is now gone. Like I said, you make good, but there are other vendors that are more responsive, sell what they advertise, and send the right parts that first time.

[Hawker7]

And yes, the gas cap was my fault. I was emailing 3 different places about it, and had thought that the email I sent to you was asking for a vented cap that would fit a 72. Some other place that I didn't order from told me that a cap from a 70 would fit a 72, and that’s why I asked for a 70. And also, when I asked if I could send back the cap for the 70, I was told I couldn't, and could only exchange for a 72 and would have to pay the shipping for it. When I was already sending back a heater core, I think it unreasonable, and bad customer service to refuse to take back a brand new in the box gas cap. Wouldn’t have been hard for me to throw it in the box I was already sending back to you, and then taking it and putting it back in your stock.

[GMCPaul]

hawker7 we did not refuse to accept the gas cap we actually gave you a RMA# (Return Materials Authorization #)to do so, We said you could return it for exchange on a 72 gas cap not for refund as it was what you ordered and not a defective part, and no one said you could not return it at the same time as the heater core, and I'm sorry if you feel your having to pay the quoted $4.80 for shipping on the 72 gas cap to ship to you when we had already shipped you the gas cap you ordered was to much to ask.
I also took the time to find the 1 other error on a order shipped to you. Guess what we were out of the part and we had it drop shipped from the Calif. supplier, they shipped you 2 vent window seal sets instead of 2 glass run channels, we then let you keep 2 sets of vent window seals which we still had to pay for since we did not have you return them and had the 2 glass run channels shipped out.
We also are in the process of refunding you now on the heater core and the return shipping costs.
Unlike ALL the other BIG stores out there that do not refund return shipping we do refund return shipping costs when we make a mistake.
I again appoligize for the mistake and again I hope that you have a nice day and that all your futures orders where ever you place them go smotthly on the wings of angels!! God bless you and yours and may he watch out over you and your needs.
Paul @ GMCPauls

[ChevLoRay]

Anyone who is in business and deals with the public, will bring about problems from time to time. In my opinion, how the vendor deals with the customer is what defines customer service.

I dealt with a company in CA, almost 30 years ago, called IECO. They sent me a kit designed to be an enhanced tune-up kit, including points, plugs, condensor, and carburetor jets. On the outside of the box was written: We didn't use the jets you sent us because they wouldn't fit". Guess what? The jets in that box didn't fit my carburetor, either. To rectify the issue, I was instructed to send it all back in the same box. In response to that, I got a new box, with the same stuff I had sent them, plus they broke the spark plugs before putting them back in the box. At that time, I was P.O.'d!

IECO is out of business. Good enough for me.

As for anyone in business, drop-shipments are part of life. We have this WalMart mentality that says we can go to a vendor and he/she will have everything in stock and ready to ship. I don't care who you are, if you are a vendor, you know you can't possibly have everything that anyone might think about ordering. There are lots of businesses that are a lot larger that shutter their doors and sell off their inventory and there will be items that go back for decades that fit obselete whatevers and orphan vehicles.

Based on what Liz said and Paul's documentation, I think (IMO) he's doing what he can and offers "Customer Service".

[jb4short]

it is not uncommon for vendors to ask another vendor to drop ship, or suppy, a part for a customer. It's done in an effort to take care of the customer....not to decieve.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by Tri-ProAutomotive

it is not uncommon for vendors to ask another vendor to drop ship, or suppy, a part for a customer. It's done in an effort to take care of the customer....not to decieve.

With people wanting everything yesterday for a 40 year old vehicle from a source 1/2 way across the country,it takes alot to keep them happy.Especially when they aren`t that knowledgeable on the vehicle.It`s hard to know when to question what they are asking for and when to give them what they ask for.I read in this thread that a wrong gas cap was sent as a complaint agaist this vendor on the www,then an explanation why the guyer ordered the wrong thing because some other business misled him.This is a specialty market and very few vendors are "Big Time".You can`t have someone by the phone all day waiting for a call or two.We should be grateful for 24/7 e-mail ordering.If some of you only knew what it "was"like aquiring parts years ago,I know you`d complain alot less.I`m just happy the parts are available.This was not always the case,either.
It sounds to me like the vendor made good effort to do right.Do you know that buying from another vendor to facilitate a timely order often nets less profit for the vendor?That`s customer service for ya.

[Jebb1978]

I have had nothing but good experience with Paul. I recommend him to anyone.

[Hawker7]

My issue was not with the availably of the parts or the gas cap as I said that was my fault in my post. My problem was the orders in the past that I was sent the wrong parts, and the days that I did not get a response back from them. I started this post only after I did not hear back from them on an order I spent over $1,000 dollars on. The thing that drew the line for me was receiving a $20 heater core carried by Autozone that I paid $60 for. Had I not have known that I was sent a $20 heater core made in Mexico, I would have installed it thinking it was better made one. If they didn’t have them in stock and had to use another vendor then that need to make sure that other vendor is sending out quality parts to their customers. That is customer service in my book. I have spent over $15,000 over the past 9 months on this build using many different vendors and this is the only vendor I have had an issue with. The other vendors have sold what they promised and have been very responsive in getting back to me. People except good service and prompt replies as that what most vendors do. Also, that fact is the parts for 67-72’s are readily available and that is why I choose to buy a 72. The reasons above coupled with their higher than most shipping prices is why I choose to not use them again. Everyone else can continue to use them and I hope they have good experiences, but I will be spending my money elsewhere.

[70cst]

I will say this...there is no perfect seller...and there is no perfect buyer. We will all have good experiences and some not so good experiences. We learn from experiences and we share those experiences for the benefit of others. No two buyers will always have the same experiences. Hawker7 ... thanks for sharing your experience and I can understand your concerns. Also thanks for others who have shared who had the opposite experience with Paul. I have had all good experiences with Paul, WES, and Tim, plus a few other sellers. Have I had ever had some some goofs with sellers ... Yes ... But in my old age patience it the key in resolving these issues. JMHO