07-27-2012, 07:42 PM | #41 |
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Re: Drake parts
Well.... Someone has to be the first to thank Bob.
Let it go on record! Thanks Bob!
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07-27-2012, 09:09 PM | #42 |
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Re: Drake parts
Yep Uncle Max, you are right and I would like to be the second to thank Bob Drake for responding here to what seemed to me to be an unfair 'street lynching mob' at times and for no good reason in my opinion. Thanks Bob!!...for being in the business of making parts for our beloved old Ford V8's. Many of us in this hobby do appreciate what you do!
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07-27-2012, 09:10 PM | #43 |
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Re: Drake parts
Good answer, Bob.
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07-28-2012, 09:15 AM | #44 | |
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Re: Drake parts
Quote:
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07-28-2012, 10:30 AM | #45 |
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Re: Drake parts
Mr Drake,
Thank you for your timely reply. As I began in my last post I would like to further thank you for your valient endeavours in the manufacture and supply of reproduction parts to the Ford V8 community. While your enterprise is seen by many as borne of and for profit (a neccesary motive) it would I think also be true to say such endeavour is also borne of a desire to maintain and preserve our brand of cars and trucks. Some might gush and call it love. As I previously said, without you and others like you, our community would be much the worse for lack of parts. The consequence of that situation would be very high prices for original/second hand parts, and the attendant scarcity of those parts. You have won much support over many years, such goodwill is hard-earned, and our collective respect is your due. High praise is accorded you by many when, the parts they have ordered from you arrive in timely fashion, are well packaged, cause delight to the owners eye when unpacked, and then cause the owner to swell with pride when the parts are fitted without trouble, and finally, go on to provide years of good and reliable service. In an ideal world this situation never goes awry. We don't however live in an ideal world, which brings me to the complaint. My hope here in addressing the concerns of many is to offer by way of reason, and reasonable opinion, that the situations and proceedures in the manufacture and the selling of parts that are defective, may be addressed in a fair and balanced way. In this I would ask fellow Fordbarners not to use emotive language to either insult or chastise each other or Mr Drake. The situation I am about to relate is not specific to Mr Drakes business. The final paragraph however is specific to 'Bob Drake'. I live in Australia, three of my cars live in New Zealand, and shipping is very expensive. When I receive defective parts, it is often weeks, sometimes months after they were ordered, most of the time the return dates have expired. Such parts sit on a shelf; a testament to reputations lost. They cannot be returned and cannot be sold. It is not unreasonable to ask and indeed to expect to pay the sellers asking price for parts that do what they are intended to do, that is; work or fit as intended. Therein lies another dilemma for manufacturers, meeting the market at the lowest price. This is not easy when buyers dollars flow to the lowest price. I do not know the solution to this. I do know that these market forces cause parts to be made as cheaply as possible, and therin lies both our problems. Your problem becomes our problem, and we are the worse for that. One solution might be that at the end of the R&D phase, advise might be sought from the guru's on this site and others. As you will know, much valuable information (and opinion) is to be found here. Subsequent to that advise, perhaps a limited number of parts could be sent to the known commercial builders and restorers for evaluation. Based on their feedback the parts are further improved. While I understand you have a skilled R&D Team, a recurring problem exists with the complaint of parts quality and fit. I suggest this could be reduced by 'sharing the load'. Finally, I raised in my previous post the likelyhood of a mandate or instruction within your business to deflect or fob off complaints with the dictum " Really, you're the first guy this has happened to". While I thank you for your reply with one hand I must also raise the other. I believe you are being disingenous to declaim that such an instruction does not appear in your customer service directives to your employees (this is undoubtedly true) the implication is; if it doesn't appear in the manual then we don't say it. The anecdotal evidence (as recorded on this site alone) is to the contrary and overwhelming. To suggest or to claim otherwise is insulting. What this forum shows is, when a vendor consistantly says the same thing to many people, that vendors attitude to their customers is exposed. In my view this is unacceptable. For what it's worth, the remedy to this is mentioned in my previous post, it is a valuable resource. Thankyou. Last edited by Fe26; 07-28-2012 at 10:42 AM. |
07-28-2012, 01:25 PM | #46 |
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Re: Drake parts
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07-28-2012, 02:09 PM | #47 |
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Re: Drake parts
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07-28-2012, 05:56 PM | #48 |
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Re: Drake parts
Kube... Are you still here... I thought you had flushed yourself out of this thread... I guess anyone that appreciates you and your work is ok but when the tide turns against you, you demonstrate your spoiled brat tendencies in a big way. Would you like me to send you a crying towel...? I'll be happy to oblige... Oh, if you don't like the towel (for any reason), return it and I'll gladly refund the postage.
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07-28-2012, 07:14 PM | #49 |
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Re: Drake parts
I'm with you too Kube.To the rest "opinions are like a**holes.everyone has one,and they all stink".
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07-28-2012, 07:46 PM | #50 |
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Re: Drake parts
Kube and his likeminded supporters, such as you, should be happy, as it appears they have won (to some degree) this battle. Kube wanted a response from Bob and Bob responded in a responsible and businesslike way. I think that, in his hast to press for a response, Kube did himself irreparable harm with a segment of FordBarners and that’s too bad because (from what I’ve seen in photos) his restoration work looks to be high end. I know that Bob Drake will continue to support the hobby and I hope Kube finds an endless supply of NOS parts for all his restorations. Oh per chance to live in a perfict world. Imagine that...
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07-28-2012, 07:53 PM | #51 |
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Re: Drake parts
" "opinions are like a**holes.everyone has one,and they all stink".
Al PA, Is that another B. Franklin quote?? |
07-28-2012, 08:54 PM | #52 |
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Re: Drake parts
I think so.
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07-29-2012, 11:05 PM | #53 |
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Re: Drake parts
" "opinions are like a**holes.everyone has one,and they all stink".
Al PA, How would one know that???? |
07-29-2012, 11:45 PM | #54 |
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Re: Drake parts
I thing a good thread would just be one where we can post what we bought and if it fit and from who. Then we would get some good info before we purchase but without the opinions. I'm sure it wouldn't be perfect but if we see several posts saying a part doesn't fit it might save others the hassle.
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07-30-2012, 07:00 AM | #55 |
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Re: Drake parts
Good idea Fibber! Let's put this topic to bed, It's like a child who's over tired and needs rest!!
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07-30-2012, 09:03 PM | #56 |
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Re: Drake parts
Fibber, x2. Quick and easy is the best way.
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07-31-2012, 05:08 AM | #57 |
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Re: Drake parts
In the auto industry if we ship bad parts to an OEM we SOMETIMES cover return freight. But that agreement is made up front.
I never expect return freight to be covered when something doesn't fit. I also keep a core or two if the shipping is anywhere close to the core fee. If they start covering return shipping, expect a price increase up front. It has to come from somewhere. |
07-31-2012, 06:55 AM | #58 |
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Re: Drake parts
Its worth more if it fits .sometimes worth nothing if it dont ,wasts lots of time , which i dont have to spare , dont want to wait on bad parts, god bless america ...
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07-31-2012, 08:29 AM | #59 |
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Re: Drake parts
That has been the point from day one! Crap parts, crap manufacture service policies. I like what has been said about just posting "BAD" parts so they don't get ordered. When the manufactures are sitting on a lot of inventory they have the option to improve or I guess no longer produce them. Maybe a manufacture will step up and produce quality parts and and offer quality service. I think we know answer.
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08-01-2012, 05:44 PM | #60 | |
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Re: Drake parts
Quote:
Another point I made was that buyers dollars go to the cheapest product, and therein lies our dilemma. If people post on here about good and bad parts and service so much the better. (A list as I have mentioned will not work) However, if a manufacturer attempts to increase prices to cover the cost of return shipping he will soon find business dropping off. If a 'sticky' or a separate section on Fordbarn were made available for this purpose then, those manufacturers supplying the best parts would not need to increase their prices, thereby making their quality parts cheaper than the others. |
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