Not another Mac's post!!

[Don S.]

Just wanted to start this by saying I'm not looking to bash anyone, or any parts vendors for that matter. Just thought I'd pass on my experience from yesterday. My job takes me right by Macs almost daily. I've had my 30 coupe for 5 years and always considered myself kind of lucky to have a parts source near me. I called my wife on the way home and told her I would be late, I was stopping off at the "toy store" on my way home. Went in and was greeted by a very friendly counter person. I asked to see if they had some parts in stock and was told "there are no parts here anymore, everything is in Florida". Didn't I ( and many of you) just get a letter or e mail saying they are continuing in Lockport? And actually expanding! I was told eventually all orders would be appr. 5 days, and that right now orders are more like 2 weeks to get. I have to admit it was a real disappointment. I know there are other vendors out there. Never really had a problem with Macs though. Just a real let-down.

[Bruce]

Tell your wife not to wait dinner ... you are headed for the toy store in Mount Airy or New Springfield! Better yet, swing home and pick her up. Everyone loves a road trip!

[C26Pinelake]

I am a frequent buyer from Macs and I did not get the letter you referred to! Wayne

[Synchro909]

I gave Macs the flick years ago after I got a set of king pins that were as soft as cheese.

[Terry, NJ]

Better still. take a week and shoot out to Colo, Denver and see Bert's new place.
It's on Evans and Danged if I recall! (Try asking directions to that!) I think it's right off I 25.
Terry

Originally Posted by Bruce

Tell your wife not to wait dinner ... you are headed for the toy store in Mount Airy or New Springfield! Better yet, swing home and pick her up. Everyone loves a road trip!

[jchochole]

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I don't have a dog in this race but I live in Illinois and Mac's stuff comes in two days to me- haven't checked the return address, but they are reliable for me. It is nice to have several suppliers to choose from in this hobby, I like the options. I have had others cars where there aren't as many options and prices can get inflated.

[nhusa]

I use Lang's for my Model T parts and Snyders for most of the A parts.

The last A part order for about $200 was placed with Mac's because I could easily pick out the parts from their catalog.
I will never do it again.
I repeat - I will never do it again!

Even though they said items were in stock when I placed the order a few were back ordered when I got the order confirmation and they are coming in numerous small packages with little tracking info.

My opinion of Mac's is that they don't really stock many if the parts and just have the real supliers send them to their customers.

I wish someone had a cross reference between the Mac's part numbers and the ones that everyone else uses. The Mac's catalog pictures are great but the rest really sucks.

[C26Pinelake]

Originally Posted by Synchro909

I gave Macs the flick years ago after I got a set of king pins that were as soft as cheese.

And just how can king pins get soft as cheese and how did you determine that. Did you discuss the matter with Macs? Wayne

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by Don S.

I asked to see if they had some parts in stock and was told "there are no parts here anymore, everything is in Florida". Didn't I ( and many of you) just get a letter or e mail saying they are continuing in Lockport? And actually expanding! I was told eventually all orders would be appr. 5 days, and that right now orders are more like 2 weeks to get. I have to admit it was a real disappointment. I know there are other vendors out there. Never really had a problem with Macs though. Just a real let-down.

They are still there, you walked in didn't you?

"Lockport showroom is actually expanding!"

If you order at the counter you can pick them up when they arrive for no shipping charge. "Place your order and pick it up at our store when you’re ready. If you pick-up your order at the MAC’s store, shipping is on us."

And yes they told you the same thing they have online, 5 days to find and pack before the parts are shipped.

[dpson]

I've bought a few things from Mac's recently and have found the orders were sent within 24 hours and usually arrived within 5 days from being sent (UPS ground, quicker if you want to pay more). Yes, some were from multiple locations, but they arrived the same day. I know others have complained about Mac's shipping costs (especially when compare to Amazon), but I buy and sell Studebaker parts to support my Model A habit and have found shipping costs have increased significantly, both USPS and UPS the last few years and didn't find Mac's to be out of line.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

It's a GREAT to have the Interweb & find who gives GOOD service, QUALITY parts, REASONABLE shipping charges, etc.
In the "Old Days" we would be just GUESSING???
To eliminate back order "surprises", I always CALL in my order, it's their NICKEL!
Bill Happy

[C26Pinelake]

[QUOTE=Mike V. Florida;1344902]They are still there, you walked in didn't you?

"Lockport showroom is actually expanding!"

If you order at the counter you can pick them up when they arrive for no shipping charge. "Place your order and pick it up at our store when you’re ready. If you pick-up your order at the MAC’s store, shipping is on us."

And yes they told you the same thing they have online, 5 days to find and pack before the parts are shipped.[/QUOT

Contrary to what next poster stated. He says parts were shipped within 24 hours. What useful purpose did this post serve ? Wayne

[C26Pinelake]

Originally Posted by forever4

The best thing about Macs is all the people who continue to use Macs represent a sizable number of people who I am not in competition with for quality NOS, NORS, and used parts online and at swap meets!

It is unfortunate they are cluttering up all of eBay with their thousands of listings (not just Model A). I wonder if they backorder their eBay BIN buyers also??

The few bits and pieces I still need to order from a catalog come from A&L, Snyders and/or Brattons.

Not called cluttering in their business, called innovative, successful marketing.They are just smarter than the other vendors. For every complainer there may well be 100 buyers, so they ignore the complainers. Wayne

[Don S.]

Again, I just want to say I did not post this to start a debate. Everyone has their preferences. It's just a bit of a let down to walk into a parts store, which is what they are, and walk out empty handed. I could have gone a mile down the road to Napa and walked out with basically what I needed. Kinda like walking into a butcher shop expecting to get a couple nice steaks and finding out there's no meats there anymore. My daughter says I'm a "dinosaur". Im the guy who has cash in my pocket, not a debit card. I go where I can get what I need and buy it. I like to see what I'm buying before I buy it. I will continue to do business with them, but now they have actually made me start looking around. If I have to wait I might as well see who can do it best. A bigger show room is nice and theirs IS awesome. An empty store is another thing. As I said before, just disappointed. This site is the best, and the people on it are a wealth of knowledge. Just thought I'd share my experience. Thanks.

[[email protected]]

Old saying:

You can't sell from an empty cart....

Seems like a lot of our Model A vendors are short shipping parts because they are out of stock. The Murphy's Law problem is that it is always just that one item that you needed badly and quickly. This need for that one part then starts off the process of you making up a list of enough items (extra stuff really not needed) to make it worthwhile to justify the shipping costs.

[Jeff/Illinois]

[email protected]

What you are saying is very true but the rules are different today. It is very expensive for a business to carry inventory anymore. Tax laws and such. Businesses are punished today for,,,,, doing business. The powers that be think you are evil for making a profit. They want it instead.

Gimme the 60's America anyday! Life actually made sense back then

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by dpson

I've bought a few things from Mac's recently and have found the orders were sent within 24 hours and usually arrived within 5 days from being sent (UPS ground, quicker if you want to pay more). Yes, some were from multiple locations, but they arrived the same day. I know others have complained about Mac's shipping costs (especially when compare to Amazon), but I buy and sell Studebaker parts to support my Model A habit and have found shipping costs have increased significantly, both USPS and UPS the last few years and didn't find Mac's to be out of line.

At least on Ebay they state, "Includes 5 business days handling time after receipt of cleared payment." Just saying.

As for me there, are vendors closer to me then them. Does that make them bad in its self? no but I have also had bad luck with them.

Shipping, well this is also from ebay buy it now,

http://www.ebay.com/itm/111671766009 part $1.97 shipping $5.74. Padded envelope, $1.50 worth of stamps.

Same with this,

http://www.ebay.com/itm/111954942641,
Padded envelope, $1.50 worth of stamps.

[coupe1942]

Last week I received a relatively large package which was maybe 5"X9"X4". Inside, to my surprise, were only two small battery end pieces for the battery box. The odd thing was that the package looked like an accordion with all the crushed areas to it when delivered from FedEx.

The very next day I received another package. To my surprise again, this package contained only a clear plastic envelope containing two small, metal contacts to solder onto some wiring ends. Same size overly large package for the small contents, but at least the package was in much better shape this time. :-)

I found it interesting that either or both of these orders could easily have been put into a stock mailing envelope/mailer and sent instead of the large boxes they came in separately.

I sent Mac's an email to at least let them know that my parts arrived, but their carrier was not handling their products well as the first box was crushed. Lucky it had only small metal parts in it and not anything which would break easily. No reply to date. What was I thinking/expecting and why did I bother as it probably won't effect their future methods of shipping in the least?

In the last month or so, I have also ordered parts from other vendors such as Snyders and Mike's. Each seems to have some good qualities to using them, but also things I don't like in particular, too. I have also looked at many other vendors where the catalog selections were less than adequate as to describing the part, the prices were higher for the same parts or the payment methods were not what I wanted to use. From Bert's, Battlefield, Tams on to Obsolete and Classic Auto Parts and a host of others there seems to be little difference between the parts many carry and sell and often the prices are not all that far off from each other even with shipping and taxes included. I guess it is really an educated crap shoot as to where and what a person is willing to shop for and put up with in delivery.

Most of the items i am stocking up on currently are really not completely necessary, but some are simply things in which there is no local swap meet going to be available to find. WE have the Chickasha, Pate and Decatur swaps within reasonable distance, but they come only at certain times of the year and some of the items I want or need just naturally seem to call out to be ordered right away and not wait.

Has any of my experiences turned me off from using Mac's in the future? Naaaahha, not really. I'm a glutton for punishment, I suspect. Live and learn. If they were suddenly gone, then which other vendor would take their place as to being the next whipping boy of the remaining lot? Ya' gotta' have someone to complain about or life just ins't worth living, huh? I say that in gest, guys.......... :-)

I always enjoy reading about the experiences of others and see how many of these threads take on a whole new meaning as to how they relate or don't relate from what the OP originally stated. Me, I don't give all that much weight to other's opinions on a vendor as I like to make up my own mind and do that from my very own experiences and not someone else's. I just feel what works for me may not for them and vise versa. I can always change my own opinion later if the service or issues change between the vendor relationship and me as a customer.

[Terry, NJ]

This "size of the box" issue bugs me too. Many many parts could be shipped in a standard envelope for a lot less money. Gaskets, shims any small light flat pieces. Must we pay $10/11 to ship everything?
Terry

[C26Pinelake]

Originally Posted by coupe1942

Last week I received a relatively large package which was maybe 5'X9"X4". Inside, to my surprise, were only two small battery end pieces for the battery box. The odd thing was that the package looked like an accordion with all the crushed areas to it when delivered from FedEx.

The very next day I received another package. To my surprise again, this package contained only a clear plastic envelope containing two small, metal contacts to solder onto some wiring ends. Same size overly large package for the small contents, but at least the package was in much better shape this time. :-)

I found it interesting that either or both of these orders could easily have been put into a stock mailing envelope/mailer and sent instead of the large boxes they came in separately.

I sent Mac's an email to at least let them know that my parts arrived, but their carrier was not handling their products well as the first box was crushed. Lucky it had only small metal parts in it and not anything which would break easily. No reply to date. What was I thinking/expecting and why did I bother as it probably won't effect their future methods of shipping in the least?

In the last month or so, I have also ordered parts from other vendors such as Snyders and Mike's. Each seems to have some good qualities to using them, but also things I don't like in particular, too. I have also looked at many other vendors where the catalog selections were less than adequate as to describing the part, the prices were higher for the same parts or the payment methods were not what I wanted to use. From Bert's, Battlefield, Tams on to Obsolete and Classic Auto Parts and a host of others there seems to be little difference between the parts many carry and sell and often the prices are not all that far off from each other even with shipping and taxes included. I guess it is really an educated crap shoot as to where and what a person is willing to shop for and put up with in delivery.

Most of the items i am stocking up on currently are really not completely necessary, but some are simply things in which there is no local swap meet going to be available to find. WE have the Chickasha, Pate and Decatur swaps within reasonable distance, but they come only at certain times of the year and some of the items I want or need just naturally seem to call out to be ordered right away and not wait.

Has any of my experiences turned me off from using Mac's in the future? Naaaahha, not really. I'm a glutton for punishment, I suspect. Live and learn. If they were suddenly gone, then which other vendor would take their place as to being the next whipping boy of the remaining lot? Ya' gotta' have someone to complain about or life just ins't worth living, huh? I say that in gest, guys.......... :-)

I always enjoy reading about the experiences of others and see how many of these threads take on a whole new meaning as to how they relate or don't relate from what the OP originally stated. Me, I don't give all that much weight to other's opinions on a vendor as I like to make up my own mind and do that from my very own experiences and not someone else's. I just feel what works for me may not for them and vise versa. I can always change my own opinion later if the service or issues change between the vendor relationship and me as a customer.

Your post states box was 5 feet long, is that correct ? Wayne