Retro Ford Bad Service or Not?

[jamie956]

So i made a couple of orders last week with RetroFord for a 105e zetec project i'm working on the orders totaled £800+.

 

One of the items was a exhaust manifold @ £206 unfortunately this just wouldn't work with the set up i am using so i call them to ask if they would except it back, guy on the phone say yes no problem once revived back they will pay pal money back.

 

Today i get refund of £160 i call to ask why only £160 to be told there is a 20% handling charge for returns i say there was no mention of this on the phone call we had last week reply well its on the website you should have known bye.

 

So with that they can stick where the sun don't shine the £1000+ order that i was about to place for a s/s manifold, sump, alternator kit, and water rail.  

 

I cant imagine the industry is exactly booming at the min i thought they might want to treat people spending money with them a little better.

 

[colr6]

Problably coincides with the quality of some of there products expressed on here........shite ! ....On another note bet you don't road test this one Jamie when it's done, you won't get in it mate. Like a dinky toy for the likes of you. I struggle and your a lot taller than me!

[Vista]

Did you pay by PayPal? Raise a PayPal claim on the grounds that it didn't fit.

[alltheoldohyeah]

The retro ford water rail dosent fit the Anglia you need a raceline one. Fits without cutting the bulkhead. Also use the 1800 silver top sump and cut it to fit, a lot cheeper than the retro ford item.

[2512pf]

Im biting my lip as dave is a mate of mine!!

[Ken B]

I think a lot of Dave's stuff come from a shipping/handling warehouse not Dave directly. Certainly some of the bits I've ordered have. Hence why I suspect there is a restocking fee.

[dalmarshall]

Sounds fair enough to me tbh.

If there was nothing wrong with it but it just didn't work with your set up, what's the problem? He's took it back and the 20% is stated on their website and its not uncommon for firms to do this, fair play I'd say

[colr6]

IMO the restocking fee is a bit steep, if a company is advertising stuff then they should stock it. Not your problem it comes from somewhere else your buying the product from him not a shipping/ handling company how long does it take to unwrap something 5mis most. As in Jamie's case £49 for five mins work not bad. Great profit margins.

[mk1del]

Can buy some of these parts from Burton power, also a kit car firm called gb sports cars use zetec stuff in their cars, they also sell parts, such as raceline water rail

[jamie956]

IMO the restocking fee is a bit steep, if a company is advertising stuff then they should stock it. Not your problem it comes from somewhere else your buying the product from him not a shipping/ handling company how long does it take to unwrap something 5mis most. As in Jamie's case £49 for five mins work not bad. Great profit margins.

 

That was my main gripe nearly £50 just to put it back on the shelf, he said the cost was to cover repackaging it came wrapped up in a bin bag sticking out of a box with all the other bits i ordered.

 

Im afraid i will only ever get the piss taken out of me once i hope there happy with there £50 instead of the £1000+ order i was then about to place. 

[jamie956]

Problably coincides with the quality of some of there products expressed on here........shite ! ....On another note bet you don't road test this one Jamie when it's done, you won't get in it mate. Like a dinky toy for the likes of you. I struggle and your a lot taller than me!

i was going to do two one for each foot 

[buzzard]

I must say that I personally have never had a problem with retro ford service . I have 3 mates also that have been running retro ford stuff for years and they have never had problems with the service or the quality of the items . I've found him and his co workers fair and followed there advice with no problems . I'm at the early stage as I'm still buying and building the engine . But as with every firm I use I always remember that there running a business .

[mk2 mike]

When I ordered stuff from them it arrived quickly and hassle free. When I've emailed them or messaged them on Retards Club I've yet to have a single reply. I'm not overly impressed with them and only use them as an absolute last result.

 

 

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[robert maguire]

Same here.Last resort only.Quality of mounts/alt bracket and water rail is crap ,in my opinion. My mate got Raceline rail and some other biuts from Tiger Sports Cars and its way better quality .I got mounts from RF and two of the bolt holes had to be elongated to line up and the alternator bracket is badly machined, does not line up the alternator correctly (I had to use washers to space out top bracket) and also the bracket is approx 20mm too short , which would cost nothing to make correctly.Also the top alt bracket where it fits to cylinder head/block needs a proper, maybe 13mm, spacer behind I bolt as the head is staggered holes(ie 1 hole is flat and 1 is raised) and the bracket itself has holes drilled approx 3/4 mm offset.I had to try to centralise the holes while making them larger.Crap

(Tiger use Zetec engines also)

G19 Engineering do excellant sump conversions.

Tiger have most other bits really and Raceline Rail is the business!!

[jamie956]

I dont disagree with the items quality or the service getting them to me, i just think the -20% return charge is a bit to steep especially when the majority of the items you sell are high price. I could understand if it where high quantity low value items or something made to order but returning one stock item to the shelf dose not warrant nearly a £50 deduction.

 

The real piss off is i was not told on the phone when i called to arrange the return.

[khanlad]

If its an off the shelf part why a re stocking charge? If you buy clothes or whatever, you can try them in store, get home and change your mind take them back ,full refund! If it was bespoke, special order ,then yeah, if it's all disclosed then fine, point from above ,he didn't return it on the Internet, so how would he know? Bloke on the phone should have told him? A bit naughty

[luckyjim]

I have mixed feelings about them,i find them to be helpful if you phone with a problem but I think some of their bits are not to the standard I would expect for the money.i am always happy to fettle or tweak parts to fit but some of the parts I bought from them are nowhere near a correct fit, I had to skim the exhaust flange of a zetec 4 branch to get it anywhere close to bolting on and the fit of the steel zetec sump is diabolical...and yet both look beautifully welded!

[The Transplanter]

IMO the restocking fee is a bit steep, if a company is advertising stuff then they should stock it. Not your problem it comes from somewhere else your buying the product from him not a shipping/ handling company how long does it take to unwrap something 5mis most. As in Jamie's case £49 for five mins work not bad. Great profit margins.

I have had no dealings with Retro Ford, but I have similar business.

 

My website also states there is a restocking charge, but in truth I never exercise it and refund in full. And I agree a re-stocking charge is a bit rich.

 

If the customer changes there mind or tries to fit it to something thats not stated in the description then I will refund minus my postage cost. If the product is faulty or a mistake of mine then I will cover postage both ways.

 

But there are always time when the customer is never happy!

 

For example, I sold something last week and the customer asked to send it back for a refund as it didnt fit their engine type. The product was for a completely different engine and they took a chance that it "may" fit theirs! I said I would take it back no problem minus the £3.95 that it cost me to post the part.

 

At this point they started making noises and were slagging me off on FB! 

 

Why dont you just send a nice email to the owner explaining the situation? At the end of the day he isnt doing anything illegal if its in his T&C's. And he may take a different view to one of his staff.

[colr6]

On the above you are being more than fair, to charge for the postage is what I would expect to pay in any case rightly or wrongly supplied. Pity a few more companies do not have the same thoughts. Don't think anyone would mind paying a contribution towards costs but Jamie's experience was a bit steep to say the least! As in all business you will not please everybody no matter how you try

[Bigfish]

if you returned the item within 30 days, then you are covered by distance selling regulations. which means you are entitled to a full refund, this supersedes any terms and conditions on their website.  

[jamie956]

I have had no dealings with Retro Ford, but I have similar business.

 

My website also states there is a restocking charge, but in truth I never exercise it and refund in full. And I agree a re-stocking charge is a bit rich.

 

If the customer changes there mind or tries to fit it to something thats not stated in the description then I will refund minus my postage cost. If the product is faulty or a mistake of mine then I will cover postage both ways.

 

But there are always time when the customer is never happy!

 

For example, I sold something last week and the customer asked to send it back for a refund as it didnt fit their engine type. The product was for a completely different engine and they took a chance that it "may" fit theirs! I said I would take it back no problem minus the £3.95 that it cost me to post the part.

 

At this point they started making noises and were slagging me off on FB! 

 

Why dont you just send a nice email to the owner explaining the situation? At the end of the day he isnt doing anything illegal if its in his T&C's. And he may take a different view to one of his staff.

 

I think it was the main man i spoke to on the phone,

 

I totally understand delivery cost re packaging cost etc. but i haven't asked for the delivery cost back and the item didn't come packaged it cost me £10 to send it back which i except so all in all out of a £206 purchase sent back im nearly £60 down Just seams like a kick in the teeth what ever way you look at.

 

Doesn't inspire to be a repeat customer.

[The Transplanter]

if you returned the item within 30 days, then you are covered by distance selling regulations. which means you are entitled to a full refund, this supersedes any terms and conditions on their website.  

The distance selling regulations no longer exist. It was replaced with EU's "The Consumer Contracts Regulations".

 

Its worth a (boring) read for anyone who buys online

[Bigfish]

Very true but same rules apply

 

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[The Transplanter]

I think it was the main man i spoke to on the phone,

 

I totally understand delivery cost re packaging cost etc. but i haven't asked for the delivery cost back and the item didn't come packaged it cost me £10 to send it back which i except so all in all out of a £206 purchase sent back im nearly £60 down Just seams like a kick in the teeth what ever way you look at.

 

Doesn't inspire to be a repeat customer.

I agree, as well as an online seller, im also a buyer and expect to be treated as I would others

 

Have a look at the new regulations as there is something in there on returns and restocking charges  

[jamie956]

Buying bits for projects is the biggest headache during a project, i have a set of tyres on order from LA racing been waiting months and months for them just keep getting bull shitted and fobbed off but what can you do once they have your money.