[Kartracer]

I've been having a very frustrating time with Pumabuild - is it me or is this normal service?

Purchased a brand new rear seat via eBay. The seat wasnt very well packaged, just bubble wrap and black plastic. Needless to say, the seat base was damaged upon arrival - the wire frame underneath the foam area was twisted and looked to have been dropped or something heavy placed on top of it....

I was very suspicious when bidding for the item in the first place as it looked as though someone with very low feedback was bidding up the price on both parts of the seat. I ended up winning the seat base but not the seat back. When I enquired directly the next day with Pumabuild to see if they had another seat back available they couldn't give me a price and wanted to call me back. When they did call back they said they had one left but wanted to charge me for my last bidding price. Reluctantly I accepted and purchased the seat back.

After contacting PB to confirm the seat base was damaged they requested photographs to show the damage and I obliged straightaway (30th April) After a few days I spoke with Alan (2nd May) and was asked to return the seat. I complied and returned the seat boxed (as it should have been packaged in the first place!)

Despite chasing on email, numerous phone calls (can't always get an answer) I spoke to their Parts Mgr on Saturday and was told he had been away from PB hence the dealy and was catching up. No apology. I've waited a further two days and still no response or refund (as requested).

Very very dissappointed. I've spent a fair amount of money with PB and as they're holding a lot of the remaining stock Of some key spares I feel they have a monopoly/control of these parts, making it difficult to justify maintaining enjoyable ownership of my FRP. I've now got to the stage I wanted to avoid; leaving negative feedback on eBay and seeking a refund via the eBay dispute service. I didn't really want to air my dissatisfaction and have tried to manage the issue directly with PB but I'm now tearing my hair out.

any further suggestions???

[outhouse]

Dealing with suppliers can be very frustrating at times and Pumabuilds communications do sometimes leave something to be desired. However, I placed a large order recently and it all went OK, especially when considering they are a car repair garage and not Amazon. Packaging wasn't the best but my parts didn't suffer.

Of course what really sorts the winners from the also rans is how they handle the situation if something goes wrong. Poor coms, bad packaging, and slow service are OK if you get there in the end, but you really need the M&S approach when stuff needs returning. I'm sure Alan will do the right thing here.

I'm still glad that Alan saw fit to gather the parts together as life would be a lot harder if they'd been scattered to the four winds, and yes I hope he is profiting from doing this as we will all need his continued support over the coming decades.

[FRP426]

Kartracer, on 29 May 2012 - 07:08 PM, said:

I've been having a very frustrating time with Pumabuild - is it me or is this normal service?

Purchased a brand new rear seat via eBay. The seat wasnt very well packaged, just bubble wrap and black plastic. Needless to say, the seat base was damaged upon arrival - the wire frame underneath the foam area was twisted and looked to have been dropped or something heavy placed on top of it....

I was very suspicious when bidding for the item in the first place as it looked as though someone with very low feedback was bidding up the price on both parts of the seat. I ended up winning the seat base but not the seat back. When I enquired directly the next day with Pumabuild to see if they had another seat back available they couldn't give me a price and wanted to call me back. When they did call back they said they had one left but wanted to charge me for my last bidding price. Reluctantly I accepted and purchased the seat back.

After contacting PB to confirm the seat base was damaged they requested photographs to show the damage and I obliged straightaway (30th April) After a few days I spoke with Alan (2nd May) and was asked to return the seat. I complied and returned the seat boxed (as it should have been packaged in the first place!)

Despite chasing on email, numerous phone calls (can't always get an answer) I spoke to their Parts Mgr on Saturday and was told he had been away from PB hence the dealy and was catching up. No apology. I've waited a further two days and still no response or refund (as requested).

Very very dissappointed. I've spent a fair amount of money with PB and as they're holding a lot of the remaining stock Of some key spares I feel they have a monopoly/control of these parts, making it difficult to justify maintaining enjoyable ownership of my FRP. I've now got to the stage I wanted to avoid; leaving negative feedback on eBay and seeking a refund via the eBay dispute service. I didn't really want to air my dissatisfaction and have tried to manage the issue directly with PB but I'm now tearing my hair out.

any further suggestions???

Hi kartracer, I have a complete rear seat in good nick if interested. Call me on 07527296757 or 0127631280
Cheers John Arundell, FRP426 and 476

[Kartracer]

Thanks John - I've managed to get another new rear seat base from another seller now.

PB telephoned me on Weds morning aggrieved that I had left them negative feedback on eBay. Following an 'interesting' conversation they confirmed they would refund me straight away...........STILL NO REFUND!

A complete joke.

[Ian G]

outhouse, on 30 May 2012 - 12:17 PM, said:

I'm still glad that Alan saw fit to gather the parts together as life would be a lot harder if they'd been scattered to the four winds, and yes I hope he is profiting from doing this as we will all need his continued support over the coming decades.

Disagree completely, there would be a market and there would be buyers and sellers, I'd rather have to look in a few places than deal with a monopoly. Particularly if the OP is correct in suggesting that the prices are bid up artificially.

[Kartracer]

I'm with you Ian - if there were more specialists/stockist this would help drive healthy competition and could also lead to the remanufacture of the obsolete parts such as front wings, bumpers etc.

[outhouse]

What colour is the sky on the planet you two live on? There just isn't the volume of parts, interest or money for them to be spread far and wide and still be visible. As for re-manufacturing what do you think Alan does, waited years for Janspeed to get their act together, bought a Piper from Pumabuild because it was available and not some pipe dream!

I've got a classic Ducati that I keep on the road by having to source parts from the four corners of the planet, it's not fun, it is expensive and there are no benefits from having increased competition.

I did say that poor service was inexcusable but if you want a car that can be kept on the road for washers then perhaps you should have bought a std Puma.

[Dogsbody]

Personally I have never had a problem with Alan at PB.
He always knocks a bit off the list price if I phone and everything has arrived OK.

But and it is a BIG BUT.
He is a bit expensive, having the monopoly on parts.
A lot of us bought bits from the NCC when Ford had the Racing Puma parts clear out.
We know what we could have bought bits or and what is now being charged
I just wish I had bought more sets of disks and a gear box and, and ..........
My loft and shed are not big enough

Like wise with the Alcantara, I think it was £35 a limier meter I bought some for Direct from Boyriven. I drove there and collected it as its only 45 minutes away.

Hind Sight is a fantastic thing, just wish I had it in abundance

I own a 1959 Rover 100 and a 1970 Sunbeam Stiletto. There are only 70 odd Stilettos left in existence so unlike the FRP's I can't scavenge bits when someone wrecks one. But If I hunt around the internet I can still get hold of every part on the car
The Rover spares are even more abundant. Takes time, but bits are not as expensive as for the FRP !!

[Ian G]

I'm quite sure that if enough interested owners approached a manufacturer they could get things made.

All credit to the guy for running a business well but that doesn't mean the buyers should be happy being on the wrong side of it.

ps. blue.

[Kartracer]

outhouse, on 06 June 2012 - 11:29 AM, said:

What colour is the sky on the planet you two live on? There just isn't the volume of parts, interest or money for them to be spread far and wide and still be visible. As for re-manufacturing what do you think Alan does, waited years for Janspeed to get their act together, bought a Piper from Pumabuild because it was available and not some pipe dream!

I've got a classic Ducati that I keep on the road by having to source parts from the four corners of the planet, it's not fun, it is expensive and there are no benefits from having increased competition.

I did say that poor service was inexcusable but if you want a car that can be kept on the road for washers then perhaps you should have bought a std Puma.

The sky would be blue if I had my refund!

At the moment it is raining in my world. Still no refund, called for the fifth time in a week today and promised (again) that it will be processed. I've owned over 40 cars in my lifetime, some quite rare and exotic and I'm the first to throw the right money at my pride and joy. I paid over £450 for the new rear seat so doesnt feel like washers to me. I don't mind paying top dollar but you would surely expect the service and customer care to support the price!?

I realise the spares are now sparse and it's probably too late for additional suppliers/competition to make any positive impact.............perhaps I should purchase Alan's remaining stock and lead the way?

This post has been edited by Kartracer: 07 June 2012 - 08:01 PM

[Ian G]

Wouldn't imagine he's in any rush to disband the monopoly.

[Kartracer]

The sky is now a pale shade of blue - refund finally received albeit 6 weeks late!

[warrenpenalver]

To be fair to Alan, he does have to store the parts for potentially years and then sell them on at a profit. Some of the parts he wont see a return for many many years so you cant blame him for selling things at a marked up price.

I think people were lucky to get stuff as cheap as they did through the NCC.

As to remanufacturing, a lot of the parts would be financially unviable for the number of cars left and/or the demand. Not forgetting it would require considerable upfront investment in tooling/jigs in some cases and the likely hood of quite large initial orders to make it worth while for a manufacturer. eg wishbones. standard ones are readily available as is the data to extend them. Still it would need a decent purchase quantity to make it worth while a engineering firm to knock up a jig and make out a few sets. body panels get even more expensive with moulds etc needed.

[dustEffect]

Well, I only make deal with PB twice, and this last one is being very bad. I order some magnecor leads, and they sent a different model one. Try to get a RMA through phone, no one answered, by mail, returns@pumabuild not working for months.

Since I would lost the chance for returning the product within 7 days, I've shipped the item with a copy of an email clarifying all the situation. Sent mails to sales@ and alan@ and nothing.... no return call, no emails, no nothing.... And I know the item has arrived since it was registered...

Poor service indeed, but I hope they correct the situation, even if very late.... So that I can continue to do biz with them...

[eldoodarino]

doesn't surprise me...

I ordered some leads and steering rods weeks ago for same week delivery... parts were in stock and ready to go apparently..

have sourced them now elsewhere...

no order, no call..bugger all in the post..useless!!..

[CeReD]

Any company who has poor service, especially when dealing with returns/refund should be avoided at all cost IMO, pumaspeed for example

[JHT1888]

dustEffect, on 29 July 2012 - 05:03 PM, said:

Well, I only make deal with PB twice, and this last one is being very bad. I order some magnecor leads, and they sent a different model one. Try to get a RMA through phone, no one answered, by mail, returns@pumabuild not working for months.

Since I would lost the chance for returning the product within 7 days, I've shipped the item with a copy of an email clarifying all the situation. Sent mails to sales@ and alan@ and nothing.... no return call, no emails, no nothing.... And I know the item has arrived since it was registered...

Poor service indeed, but I hope they correct the situation, even if very late.... So that I can continue to do biz with them...

best to contact them by phone there is an email address info@pumabuild.co.uk good luck

[dustEffect]

CeReD, on 29 July 2012 - 06:01 PM, said:

Any company who has poor service, especially when dealing with returns/refund should be avoided at all cost IMO, pumaspeed for example

I must agree.. They still got my 60€ for the magnecor leads... still no response, no phone answer, no email, no nothing!!!
Does anyone know any online debt collection service for the uk
I didn't mind to pay for that service just to make them pay the refund, even if all the money goes to the debt collection service

This post has been edited by dustEffect: 20 August 2012 - 01:16 PM

[dustEffect]

dustEffect, on 20 August 2012 - 10:38 AM, said:

I must agree.. They still got my 60€ for the magnecor leads... still no response, no phone answer, no email, no nothing!!!
Does anyone know any online debt collection service for the uk
I didn't mind to pay for that service just to make them pay the refund, even if all the money goes to the debt collection service

Case solved.. finally..... They checked the situation and they already have shipped the correct item, however it has been lost in delivery
They will ship it again.... This was a case of lack of pro-activity after all....

This post has been edited by dustEffect: 06 September 2012 - 05:02 PM