<VV> Let the Buyer Beware!

[Richard Tyson]

I could use some advice on what is undoubtedly a touchy subject.  In the 25
years that I have owned my '65 Monza I have contributed many thousands of
dollars to our parts vendors, with probably 95%+ going to that big vendor east
of the Mississippi.  With a very small number of exceptions my dealings have
been fair and equitable, this particular vendor even credited me for a couple
of unused parts that were hidden in a corner of my basement for two years.
This Spring I suggested to my wife that a great birthday gift would be a new
dual master cylinder kit for the Corvair and recommended that she order from a
different vendor (west of the Mississippi).  My logic was that I should
support as many vendors as possible to help sustain this car hobby that we are
so fascinated with.  When the master cylinder arrived, I carefully followed
the directions for bench bleeding.  I am far from an expert when it comes to
the mechanical but being careful and following instructions usually gets me
by.  After three days and many attempts, I was unable to get fluid to flow
from either port.  Some may remember that I sought help from Virtual Vairs and
your responses confirmed that I was following the correct procedure.  The
master cylinder was never installed in my vehicle.

I contacted the vendor with my problem and was told that these units were
"bullet-proof" and that they had never seen a defective one.  If only I had
five dollars for every time I have been told that!  After I told them that
this particular part was tied closely to my personal safety and the safety of
my future passengers, they reluctantly agreed to have me send the master
cylinder back.  Later, I also packaged the lines, instructions, etc., all at
my expense, and returned them.  I assumed (seems to always cause a problem)
that a credit for the purchase price would be issued to my credit card
account.  Several months later I finally remembered to check my monthly
statements and to my surprise there was no credit from the vendor.  I
immediately sent an e-mail hinting that it may have been a simple oversight,
but no credit and no response were forthcoming.  Finally, I sent a certified
letter to the owner along with all the documentation and requested a refund.
Once again, no response and no refund.

Maybe I'm old school or just too old but this action strikes me as criminal.
Since the purchase was more than two months old, the credit card company will
not assist.  I'm not sure if others have had similar experiences but I would
be very interested in receiving feedback or advice.  I'm not sure how any
business can survive employing this type of customer "service."  Needless to
say, all future orders will be placed with the vendor that has treated me as a
valued customer.

I would be more than happy to discuss this further on- or off-line.

Rick T