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Good luck buying parts if you're part of this "club"

mussy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2011
Messages
364
So, I have waited a week or so to process this and decide whether or not to post . After reflection and the outcome and the reason why, I feel that it is valid information.

Couple of weekends ago, I damaged the front RHS wheel arch flare on the Blue 80.. It could be repaired but I prefer to have as good as possible/value solutions so as I have done for the last 7 years, I called Garry 80Breaker, and asked if he had the part. As always he was prompt said he had the part. We agreed I would text him my addrress in France and he would cost the postage. This was early morning or so. A couple of hours later, I call back and said fine lets do it but also needed a couple of other part for the green 80, (piece of interior trim and 2 front mud flaps) we agreed on the price and I gave him my payment details and that was that.

Now let me be clear that in all these years until now, Garry has been perfect in sending out the parts internationally to France or Hungary to my own address or various mechanics shops around Europe.
In fact in the early days when I broke down in Germany and called him he correctly diagnosed the issue and helped make the right decision on what to do.

So you can imagine, I hung up the phone and thought nothing of it for a few days.

Then I realised after a few days, I had no text or email confirmation of order taken nor of tracking,which was highly unusual. So I started to text for and for days I got no response. Finally after several days later, I get a text back giving me Karls number and saying he didn't want my business describing it a "club" thing. Trying to resolve this unnecessary issue, I sent a few texts trying A) understand why and B) send the parts and help get a good reference. - No response, surprise, surprise....

So the only thing that comes close to a club that is Land Cruiser related is this forum. I am also on MUD and have mentioned him there as a source to go to.

When in the past there was some turbulence caused on this forum by him , it was not nice for anybody. I certainly didn't like it but on checking my posts didn't see anything so crazy.

In the end got the bits needed other sources, I must confess as an international client he was on the ball , as I see if he likes you that is....

Business clearly is good to turn away a regular client for years who gave referrals but I am not going lose sleep over this, just communicate to the "Club" in question what has happened.

Peace out
 
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Shame really, surprised that as a regular customer you didn’t get the same service as your used too
 
You say you got the parts, I’m guessing as you’ve posted this you had to source them elsewhere?
 
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Thanks for posting, I was just about to place an order for some bits for my 100 series.. Better start looking else where.

Anybody got an air filter housing for a 100 series one of my clips is broken off.
Also looking for the rear lower tailgate support wire if any one has one knocking around.
 
I just came across this post after I was looking for a breaker who does LC. Saw 80breaker and thought wow.

Can someone post any other sources for 100 parts, apart from Karl, as when I need something I want it straight away so like to shop around.
 
I just came across this post after I was looking for a breaker who does LC. Saw 80breaker and thought wow.

Can someone post any other sources for 100 parts, apart from Karl, as when I need something I want it straight away so like to shop around.

What have you bought from me?
 
Nothing yet. As still working out what my next step is. Did not mean to offend if it came across that way. Just mentioned you as I knew you did parts.
 
No problem. i read the post wrong. give 80 breaker a try. ive never had issues with dealing with him.
always giving me a shout too.
thanks
 
I have experienced the same low interest from more than one of the mentioned suppliers. Asked for various parts for the 80 series. No giant expensive interior trim and exterior parts. Can imagine that it is more interesting to spend time on customers who buy "expensive" parts..
 
I have experienced the same low interest from more than one of the mentioned suppliers. Asked for various parts for the 80 series. No giant expensive interior trim and exterior parts. Can imagine that it is more interesting to spend time on customers who buy "expensive" parts..

I have the same with various businesses. i understand how hard it is to siglehandedly work for yourself though. Spend 5 hours looking for a part worth £5 just doesnt work. ive done that over and over these last few years and it just gets forgotten by people.
I recently spent a sunday sorting a turbo for a customer when my family was at home as they needed it for monday morning to be told sunday eve they no longer need it. The reason they didnt need it was because the free advice i gave them sorted there truck.
 
It's all part of the cost of doing business I'm afraid. If on balance there isn't money in the bank at the end of it then effectively you've given your business away haven't you. If there's a positive balance then it's not so bad. What we hope for it that people come back and spend money.

I'm a bit mean when it comes to tipping. If I didn't enjoy the meal, I wouldn't tip. If I did, then I'll come back again. You can have a £1 and never see me again or no tip and next time I'll bring friends. But there are people out there who just abuse that and take as much for free as they can.

You're a valuable source of parts for all of us Karl and long may it remain so.

(other suppliers are available, may contain nuts, allow 28 days for delivery)
 
Thanks for posting, I was just about to place an order for some bits for my 100 series.. Better start looking else where.

Anybody got an air filter housing for a 100 series one of my clips is broken off.
Also looking for the rear lower tailgate support wire if any one has one knocking around.
There are a couple listed on eBay at present......
 
I have the same with various businesses. i understand how hard it is to siglehandedly work for yourself though. Spend 5 hours looking for a part worth £5 just doesnt work. ive done that over and over these last few years and it just gets forgotten by people.
I recently spent a sunday sorting a turbo for a customer when my family was at home as they needed it for monday morning to be told sunday eve they no longer need it. The reason they didnt need it was because the free advice i gave them sorted there truck.
I too have done similar, more times than I care to mention. The only thing when you do it is to know that people have a choice. If you leave the door open they will come back. If a pattern forms of folks having free stuff then you have to make a decision whether or not to deal again.

I got a product into the marketplace by sending out free samples. Despite saying one per customer, we had four or five that we found after a while cropped up every time we advertised. When we found this we sent them the politest note we could, with their sample saying that we were a small business who couldn’t afford multiple samples to the same people. That was probably 6 in I think 3500 or so responses. This coupled with the magazine ad least keen to give us a discount proved our most cost effective advertising.
Promoting ones own business can sometimes feel like throwing money into a pit in the garden. All you can do is hope that something comes back and it may take months or years but the key is that you have to get your head around it and be comfortable with getting nothing back, but that what does is a bonus.
Believe me, it’s cheap advertising. The trouble is these days with the internet especially, quite often it’s the supplier with the goods in stock for next day Delivery that has the best feedback that gets the business. And if it doesn’t turn up when it’s due then it’s instant bad feedback. It’s a cut throat world these days. It’s not enough to be a nice guy any more.

There are great people and there are scumbags and people who take the pi55. All you can do is go fishing for those in the middle and hope they take your bait over your neighbours on the riverbank.

The other thing to always believe is ‘cock up over conspiracy’.
 
I just came across this post after I was looking for a breaker who does LC. Saw 80breaker and thought wow.

Can someone post any other sources for 100 parts, apart from Karl, as when I need something I want it straight away so like to shop around.

Just hoying my haypenny in. Karl was amazing when I lost my front wheel on the motorway and chewed the hub up. I hired a car to carry on my trip to London to see Harry Potter in the West End, Came back and the replacement parts were there waiting for me so I could give the hire car back ASAP.
Thanks Karl.
 
Perhaps the way forward for a small set up is to have a minimum order paid up front but refundable if the part could not be found.

I was self employed and in the 80's worked doing surveys for HSBC, to me a huge customer but one of their offices did not pay me as they had not collected a survey fee off their customer. I told them if they did not pay they would have to collect the fee up front off their customer. "we dare not tell them there is a fee, they won't order the mortgage". That's the time the lending institutions were turning into the biggest ..... on the planet.

A building society who I did work for expected me to do revaluations on houses I had previously valued for the mighty fee of £5. No more work was coming in so I refused.
 
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