STC mass buy vendor rant

[bigmuddy]

Heres the deal, per the mass buy it would seem to indicate that you could buy a white or black soft top from STC that comes in the old school stamped vinyl.
So I ordered a white on in vinyl (not sail cloth as delivered) I ordered it on March 30th and paid 580 no shipping. I spoke with the vendor 4 wheel customs every 3 -weeks or so to check status and was told about a number of issues that STC was having with the supply of materials. so be it.

So my top finally shows up last week and I open it up and what the heck is going on? I don't get what I ordered I get a white sail cloth top not the older style vinyl which is what I ordered. I called Chris at 4 wheel customs and he says that about 2 or so months ago STC decided not to make the old vinyl tops anymore and that if I want a white top thats as good as I can get. I asked him to return my money and he says well no because it was specially built for me (white) and he will have it sit on his shelf forever. After much discussion he reluctantly agrees to take it back but says I must pay shipping to Denver (he's in Missouri and I in Arkansas) and after it is inspected he will refund my money, less 10%. 5% for a credit card refund and 2.5% from the intial sales and I might be eating the 15% restocking fee that he will might eat from STC, he tells me I am being fairly treated. Keep in mind I spoke with him every 3-4 weeks and he never mentioned that STC had stop making the top I ordered!

I told him I would be traveling through to Springfield MO and would drop it off so he can inspect it and refund my money and he tells me no it must go back to Denver on my dime even though I never paid shipping to get it here. Also I talked to STC today and they tell me my order was never recieved till much later than 5/30/06? So was there really supply issues or was someone banking on my money until they felt like sending my order in, which I suspect was after the change in material was made? The whole time I was made to feel like I am in the wrong when I clearly am not getting what I ordered and no attempt was made to tell me of the change.

I would like to hear if you guys think I am making to big of deal about the shipping and the lack of customer service I am getting here.

Ben

 

[HotWheels]

Please excuse my ignorance. I thought the sailcloth top was a more quiet riding top. The Bestop sailcloth top is more expensive than the vinyl top for Heeps.

I'll look again. But if it is a well made new sailcloth top it's better than the vinyl, right?

 

[bax]

You said credit card. Did you use a credit card to buy it. If so can they help you out?

bax

 

[bigmuddy]

Hotwheels, I don't know if it's better than regular vinyl. The point is that I didn't recieve what I ordered and the sail cloth although nice is not what I want. Not only that but if you look at the first page of the mass buy it clearly does not show white in sail cloth which he freely admits and further he says that they switch in the last and yet he didn't feel the need to tell me, because he figures he has me over a barrel because this is the only white soft top on the market.

Ben

 

[bigmuddy]

Bax, yes I paid with a credit card but I hear that if it's after sixty days you are SOL. I have been told that a vendor cannot charge you till the merchandise is sold though and this vendor charged me March 30th I beleive but did not place the order until sometime later (per STC)

Ben

 

[cliffnbc]

The credit card route is the one I took. I tried to talk to those guys at 4wheelcustoms several times about the top I ordered. I even asked them to change the shipping address because I had someone who wanted the top. I ordered mine the end of May and cancelled it the beginning of September. I was told by them that I could not do that , but my credit card company said there was nothing on their site or in their policies that said we could not cancell.I was told by Cris at 4wheelcustoms that I was sorry for doing that. Well , you are right about that , sorry I ever dealt with an outfit like yours. I hope everyone that got there tops are happy. I know that I love my Besttop Supertop that I ordered and received in three days.

 

[bigmuddy]

Glad to hear you got yours straightened out. I am sure there are a bunch of guys on here that feel good about the cheap price and the product the received but I hope they don't want any customer service after the sale.

Ben

 

[cootvon]

i'd like to hear who was HAPPY with the mass buy! i caught the tail end of the mass buy... waited over 2 months to get mine. I finally went straight to STC after being told by the vendor that i couldn't cancel "because it was specially built for me and he will have it sit on his shelf forever" (yes i got the exact same quote). He then boasted that someone with the same top as the one i ordered had decided to back out, so he had an extra... guess what.. i couldn't have that one either... anyway.. STC gave me the run around as well. first it was the rails, then something else.. then the windows of all things. I have a bad taste in my mouth. Maybe 4WC will tell us why he couldn't cancel our orders? Was STC going to mame him in fees?

if i would have ordered, and waited the 2 weeks that was stated as the build time...i woulda been waitin and waitin and waitin.. because there sure wasn't anyone contacting me telling me why i didn't have my top. bad mass buy or not.. it was surely poor customer service on both vendors parts.

Jeff

 

[cliffnbc]

I guess it was time. Everyone I have dealt with or talked to on this site has been great up to this point. I have asked a lot of questions , received much appreciated help , and even bought several items from the mass buys. Classic Broncos is the best. 4wheelcustoms , well I don't have to tell you.

 

[SaddleUp]

I would give 4 Wheel Customs one more chance to make this right. If it is not the item you ordered then all you are doing is refusing to accept it which is your right. They shouldn't charge you a restocking fee on an item that is not what you ordered. (If you ordered the wrong item and changed your mind then they are free to do so or to completely refuse to accept a return at all for that matter) In the event they want the top back that was not the item you ordered (Which they freely admitted) then tell them they need to pay return shipping. (You should not be required to pay shipping if they knowingly sent you a different part without first authorizing it with you) If they still refuse to work with you then have the credit card company take care of it. (If 4 Wheel Customs is smart they will work with you first instead though since they could end up without both the payment and the top) Be sure the credit card company knows that even though it was paid several months ago you just received it last week as that will likely make a difference.

 

[bigmuddy]

Cootvon, that is the same run around story I just got (it was specially built for me) Buyer beware if he runs this mass buy next year.

Ben

 

[Flash69]

Hey BigMuddy try to sell it to someone else on here that might need one. That might save you some money in the long run. I have the white sailcloth with tinted windows and i really like it. I do understand that you didnt get what you ordered and you dont like it.

 

[cliffnbc]

I advertised mine right here and had poeple who wanted it , but 4wheelcustoms said that he could not change the address. I was just trying to save buyers the shipping cost since shipping was free. Just too much to ask I guess.

 

[bigmuddy]

thanks for all the info gents, actually I advertised it a couple of days ago to see if there were any takes before trying to hassle with shipping it back. But so far no luck 8-( Kinda funny is that when I first recieved the top, I thought it wasn't right nad I didn't much like it but was kinda overwhelmed with finally receiving it and had forgotten that I had ordered the stamped vinyl. So later I went and looked up on the mass buy that the white was only offered in the stamped vinyl at the time I ordered it and then it finally clicked that I did not get what I ordered.

Ben

 

[HotWheels]

You are absolutely right. My only reason for asking is because i thought the sailcloth would be a nicer and less road noise/wind top. Just curious is all, sry.

 

[jdrambo]

seriously call your credit card company and explain the situation. a retailer cannot charge you until the item ships and if you have shipping records and a credit card bill to prove it you won't have any problems getting your money back and probably keeping the top unless 4wheelcustoms comes to your damn house and picks it up themselves. you shouldn't even be bothered to take it to the post office

also just to make a comment about the difference with sail cloth and vinyl. Sail cloth is quieter than vinyl especially on the high way but is doesn't have the same look at all. if you want the classic look vinyl is the way to go! and who the hell drives a bronco because they enjoy how quiet they are???

 

[bigmuddy]

Hotwheels, I hope I didn't come across as an ass to you. I am just a little frustrated is all. Today, I got an e-mail from him saying that I would get my 580.00 back but I still needed to ship it back to Denver.

jdrambo, I agree that they do not look at all the same, but the whte vinyl and maybe the black vinyl is now extinct. No one is making them at all. It;s either denim or sail cloth the way I understand it.

By the way, when I spoke with STC yesterday they said that the sail cloth is the same material that FORD has been using to make the mustang tops for several years if anyone is familiar with those.

Ben

 

[71 BRNCO]

I just finally received my soft top last week. Order May 3rd. I have never been put in such a bad situation. I insisted on standing up for the guys that put on the mass buy. I like to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. but after 4.5 months I have never been so upset. Not only was I out close to $600 but I had to cancel 2 trips and got soaked on several other trips. I think STC is responsible as well for poor production. No one will step up though to make it right. The top does look great now that I have it on!!!

 

[bigmuddy]

I got an e-mail back today from 4 wheel customs and Chris has changed his mind and will give me a full 580.00 refund but I need to pay the 32 dollars shipping to get it back to Denver. Before today I had to ship it on my dime and I was going to eat a 10% refund cost as well.

Ben

 

[bigmuddy]

71 Brnco, I am not so sure who is to blame with the slow production time as STC told me yesterday that my order did not go in to them for some time after 5/30/06 when I placed it and in STC estimation, 4 wheel customs was accumulating orders before sending on to STC. So it's anyone's guess as to how long our orders sat on 4 wheel customs desk and he banked on out money before being forwarded on to STC.

Ben