Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Hi all,
I wonder if we are putting up with poor service in the UK to the point we think it is normal.

I have been looking for a part to convert a brake hose to Metric 10/1 end from 3/8" UNF of my new 4pot brakes.

I found what I needed on a US web site BrakeQuip, so Saturday night I sent a mail to the info@ address asking if they had a stockist in the UK.

By Sunday morning I had a reply, saying that they would copy in the Europe sales manager in Germany and he would be in touch.

By Sunday night I had a mail from the him, asking for my contact numbers and shipping address.

I Googled the first person who responded and found he was the President and CEO of a multi million dollar outfit and he was answering info mails the day before the Labour day holiday!

Then I was in touch with the dealer in the UK, and it took a day and a half, two emails and two phone calls to get my order placed, and no they did not stock it, I might see it in about a week!

Dear Lord, I wish I lived in the US when it comes to standards of service!

Jon the Chief

I have found I can have parts in my hand via parcel post from California faster than I can get a price from some UK suppliers; being sort of near Toronto, a good distance from either source. Depends on the supplier of course, Caterham UK have been prompt.
Our American friends are good businessmen.
Jack

I use RDEnterprises ...David bean ..and for pure race parts Pegasis racing ...good knowledgeable and speedy ....Ed

This thread makes me smile. I?ve been working for British motorsport firms for the last 15 years (Cosworth and now Mountune) and travel to the UK at least 5 times per year so I am very familiar with this gap in service levels. When I was at Cosworth USA we had customers in the UK buying parts from us because service was so poor from Northampton. One could go on about the differences between capitalism and socialism but its more than that. In the USA you can be fired (sacked ) from your job for poor performance. We have no contracts here unless you are high level executive. The work place is very competitive. I always feel that most employees in the UK become complacent because of job security. Please don?t take this as disparaging comments about England. I love it there and the smile every time I wait 30 minutes for the waitress to bring me a menu while trying to get a meal in the UK. It all adds to the charm. Also the USA is very large and competitive, the UK is a small Island about the size of California. So we need to hustle here in the USA to make a buck. Please keep buying from the USA and let me know if you need anything ?

Like previous, I have used RD and Bean for years. Pegasus is good for motorsports related parts.

JAE Parts is one of my favorites with great service and advice.

http://www.jaeparts.com/

Another great resource for hardware and supplies:
BRITS in Sonoma, CA
They only have a line card as a web page but their stock for the hard to find supplies and hardware is amazing with very fair prices.
http://www.britsinc.com/

No connection to any other than a satisfied customer.

I would add my recommendation for BRITS. Always been really good at getting the parts I needed and their pricing is hard to beat!
Ian
SoCal

EnfoKen wrote: Please keep buying from the USA and let me know if you need anything ?

I might take you up on that If you are able to take payment, I would make a payment to your charity of choice if you are not able to take payment.

Jon the Chief.

(Still waiting for my thread adaptors!)

I've just bought a couple of parts from Pierce Manifolds in California.

Not only were the parts cheaper than in the UK - but unbelievably the postage/shipping was less also.

Live in France for 10 years and you will only ever dream of seeing UK levels of Customer service.

The USA sounds like another planet, France certainly is

I have had dealings with Dutch, German Belgian and Luxembourg companies and they have all been as good as or better than UK ones, my exp?riences with US companies were always positive.

As a Brit who has been US-domiciled for the last 18 years I can certainly vouch for the quality of service here. Mostly I've used Ray at R.D. Enterprises for bits for both my Elan and Europa TC, occasionally others when Ray doesn't have what I want.
However, I also have a good deal of time for Sue Miller, who runs a great one-woman show for Elan bits; CAI / Speed Cables for Instruments; Stafford Vehicle components for electricals, and Burlen for carburetter bits. Andy Wiltshire has been helpful, as well as that company whose name I can never remember who make components for kit-car builders and who supplied a windscreen wiper kit for my Elan that works perfectly.

So - the U.K. has good suppliers too. We need to be glad they're all in business!

RogerFrench wrote:As a Brit who has been US-domiciled for the last 18 years I can certainly vouch for the quality of service here. Mostly I've used Ray at R.D. Enterprises for bits for both my Elan and Europa TC, occasionally others when Ray doesn't have what I want.
However, I also have a good deal of time for Sue Miller, who runs a great one-woman show for Elan bits; CAI / Speed Cables for Instruments; Stafford Vehicle components for electricals, and Burlen for carburetter bits. Andy Wiltshire has been helpful, as well as that company whose name I can never remember who make components for kit-car builders and who supplied a windscreen wiper kit for my Elan that works perfectly.

So - the U.K. has good suppliers too. We need to be glad they're all in business!

I agree. I always return to the usa with a bag full of parts from Paul Matty and a few others . We need these guys to keep us in the goods