Here's the deal with ecklers....
07-17-2008, 11:03 PM
#21
Burning Brakes
Ecklers, Mid America and Corvette Central all charge waay too much. Almost everything in their catalogues can be found much cheaper elsehwere from our Forum vendors and: 'you know where'. That said I've found the customer service and shipping from Corvette Central to be better than the others; plus being in Canada I like the fact that they will pre-clear goods though customs allowing me to avoid all the UPS and FedEx hassles (don't get me started on that!)
07-17-2008, 11:33 PM
#22
Melting Slicks
Member Since: Jun 2008
Location: Lower, Slower Delaware, formerly from Mobtown, MD (Baltimore)
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Since we're venting, Mid America sent the letter set I ordered in a 3"x4" plastic baggie that weighed 5 oz. They sent it in a size 14 shoe box charging 12 bucks when they could have easlily slipped it in a small bubble envelope for a buck and a half. I know you got to pay for your toys but I feel I get ripped off every time in the shipping charge, but they don't give a rat's azz.
I feel better, thanks.
Norm
I feel better, thanks.
Norm
07-18-2008, 12:10 AM
#24
For what it's worth, I just ordered a car cover and floormats for my new Vette from Eckler's and got my items in just three days. And they are not always the most expensive vendor. They had the lowest price ($135) on a Silverguard car cover (with emblem) of all the Corvette vendors I checked (Corvette Central, Mid-America, Corvette America, COH).
07-18-2008, 01:58 AM
#26
Melting Slicks
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CI 4-8-9 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '07-'08
I can agree with many of the posts above. There are some great vendors on this very forum that can solve all of your complaints. In some cases I would pay more from these forum vendors because they keep me informed and have great customer service. I have had excellent service from Southern Car Parts http://www.southerncarparts.com/.
Chip at CCA http://www.customcorvetteaccessories.com/ is also a vendor that I would gladly use again.
Good luck in the future!
Chip at CCA http://www.customcorvetteaccessories.com/ is also a vendor that I would gladly use again.
Good luck in the future!
07-18-2008, 02:17 AM
#27
Burning Brakes
i only read threw half these posts because everybody was bitching about the company... if they dont fit READ THE INSTRUCTIONS... if it says drill a hole, im sure betting that they wont fit right until the propper hardware is installed in the hole you DIDN'T drill...
LoL READ TWICE, PURCHASE ONCE!
LoL READ TWICE, PURCHASE ONCE!
07-18-2008, 02:58 AM
#28
Racer
Member Since: Mar 2007
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I placed 3 orders with Ecklers and the first 2 went really easy considering I live half way round the world.
The third order was a bit dissapointing as it was for a new header tank with the car off the road.
I packed out the order with some trim pars but the whole lot was delayed because of 1 out of stock part.
They do need to properly read the emails sent to them.
Their customer relations lady eventually got on the job and sorted it right away.
All said, I definately will use them again as they have a great range and a very good catalogue.
The third order was a bit dissapointing as it was for a new header tank with the car off the road.
I packed out the order with some trim pars but the whole lot was delayed because of 1 out of stock part.
They do need to properly read the emails sent to them.
Their customer relations lady eventually got on the job and sorted it right away.
All said, I definately will use them again as they have a great range and a very good catalogue.
07-18-2008, 05:22 AM
#29
Le Mans Master
Don't feel bad, I just waited almost a year to get a set of splash guards that I ordered last September (from another vendor)! They don't all fit, same 8 year old doing the paint and they were $400!
They are supposedly working on the problem, but in the meantime since they finally shipped me "something" I am now out the money!
Guess I could always use them as wheel chocks?
They are supposedly working on the problem, but in the meantime since they finally shipped me "something" I am now out the money!
Guess I could always use them as wheel chocks?
07-18-2008, 06:10 AM
#30
Drifting
Member Since: Nov 2006
Location: Plano Texas
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St. Jude Donor '08
Don't feel bad, I just waited almost a year to get a set of splash guards that I ordered last September (from another vendor)! They don't all fit, same 8 year old doing the paint and they were $400!
They are supposedly working on the problem, but in the meantime since they finally shipped me "something" I am now out the money!
Guess I could always use them as wheel chocks?
They are supposedly working on the problem, but in the meantime since they finally shipped me "something" I am now out the money!
Guess I could always use them as wheel chocks?
07-18-2008, 09:41 AM
#33
Race Director
Yea,when I want something from Ecklers I wait till I vacation at our Daytona house and drive down to Titusville and buy over the counter ,that way I look at what I'm buying and save the shipping charge,hell the shipping charge pays my fuel cost down. 
07-18-2008, 09:55 AM
#34
Le Mans Master
Check with Jim Vose at Southern Car parts (the man's a saint).
I ordered a KEWL airbridge for my wife's 01...back in MARCH. I waited and waited...no airbridge. Contacted Jim about it in May. He checked on it about every week after that (he usually sent copies of the e-mails to me).
I finally got it yesterday...4 months after the order. If Jim hadn't been hounding them, I probably never would have gotten it.
Most of the time, problems are not always the dealer, but rather the supplier. The difference is finding a dealer that wants to put the time in to follow up for the customer. Jim kept at it.
I ordered a KEWL airbridge for my wife's 01...back in MARCH. I waited and waited...no airbridge. Contacted Jim about it in May. He checked on it about every week after that (he usually sent copies of the e-mails to me).
I finally got it yesterday...4 months after the order. If Jim hadn't been hounding them, I probably never would have gotten it.
Most of the time, problems are not always the dealer, but rather the supplier. The difference is finding a dealer that wants to put the time in to follow up for the customer. Jim kept at it.
07-18-2008, 09:58 AM
#35
Safety Car
a) I think people expect more in the "age of the internet" than they did in the "age of the catalog". Back then things were cheaper and people were glad to not pay stealership prices. Lot fewer choices then
b) I think they have a fairly liberal return policy, so send it back if you don't like it.
c) I agree with everything else said about ecklers and I'm not defending them.
b) I think they have a fairly liberal return policy, so send it back if you don't like it.
c) I agree with everything else said about ecklers and I'm not defending them.
07-18-2008, 10:03 AM
#36
Drifting
When Eckler’s Enterprises was sold to Los Angeles-based equity firm Century Park Capital Partners on June 30, 2006 their quality and service started to slip away.
07-18-2008, 10:21 AM
#37
Race Director
contact VIP 1-800-457-4847, THEY ARE A CORVETTE PARTS BROKER. THEY WILL NOT BE UNDERSOLD. I HAVE BEEN BUYING PARTS FROM THEM FOR ABOUT 15 YEARS. ASK FOR PAM AND TELL HER ED FROM DENVER SENT YOU.....ED
07-18-2008, 10:23 AM
#38
Racer
Member Since: Mar 2008
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St. Jude Donor '08
They are all the same
I have had good and bad experiences from all of the vendors mentioned here. I have several thing that I purchased and were so cheap that I did not put them on the car. The time and expense to return them was not worth the trouble. Buyer be ware! If only there was a supplier that supplied quality parts in an orderly manner, I would use just them. It seems that supplier does not exists. Welcome to the real world we live now. America is becoming a third world country in our life time. Poor quality, poor service, parts for our American cars that were made overseas, at prices that make purchases represent more and more of our hard earned dollars. But what are you going to do about it? 
07-18-2008, 10:47 AM
#39
Safety Car
I buy mostly from the forum. Yea ther is a "tax" on forum sponsoring vendors but for the most part, customer service outweighs the 10% increase. I have yet to see a forum vendor "balk" on a refund or exchange for defective item. Also I have found some great deals from forum members. To all of you....thanks.
I believe that all the big parts guys (Ecklers, MAD, Corvette Central, ECC) didn't get that big without haveing good customer service. The problem with most company's as they grow, they become understaffed in those departments because employee's are too busy processing orders.
That is why the 10% "tax" from here ia well worth all the headaches from poor quality, customer service & not haveing the man power to handle it right.
I believe that all the big parts guys (Ecklers, MAD, Corvette Central, ECC) didn't get that big without haveing good customer service. The problem with most company's as they grow, they become understaffed in those departments because employee's are too busy processing orders.
That is why the 10% "tax" from here ia well worth all the headaches from poor quality, customer service & not haveing the man power to handle it right.
07-18-2008, 10:57 AM
#40
Racer
Member Since: Jan 2007
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I placed an order with Ecklers on 6/27, got my parts on 7/2, they all fit fine, and I had no issues with them whatsoever. Guess what, before bitching about price, I comparison shopped. Seems like 80% of what you read about any company is just the bad news. People don't go off and say, "I ordered something and I got it like I expected." Just take all the complaints you read about a company with that grain of salt.