West Coast Differentials got to me for the amount of $500 a couple of yrs ago. Never got it resolved.
There! Had to get that off my chest.

As Brian said, call credit car company and do a charge back. You shouldn't have to deal with their crap.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

It's going to be hard to charge back the return shipping costs. In fact, it's not going to happen. You just can't get there from here.

Performance Auto are bait and switch crooks! Simple as that!

I'm my case it was agreed per phone conversation they would send me a check as I had cancelled the cc account during the time of purchase and returning the wrong product. Due to this I had to take a 25% restocking hit. I accepted this as I had waited a while before trying to return the order.

Once West coast differentials received the returned goods they claimed they had given me credit to my card. I contacted the credit card company and they knew nothing of a credit from West Coast Diffs. Would not do a charge back as I no longer had an account.
Later West Coast claimed the returned gear sets were rusted and no good to them. The box had never been opened and had been in my house during my possession.
If I had been within a three hr drive you would have been seeing me on the news.

Sorry for the hi-jack. I hope your problem is resolved with PP.
I trust Phil.

As of right now, 458 members of this list have read this thread. These are obviously people who are online and probably make lots of online purchases. Performance Products is REALLY screwing themselves with their actions. I've never dealt with them and I never will after this story. Thanks for the heads up!

Bert - NH

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1979 300SD 83k miles Astro Silver Metallic/Black leather #3447
1990 350SDL 202k miles (3L engine from an 87 300D)Black/Grey leather
2006 Pleasure-Way Class B MoHo (Sprinter chassis) 134k miles
2005 E320CDI 270k (car is sooo fast - I can't believe it's a diesel!!!)

Its funny, I have been around the online MB community for about five years now. Can't think of a similer thread about Phil. Rusty seems to deliver as well.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

PP is well known in my experience to just throw something in the box and ship it, if they can't find the proper item in the warehouse. Like getting windshield washer hose when you ordered injector return line.

The proper way to deal with them is threaten to charge-back the credit card unless they send you a prepaid UPS return label. The customer should not pay to return items PP sent by mistake.

Typically businesses hate the idea of a credit card charge-back, because it is something of a strike against their relationship with the card companies. It makes doing business much more expensive for them if they get excessive charge-backs. So it is usually a large incentive for them to do the right thing if you just mention you are considering a charge-back.

I deal with PP only if they have something I can't get from WorldPac or reasonably priced from the d-d-d-stealer.



Ken300D

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1982 300D at 351K miles
1984 300SD at 217K miles
1987 300D at 370K miles

Well, they've received both compressors and have yet to issue a credit. So I've just completed all the credit card dispute online paperwork and have sent off copies of the receipt, packing list, RMA number and UPS receipts with tracking info. Maybe the credit card company will call the Performance Products "Customer Service" number. That'll be entertaining!

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Joe Black
Get yellow fever at ACME!

Just the MB's: '82 300DT (stick), '81 240D, '80 300SD, '80 300D, '81 240D Manual

It's been a few months, time to bump this thread up with a new posting.

These guys sent me a wrong part. To be fair, it looks like they mislabled it -- still their fault, but an understandable error. However, when I called to return it, they asked if I wanted them to send another, but wouldn't be able to check if it was the same mislabled part or the correct one -- guess they expected me to do that for them. I expected they'd offer to ship it back at their expense, be able to check the replacement part to make sure it didn't happen again to me, and to check their stock so they didn't do it to other customers. I figure I'm out shipping and maybe a restocking fee even through it was their fault -- the $ is easily worth my time and aggravation. I ordered my replacement from Phil instead.

Sounds like I also need to keep an eye on my credit card and make sure they credit it for the returned part.

Wish I'd seen this thread before I'd placed an order with them as I would have just skipped them altogether as my possible alternate source.

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'83 300DTurbo http://badges.fuelly.com/images/smallsig-us/318559.png

Broadband: more lies faster.

Only about 10 years for me.....

I usually phone in my orders tho.....because I absolutely hate ordering something that is "on backorder".....and most websites don't tell you this.....

SB

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Diesels:
'85 300D, "Max, Blue Benz", 155K, 27.0 MPG
'84 190D 2.2, "Eva, Brown Benz", 142K, 40.2 MPG
'77 240D (parts car)
'67 Eicher ES 202 Tractor "Otto" (2cyl, Air Cooled, 30HP)
Gassers:
'94 Ford F-150, "Henry", 170K (300 Six) 17.5 MPG
'85 190E 2.3, 148K....Parts Car
'58 Dodge W300M Powerwagon (Flat Fenders) Less than 10 MPG

Keep in mind how Performance Parts, Phill, Rusty, and most of the other online parts businesses operate. They don't have a showroom and a large inventory. This reduces costs. For most items, they buy it the minute you order in on the website. They have a group of suppliers, and go for the one that gives the best deal. The supplier then ships the part directly to you. In most cases, they never have seen the part you get. This is what allows us to get such low prices and fast delivery. However, it puts a huge premium on the inital ordering process. You really need to be absolutely certain that your ordering the right part. That's why I like to talk to a live person, preferably "the man" himself. Doing this I've never been burned...but I've never ordered from PP.

When you order from Phil or Rusty, the slight premium you're paying gets you their knowledge - and that's valuable. Things like which brand to buy, which part you REALLY need, and jobs that you really ought to do "while you in there."

I HAVE had to do a return before. Youre returning the part to the original supplier, who then tells your order person that they received it and to generate a refund. Always takes longer than the ordering process because its less efficient to start with.

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Tjohn

82 300 SD
77 450 SL (gone)

The MB Classic Center in California has been an invaluable source of correct part information for me with our '78 300SD. They do not sell parts but they give the brand, part number, list cost and if it is available in the U.S. according to their information. It works well to have this knowledge when ordering from anyplace, including a dealer. They haven't been wrong about anything I've asked and have been very cordial and patient with me.

Worth the effort.

Jim W.

I've been to Performance Products warehouse in Van Nuys or North Hollywood, CA.

They are different than a Rusty of a Phil (from this website's Parts Shop) in that Performance Products stocks everything they sell. They have a pretty large warehouse behind the parts counter.

I guess I would also consider the guys at the parts counter experts. I've been there many times over the past 4-5 years, and the same guys are always there at the parts counter. They are all car guys, and they seem to have an encyclopedic knowledge of Mercedes / Porsche, etc. in their heads.

Remember, they're not just a Mercedes parts supplier. They supply aftermarket and racing parts for a number of different makes.

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Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

Thanks for the laugh Suganimi.

The idea that Performance Products has everything in stock was the best laugh I've had on here this week.

Just recently I ordered the timing chain tool. Waited two weeks and no change in status on the web site. Finally had to call in the "customer service" line. After trying and getting disconnected about eight times, I got through. Item backordered. Probably had to order it themselves from Baum Tools.

So I cut out the middle man - cancelled the order at PerfProd - and ordered the same tool for less at Baum Tools.

I'd rather go to the dealer now than mess around with Performance Products. They are the Adsit of the West Coast.



Ken300D

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1982 300D at 351K miles
1984 300SD at 217K miles
1987 300D at 370K miles