I usually get the most accurate impression of people or merchants by the little things they do, or don't do. Once I had a pair of skis go missing in the mail. The internet ski shop chearfully refunded the full price without a gripe and I've gone on to order from them often.

I ordered the legendary RennTech swaybar for my E500. Although I asked them not too, RennTech shipped the item by UPS and it arrived in a very beat-up box with tape all over the place and an extra $60 fee on top of RennTech's shipping charge. The bushings were not inside the box so I emailed Bob Brady. He said they were included when the bar was shipped but I could order more! So I telephoned him today and got the same story. After spending nearly $600 on the bar, another $100 on the shipping, those high-class merchants at RennTech want another $40 to send the bushings!

I'm sorry but I have to think that they are either very cheap or very mean....

__________________
Dean Albrecht
"Lead, follow, or better yet, get out of the way!"E500 owners motto

I assume you inspected the box and accepted it as non damaged... right? If so you cannot complain about the tape and condition of the box. Did you open it up and then lose the bushings? I would think not, but then again you accepted the box with the missing bushings, so you really don't have much room to complain there either. You asked to not ship via UPS, but they did- did you call them right away and explain all of this? Renntech is reputable. Your inactions did not help your issues.

UPS will drop boxes off without a signature, too. It depends on how Renntech shipped it.

need2speed, I'd say that if they treated you like that then send the thing back and get a refund. They don't deserve your cash.

I beleive him because why would he spend that money, when it obviously wasn't an issue when he purchased what he ordered. I hate these sleezy outfits that take advantage of anyone. Why defend their reputation? It will prevent me from purchasing anything from them. Thanks for the warning.

__________________

Timothy Evans
TimEvans35@gmail.com
CELL 310 990 6780


1985 380 SL
2010 CL 6.3 AMG
*2009 CL 550 Sport 4matic
New addition-1984 380 SE
Newest Edition 1986 300E AMG

It's just bad business to do that.

I would have sent the bushings, no questions asked, postage paid. With economy the way it is, it's hard enough to retain customers and keep a good reputation.

If they have half a brain they'll cheerfully send the parts and refund the extra shipping charge. They stand to gain or lose x number of customers on this deal, x being the number of views this thread gets. And I bet it's a a large number.

I have found that many times you need to talk to the "right person", usually the owner. Maybe you could post another post asking who that is (assuming the person to whom you have spoken won't connect you), I bet someone on these boards knows.

As a last resort, you could tell Renntech you will dispute the charge with your CC company, that's the one thing that keeps CC companies from being total douchebags - you prove the pkg was damaged, they charged extra shipping and then won't satisfy you and Renntech is out all the money you were charged. You can keep the bar unless they want it shipped freight collect.

__________________
RIP "Betsy" (Oo=*=oO)
'96 E 3 2 0 (W 2 1 0) M 1 0 4 (Totalled)
Spaces in sig so as not to screw up the SEARCH; every time someone searches for that MB they don't want my sig!

2004 Audi A8L
'98 VW Passat 1.8T 5M
'87 Alfa Romeo Milano 2.5L 5M
'67 Impala convertible, 327cid

I've ordered parts from various vendors. I've received incorrect shipments from just about all of them. The only ones I order from again are the ones that at least return phone calls and don't assume I'm a crank.

__________________
1984 300TD

That's so true.

One of the reasons I am willing to pay the few extra $$ at FastLane over other vendors is because the one time an order got screwed up, Phil fixed it VERY quickly.

Mistakes happen, it's how you deal with them that makes you a good or bad vendor.

__________________
-tp


1990 300SE "Corinne"- 145k daily driver - street modified differential - PARTING OUT OR SELLING SOON - PORTLAND OR. AREA - PM ME FOR DETAILS
1988 560SEL "Gunther"- 190K passes anything except a gas station
1997 S420 - 265k just bought it with a rebuilt trans. Lovely condition

Renntech reputation is far larger than one person who did not follow the usual rules of mail order business. Check my past post and ask yourself- would you do as the original poster did- or would you consider what I asked to be reasonable? I have no interest in any way shape or form with Renntech. I do know that thousands of MB owners consider them to be one of the best- if not the best- to modify for high performance any MB. Your actions or inactions show that you made no steps to make the situation better. Mistakes happen- but you act like you had no part in it at all. Renntech deals with customers that pay nearly as much as the original purchase price to modify the car, and have been doing so for decades with a stellar reputation- do you think those people would put down that kind of money without consideration as to these things? Need to speed has no posting after the first one- so judge for yourself....

MTU, what's your affiliation with Renntech? You haven't said anything about being a customer of theirs, nor cited any personal experiences in support of your "testimonial" for how great this vendor is. The way you immediately assumed it was the customer's fault and criticized him, leads me to suspect that you have some sort of ownership interest in that company. Why would I say that? In point of fact, Renntech does not have a particularly good reputation, and it's for exactly the reasons that the OP mentioned. They're arrogant, inflexible, and unwilling to accept what dissatisfied customers bring to their attention.... Sort of the way you went after the OP in your comments.

__________________
1988 California version 260E (W124)
Anthracite Grey/Palomino
Owned since new and still going strong and smooth
MBCA member

Past Mercedes-Benz:
1986 190E Baby Benz
1967 230 Inherited from mom when she downsized
1959 220S Introduced me to the joys of keepin' 'em goin'

There are only 10 kinds of people in the world--those who understand binary and those who don't

Good listees,
Before we have a fight for no reason, let's remember some things that apply here.

First: every situation has two sides-- except mine
Second: the law says that if you get something you don't want, then you should refuse it, unless:
A. they deliver it when you are not home
b. The packaging hides it, so you can't tell till you open it.

The way contract law and consumer law works is:

If the other guy does something different, or fails to do something you asked for, then the contract is NULL, UNLESS YOU ACCEPT IT.

THE ONLY way to have handled this where you would be totally in the right would have been
1. To refuse it as damaged and get it sent back.
2. To call them immediately and say: "The package was damaged and the package was delivered UPS, which I specifically asked you not to do. You broke the sales agreement. If you don't want to agree to the previous agreement, I want ALL my money back-- no restocking fee-- because YOU broke the contract."

This may take longer, but then there are NO issues. YOU are 100% in the right; their position is 0% defensible.

Plus you call the credit card company immediately and explain what you did and that you want a total reimbursement unless you call them back and tell them to do otherwise.

IMHO, this is why they need to change the high school curriculum so that people become informed consumers as a part of life, rather than learning the non-essential stuff they do learn.

BTW, they should learn spelling too. Or how to use spell check.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

__________________
Strelnik
Invest in America: Buy a Congressman!

1950 170SD
1951 Citroen 11BN
1953 Citroen 11BNF limo
1953 220a project
1959 180D
1960 190D
1960 Borgward Isabella TS 2dr
1983 240D daily driver
1983 380SL
1990 350SDL daily driver alt
3 x Citroen DS21M, down from 5
3 x Citroen 2CV, down from 6

A quick look at my profile shows I'm a boat captain- not a "owner" in any shape or way in Renntech. I've been over to the shop perhaps a dozen times- they had a huge stock of older AMG parts and I tried to help them sell some of them. Everyone there was nice enough. Gotta remember that MB's are a status car- and every Tom and Jerry will come into a high end shop and start asking questions on this or that or whatever. Would you spend your time answering those questions or worry about a person that is paying $20 or $50 grand to you for your work? I waited patiently and was able to ask some of the staff questions about modifications I could do to my 560SL/500SEL and diesel wagons. Time is money and they shared theirs. I didn't "go after" the OP- and I did not assume anything- I read his posting and went from there. The post above mine also deals with this and how to deal when things like this happen. If "you" accept a obviously damaged box shipped with a carrier you specifically asked not to be used... there is very little room to complain later.