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Westfield parts again and again!


Ragged Racing

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So my previous post a few weeks  ago about the parts department, seemed to sort it self out as suddenly they found me some cycle wings a couple of days after they said 4 weeks wait. 

 

So a few weeks ago I ordered another part which was a header tank. I looked online and the header tank pictured was the one I needed, so this time I phoned and checked that it was the correct item, was told yes so I ordered. It arrived at the wrong address, and when I opened it, guess what, It was the wrong one! I phoned the next day to say I'm sending it back as it wasn't the correct one pictured in the online shop, and wanted a full refund. No problem parts said, just include a letter why I'm returning it, and they will give me a call to sort out the refund. Two weeks later no phone call, so I phoned them 2 days ago and was told that somebody would phone me back the next morning. Nobody has phoned me again, and I'm p******** off to say the least. They were quick to take my money when I ordered it, but don't want to know now!

 

Twice I have ordered from the factory in 4 years and both times have just been a ball ache! It's not good enough, and unless I'm desperate I will never order  from them again. My company would not work like this and we wouldn't get much repeat business if we treated our clients like this!

Sort it out Westfield! 

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as an aside there is another thread saying that the picture is wrong and the old part is from I think a fiesta xr2 if you try a ford dealer or ebay.  Factory say they can't get them now but not sure why photo not updated

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Yep got one from my local ford dealer thanks, but as you say, why is the picture not updated and then there would be no problem. Simple things could save a lot of people a lot of time!

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When Julian met us at Barnoldswick he was told in no uncertain terms how the Pats Department was seen.  Having a couple of long term employees who know every part of a Westfield is hugely valuable but not nearly enough.  There are problems with the website and with supervision.  It was suggested that the parts guys should suggest that their customers should go to a motor factor or Ford garage or why and order the part direct if the factory don't have the item in stock.  Win win if you ask me.

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It was suggested that the parts guys should suggest that their customers should go to a motor factor or Ford garage or why and order the part direct if the factory don't have the item in stock.  Win win if you ask me.

This was something that I had also suggested on here however, my personal experience was that the parts guy was reluctant to give me any information about where else that I could get the part in question, even when pressed. Stated that I really had no option but to wait until their supplier provided the part. Oh, and the part? Well, it was bottom ball joints .. .. back when I didn't know better, but I do now!!

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Julian said these 'service items' should always be in stock

 

...but they're not.  The factory needs to get a good tight grip on this.

 

Alternatively, we could put together a list and a source for these items ourselves.

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I enquired the other day about the availability of the RAC roll bar - I was told it was in stock but that they were waiting for a new supply of rose joints- so basically not a lot of good if components aren't available. 

 

I've decided not to order and have a think about it - I may enquire again, or I may try elsewhere - the thing is for Westfield is that this "parts availability" issue is becoming a self fulfilling problem - people won't order because they have doubts about stock availability (or even delivery of stock when promised), so Westfield will have stock sitting around because no-one is ordering, and no one is ordering because they don't have a lot of trust............... 

 

If the website says "in stock" then it should be 100% "in stock" - not 80% in stock and no idea when the other 20% will be available.

 

We all understand that it costs to keep items on the shelf - the alternative to to use suppliers (like many smaller garages) that deliver the components the same day - from all the threads on this forum about Westfield parts, it sounds like they struggle with either solution.

 

(sorry if this sounds a bit like a rant but I think we've all been in too many similar situations and it is so frustrating messing about with returns, refunds or awaiting refunds then trying to source parts elsewhere)

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As an aside OP, do you have the part number from Ford? Im after one myself.

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This has been going on for years and it is always the same old bulls**t from Westfield/Julian. When I had a Lotus Elan the Lotus club compiled a list of all alternative suppliers of non Lotus parts used by the Elan. Invariaby they were cheaper and freely available from your local parts store. Westfield do not deserve peoples business as the non specific Westfield parts are usually much cheaper elsewhere. Julian has been paying lip service to improving things ever since taking over but the reality is that nothing has changed.

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Actually I am kind of pleased that this has been going on for years and at the same time sorry that it has.

The reason I am pleased is because the common reason that a company cannot supply goods is because they are in financial difficulties and about to go under. So if this is something that has been going on for years then it is just a bit of mismanagement and I can still expect delivery of my bodywork. Otherwise I am in deep doodoo as that is something I really can't get elsewhere!

I sincerely hope that the factory can get their act together though as I am at the start of my Westfield journey and wish it to be a long and happy one.

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This business of "in stock" is a website problem.  If it's "out of stock" then it takes itself away from the public part of the website IIRC.  Julian said (8 June) that it was being 'fixed'.  Not yet it ain't.  In the meantime other changes are apparent eg sorting stuff by model.

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The website is often very, very slow. As a Web dev for the past 20yrs I can see why. But I'll keep my opinions to myself save to say that it really needs looking at.

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Well I had a phone call from westfield this morning after my rant last night. It's funny that you have to go through all this to get a call back. As It turns out I couldn't take the call as Im up to my neck in it at work. So still not sorted but It shouldn't take this amount of effort !

 

The other thing is, I don't have the time or knowledge to find parts from other companies, and you would think that the Westfield factory should be our first call to either have the parts on the shelf or model numbers to help us find them elsewhere. 

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A friend of mine ordered a windscreen kit from Westfield in March. When I spoke to him just over a week ago, he still hadn't received it, even after regularly chasing it up. He appears to have much more patience than me, that's for sure. You can't tell me Westfield haven't had a windscreen kit since March... 

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