sedsy Posted February 2, 2003 Posted February 2, 2003 Although i don`t want to bad mouth the company that has provided many of us with great fun motoring etc. i am a little tired of having to return to them for parts missing from my kit, parts missing from parts/equipment that i have purchased since. Latest event threaded collar missing from 1 of the pair of wiper boxes that i got last week, came to start work Sat lunch time and on into Sunday but couldn`t due to this item being missing. (weekend ruined) Not many other jobs that i can do at this stage :-( When i get parts eg bonnet fitting kit, the bits are not pre packed in bags or anything so it is up to the salesman to remember (usually from the top of his head) what is required, then the following day i return (45 mile round trip) to get the other bits (no appologies) Also when asking about alternate routes for parts i feel that sometimes i am looked upon as an alien Another e.g polo rad from supplier £45.00 The same unit from you know who £135.00 ?? Is this just me ? or am i expecting too much? When i went to collect my bodywork it was lucky that there were two in of the same colour as my main tub was pitted with pin holes, again i got the are you an alien look when i questioned this!! after uming and ahhing they changed it for the other, my bonnet had a big piece missing out of one corner and was scrap (shouldnt someone have checked this before calling me to say it was ready for collection) Quote
Nick M Posted February 2, 2003 Posted February 2, 2003 No, unfortunately it's par for the course That doesn't, however, make it OK and I'm sure that most people who have had the problem have made their views known to the factory.... I know I did. Quite frankly I find it pathetic that they can't produce a list of the correct parts and get someone to check off every little item against it. Or bag all the "kits" up so they just have to pick a box or bag off the shelf. Somebody part time is all that's needed to do this. And the difference in customer perception would be huge ! Part of the reason I've stuck with my car rather than building a new one was that I couldn't be done with the inevitable hassle !! Come on Westfield !! Sort your act out once and for all !! And goodness me update the build manuals properly !! Quote
Taurus Posted February 2, 2003 Posted February 2, 2003 I have had similar experiences with the parts department. Out of stock items on a regular basis and the build manuals out of date and lacking in detail when it comes to SEW builders. Product superb, customer service!!!!!!! Peter. Quote
sedsy Posted February 2, 2003 Author Posted February 2, 2003 I was also unhappy to find that the gear lever extension unit was missing from my kit, i was told it is now excluded from the kit although the literature given to me before i payed for it said that it was in the kit. Quote
Mark Stanton Posted February 2, 2003 Posted February 2, 2003 It is sad to see that parts are missing or out of stock when arranging dates to collect parts and get your pride & joy on the road. Built first car back in 1989 at the time build manual was just a mere 10 or 12 pages - undertook what is now known as a modular build So many times parts were missing - it was easy enough at the time to pop down to the factory, living locally and needing build help an optimum time to ask Q's. But it does appear to be a very common blip amongst builders even now in 2003 I'm sure the folks at Westfield are only to pleased to mail on various parts as and when needed, but perhaps a lot of money could be saved on postage by employing a "nut packer" to double then triple check items available / packaged. Would I be prepared to undertake it now Well yes, but I would want all parts available and not have to keep returning to the factory - but that is with having build knowledge of two cars Quote
wilksy Posted February 2, 2003 Posted February 2, 2003 Hi everybody I too get fed up with missing parts, poor descriptions in the build manuals and the "how dare you query us" look. However on a more positive note after this build (no.3 plus a c******m for a mate) I reckon I'll have about 300 nuts, bolts and washers "spare". Back in 1988 the build manual stated "now fit engine"!!!!! Quote
neo Posted February 2, 2003 Posted February 2, 2003 well i don't want to go against the grain but i must of been just lucky i guess all the stuff ive ordered in the past has been spot on, and there was once two fitting kits in the same box, i guess someone else got the one with no fitting kits as i had the two, but i do agree with Mr Stanton that basically after 14 years or so they could have got there customer services a bit better by now sorry to hear your misfortune Sedsy mate, these things are sent to try us get another beer out dude. Quote
cng1 Posted February 2, 2003 Posted February 2, 2003 I'm sure the folks at Westfield are only to pleased to mail on various parts as and when needed, but perhaps a lot of money could be saved on postage by employing a "nut packer" to double then triple check items available / packaged. A couple of us have actually worked it out based on our experiences and it looks like they could save over £100000 per year. There are a number of gripes with westfield and a lot of them do centre around the lack of manpower and procedures backing up kit collection and shipping. One extra body and a checklist would make everyones lives so much easier. If anyone from the factory is reading this this the savings and improvements in customer satisfaction make it a no brainer. It sometimes baffles me as to how people can miss such obvious improvements. Quote
FATBOY Posted February 2, 2003 Posted February 2, 2003 .....out of my last 7 orders to Kingwinford I had problems with 4 out of the 7. Quality control? I think not. However, they're not stupid, so there is probably some daft, but financially sound, reason for continuing with this counter-productive practice. ....on the plus side, I've ended up with quite a few duplicates. Quote
McSpreader Posted February 3, 2003 Posted February 3, 2003 Although I can agree with many of the complaints listed above, I have found the attitude of staff to be OK when sorting things out. During the majority of my build I was reasonably local (1.5 hour round trip) and often bent their ear and had a look at cars in the workshop while their - so not all bad. However, as well as having a few spares thrown in, I got the 'wrong' body. I wanted a V8 bonnet, but at about 200 quid extra (as my aging memory recalls) I didn't think it was worth it. However, about 2 months into the build when curiosity forced me to unwrap the protection of the bonnet - what did I find.......a V8 lid - sorted! Si Quote
warren smith Posted February 3, 2003 Posted February 3, 2003 hi i've got to say all my dealings with westfield have been fine, they even knew my name when i walked into the parts dept 6 months after my last visit. they also changed my bonnet (it was made far to thin and sagged after just a few weeks) without any trouble so i'd give them a thumbs up. warren Quote
scott beeland Posted February 3, 2003 Posted February 3, 2003 It appears I got lightweight bodywork without ordering it so that can't be bad.... or can it.... Less fibreglass, same money?? Oh and I seem to remember I got some VERY CHEAP (read free!! calipers when I ordered fab'd uprights Quote
zvezdochka Posted February 3, 2003 Posted February 3, 2003 Visiting the factory for me is a 4 (yes four) hour round trip so problems with supplies are very annoying and cost about £20 in fuel. However, in 90% of the times I have contacted the factory to report a problem the correct / replacement bits have been sent within 48 hours and have just delayed my build. So, I know its frustrating but I could have bought an MX 5 and how boring would that be? Live the dream and put up with a few glitches. I can't wait till I've built it and can actually drive it. Now about this fuel filler problem? Quote
Mark Stanton Posted February 4, 2003 Posted February 4, 2003 So perhaps if I may be so bold as to summarise a tad. We're all reasonably happy with the help we get from the guys in stores etc always helpful and willing to send on any parts missing from orders without any undue delay Good service - Gold star for their badges on that one With the small but........ and in no way a critiscm as such ..... possibly Westfield could save themselves some money on issue of duplicate parts, postage and packing, more expensive parts delivered than a cheaper part on original order ..... by having some more stringent order checks ...... see easy innit .......... problem solved, we can all sleep easier at night oh if only live and business were so easy we wouldn't have anything to do. where's my medication Quote
sedsy Posted February 4, 2003 Author Posted February 4, 2003 What about the fact that i bought the kit on the pretence of certain parts being included and then found out after buying it that some were now not included. (not cheap items i might add) Quote
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