Recent Poston experience.

I recently purchased from Poston some parts for my nailhead. Among these was a set of valve springs and a high pressure oil pump.
The oil pump was described in the catalog asbeing selected for large passage housings, deburred and stress releived castings,gear surfaces conditioned with special finishfor greater oil pick up,special rate spring,blueprinted clearances and antislip anchored driven gear shaft, drilled gear for shaft lubrication 12to15 lb over stock oil pressure.
The valve springs were described as the finest available for a 401/425.
When the pkg arrived I inspected the contents.
I noticed that the oil pump looked exactly like the old pump that i already had. down in the openings I saw rough surfaces. curious I took the bottom plate off where I could see inside.
Inside the pump was exactly as the old pump except the pressure relief spring has a aluminum spacer to shim up the oil pressure. the spring was the same as the old one,there was no polishing done,there was no drilling done,there was a lot of casting flash inside the passages with very rough surfaces. In short the pump was just a stock pump with a shim under the stock oil pressure spring.
The valve springs were just stock springs, nothing special. I squeezed them with my hand and they were not as strong as the old springs that i had.
I called Poston and told them what I had found and they called the man who was building the oil pumps for them and he admitted that the pump was just a stock pump with a shim in it. they didnt offer to make any adjustment with the pump or the springs. In fact Tony told me that because I had looked inside the pump I had bought it. Just thought the guys should know.
I dont think Postons will be getting as much of my money as they were, only if I cant find the part any where else......... :Brow:

 

....and they "specialize" in Buicks! Makes ya feel good huh? It never changes.

Only thing I wouldn't have done "if I were you" (don't you hate when people say that? ), is take it apart. They do have a point there. Catch 22 though. How the hell are you supposed to know "for sure" unless you do?

See my most recent post about the 69 decklid emblem....

http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?t=63008#post479287

 

experience

Yes, Ken I am the kind of guy who will fight knowing I am going to lose.[dont ask why, it is complicated] :Brow: :laugh: :laugh: I just had to look in that pump and see what was[or what was not] there. :Brow: At least I can tell others from first hand experience, not just a rumor. :TU:

 

It's good to see feedback like that, since I have not purchased anything yet from Poston's, but rather I have used Year One. Not that Year One has done a bang up job on all their products or anything, but I am always interested in buying products from someone who specializes in all Buick parts, and hearing this about Poston's will just make me more of a wary buyer, and pay real close attention to what I buy from them.

 

My reply?

Then you just bought yourself a false advertising lawsuit.

Report 'em to their home state's Better Business Bureau.

 

Did they say who this "man" was?... I know who it used to be, but that relationship ended when Jim Poston owned the buiz.. now that he sold it, I am wondering who is supplying their stuff..

JW

 

I agree...

But I would also like to add that it is a Federal crime too (assuming you are not in Alabama). Lets see, where is the former president of Exide? Yep, 10 yrs rent free for the same basic thing... :error: ou:

 

I had a bad feeling about that place before I ever ordered anything from them.....guess I had a premonition?....it's good to know I made the right decision and got my parts somewhere else. :bglasses:

 

i too had a poor poston experience, it took them 3 tries to get me the correct new pistons,the headers i ordered,had poor chrome plating,and one collector flange was welded on crooked! plus,none of the boxes were labeled with the contents(except for my aluminum pulleys) quality of parts and service has gone downhill since the change of ownership.

 

I refuse to order from them again after the last time. I ordered a "ST-300 Complete Overhaul Kit" with "top quality parts". I was expecting a normal kit, instead they sent a freaking clutch/seal kit and not even a band! Plus it was just a TranStar kit that I could have bought locally. I called, they told me "that's everything you need" and basically told me to go screw. I'll never deal with them again, that's one Buick vendor that has gone seriously downhill as of late. Screw me once, shame on you, screw me twice, shame on me.

 

yeah they're sort of like dollar general stores,you never know what you're getting

 

And I reiterate: These are Buick "specialists". :error:

Scary huh?

 

Poston's

I heard a rumor sometime back that they reduced there "old" Buick parts selling job to one guy. He apparently used a catalog to look things up since a computer program wasn't worth throwing at these old cars.

I guess there is a different direction the company wants to go in now. o No:

 

If your looking for a real modified Nailhead oil pump.. call TA.. I was on the phone with Mike the other day, and just happened to mention this, and he went thru and detailed all the things they ACTUALLY DO to their modified pumps.

Their truely modified pump is TA 1504, and goes for $169. They also sell the stock replacement pump like you got here.

Talk to Mike, and double check the PN on the modified pump, I am going from memory here..

JW

 

Postons

I sure am glad I read this post. I was just about to order over $1,000.00 worth of stuff for my 455. I sent for a TA catalog over 2 months ago but never received it as of yet. Guess I'll send them another $5 bucks to try again. Any body recommend any other suppliers for Buick hipo parts? I need a cam kit, 4spd flywheel and a bunch of other motor parts. How does Kenne-Bell prices compare? Are they still selling a full line of Buick parts? Somebody give me a heads up, I've saved my Buick money too long to waste it on junk! Thanks, Mike

 

In the past I've placed orders with TA Perf. and they send a free catalog with the order. They've also got everything listed on their website. www.taperformance.com.

I have also ordered upholstery and some Turbo Regal parts from Poston with good results but that was 2 years ago.

 

Does anybody know who does their interior parts

The seat covers,door panels and boot covers? I ordered body mounts for my 64 convertible and they said they had them. I asked if they include the core support mounts and the lady said she had to check. She came back and said yes they do. I also then ordered a floor pan brace and door fuzzies. The mounts and brace came (fuzzies back ordered) but the mounts did not include the core supports thay said so I called. They then told me they were seperate and cost 29.99. I asked why they did not say this the first time when I asked? I guess I should be happy they shipped them to me but didnt charge me shipping.
When did they change owners?

 

I believe they changed owners within the last year or so.Inevitably maybe there comes some transition pains that go along with a change.I know Tony is trying his hardest to provide service to our buick guys.i've had nothing but great experiences with Poston now in in the past.Jim and Tony always seemed to do the right thing and their parts that I've recieved were as descibed and good quality.I've used their resto parts on several of our cars and their race stuff on mine and customers cars.Maybe some policies slipped thru the cracks and different vendors started supplying parts,I don't know,but I'm sure willing to give poston the benefit of the doubt,after all, they've done a lot for our hobby.I will continue to use Poston,and others as the need dictates,I'm sure if there are some issues a call to Tony will go a long way to resolve them.
Just my 2 cents worth.
gary

 

You wouldn't believe what the manager told me regarding the 69 GS decklid emblem. :error:

He said the guy who they hired to control the inventory had a son that killed himself and then the guy went bonkers and left. (understandably of course)

Now believe me, I feel horrible for the family, but lets face it, if everybody's personal problems got in the way of business the world would not function. In short, why does their inability to fill a simple emblem order or give me the correct info as to why the heck it was not filled as stated (backing plate only I recieved) have to become my problem?

Long story short, I ended up telling them to give my mother in law (it was a gift) a refund. All I needed was the spring anyway. He said he had to go back to the supplier to see when they could get more made. In other words, when hell freezes over. :error:

To their credit, the guy I spoke to, I think it may have been Jim but I don't have the piece of paper in front of me, was very attentive and I believe he felt my frustration.

Obviously, I defer to Gary above since he's had way more experience shopping from Poston, and new ownership can certainly rock any boat.