TAPerformance.com

I had a horrible experience from TAPerformance and tried several times to get it rectified. But I was snubbed and told I was a liar. Below is a copy I sent to the owner of TA Performance and have not received any replies.
So bottom line is, no matter how much money you spend with these guys, or how long you deal with them, they will not admit to making a mistake and will thumb their noses at you.
Here is it.

I have not been treated very well with the lady that answers the phone and takes order (I forget her name) at customer service.


Ive had great service all these years Ive bought stuff from you guys. I appreciated it and never had any problems.


Well (invoice number deleted) I called and talked to a guy and asked him if you guys still had the original Buick Red paint that I bought from you about 3 years ago.

I specifically asked him if you had any Duplicolor DH-1608. I specifically asked him several times if you guys had the Duplicolor DH1608 part number and not the Krylon replacement color. He told me he had six or nine cans left. So I told him, Great! Ill take one case of the Duplicolor DH1608 paint I proceeded to tell him that it was near impossible to find that exact part number for Duplicolor as all the parts stores no longer carry it since it went out of production. I told him I know they discontinued it but were still selling the existing stock in the various warehouses. I knew this because I had been searching for weeks for this stuff. I CAN find it, but the only other seller of this stuff wants to sell them in huge quantities that I dont have the money for.

Again, I did ask the guy on your phone if it was the genuine Duplicolor DH1608 paint and NOT the Krylon replacement that is now being sold as the Buick Red on your site.

I stated that the colors are not the same and I just needed to repaint my intake manifold and didnt want to have to pull the whole engine out to repaint the whole thing so the paint would match and he said, I hear what your saying He did verify that I wanted the DH1608 paint only and not the Krylon.


Well imagine my surprise when I opened the case of paint I got and it was all the Kryon paint! I was a bit upset. (Also you much now that during this time I was in the process of doing a panic (get the car on the road quickly) restore of my 67 Buick GS400 because I was moving from Port Orchard, Washington to Billings Montana and had to deal with getting my house ready to sell, finding a place to rent, get the Buick road worthy and all that other stuff that has to happen when moving to another state).

So I called TAPerformance sales and told the Lady (cant remember her name) that you guys sent me the wrong part # and I wanted a refund. She said sure but I would have to pay for the shipping back and also pay a restocking fee. This did not sound right. I asked her why would I have to pay for a restocking fee and the shipping when they sent me the wrong part number. She said they did NOT send the wrong part number, that I asked for Buick Red paint and thats what I got (with a nasty tone). I told her yes its Buick Red paint, but its not the same part number of Buick Red paint that I painstakingly asked for very clearly over the phone. She at this point became very condescending and insulting telling me I was the one who screwed up and the other seller doesnt remember having that conversation with me (how convenient!). We talked for about 15 minutes during which I repeatedly told my story and that the part number I asked for I did not get and she would keep saying yes I did because I got their Buick Red paint.

I was sooooo extremely upset but I did not raise my voice and told her I wanted to talk to the owner or manager and she said, Well thats my prerogative but that the owner was not in at that time.


Well here it is another month since that conversation, and I have been extremely busy with trying to find a house to live in (Im currently living in my 30 travel trailer in Billings MT KOA campground) and have not had the time to sit down and write this email. I had started a new job and with that and spending my spare time house hunting and preparing my trailer to live in for the winter I have not called back or written since.

So now here I am with the issue. I just want to send back this case of paint with no restocking fees and have you guys pay for shipping. Just what would normally happen when a wrong part is sent out as in this case.


Please help me with this issue and can we get is resolved? I have not done anything with the paint. They are still in the original box. I have not pulled them out except for one, but that one I didnt even take the cap off and quickly put it back in the original box and taped it up expecting to ship it back quickly. So the paint is still in the same condition you sent it, unused and unopened.


My phone number is 360.xxx.xxxx and my email address is tjcole12@hotmail.com

Please contact me and let me know what I can do next to get this resolved.

I have spent many hundreds of dollars, more than a couple thousand in the years past I think at TAPerformance and would genuinely like to continue this very pleasant relationship.



Thank you very much!!!

This is the email that was ignored. So I'm letting everyone on this board know about them.

 

That stinks! :rant:

Scott

 

I too am a little miffed at TA
I ordered 2 front seals and 2 rear seals (among other things)

Well today I got 3 front and 1 rear

In order to get another rear seal I would have to pay for another And have it shipped! Then return the wrong one for a refund

So instead I'm sending the wrong one back on my dime so this doesn't take forever and thus avoid the pay/refund process

 

Oh no, this does not sound good guys! I thought the owner of TA was a member of this board? ou:

 

I can't jump on board with this thread. I've had nothing but positive dealing with TA and all of the staff I've spoken with there. My parts are shipped quickly and have always been correct and of top quality. Unlike Cars inc. and OPGI.

 

I am on the verge of giving TA a bunch of money for my build, but am starting to have some doubts.
I know that TA has made us parts and is a trendsetter in Buick performance, but that does not give them the right to treat people this way. Re-stock fee???? How can that be when they can't restock? RE-stock fee, when they made an error?
As a business owner, I know the importance of keeping customers happy, many times at cost to myself just so there
is no bad publicity.

Regardless, no business needs this kind of black eye, the second one in a month, it should have been nipped in the bud.
I have been treated similarly by a local business, and they will never get any of my money anymore.
Pride can be a business owners downfall, and an automatic defensive reaction is the WRONG way to conduct any business.

Old saying, but worth alot "A customers perception is a merchants reality".

A happy customer will tell one person of his experience, an unhappy one will tell 10 people.
I hope TA can resolve this problem properly. I am curious about the outcome as like I stated, I am getting ready to drop some decent coin with them, but if they treat people this way, I wil not do business with them.

Is the shipping cost really going to put you guys out of business? Is it worth it to have an unhappy customer who has already spent alot of money with you? Was the 20 bucks worth this bad publicity? You make a mistake, admit it and make it right, otherwise you leave a bad tast in the persons mouth, and they will be much less likely to do business with you in the future.

Now here you (TA) are with the whole Buick community seeing this...was it really worth it?

 

Todd,

Pretty simple here..

Call TA, and ask for Mike.. He will never read this email, as he does not monitor this account.

JW

 

While I appreciate your advice there are more than a few that have had problems at TA. While I got burned on my cam and shipping on some gaskets I still have, and will continue to use TA because if we do not support the Buick vendors we will all suffer.
In my case I did contact Mike after going around and around with the sales and tech guys. Bottom line I returned the cam as Mike requested to Schnider cams , and it was bad and still the crickets are chirping. Not only did I not receive a replacement cam, a refund with or without a restocking fee. I now am running a Comp cam in my 72 stage 1

 

Myself and my circle of Buick friends have had several issues with TA (more negative than positive), none to be resolved, with Mike or without him. I can only hope that threads like this will help improve future dealings with TA for others. Personally I've learned how to get around most things or buy from other Buick vendors who stand behind the transaction. Good luck, hope it gets resovled to your satisfaction.

 

sadly this has been my experience as well.

 

My last transaction with TA was for headers and remanned rocker assemblies for my GS and I had no problems at all. Unfortunately, it sounds like Todd had yet another poor customer service experience that can occur almost anywhere. Hopefully, TA will be able to identify the customer service rep, get her side of the story (because we all know there are 3 sides to every story) and try to rectify the situation. If this customer service rep has been trouble before, this should help TA with corrective action.

 

So far so good. I have dealt with TA for several years.

Bob H.

---------- Post added at 10:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:58 PM ----------

So far so good. I have dealt with TA for several years.

Bob H.

 

I have had absolutely nothing but GREAT experiences with TA, both on the sales and service side. I don't know of ANY business that is infallible, but the good ones stay around a long time because they are just that...good ones. Two sides to every story, and I hope this all gets worked out. It's very easy with the internet to post issues, and nothing wrong with that. But like was said a little earlier, you rarely hear about the good, positive things.....very few people put posts up when everything goes great. Could be 100 great transactions to every 1 rough transaction.....but it's the 1 that you hear about.... I, for one, will continue to buy from TA, and will be doing plenty of that this next year!

 

Same here, Cole; so far, so good in my case. I'm a pretty small blip on TA's radar compared to a lot of people, I buy from them for a while then nothing for years, then go at it again depending on what I'm working on. No complaints to date.

Does anyone know when TA came out with their first catalog? I started buying my big block parts from Kenne-Bell back in the day and grew sick of the poor service in the early to mid '80's. Poston came around and I had better luck with them for awhile. I don't remember when I first heard about TA, I'm guessing it was mid '80's. Been happy so far! Sorry to hear about other folks having difficulties.

Devon

 

I think I got my catalog back in 1985-86. I have had good dealings with them also, I got all of my engine parts from them and it was in the thousands. They even ported my heads for me, or someone did from them. Businesses should always keep their employees trained on correct customer relation issues so this never happens. Try getting a job at Summit Racing and you will see what I am talking about. They give very intense interviews on this. Auto Zone does the same thing when applying for their jobs also.

But I do not want them to start to deal with customers in the way that the person was treated with the paint issue. If you can't get the correct paint say so and don't try and sell something you really do not have any more. This is not a good business practice.

---------- Post added at 09:32 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:32 AM ----------

I think I got my catalog back in 1985-86. I have had good dealings with them also, I got all of my engine parts from them and it was in the thousands. They even ported my heads for me, or someone did from them. Businesses should always keep their employees trained on correct customer relation issues so this never happens. Try getting a job at Summit Racing and you will see what I am talking about. They give very intense interviews on this. Auto Zone does the same thing when applying for their jobs also.

But I do not want them to start to deal with customers in the way that the person was treated with the paint issue. If you can't get the correct paint say so and don't try and sell something you really do not have any more. This is not a good business practice.

 

Here is a very old business rule.

If you treat a customer right, you are lucky if he tells two others.

If you treat a customer wrong, you are lucky if he doesnt tell 200 others.

 

Very true :TU:

 

I feel a need to support the small businesses that specialize in supplying my hobby.

The fact the company is the "specialist" does not make it either perfect or immune from making mistakes. But that does not give them license to mistreat their customers and retain their dominent position - especially when they are just plain wrong.

Two years ago, I ordered a set of valves during the holiday sale. I never opened the box since I "knew" what was in it. A few months later I dropped the box off at the shop that was working on my cylinder heads. They sent the V-6 kit instead of the V-8 kit, so we were short a few valves. I had to supply proof (sent pictures of the box with markings) and they agreed to send the additional pieces, but I still had to pay additional shipping to correct their mistake! End of the world? No. Poor customer service? You decide.

So, that experience along with the experience of others makes me search elsewhere first when I need parts. And it makes me less willing to pay a premium if the part I need is offered elsewhere for less. Am I shooting myself in the foot? Maybe. I just wish I didn't feel like they could "take or leave" my business when they need us as much as we need them!

 

All busniesses have customers who are happy and customers who aren't. And in many cases, some customers can't be satisfied no matter how the issue is resolved. That's reality...anyone who owns or runs a business knows this reality to be true.

I'm one of their satisfied customers.

Todd, call Mike directly and tell him your issue...and I'm sure he'll resolve your issue to your satisfaction.

 

WOW, that wasn't right I would think they would ship them for free (4 valves) since I am sure they a little extra on shipping the first time. I have had only one return and it was year's ago. I bought a 310 and had it unopened for about 6 months and decided to go with the 290-08h. I sent it back for credit and paid the small price increase. I was very happy with that. I have ordered stuff from Tim and its been spot on.

Sorry about the paint but a I ordered something like 5 cans when I heard they discontinued the paint as I have serveral engines that will be built in a few years.