Prior to my TR3A, I owned am "orphan" car. Getting something as simple as a
radiator hose involved a nation wide search. Hats off to anyone who takes
their time and money to run a business which support a great hobby
(addiction?) like ours.
I currently have parts on back-order from two of the big three suppliers,
and several areas of my car are disassembled waiting for the parts.
Frustrating, yes. But....not a problem. I'm just happy to even be able to
have suppliers who can get the parts to me at all.
Personally, I get tired of people complaining about the suppliers. If there
is an issue, talk to the principals of the business. My guess is the LBC
parts businesses are not cash cows. I appreciate the selection,
availability, and prices (especially the sale prices). They all, including
Mr. Runyan, deserve a thank you.
Paul
-----Original Message-----
From: dstauffa@csc.com <dstauffa@csc.com>
To: twakeman@cruzers.com <twakeman@cruzers.com>
Cc: triumphs@autox.team.net <triumphs@autox.team.net>
Date: Wednesday, December 29, 1999 4:13 PM
Subject: The Roadster Factory demise
>
>
>
>I'm not one prone to bash TRF as they have provided me with lots of quality
>parts for my TRs over the years. However, since July of this year I have
been
>waiting for TRF to apply a refund for returned goods to my credit card. I
last
>talked to them a week ago and all I could get from them was that they have
not
>processed it yet and could not give me any estimate when they will.
However
>after reading the TRF flyer, I couldn't agree more with the below comments.
I'm
>so glad to see that someone else has enough business savvy to observe a
business
>without sound financial and capital investment. I would like to see Runyan
turn
>this around but if he continues to invest in gas masks, university school
desks,
>a pub, etc. instead of TR inventory, retooling, etc. the following comments
are
>prophetic. Maybe Charles forgot that the focus of our hobby is the CAR!
"It's
>the car, stupid!". I wager that the only fantasy most of us share is
having our
>TR's back on the road and cruising down the highway with the top down.
>
>At least we still have Moss and VB.
>
>Dave Stauffacher
>Ramona, California
>1970 TR6 PI CP51649
>
>If you read the recent intro to the TRF
>TR6-250 parts flyer.... you can see that Charles Runyan is in way
>over his head with debt and doesn't have the money to buy
>inventory for the popular fast moving stuff.
>
>Unfortunately this is exactly what I expected when I learned that the
>owner of a low margin mail order parts house was going to put the company
>profits into building an English style pub instead of reinvesting it in
>inventory.
>
>I hope Charles is enjoying his fantasy of being a WWII English pub owner.
> And I hope it is self supporting when his parts business folds.
>
>It's sad to see the best TR parts house in the US scuttled by its owner.
>
>
>
>
>
>
|