I'm kind of surprised that no TRF response has occurred- is it possible that
they are not aware of this list and the cost of a 'non-response' to all this
negative PR?
B Westerdale
<snip>
I keep hoping the Charles will show up and defend/explain his
business philosophy to the list. I'm sorry TRF, but based on all the
negative posts about the quality of your service I'll be spending my money
elsewhere.
Bob Danielson
75 TR6 - status at
http://pages.cthome.net/BobD
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-triumphs@autox.team.net
[mailto:owner-triumphs@autox.team.net]On Behalf Of Bob Kramer
Sent: Wednesday, December 29, 1999 6:58 PM
To: triumphs@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: The Roadster Factory demise
IMHO
There was once a time when Triumph people were receptive to Charlie's
enthusiast's approach to running his company. That time has past, we now
expect to be able to order over the web, and have our parts Next Day Air. I
for one will continue to cut him slack, and I appreciate that he is finally
taking the advice many have given him. I understand while others won't. He
should run TRF like a business. Anyone who has managed an inventory knows
what inventory turns and carrying cost are. If one looks closely at this
most recent flyer, it is painfully obvious that he has run his company like
a hobbyist, not a business. He hoards products on his shelves the same way
I won't part with my spare trailing arms, overdrive trannies and gauges.
Unfortunately, the costs of carrying all those spare blocks and
manufacturing 2500 of this and 1000 of that far outweigh the business
benefits. Charles is proud of his green hoses the same way we are proud of
the dash we refinished and show off. Personally, I'm tired of hearing about
TRF's problems and peoples problems with TRF. If a business is failing to
give credits that are due (a sign of crumbling cash flow) then the purchaser
should file with the credit card company. The credit card company will take
the cash away, and the business will be forced to sell off inventory to
regain cash flow, re-trench, and rebuild. Sounds just like what Charles is
doing. I wish him well, and hope they can get it straightened out and run it
in a business-like manner. The banks will come around when the books
straighten up. BTW, over-expanding, whether it be inventory excesses, adding
product lines (MGB) or another business completely (The Inn), is the oldest
business story around, and the cause of a large proportion of business
failures.
Meanwhile, if you have a TR6/250, there are some pretty good buys in the
flyer.
Bob Kramer
8006 Bernard Street
Leander, TX 78641
rgk@flash.net
----- Original Message -----
From: <dstauffa@csc.com>
To: <twakeman@cruzers.com>
Cc: <triumphs@autox.team.net>
Sent: Wednesday, December 29, 1999 4:02 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.
>
>
>
>
>
>
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