Cr*ppy service from Motorsport Auto

[Ivan280zt]

I have spent few bucks with MSA over past few years and i never had a single issue. Every part that i ordered came in within few days and it was always right part. Never had an issue with customer service or tech support so nothing but good things from me about their business.

 

Ivan

[Guest bastaad525]

I too have had good AND bad experiences with MSA, depending on a) did I deal with them over the phone or in person and if over the phone, who did I speak with?

 

I have tended to have good experiences the few times I've actually driven there in person (they are rather far from me, maybe 45-60 miles if I remember right?), though there were times I felt the person helping me seemed like they had better things to do. Over the phone, there is really only one guy I EVER have a good experience with and that is Sal. If you call, I STRONGLY suggest you ask for him if he's available (if he even still works there??). He is very knowledgeable, at least in the cases of everything I've ever asked of him (lots of in depth tech stuff), is patient and courteous... never seems like he feels you're wasting his time, even when I'm just asking a dozen questions and he KNOWS I'm not ordering anything.

 

Everyone else there I've dealt with on the phone, so far, they have made me feel like they'd rather not have been dealing with me, even when I was just placing an order, no questions no problems. Most of them are not half as knowledgeable as they try to act, both about Z cars in general, and about the parts that they carry. And yes, they will lie to you about the parts they sell. That toyota caliper thing is one example. Another that I came across is that the rocker arms they sell for the L6 are the "Sealed Power" brand which are supposedly pretty crappy, but they claim they are Nissan factory parts (others have confirmed this), then there is the B.E.G.I. RRFPR they sell which someone there told me over the phone was a "Motorsport exclusive, you can't get these anywhere else". Um... okay so then Corky Bell must like me because he let me order one directly from his company

 

As far as orders I've placed that have been shipped to me, I've had a problem with more than half of them. It's almost always something is either missing or is the wrong part. Regardless of the crappy customer service, this fact alone makes me leary of dealing with them again in the future.

[David K]

With respect to Davids comment...he does not have the authority to pass off your concerns, although he may think he does!

 

Quite the opposite. There is no passing off concerns, but there is a reply stating its old news. Now everybody gets to read the same comments over and over from the same people...how MK doesnt like MSA...umpteen pages of rants and praises. It would be OK if this thread had the potential to turn into a "feedback" type of thread, but its not going to. You know as well as i know that there are certain people here that will go out of their ways and say whatever it takes to contribute to MSA going out of business. You know, theres an old saying, "if you dont like it, dont read it/look the other way/hot the power button". Thats right, if i didnt like it, i shouldnt pay attention, but you have to admit its an old, beat to death subject.

 

Can i put a v8 in my 1979 280zx?

[Pop N Wood]

Can i put a v8 in my 1979 280zx?

 

MSA sells a kit.

[Tim240z]

MSA sells a kit.

[srgunz]

My bad experience with them was when I ordered a rebuilt booster.

When I opened the box I discovered that not only was it the wrong booster for a 72 but it looked liked they drove to the bone yard, and got a booster full of rust. It then looked like it was quickly painted over all the crud and shipped out. The paint was even still tacky when I recieved it. I quickly returned it for credit. I did not take a chance of reordering same.

 

The point is how can any business show such poor quality control, lack of caring, poor attitude, sloppyness, poor service, inferior products, poor manners, lack of worker motivation, and lack of business sense. Quality and service brings repeat business and is its own best marketing tool. IMO.

 

I now avoid them when possible.

[cremmenga]

i dont get a catalog from them but my car is not for bling.i dont have cupholders or a stereo.i am to busy driving.

 

Nor is mine, I have no heater, ac, or any of the controls, stereo, speakers, pass. seat, and no cupholders. I am busy racing the guy next to me and kicking is @ss!!!!!

[randy 77zt]

cremmenga-i have working a/c-it gets real hot at thunderhill.and the drive home needs cool air.

[preith]

I dropped several thousand with them when I lived in LA 12 years ago. They were most definitely top notch back then.

 

I couldn't agree more, they were a cut above the rest back then. I recently sent them an email specifically asking were I could get a 74.5-78 BRE style spoiler, and the reply had part #'s for the 70-74 version. I couldn't belive it. I replied and reiterated what I was looking for, and never recieved another responce. It was quite shocking to see that dip in service from them.

 

With that said, there has been a proactive effort in the recent past to help me out, but it was more of an irratation for me. I'd call with the part numbers, and then they'd start asking questions about what year the car was, etc. I'd get a little peeved and say "lets not go there, just give me the parts!".

[baddriver]

Hit and miss describes it exactly. I've gotten exactly what I ordered from them most of the time. A few times I got substitutions (in one case a more expensive sub - which they charged me for, of course) but my last order I got a duplicate part, and was missing another part.

 

No big deal, except that I've left a number of messages over the last few weeks, and been unable to get a live person. I also have not recieved a call back.

 

I've never really lost money to them, at least not a significant amount, and will probably try to keep ordering from them when I need parts.

 

I have found, however, that the local advance auto parts has an astonishingly large selection of old z parts, for much less. I always go there first now. Even things I never would have believed they'd have listed. That store and this site keep me in great shape.

[Metro]

I've placed at least three orders with them through their website and haven't had any problems yet. They always called me up the next day to see what I ordered was correct. I think all three times I dealt with the same guy, so maybe I just got lucky. I dunno.

[Tony D]

"Kurt instigated more problems with small vendors like myself than many of you may know"

 

Mike, most people here have no concept of what you are really talking about!

Unless they are "in the business" they really can't.

There is a right way to take care of stuff, and there is more than one way to make a dollar than by "cutting costs on the front end at all costs"...

I know what you are talking about, and you are not the only one with that comment!

Business Ethics is sorely lacking today.

 

Sorry to be nebulous, but I think it's best that way. I sorta agree with Dave K on this one, it's a covered subject to death.... Who had that killer gif of the dead horsebeater? It was in a "Four Barrel on my L24" post recently!

 

LOL

[Tim240z]

[Lewis Maudlin]

OK, I don't have my Victoria British catalog yet. So I ordered from MSA again. I thought if I just order two items and pay extra for 2 day ground shipping that I should have my parts in two days.

 

GUESS AGAIN...

 

I ordered a left and right quarter window weatherstrip gasket at about $40.00 each! Anyway, I got two left quarter window weatherstrip gaskets. I spoke to someone there and they could not correct the problem.

 

Oh well, this one was my fault for continuing to give them my money.

[2126]

I too have had ISSUES with MSA, as well as, prompt and accurite service. An obsevation I've made on any business with, let's say, less than satisfactory service is......I beleive it the responsibility of the owner and management to properly instruct/train their employees and to occassionally refresh their memories during monthly staff meetings on proper business practices and CUSTOMER SERVICE! I think this is a growing problem throughout the country. So I say, don't blame the person on the other end of the phone line, but the person who manages them! Customer feedback used to, and sometimes still does, assist companies in improving their business. Just remember, IMO of course, the world is full of a lot of sheeple and it is very likely you'll wind up speaking to one of them, when ordering something on the phone. So be prepared to deal with it or otherwise just seek out a new supplier. Fact.....the number one reason companies go out of business is because of BAD MANAGEMENT!!! Go figure.

[Guest 78sbc280z]

I Ask Them A Simple Question About A Trans Mount Bracket For A 400 And I Took Em A Week And 10 Emails To Simply Say No

[BQR280Z]

I thought I would give my 2 cents worth. I recently palced two orders with MSA and must say I was happily impressed. I placed both orders on the internet so I didn't talk with anyone, so I couldn't be insulted. I recieved thank you emails and also a phone call to see if I would like to add a gasket I forgot about. Both orders were shipped promptly and were complete. Although I didn't get a new catalog.

Bill