Kai, and list,
Just a few thoughts for you regarding VickyBrit. I was employed there a
while back, and while I agree that it may not be the best parts supplier for
our cars, I think you may have given a few misconceptions. First, I AM a
gearhead, and drove a Triumph to work nearly every day I worked there. This
did not keep them from hiring me....
Also, I am most certainly NOT a LENEXA, Ks. school girl, nor were any
employed there at that time.
I might also ask, if TRF is so concerned about my car, why are so many of
their parts backorded? (not obscure parts, either) I was also annoyed that
the tune-up parts I ordered for my wife's Spitfire seemed to be the same
ones I can get at the local auto parts chain for half the price.
One last comment on Leo Long: He does have a large British car collection.
This is not meant to be an advertisement for Victoria British. I just don't
like to see misrepresentation of facts on the list. All in all, I'd still
rather buy my parts from Moss.
Thanks for listening,
Tony Zager
1963 TR 4
----------
> From: "Kai Radicke" <mowogmg@pil.net>
> To: "Triumph List" <triumphs@autox.team.net>
> Subject: The VickyBrit Attitude.
> Date: Tue, 15 Jun 1999 13:02:29 -0400
>
>
>Due to numerous discussions on Victoria British's service, or extreme lack
>of, and their poor quality, misjudged shipping dates, erroroneous billing
>precedures and the rest of their "charms" - I have decided to distribute an
>exerpt of this Thoroughbred & Classic Cars article which summarizes VB
>attitude and business focus very well.
>
>Background on the article: two GB based BMH Specialists decided to take a
>cross country tour of the United States' British car specialists, along
>tagged with them a journalist from T&CC.
>
>Thoroughbred & Classic Cars
>February 1990
>B-ing There 2 ; pgs 71-75
>
>< begin exerpt >
>
>Leo Long, owner o Victoria British, (aka Long Motor Co) the Heritage
>specialist in Kansas, was dismayed to see our conveoy pull into his car
>park! We were early and he'd bet $20 that we'd be late... We unloaded the
>shell, polished up the MGB and yet again erected the portable British Motor
>Heritage display boards. Meanwhile, spurred on by the high temperatures
and
>brilliant sunshine, the parking lot was filling with British cars, old and
>new, for an informal concours and free hospitality. Leo was opening his
new
>spares shop this very day and was offering every visitor a healthy
>introductory discount plus free lunch...
>
>The new shop is an impressive modern facility, fronting an equally
>impressive and massive 60,000sq ft warehouse and 15,000sq ft office complex
>behind. Leo was quick to explain that only a tiny percentage of his
>business is over-the-counter. Mail order is the key to his reputed
>$20,000,000 (and rising) turnover. MG and Triumph parts predominate on the
>shelves of his spacious warehouse, although Jaguar, Austin-Healey, and
>Datsun Z items are carried too among the 17,000-plus lines. Much is
>imported from Britian but there are locally produced iteams as well. "We
>make most o our money on 'soft' items," says Leo candidly, meaning hoods,t
>rim and the like. "But we do try to keep a full range of 'heavy' items on
>the shelves," he said, indicating half-a-dozen bins of Armstrong lever arm
>dampers.
>
>In a warehouse where some staff ride around on electric trolleys, the
>packaging and despatch bays are key areas and these are about to be
equipped
>with a robot-arm automated system that can handle more than 2,000 items
per
>day. All orders are taken on toll-free lines by up to 15 operators working
>shifts that make allowances or USA time zones. "I don't employ 'gear
heads'
>(car enthusiasts) on the phone lines," says Leo. "If they like cars they
>talk about them to the customers and we lose time." A hard attitude,
>certianly, but one that gives a simple, efficient service to people who
want
>parts quickly. Delivery typically takes a couple of days, but a
guarnanteed
>next-day service is available anywhere in the States.
>
>(skip filler about Leo's un-British car collection)
>
>Our dinner with Leo and his company vice-presidents gave us more insight
>into the operation of Victoria British. Why Victoria? "It sounded good
and
>British," reflected Leo, demolishing his massive Kansas steak, before going
>on to tell us about his favourite film, Wall Street.
>
>< end exerpt >
>
>So this is a man that deliberately hires people that dislike / don't care
>about the cars and what they sell (actually they are Lexana KS area school
>girls); whom also appears to be a greedy person - not unlike a
stereotypical
>midwestern oil tycoon.
>
>Keep in mind that the large monetary sum quoted above is for the entire
Long
>Motor Corp, which encompases all divisions of it from VickyB to LMC Trucks
>(Truck parts for all pre 1980 Detriot trucks).
>
>Meanwhile, the same article, raves about Charles Runyan's The Roadster
>Factory. And, believe me, TRF is a total contrast from VickyB (in all
>respects!).
>
>Anyhow, please support businesses that have an equal enthusiasm for our
>vehicles and do not look JUST to profit from them.
>
>chocks away,
>
>--
>Kai M. Radicke -- kmr@pil.net
>IRC: irc.ais.net ; #inet-access
>1966 MGB -- 1974 Triumph TR6
>
>
|