Parts quality as a subject has been coming up on TR mailing lists since they
started. It used to be very simple as the different suppliers would choose
to carry various parts based on what they thought was "best". TRF would buy
the best parts that they could find based on originality and carry that
brand. Victoria British would buy the lowest cost parts and the TR community
came to think Quniten Haxel was all there was (QH was once JC Whitneys
chosen brand), Moss was somewhere in the middle, with a more sophisticated
buying process that would usually eliminate the really crappy stuff that VB
sold, but most everything else was good . Moss Europe wasn't on our radar
screens yet.Be careful not to blame Moss USA for the sins of a company they
just picked up from the recycle bin. The "Big 3" had choices as to whose
parts they would carry. Things have changed, most hard parts that we need
have only one source, and everyone sells the same stuff. TRF continues to
try and get only the better stuff, manufactures some important parts (they
sell ball joints, tie rod ends etc. off to other sellers) but they have
stocking problems. It seems the real problem may be that the one
manufacturer still building water pumps, our throwout bearings or whatever,
is supplying their crap to everyone. Many of our cars are not driven all
that much, and a cheap aftermarket part that would be run off the market due
to product failures if it was built for a Taurus, sneaks on as if it was a
good product. With a society that will buy crap, accept crap, the crappy
companies survive. I was worried that TRF was in for a tough time, but they
have a real opportunity to pick up the pieces as Moss and Long Motors (VB)
continue to move to the newer classics.
Bob Kramer
TR4, TR4A, TR6, 2.5 Saloon
rgk@flash.net
----- Original Message -----
From: TeriAnn Wakeman <twakeman@cruzers.com>
To: Triumph List <triumphs@autox.team.net>
Sent: Saturday, September 09, 2000 9:30 AM
Subject: RE: Moss Quality
>
> >BTW I recently had a Moss vs. TRF interior kit comparison and
> >the quality of the Moss kit was good... but the TRF kit was
> >noticeably better and spot on for originality.
>
> As a data point - My Moss interior kit is about 9 years old and I'm
> having problems with their glue giving up on the door panels. This
> started when the kit was about 7 years old.
>
>
> >TRF is THE best source for TR parts... I just wish like crazy
> >that they were out of there problems so the availability was
> >better.
>
> It looks like the Inn fiasco left Charles with a large debt that the
> parts business needs to pay off. I Hope Charles can do it in such a way
> as to keep TRF afloat then rebuild his parts business.
>
> I know TRF looses much of my business because they never put out a TR3
> parts catalogue (kinda sad since they ARE a mail order house). Often I
> will buy from Moss just because I can find the part in their catalogue
> and I don't want to spend lot of time trying to describe the thingie I
> want to a RF sales person who knows TR6's real well and has maybe seen a
> TR3 in a parking lot once. It boils down to the ease of the ordering
> process. It is a lot easier to order from Moss and by using their
> catalogue I'm confident that the sales person and I are refering to the
> same part.
>
> TRF would get more of my business if I could only figure out what parts
> they had and could easily describe what I want to the sales person. But
> I've been begging Chares for a TR3 catalogue for over 15 years now.
>
>
> TeriAnn
> http://www.overlander.net
>
> The world's most complete set of links connecting Rover 4X4 owners
> with Rover parts, service, accessory & sales companies world wide.
>
>
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