Rare Spares

[ozbox]

Byron, public liability and indemnity is usually trade specific. I am a Builder and my public liability covers anyone who is injured on one of my building sites.... my indemnity insurance covers damage or injury in case of faulty workmanship... IE if a deck I built collapses and injures or kills people.

Mechanics may have a higher risk so higher premiums but they would be covered the same as I am. This would apply to reconditioners, manufacturers etc.....

I would assume Gregs public liability would cover anyone injured while on his property and the indemnity would cover him for damage or injury that occurs should one of the parts he sells fail.

cars are not buildings....very much a load of bullshit when it comes to reco but second hand is sold to suit reco...once past to a mechanic and he puts an earn on it then its his problem...big kettle of fish..

[GTS]

So what was the purpose of the meeting? Was it so RS could find out the depth of their own shortcomings?

[HK1837]

I think it was to get Ford and GMH Forum admins and knowledgeable forum people together to show them the Company's direction. Rares cops a pounding. Sometimes fair, sometimes not (one example is some idiot trying to fit door rubbers back to front and slagging off the product online). What they want is ALL feedback if possible, so they want us to send them legitimate complaints with a product's fit or finish plus also to correct wrong info. For example if someone here started bitching about the quality of a badge they bought 5 years ago, and that badge has been rectified so it now fits, I would tell them that they should contact Rares and get a new one (in this case they'd probably exchange the product). Or alternatively, if someone was asking why a certain other piece won't fit and it is because there is a problem with it, I could give them direct contact details for someone in head office that could help them.
In the end I think they realise they have failed us in a lot of areas in the past, and they are trying to improve not only their image (which obviously is important to them) but to get the word out there that the quality of the products are improving (which is the of primary importance to all of us).
I have no issue praising their good stuff, but I also have no dramas stating what is poor. From what I saw any poor products are slated for either improvement or removal from sale altogether, two such examples which have been removed and will never return are HQ and HJ complete cowl panels and rust repair sections for HK-HG guards. I asked specifically about the cowl sections for HQ and HJ-WB. It has been investigated, tooling costs exceed $100,000 (from memory it may have been $500,000). Cost per item would have to be over $600 each to be even considered. Sort of gives you a better perspective (it did for me anyway!).

[GTS]

I was in contact with Dave Ryan at RS and bought his attention to the cowl panel problem. RS organised a courier to have it returned to HQ and gave me a credit for it even though I purchased it from one of their dealers. Hats off to RS for that one.

[Sandman]

while $600 sounds a lot for a cowl panel I would have no problem paying that for a good quality accurate reproduction as it is one of the most commonly rusted out panels on HQ-WB. If the cowl is badly rusted then 90% of the time the plenum is also rusted and the easiest way to repair the plenum is to remove the cowl panel. How many people repair the rusted cowl ends only to find their newly restored car leaks onto their feet when it rains?

[wbute]

I agree $600 would be a fair price if it was exactly right.

[HK1837]

I also forgot to mention that you they would have to get a huge quantity made, and then sell those with sufficient profit just to cover the tooling cost. RSP won't be doing it themselves from what they told me. However it isn't out of the question that the mob in Korea doing the HK guards and Camaro bodyshells won't.

[Les]

I think it was to get Ford and GMH Forum admins and knowledgeable forum people together to show them the Company's direction. Rares cops a pounding. Sometimes fair, sometimes not (one example is some idiot trying to fit door rubbers back to front and slagging off the product online). What they want is ALL feedback if possible, so they want us to send them legitimate complaints with a product's fit or finish plus also to correct wrong info. For example if someone here started bitching about the quality of a badge they bought 5 years ago, and that badge has been rectified so it now fits, I would tell them that they should contact Rares and get a new one (in this case they'd probably exchange the product). Or alternatively, if someone was asking why a certain other piece won't fit and it is because there is a problem with it, I could give them direct contact details for someone in head office that could help them.
In the end I think they realise they have failed us in a lot of areas in the past, and they are trying to improve not only their image (which obviously is important to them) but to get the word out there that the quality of the products are improving (which is the of primary importance to all of us).
I have no issue praising their good stuff, but I also have no dramas stating what is poor. From what I saw any poor products are slated for either improvement or removal from sale altogether, two such examples which have been removed and will never return are HQ and HJ complete cowl panels and rust repair sections for HK-HG guards. I asked specifically about the cowl sections for HQ and HJ-WB. It has been investigated, tooling costs exceed $100,000 (from memory it may have been $500,000). Cost per item would have to be over $600 each to be even considered. Sort of gives you a better perspective (it did for me anyway!).

The HQ & HJ cowl panels will be remade, retail will be between $350.00 & $400.00 about 6-9 months away (I hope).

[HK1837]

There you go. Funny Les how circumstances can change in a month! Good to see an important part to all of us being reproduced properly.

[Blocker]

I might be one of the first in line... that time frame looks good for my project.

Welcome Les.