Where is your allegiance?

[lance leblanc]

After reading post that turn in to rants and bashing, I thought it would be interesting to see just where everyones allegiance is.
Given the choice of being able to buy from only one parts house, who do you choose?

• Bert's
• Brattons
• Mikes
• Macs
• Sacramento Vintage Ford
• Snyders
• Smith and Jones
• Tams
• Other

[Model A Man]

First would be Snyders, second would be Mikes and third would be Berts (only because I haven't tried Berts yet)

[SLPreston53]

Snyder's & Bratton's tied
Intend to try Bert's next order

[jkcrosson]

Bert's and Brattons

[Mitch//pa]

1...Tams i like dealing with the owner when i call. his prices are usually tiny bit cheaper for the same thing compared to others. no shipping gouging

2. Snyders

3. Brattons

[Mikeinnj]

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I choose whoever gives the consumer the best quality product for the most reasonable price and who can offer knowledgeable information about their product and ship the product in a timely and cost effective way.

[Jim Brierley]

Arizona Model A, 480-782-0266. Knowledgeable and quick service along with decent prices.

[newshirt]

Bert's, Synder's, Bratton's.

Bert's is local for me. I can drive up and ask questions. Plus, they have a junkyard out back, and a mechanical shop that is always buzzing. I try not to eat up their time, but I do like to ask questions while they work. I just try to remember: time is money.

[TommyCoupe]

Mike's and Snyders are the only 2 that I've bought from. Both have been great.

I don't have any reasons not to use the others, that's just who I started with, and stuck with them.

Tommy-

[CarlG]

When I bought my truck, the only supplier I was aware of was Sacramento Vintage, only because there was a copy of their catalog that came with the truck. Since then I have used not only Sacramento, but Snyders, Mikes, Berts, Bratons and Macs. They have all had their plusses and minuses over the last couple of years, but I have more-or-less migrated to Snyders for the majority of things, because of their on-line catalog and ordering. Freight is a big thing for us in Alaska, and most of the suppliers will ship USPS when asked to do so -- but you do have to ask!

[H. L. Chauvin]

Humble Opinion:

1. Distance: In all fairness, many shop with vendors because of distance therefore reducing either shipping time or cost.

2, Used Parts: For a combination order of new & used parts, to reduce shipping cost, it would be wise to order from Bert's or others who offer used parts.

3. Specialty Items: Some vendors offer a few restoration items that others do not; hence, it may be wise to combine orders with this specialty item to reduce overall shipping cost.

4. Item Cost: Some customers may have a laundry list of items to purchase & thus shop for the cheapest prices from each individual catalog; in doing so, not only can postage cost exceed amounts saved; but one can get mismatched parts from different manufactures, e.g. intake & exhaust manifolds, timing gear & crankshaft gear.

5. Experience: If any one of us would get a job for example, to answer Bert's telephone for a week, & work with their employees for a week, & see what these guys go through on the phone with customers ordering incorrect merchandise, not knowing the names of specific parts, knowing which item is for 1929 vs. 1931, we would have an entirely different perspective & appreciation of what they do.

6. Blessed: I think we are just blessed to have these non-complaining Model A vendors working with today's types of employees & tolerating all of us as customers.

7. Family: I prefer to look at these vendors as part of our Model A family trying their best to offer the best service possible, & rather than choose one son as a preferred vendor & give him everything, I prefer to help all of them who are trying so hard & prove that they can deliver.

[fredski]

i totally agree with above reply.

seems to make sense to order from a parts source within a few hundred
miles, than one that is a great distance away.

fredski

[Mike V. Florida]

I too agree with H. L. Chauvin so I wil not answer the poll as it would not be fair to just pick one as I also use several.

[Purdy Swoft]

My first choice for repro parts is Snyders , I get the quickest shipping and good parts there. Second would be Smith and Jones, They have some parts that others don't have and I love their radiators . For original used and NOS parts Berts is best. If I lived closer they would get most of my business.

[[email protected]]

I feel uncomfortable judging all of the Model A vendors on this type of Forum. We only know these vendors from our own experiences and it could be long term or just a snapshot. If you are only shopping for best price sometimes your can expect to get what you pay for. It is a struggle every day for these vendors as small business owners and every day for them is a new day with new challenges. I don't feel it is a good Apples to Apples comparison as each vendor is really good at certain specialities.

Also the poll doesn't list all of the little guys that are selling Model A parts LOCALLY. There are at least 3 that are within an hour's drive from my home. They all stock the basics and have prices similar to their primary sources such as Synders or Macs. Most often they will match a price if told about it. They also will go the extra mile for you for Customer Service....

Finally some of the best bargains I have obtained for Model A parts price wise have been at the swap meets and even EBAY. You just have to be at the right place at the right time and / or be Lucky....

Once again different strokes fof different folks....

Thank GOD we have them ALL. I don't wish to go back to the Days of Rick and JC Whitney.

[bill44]

Since I live 10 miles away from Vintage Ford, I always try them first. If they are out of stock which is common; I then use Mike's. When they gave their 5% discount off online orders it was cheaper than going to Vintage. Sacramento has one of the highest sales tax rates in the country, so the 5% made it cheaper to use Mike's

[Darlene]

Below is a response from Matt Jordan, CEO of Eckler Industries;
posted by Darlene Waldmiller, Marketing Manager at MAC’s:

We appreciate the candid feedback from everyone. This helps us prioritize and focus our efforts at making MAC’s a better company. We’re working hard to put into place new systems and procedures that will speed up shipping and improve service levels. While I can’t promise that the transition will be without snags or hitches, I can promise that we are focused on driving improvement. I hope that those who are satisfied with MAC’s performance will find their service much better, and those that have not had a good experience will give us the opportunity to show what we can do over the coming months.

Thank you again for your honest feedback – we sincerely hope to use this to make for a better customer experience.

Regards,

Matt D. Jordan
CEO, Eckler Industries, Inc.

[Russ B]

Snyders then Brattons, both are great.

Back in the sixties it was Ford Parts Obsolete down in LA area. I just can't find their old catalog now, looking up their prices would be fun. But seriously, now is much better for finding more reproduction parts. But too many of the parts are of poor quality. Snyders and Brattons are both great in letting you know what the quality is of the various parts.

[Fred K-OR]

Originally Posted by Mikeinnj

I choose whoever gives the consumer the best quality product for the most reasonable price and who can offer knowledgeable information about their product and ship the product in a timely and cost effective way.

This summarizes the situation well. A person has to evaluate a need to see which vendor fits that need the best.

[lance leblanc]

Originally Posted by Fred K-OR

This summarizes the situation well. A person has to evaluate a need to see which vendor fits that need the best.

That, I think is a given. While I order online I still call before ordering to check quality and availability. Smith and jones actually suggested I use another vender before purchasing a shift tower from them as the one they currently had in stock wasn't the best quality. "You have to respect that"