spw1970
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posted on 29/5/07 at 10:18 PM |
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GTS ~ Recent Experiences wanted please
I am about to place an order with GTS.
I am NOT interested in hearing gripes of people from years gone by but rather more recent stories....eg, if you ordered a kit in January what
happened??!! Have you got it?!
As I said in a different posting, I work for a national bathroom installation company but if you google them you get nothing but bad reports as people
are always quicker to moan than compliment.
Constructive feedback would be very welcome,
Thanks!
Stuart
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graememk
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posted on 29/5/07 at 10:27 PM |
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call darren and ask him!
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spw1970
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posted on 29/5/07 at 10:54 PM |
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I can call Darren but will he tell me if Mr X or Ms Y or Mrs Z are in the process of suing him for whatever reason?
I'm not suggesting for a minute that anyone is in litigation with GTS but I'm sure anyone would appreciate an impartial view is much more
preferable
![](/images//smilies/smile.gif) ![](/images//smilies/smile.gif)
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cluebie
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posted on 30/5/07 at 12:03 AM |
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They were very helpful with me and quick to respond via email in identifying the correct shocks for the car.
Ordering was a problem as the person that answered the telephone twice to me in 2 days couldn't take the order. Darren phoned and we completed
the order on 18th May.
Since then my card has been charged (22nd May) with about £30 more than the agreed price and no shocks have arrived.
My email to them earlier today asking why the charge is different and why they've not arrived is unanswered. At this stage I'm giving them
the benefit of the doubt but it does look like they've charged my card with the wrong amount before sending the goods out which is a big no no
in my book.
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flak monkey
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posted on 30/5/07 at 07:14 AM |
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Stuart, see your U2U.
Sera
http://www.motosera.com
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tom_loughlin
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posted on 30/5/07 at 07:29 AM |
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Mine is finished now, All in all a Darrens a great guy...sometimes needs a little chasing after, but then again, who doesn't.
Really chuffed with my car too....been on the road 18months.... looking to sell it to build another.
I'm sure if you get one, you'll be well impressed.
The price is great too!
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donut
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posted on 30/5/07 at 08:29 AM |
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I think things have been alot better recently....except for one person!!
I still wouldn’t, not worth the risk IMO
Mind you it is a nice looking 7, one of the better looking ones but on close up i was not impressed with the quality of the chassis or bodywork.
[Edited on 30/5/07 by donut]
Andy
When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep -- not screaming, like the passengers in his car.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andywest1/
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donut
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posted on 30/5/07 at 02:14 PM |
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I can only go by what i have seen at Brands Hatch 2 years ago. Tiger are the oppisite IMO with an over engineered chassis. I'm not saying the
GTS chassis is bad or not fit for the job, far from it as you and others have proved a great car can be built but there are others that i would say
were better.
But hey what do i know, i'm no engineer so my opinion is just that, for all i know it could be the strongest, lightest and best designed chassis
out there.
I do still go with the opinion that it's probably one of the best looking kits and thats what people see 1st and it's obviously up to the
job so if you like what you see go for it!
Andy
When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep -- not screaming, like the passengers in his car.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andywest1/
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Simon S
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posted on 30/5/07 at 05:20 PM |
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GTS - The Sound of Silence...
I had logged on this evening to ask whether people were having problems with GTS (as indeed I am) and I didn't have to look far.
I placed an order on 01.05.07 for wishbones based on the positive feedback people seem to give for the GTS 'bones. The card was charged and I
followed up the order a week later with a call, which was answered by someone, but I never got the call back. I then e mailed a couple of times and
got no-where, and now the phone isn't being answered and the phone message service is full. I am now concerned that GTS may be having more than
just a bad month here... I will be writing a letter next demanding goods or re-fund as it is all I have left. I am sure they are all nice chaps/good
to their mothers etc. but that is little compensation for being £220 down and wishbone-less. If I were you Stuart, I'd hang on to your cash
until service appears to have cleared up.
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flak monkey
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posted on 30/5/07 at 07:03 PM |
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Funny that, I have had several emails and called once in the last week, and all were answered by the man himself.
A month aint bad, remember this isnt tescos or amazon. I seem to remember it says on the website allow 28 days for delivery. Its only just got to that
time, so to be honest I dont see where the problem is.
As for the chassis/bodywork. The bodywork fit is far better than many I have seen at shows from other manufacturers. I challenge you to find cars with
closer panel gaps and more symetrical panels for a start . The chassis is also well engineered, certainly have no gripes with mine and I have heard
some positive comments from those who have had their GTS's SVA'd from the testers.
David
Sera
http://www.motosera.com
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Simon S
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posted on 30/5/07 at 09:20 PM |
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GTS - Sound of Silence II
David,
Glad to hear you have had some response out of GTS, it at least proves they haven't burned down or similar.
28 days delivery as per the website? Well you have done better than me to find those Ts & Cs because all I can find is 'for full details on
our terms and conditions please contact us'. If I had found a statement of '28 days' though I would have thought twice. You are
right that this isn't Tesco or Amazon, but then neither is it some mail order company fronting a Chinese sweatshop. It is supposed to be an
engineering business, and if anyone needs to understand better why the kit car industry is held with such distain in the broader motoring press then
they need look no further than these sorts of episodes. With 18 years experience in the engineering R&D business I can only say that such a lack
of responsiveness of a supplier rings alarm bells. I would be absolutely delighted to get the order fulfilled, but I'd think real hard about
repeat trade thereafter and certainly would not reccomend it to others.
We Brits don't like complaining about service provided, and tend to be over-forgiving when it comes to service associated with hobbies compared
to more mundane every day stuff (like Tesco, for example). As customers, however, we do deserve our calls answered or returned even if they
don't have good news to give. If you offer a service then you shouldn't be surprised when you have to deliver, it really is that simple.
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flak monkey
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posted on 31/5/07 at 06:59 PM |
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I am not getting into an argument because its all been said before.
I think 28 days is a perfectly acceptable delivery time for something which is not off the shelf and is made to order. Especially if you are running a
business almost on your own. I know some proper large businesses that would struggle to meet that at busy times. Sure ford can get you a bit the next
or sometimes same day. But they are emplying thousands and turning over millions. Your average kit car supplier employs probably 3 or 4 people and
probably only just turns enough over to scrape a living.
You cannot compare the kitcar industry to mainstream industry its streets apart and always will be unless you look at someone like Caterham or
Westy. There are not the resources available to provide instantaneous supply of parts.
Unless we get a few billionaires investing in the industry this is the way it will stay as well. Which is never going to happen because its such a low
profit margin industry.
Some people still have unrealistic expectations of kit car component suppliers. Some are slightly better than others, but they all suffer the same
root problem - lack of resource and investment.
See your U2U, phone Darren on his mobile and talk to him.
Sera
http://www.motosera.com
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jay taylor
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posted on 4/6/07 at 07:15 PM |
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i love watching this forum, as soon as someone seems to have a problem people jump to darrens aid and dont seem to care about other peoples
problem.
yes you may ring and email and get an answer but it isnt the same for everyone.
i posted on here the end of last year asking for help and all i got was abuse.
i paid for my deluxe starter kit from darren on the 28/11/04 i still have not recieved everything that i paid for and am now stuck trying to find out
where i can get the parts from.
i even sent darren a recorded letter and ended up getting it back.
i am sorry to put this as i find the kit of good quality and would have bought more of his stuff if i got everything i paid for.
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insanenim
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posted on 6/9/07 at 11:48 AM |
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I purchased some part in november 2006 directly with darren. Got some of the part at the end Jan 2007 and in September 2007 finally got the rest of my
parts.
They kept on saying the parts are in the post! I eventually turnt up on there door step and asked for my parts.
I personally won't ever buy anything from them again. I wish I had researched this site before buying anything from them.
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flak monkey
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posted on 6/9/07 at 11:58 AM |
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quote: Originally posted by insanenim
I purchased some part in november 2006 directly with darren. Got some of the part at the end Jan 2007 and in September 2007 finally got the rest of my
parts.
They kept on saying the parts are in the post! I eventually turnt up on there door step and asked for my parts.
I personally won't ever buy anything from them again. I wish I had researched this site before buying anything from them.
Letting it drag out that long is your own fault. Same goes for anyone who is waiting for parts for longer than a reasonable time (28 days or whatever
you were told when ordering). Goes for all companies/manufacturers in all industries.
Sera
http://www.motosera.com
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gazza285
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posted on 6/9/07 at 06:39 PM |
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quote: Originally posted by flak monkey
Goes for all companies/manufacturers in all industries.
Eh? If we don't deliver in within the agreed time then penalties are payable, same goes for our suppliers.
DO NOT PUT ON KNOB OR BOLLOCKS!
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Macbeast
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posted on 6/9/07 at 10:06 PM |
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As has been said, it's not only GTS who are slow in delivery. I ordered goods from another company for whom I have seen nothing but praise on
here.
Ordered middle of July, card debited the same day. Chased 4 weeks later and found that he hadn't even started on my order but would do the
following week (about 20 August). The website gives no warning of delivery up to 28 days or similar.
Still waiting for news and will chase again Monday if nothing heard.
It's all part of the game and GTS is not the only one. I've found the best approach is to drop in to have a chat with Darren. I appreciate
this is not terribly convenient if you live in the Outer Hebrides but hey - you've got the scenery ![](/images//smilies/smile.gif)
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designer
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posted on 9/9/07 at 08:15 AM |
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The problem here is that cards SHOULD NOT be debited until parts are ready for despatch. I never do in my business, and it's really bad works
practice to do so.
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gabbes
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posted on 10/9/07 at 03:54 PM |
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I have ordered a complete bodyset for 11 weeks ago, but nothing so far that the money left my account the same day. No parcelnumber that is valid - no
phonenumber to the courier - nothing.I have try email, phone on both numbers etc without any sucess! I will send two friend to pay a personal visit
this o the next week - thus I live in Sweden. I am really pissed off now! If I do not get any further with this I will give them a hint on how it is
to get fraud.
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Macbeast
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posted on 12/9/07 at 03:26 PM |
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quote: Originally posted by Macbeast
As has been said, it's not only GTS who are slow in delivery. I ordered goods from another company (Premier Wiring ) for whom I have seen
nothing but praise on here.
Ordered middle of July, card debited the same day. Chased 4 weeks later and found that he hadn't even started on my order but would do the
following week (about 20 August). The website gives no warning of delivery up to 28 days or similar.
Still waiting for news and will chase again Monday if nothing heard.
[/quote
Called today (12 Sept) and he says will try to send out at the end of next week ![](/images//smilies/mad.gif)
It's all part of the game and GTS is not the only one
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designer
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posted on 13/9/07 at 09:00 AM |
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"You cannot compare the kitcar industry to mainstream industry"
Why not??
All industries, businesses are exactly the same!! Large or small, they make a product and retail it; simple. It just has to be done right.
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flak monkey
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posted on 13/9/07 at 11:34 AM |
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quote: Originally posted by designer
"You cannot compare the kitcar industry to mainstream industry"
Why not??
All industries, businesses are exactly the same!! Large or small, they make a product and retail it; simple. It just has to be done right.
Read the rest of the post, numpty. A quote out of context is alway irrelevant.
Sera
http://www.motosera.com
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designer
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posted on 14/9/07 at 08:56 AM |
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The quote is NOT out of context. You tried to use it as a defense.
Whether you sell widgets or aeroplanes, whether it has a value of £2 or £2000K business principles are exactly the same, .
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flak monkey
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posted on 14/9/07 at 12:00 PM |
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quote: Originally posted by designer
The quote is NOT out of context. You tried to use it as a defense.
Whether you sell widgets or aeroplanes, whether it has a value of £2 or £2000K business principles are exactly the same, .
I made the comparison on supply times. Any business manufacturing parts to order cannot compete on lead time with another business who holds huge
amounts of stock. That was my only basis for comparison. It was not a comparison of customer service, supply chain or anything else, all of which is
common between all businesses.
Small businesses cannot invest many thousands into holding stock, which could become obsolete before it is sold due to slow stock turnover rates.
Perhaps you need to read a few business books, and learn a bit more about the differences between varying types of business. Its not as simple as you
seem to think.
Sera
http://www.motosera.com
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iank
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posted on 14/9/07 at 01:16 PM |
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Flak is right in this respect different businesses should have different expectations on them.
Order 100 M8 stainless washers expecting them next day is reasonable.
Order 10,000,000 M7.5 titanium washers and expect a first batch when you're told they will be available, and expect the following batches on
some kind of agreed schedule.
Order a 777 and see if Boeing will give any kind of delivery commitment beyond the quarter some year in the future.
I've always considered communications issues and GTS's relationships with their suppliers to have been the major issues from watching the
endless popcorn flamefests.
The whole some people finding it easy to phone while others who are waiting for stuff never getting through sounds like caller id being used to filter
to my cynical mind - but I have no proof.
--
Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience.
Anonymous
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