Blau story

[Ed Kellock]

Ok here's mine...

Back in '97 I lived in Lansing IA.  I placed an order worth over $700.  It
did not arrive when expected and I began to try to find out why.  That's
when I got to experience their pathetic phone system and their idea of
"customer service".  Though they were less than willing to bother to do the
tracking, the shipment was finally found and finally received.  Turns out it
was sent to Lansing MI.  They claimed I gave the wrong address.  I've never
lived in Lansing, MI and had lived in Lansing, IA for 3 years at the time.
I did not give the wrong address.  When I received the package, their
printed invoice showed Lansing, MI but with my correct zip code 52151 which
was crossed out with the zip code for Lansing, MI written next to it in pen.
They claimed UPS did that, but the invoice was in a closed plastic stick-on
shipping envelope.

My order included among other things, cans of Pentosin and brake rotors.
These items were packed together in the same box with only a few pieces of
newspaper for packing.  The cans were not leaking, but would no longer sit
upright as intended on a shelf.  The final stroke was that I was charged for
the t-shirt which is advertised as free for orders over $100 (or whatever,
regardless, an amount I easily exceeded with my order).  They refused to
refund the amount and instead would only give store credit.  I guess they
knew they had run off another customer and that credit would never be used.
It hasn't been.

I have a friend here in Colorado who just loves Jim Blau.  Met him at an
Audi Club event.  Can't say enough good things about him.  Speaks to him
directly when he orders and gets the-good-guy discount.  I guess you have to
be in the in-crowd.  Oh wait, I'm an Audi Club member.  I guess I don't give
the right "favors".

-----Original Message-----
From: 200q20v-bounces at audifans.com [mailto:200q20v-bounces at audifans.com] On
Behalf Of Rbade12 at aol.com
Sent: Saturday, January 21, 2006 8:34 AM
To: 200q20v at audifans.com
Subject: Blau story


I recently replaced springs and shocks. I got the Koni shocks from shox.com

[dealt with twice, always cheapest and accurate, they didn't have and
couldn't 
 get, at this time, the H&R springs I wanted]. So, I ordered everything
else 
from Blau [they're about 100 miles north of me so I get stuff quick and,  
hey, they only screwed up an order once before, wrong distributor rotor,
which I  
had to eat because I didn't look at it for months after recieving it]. The  
ordering process went OK until the front shock kit came up. At that time
they  
were out of the the "better quality" strut mount but had a stamped version  
that they'd installed in "lots of 20v's"[I said at that time there aren't
"lots" 
 of 20v's around]. This strut mount in the kit with bearing, boot, and stop 
would  be $90-ish, the same approximate cost of the true 20v mount alone.
Well, 
I  questioned that at the time, explaining over again what car I had, what  
their website says, she insisted it would work on my car. I even called back

about an hour later to go over it again, she said it would work. You know
the  
ending, it was wrong. This started a 2 day process of calls, waiting for  
calls back, emails and unanswered emails. They sent me an email that said,
"we  
don't take parts of kits back, but, in your case we'll make an execption".
That  
quote made me angry, as I felt it implied this was my fault. I sent an
email 
to them explaining my position, who I'd spoken to, time frames and the  fact

that I had to complete the job with the OE piece [which is in very good  
condition]. They then did the right thing, they apoligized, credited the
piece and 
gave me 10% off my next purchase. I will use them again,  however, 
unfortunately, I know that I have to be better prepared and able to  tell
them exactly 
what I want. Which isn't the way dealing with an "Audi  specialist" should
be!
 
The tool kit I rented from them for timing belt replacement had a rear  seal

puller in it instead of the front puller. I don't think the dude I spoke to

about that understood what I meant.
 
So, that's my story, really not much of one now that I read it, although at

the time it was a big deal. Anyone have a true horror story?
 
Bob
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