Carlsen Audi - sheesh! [warning: rant]

[auditude at get.net]

At this point, I think I really have to complain/vent. :-(

I just received some parts from Carlsen Audi, opened up the box, and I think this is the 4th time I've either
gotten the wrong stuff or been shorted in very recent history.

This time, instead of the chrome "5000" emblem with the square-ish font for my '88 5kcstq, I got the older
style, silver paint on black relief, oval-style font.

I was quite specific and clear with Didi on the phone when this order was placed.  Why?  Because I had
the same stupid thing happen when I ordered the "CS" emblem!  So, I was very sure to both describe
which one I wanted and which one I didn't want.

It's worse than that even.  That time, I ordered all three of the left side emblems ("Audi 5000 CS") at once.
I only received two out of three.  The correct chrome "Audi" one, and the "CS" with the same wrong style
as this time.  Doh!

I can hardly believe that it's not only "another occurrence" of an order problem, but it's "the same"
problem.  It's gonna take me like three orders and two returns to get the three badges I tried to order the
first time.  Not to mention they don't ship right away each time, because they have to wait for the parts to
come in from somewhere.

Along with this order, is a replacement silver Fuch cap, to complete the 'set' of three silvers and one pearl
that I was sent previously!  Three silvers and a pearl!  Come on!

I realize they shouldn't assume that I would order two different styles of badges, but they ought to confirm
when they pull them to ship and the two badges don't match each other.  The pearl vs. silver Fuch cap
was hard to tell until I started putting it on the wheel, but I am starting to feel like the quality of service is
on the decline or something.

If it were just once, or even twice, I would chalk it up to "just one of those things", but this is getting
ridiculous.  I know it's all piddly crap I'm ordering, but all the more reason to get it right the first time.  It's
either the right stuff, or it's the wrong stuff.

Has anyone else experienced this?  Maybe I should start getting dealer parts from Clair or something,
even tho' Carlsen is closer and should have cheaper shipping.

Price-wise, I can't complain.  And Didi's telephone support is pretty good.  I got the 2-piece manifold from
them, and some other dealer-only parts.  But all this hand-holding that seems to be required just to get
the right stuff!  Aaargh!  It's frustrating!

Later,

Ken

p.s.  Actually, lately I've been having less-than-wonderful experiences with vendors in general.  Still waiting
for my credit card to be refunded for some parts that I shipped back to another one.  After being super-
specific in two or three emails, and during the phone order (Am I talking to myself when I order this
crap?!), I get something different (half-correct) sent to me.  So, I send it back, and it is signed for on the
18th.  Now it's the 24th, or 5 biz days if you include all day today and most of the day it was delivered.  I
haven't gotten any kind of response to the shipment, no to my email yesterday.  If not a refund (that
should've posted immediately, no?), how about a return email or phone call?  Why did/do I even have to
ask?

Then there's that guy that basically called me a liar because he didn't believe the prices I had been quoted
by others for struts.  I didn't even ask him to beat the price or anything, but he wanted to know what prices
I had, so I told him.  Then he doesn't believe me!

So I'm supposed to get a free T-shirt if I show him that I wasn't bullsh*tting ("actually pay that much", and
"actually get the right product delivered").  Wow!  Okay, I don't care terribly about the effin' T-shirt (does it
have a picture of a foot-in-mouth?), but I don't like my integrity questioned by some cynic who thinks he's
all-knowing about the world's strut prices.  The invoice is in the mail, for even less than he thought was
B.S.  Oh, but then he says the T-shirt will come along with my "next order" from him.  Place an order?!
Uh...

Is there some secret to prevent all this stuff?  Besides not buying anything?

aaaah.  thanks for letting me vent