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Complaint and Warning about Howell's Sheet Metal in TX!!

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Dubbzilla, Oct 16, 2007.

  1. 1959cac
    Joined: Nov 22, 2008
    Posts: 287

    1959cac
    Member

    OUR ECONOMY! Some of you whiners that can't seem to find your pacifier are the flip side of why the whole country is broke ! No wonder he is an ass to you on the phone ! I applaud him and his small crew for their efforts to fabricate, in a world surrounded by men raised by women. Save the "pouting and crying...I'll get what I want" for your mother! You may be trying to kill this guys livelihood and reputation, but your killing our economy....and men that LABOR in it at the same time, with your tactics. This thread makes me nauseated.:mad::mad::mad:
     
  2. Bullshit - a quality product, at a quality price - that is obviously what they sell otherwise they wouldn't be in business. It's their sales management that sucks - read the above statements.

    If there was another company manufacturing the same products at the same price - watch Howells go under. If we don't watch out S*#edy B#ll will be taking the business & getting them made in China
     
  3. Lono
    Joined: May 10, 2007
    Posts: 1,656

    Lono
    Member


    I agree that quality and price is there and Ryan and the crew are visibly working to better the customer service, as I've witnessed in the quick shipping of my order as promised.

    You know the old saying, "If you cant say something nice, just shit all over it and make yourself feel better." :rolleyes: Seems a lot of folk around this thread have been on the receiving end of a suppository and dont mind sharing.

    Will I return for more parts? Yes.
     
    Last edited: Nov 7, 2009
  4. Alright - I bought parts from them 10 years ago - a quality product at a quality price as mentioned above.

    I had no problems with the company but like I said it was 10 years ago.
     
  5. RugBlaster
    Joined: Nov 12, 2006
    Posts: 563

    RugBlaster
    Member

    Well I'll be dipped in shit, I can't imagine a company putting out patch panels and then having the unmitagated gall to expect people to actually fit the fuckin' thing to the car! Don't they know what I want?

    Not only that, but to have the balls to take a month to make a one off panel, fuck them!
     
  6. I spoke to one of the Howell's crew last night, and informed him of the opinions and comments of this thread, he said thank you very much for the kudos and support from those who were providing positive feedback...
    FYI the company is under new ownership recently, passed down again to a junior family member, hopefully the problems some may be having will disappear after some time, but a company that has been in business for this long I have a hard time seeing going out of business because of a few unhappy customers and I sure hope not anyways or we are all gonna be having a much more difficult time finding sheet metal parts for these old cars we all love:)
     
  7. seatex
    Joined: Oct 24, 2006
    Posts: 2,670

    seatex
    Member

    Funny you should ask
     
  8. Onelow34
    Joined: Oct 9, 2007
    Posts: 640

    Onelow34
    Member

    I have purchased quite a bit from them and never had any problems. Sorry to hear your experience didn't go as well.
     
  9. I just bought some stuff from Rock Valley Auto Parts, great quality and fast shipping. Look 'em up.
     
  10. 38jon
    Joined: Oct 28, 2007
    Posts: 82

    38jon
    Member
    from York,PA

    Ordered a bunch of replacement panels for a 27 roadster, the guy on the phone was very helpful, I really didn't know what I needed, but he was very knowledgeable. Anyway all the parts arrived in a week.
     
  11. i'll admit when somebody has my money for a part reguardless if they are across town or the usa when they fail to keep up the line of communication i get really nervous. doesn't matter if the economy is good or bad or if your the only game in town it seems people keeping their word these days is rare.
     
  12. falfas55
    Joined: Apr 21, 2004
    Posts: 288

    falfas55
    Member

    We've bought a couple of things from Ryan and the guys,and always got our stuff we they said we would.I called about some running boards,Monday,Ryan said they could ship that day if I needed them.I can only say Good things about them. Sorry you other guys have had problems.
     
  13. Lono
    Joined: May 10, 2007
    Posts: 1,656

    Lono
    Member

    My order was shipped arrived today less than 2 weeks from order date.
    In total I have 14 pieces I ordered ( added a couple extras at teh end before they shipped).

    I'm pleased and they'll get more business from me.
     
  14. Tinbasher
    Joined: Feb 13, 2007
    Posts: 274

    Tinbasher
    Member

    There's the lesson to be learnt. In this business you have to honest and up front. Or it will bite you in the ass. And as you see word get around quickly. Plus if your up front you get the good guys not the idiots. It took me a long time to tell people if was going to be 30 -50G's to do the body restoration and paint. Because of it, my life was full of grief. Now I let people know up front and let them make the decision. Then everyone's happy and it's clear sailing. Right now I have a 1956 Jag with almost 1000 hours in it and we have about a weeks work until it's painted. Do you think this guy would be happy if I hadn't been up front with him at the start!! NO.

    Mother use to say, "We learn one way or another"

    The Old Tinbasher
     
  15. fordsteel
    Joined: Jun 27, 2006
    Posts: 490

    fordsteel
    Member
    from Elkland PA

    In my experience I always got my panels from howells fast..... but I have never special ordered anything either. They were always nice to me on the phone but I may be skewed I'm used to dealing with a**holes. Or maybe its because my last name is Howell too
     
  16. EnglishBob
    Joined: Jan 19, 2008
    Posts: 1,029

    EnglishBob
    Member


    That's easy for you to say:confused:
    And now your point?
    Howell's have always looked after me so I'm lost on this thread
     
  17. Jman1976
    Joined: Oct 3, 2009
    Posts: 116

    Jman1976
    Member

    I ordered stuff from Howell's last Saturday night and I got all of it on Friday. Very fast and it all looks great.
     
  18. I had some experience with Howell's about 10 years ago back when I was building a 27 T on duece rails. I'm pretty sure it was Ryan's dad at the time and he was nice enough.

    Since I live in southeast Texas I just drove by there and picked up my metal so I don't have any experience with them shipping anything.

    I may be able to to shed some light on the delay problem though (not excusing it mind you, but simply guessing why). The older Mr. Howell was very cordial to me and actually walked me around the shop. I noticed that they had stocks built up of certain common parts and when I asked him about a part that I didn't see there, he said that they could make it but that I would need to wait until they produced a "run" of that part. He said it never made sense to create one or two of anything and that they always tried to make a bunch of them.

    So....my advice would be, if you order from them, ask them if they have the part in stock. If they do, chances are pretty good that you'll be getting it in relatively short order. If they don't....all bets are off.

    All that having been said, all the things that were discussed at the beginning of this thread are crappy. If it were my business and I genuinely did not expect to get to something for 4 months, then I would just tell the customer the truth. Most people can deal with the truth and even a long wait, for the right part. For instance, when I called Drake's about my new gas tank for my 54 Ford, they told me that they wouldn't produce another run of them for 3 months.....and sure enough, about 90 days later it shipped and was everything that I hoped it would be.

    I've noticed that some small business owners fear telling the truth about time frames and that is a huge mistake. Tell the truth....always tell the truth. Most people don't mind waiting.
     
  19. Lono
    Joined: May 10, 2007
    Posts: 1,656

    Lono
    Member

    I've ordered again form Howells and will go back again.
     
  20. 94hoghead
    Joined: Jun 1, 2007
    Posts: 1,289

    94hoghead
    Member

    I ordered a set of inner fender wells for my model A a while back. Made several calls. The girl that answered the phone always gave me a different answer than Ryan. Neither was correct. One would tell me that they had already been shipped, the other would tell me that they would be going out soon. They finally show up a couple of months later...
     
  21. 29nash
    Joined: Nov 6, 2008
    Posts: 4,544

    29nash
    BANNED
    from colorado

    Yep, I've noticed that, for the last fifty years........................ Interesting concept, eh?

    One thing that works for me since I learned it about ten years ago. If they don't take a credit card I don't give them my business. And if they don't deliver in the expected time(whatever the agreement/understanding was) then I get my money back after the situation is communicated to my card provider.

    Period. End of story.
     
  22. BELLM
    Joined: Nov 16, 2002
    Posts: 2,590

    BELLM
    Member

    Ryan met me at the shop on the Friday after Thanksgiving, they were closed but he offerred to meet me since I was going to be in the area. Picked up 4 fenders & an inner fender, probably saved me several hundred $ in shipping. I have dealt with them before, no probems, good service, will buy from them again.
     
  23. Last edited: Dec 12, 2009
  24. Reindeer
    Joined: Mar 3, 2005
    Posts: 224

    Reindeer
    Member
    from Finland

    Hello guys,

    I am now waiting around $2K bunch of Model A parts from them. I paid those by Paypal five weeks ago. Stupid me!
    I have asked the delivery couple of times from Ryan by e-mail with no reply at all. I live in Finland, about opposite side of the globe.
    What can or should I do?
    Anybody here living close to them to go check if they are still in business?

    Thanks,
    Jukka
     
  25. Reindeer
    Joined: Mar 3, 2005
    Posts: 224

    Reindeer
    Member
    from Finland

    No parts or any reply from them at all.
    Fortunate is that Paypal returned money.
    Two months lost but I can try from some other supplier. Any suggestions? Some company that really have inventory and will deliver. Mac´s or Mike's maybe?
     
  26. bhurlin
    Joined: Nov 14, 2008
    Posts: 62

    bhurlin
    Member
    from Texas

    Dubbzilla, do you have pictures of the rear pieces you did receive.

    Bill
     
  27. 53sled
    Joined: Jul 5, 2005
    Posts: 5,817

    53sled
    Member
    from KCMO

    3 year old thread with 6 pages of positive experiences. Now I've seen it all.
     
  28. toms26t
    Joined: Dec 1, 2010
    Posts: 2

    toms26t
    Member

    Yep keep this thread going as I am another that called until the part was "In Stock per Ryan". 2-1/2 months later still no part after he gave me a shipper that says the part was not submitted to UPS for shipping and no returned calls or returned e-mails.........
     
  29. Hemirrhoid
    Joined: Sep 15, 2010
    Posts: 36

    Hemirrhoid
    Member
    from Wisconsin

    I ordered a one piece Model T hood top from Howells on 12/31/10 - still have not seen it. Paid in full via Paypal. Called and E-mailed multiple times, no response, no part. Are these guys still in business?? Answering machine is full and won't allow any more messages. Webstite is still up and I assume taking orders. I wouldn't oder from Howell again - ever. They owe me a couple hundred bucks or a hood top.

    The Rhoidster
     
  30. Paul B
    Joined: Sep 29, 2007
    Posts: 941

    Paul B
    Member

    I ordered rear wheel wells,rear patch panels, trunk floor and the inside trunk pieces had them in less than a week and all fit .
     

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