I've had problems with Kanter a couple times. Customer service, what's that? I won't order stuff from them anymore.
I have to say a BIG NO on this one. I bought some front end parts from them once, the price was decent but the parts were made in Pakistan and India and the ball joints failed. Some people in the Cadillac clubs call them "Kancer Auto Parts" because they don't make stuff to the original factory specs. I ended up rippeng everything out and going with good old American made MOOG parts instead. Just some words for thought....... I agree with palosfv3 - Go with Rare Parts in Stockton Calif. they have been arouond a long time and they do it right.
They are great in a pinch if you really need something. I had a 55 Olds I did years ago, ended up selling it to a friend who really loved it. Well, day or so before its going to its new home the master develops a leak and was honed one too many times. Finding a master for that was a bitch (manual brakes) so I had to go to Kanter, pony up the nearly $160 and bring it home. The up side? Later that day the car was rollin down the road, and Kanter is only about 40 minutes from me. The downside? That was a lot of freakin money!
Just my .02 - ordered main bearings over 3 weeks ago. All the info was in the order, they just didn't read. My car in their database is a 49 Plymouth, so it really threw them for a loop when I ordered mains for a 55 Plym 259 Poly. They sat on it for a week, so I called them to sort it out. The guy I spoke to got it straight in the computer, then sent me an email saying my order had been processed - expect delivery in 7-10 days. That was two weeks ago. So... I called this morning and another guy answers. I go back thru the whole order history, and he immediately starts giving me attitude - that it was my fault the order was delayed because I ordered bearings for a 259 Poly, and those aren't in 1949 Plymouths! WTF??? Oh, and they didn't process my order two weeks ago... noooo... they just processed it yesterday and it won't ship until sometime tomorrow. His attempt at customer service? "Well, sometimes orders just slip thru the cracks." Uh huh... and sometimes peoples reputations and customer base just slip thru the cracks due to shoddy service!!
I bought a complete overhaul kit for my 6 cylinder Ford flattie about 10 years ago. The delivery was fast and the parts were right. It was all old stock parts, no import or reproduction crap. I give them an A+.
Bought a lot of restoration parts for my Lincoln that I sold last year. Like already said, a little high on price, but knowledgable and quick on shipping. ...and they have wacky drawings in their catalogs.
I hate to sound spammy..but I do liked canned meat. If you need anything suspension wise,I am a dealer for Rare Parts, and will make Alliance members the best deal possible. PM me day or night eriC
Haha - I've ordered from Kanter a few times, they've always come through with the hard to find stuff for my Caddys. One deal that really shocked me was the tie rod ends I got from them for about a third the price the local auto parts store quoted me. Eric's no slouch either, I've also always got great service from him.
They are a good supplier of parts BUT seems to be to high compared to the other suppliers I have bought from . Haven't bought from them in many years so who knows where they get their parts now ! RetroJim
My bearings finally arrived today, a month after I ordered them. To my delight, they are stamped.... drumroll please... Made in Taiwan! Great... $160, a month of waiting, and it's made in *&^%$# Taiwan.
I just got off the phone with them. They called about the order for a front end kit for my 49 Pontiac Woodie. They said they can't honor the price that was on their website. I told em I'd look elsewhere cause even though I need the parts I just think its unethical for them to do that. Couldn't find it at Moog. Still looking.
Recently Don (rustyfords) ordered a suspension part from Kanter that was advertised at a special price,the next day he received a call from a sales representative telling him the price was wrong and it would be higher,he ask about the price listed and then the SR got rude... Don told him he would post it on his clubs site and the SR told him he didn't care. Don is the president of the '54 Ford Club of America and represents over 600 members that buy parts,I am the Administrator of the '54 Ford Club of America web site and Don and I agreed to remove Kanter from our vendor list. Interestingly enough one of the Kanter brothers got wind of what had taken place and he got in touch with Don and made everything right,obviously the SR doesn't care but the owners do. Everything has been cleared up and they are on our vendors list once again. HRP I personally have purchased a number of parts in the past with absolutely no problems
Glad they stepped up and did right by you guys, Danny. Just one of the issues when you have to hire help. Often they just don't seem to care. One single misguided sales rep could have cost them lots of business going forward and their reputation as well. I can't say anything good or bad about Kanters as I've never bought anything from them. I did have a couple of friends with multiple Packards years ago that bought stuff from them and I never heard anything bad.
Well wonders never cease. Kanter's called back and will honor the internet price. So they did the right thing eventually.
I lived in san Diego and bought a 52 Packard in Ohio. It needed brakes and front end work. The car belonged to a friends Grandmother and she wanted it to go to someone who would care for it. "If you come get it, you can have it". I ordered the Kanter kits and sent them to Ohio. It was great. When they got there, we booked a flight and got funny looks as our carry on was a bag of tools. Thrift stores supplied clothes as we drove it back. My friend was amazed at what we did in the driveway and had a flawless road trip. I'd use them again.
I called Egge for a set of 'hard to find' rings for my 406 FE. Not in the computer, they'd check their other warehouse. When they called back, they told me they had 428 rings. They'd work. I said if they'd work, I'd already have them. (ring heights are different on compression and scrapers) I didn't want to cut lands in my new pistons... After calling all the big shooters, I finally called Kanter. The counterman said "We have 'em, I just have to locate 'em, they're $110.00, plus shipping" He called back late in the day, apologized for keeping me waiting; he then said he was taking $15 off the price for 'inconvenience', and ship them to me from Reno...NO SHIPPING CHARGE! I gave him my info, and sure enough, 3 days later here they were. The BIG shocker was that the rings were GRANT! I got an overhaul gasket set from them afterward, and many other misc. purchases. Never a hitch.
Needed a replacement master cylinder of unknown origin on a project. Sent picture and received exact replacement. Great service.