GEARHEAD ENTERPRISES in Iowa...Beware!

Just a heads up about an outfit that screwed me over-GEARHEAD ENTERPRISES in Iowa; they sell junk, have absolutely no 'tech' help of any sort (other than a 17 year old girl), do not supply invoices, and won't take anything back (even though their ad claims they do). Yeesh.

They advertise in many of the hot rod magazines, and offer attractive prices. I found out why, the hard way. Cheap Taiwan junk that doesn't work! Gearhead indeed. Beware!

 

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=163855

 

I bought a tri-four bar rear suspension from these clowns. I called and talked to the guy about the quality he told me it was the best he had see.So I ordered it off ebay. When it arived I opened it and it was the cheapest china POS I have ever seen. I dont even think it was DOM tubing the tabs where made if 1/8" sheet metal. You could see that they cut the made in china sticker off the box. I called and talked to the guy and he said dont even talk to him about the quality that it was top of the line stuff. The guy was a a-hole. I sent it back and it took two months to get my refund. It scares me that people will sell this crap to people and they put it in there hot rod, load up the family and go cruising.

 

Beware is right! I've been trying to replace a part that I bought from these guys at a car show in Knoxville three weeks ago. I broke it trying to install it and just wanted to buy a replacement. It turned out that there was only one boy that worked in shipping and receiving who seemed to know anything about their products. Customer service was horrible. I called religiously for three weeks to talk to this one guy who knew what was going on. Several sales reps refused to go in the back and get him. They were only willing to take a message...tried it, he never seemed to get the message. The bottom line is that it's been three weeks, and I haven't been able to get them to just sell me a part. How do they stay in business? Stay away unless you enjoy maximum frustration.

 

There's several places in the country doing this type of business. I'm in Iowa, called and asked about driving up 75 miles) and picking up the part since I was going to be in the general area anyway. Was told no way, no pickup, has to be shipped.

They have no idea what they are selling. It comes over in shipping containers and they sell until it's all gone and order another container. Brokers on the coast set it all up and these clowns are just passing it thru for a few bucks.

SPark

 

Yep they got me too ,they will never get my money again

 

I have had just about enough of parts, tools, toys, you name it from china! Many company's are selling chinese parts. If you ask where the parts from , they don't want to tell you. I know many performance clutches are now made.... well you can guess where! Change we Need!

 

I have bought a few things from them at shows, but only the things that I can check first. You can tell by talking to them that they have no idea what they are talking about. They stay in business by selling parts cheap. Beware they have more than one ebay user name.

 

bought their control arms, bushings gone in under 200 miles.

 

and yes, there are several on ebay selling the same stuff....iowa and ohio locations

 

Got me once, Bought cheap, Got cheap junk headers. Took them off and bought a set of good ones like I should have to start with. You get what you pay for.

 

I inquired years ago, (E-Bay FATRODDER), yep I'll ship to Australia. Paid freight and then he reneged. Lucky I had a friend in San Francisco for shipping. Definatley had a hard time getting freight back through PAY PAL. NEVER AGAIN, NOT RECOMMENDED.

 

It's interesting that they happen to be located in Iowa.

Let me explain. There is someone or maybe even more then one person on E-Bay selling cars that they don't really own!!!

They seem to just grab someone pictures and the compete story and then post them on E-Bay for sale.

I have seen this happen to one of the guys in our car club who did not have his car for sale but yet the pictures of his car along with the history were all on E-Bay!!!!!!!!!!

We now joke at the cruse night shows when someone is taking a picture of a car that they most be going to post it on E-Bay for sale.

The F.B.I. in about eight cases has tracked the person or persons to Iowa so far.

This is a very complicates case because the money is always wired to other states first and in many of the cases it was Calif. or even England.

In each case the buyers contacted E-Bay and also checked out the seller before sending any money but they still lost all their money in the end.

I would personally not buy any high dollar item off of E-Bay unless you can go and look at the item first and even then it tricky.

Iowa is a great state with many wonderful people living there but it only takes a few nuts to screw up the works.

The "Old Saying Buyer Beware" is alive and well these day's

 

We are a respectfull bunch of rural Americans as a rule, but trash is trash no matter what state your from.Sorry for anyone that has dealt with these folks. Don't judge us all ,please!!

 

I have alot of customers call me all the time with a sob story wanting me to give them a special deal on parts....Because fatrodder, gearhead, or one of the rest of there many names Screwed them on that cheap shit!!....I mean come on people!...You should have known better to begin with!.....They suck you in with a price that you know is to good to be true.....Yet people still send them their hard earned money and have to learn the hard way.....Bottom line is if their stuff was anygood, Myself and every other dealer who sells quality stuff would be out of business,

 

What about when they (Gearhead) advertise a name brand product like Classic Instruments ? Is that legit or are they scamming on that too. ?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Clas...r_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item41493d52cf

 

Well that is a good question? however when they say "classic" does that mean the name brand or the style?.....either way I myself am not interested in their china made shit!.....So the only way for us to know is for you to send them your money and lets find out together....LOL

 

Well if you look at Classic Instruments website you can find that exact gauge cluster, it's the All American series.

They are selling it for less than the Classic list price so who knows.

I also know that you can buy "Canon" cameras out of China that were not made by Canon. They are knocked off exactly, right down to packaging literature and all.

Maybe Gearhead shipped a Classic gauge set off to China for "reproduction"

I'm not gonna find out

 

One thng folks have to be wary of is some folks will sell stuff from what's known as the "gray market". It's a genuine article, but is NOT intended for retail sale in the United States. Sure, you buy a quality product, but if something goes bad, you then find out there's no warranty. The price is great, but in the U.S., you're on your own.
(The camera referance post above brought this to mind.)

Roger

 

I must be lucky or something. I've bought from them 4 times and got exactly what I ordered and it was shipped fast. The difference in my experience may be because I bought the parts on ebay rather than their website. At least, with ebay, you have some buyer protection.

 

Most of their stuff that is made by places like Classic Instruments is direct shipped from the manufacturer. That's why you can't just pick it up from them. They (or one of their "branches") sets up at Back to the 50's here every year. That's the only way I'd buy from them. If I can see the part, and the quality, I'll THINK about it then.

 

I was looking at their steering columns yesterday and they seem to run about 10 %
less than the other makers .I am always curious about WHY its less money .

Good stuff not always cheap Cheap stuff not always good.(somebody famous dead)

 

I agree. I have't had a problem with anything I have bought from them yet. I have bought triangulated 4 link suspension parts, master cylinder brake combos, and assorted other parts. I'll prolly continue to buy from them until something goes wrong on my end. John

 

I've bought a couple of things from them on E-Bay with satisfactory results. I don't buy suspension parts or anything critical as I fab my own stuff.
Thanks for the heads up on their business practices. I won't buy from them again.

Frank

 

Don't sweat it none of us think that all folks from iowa are bad. There are goof balls everywhere.

It is a good thing that we out those folks that sell poor quality stuff.

I have always been a big advocate of doing it yourself. Someone told me once (actually more than once) that it is easy for me to say because I know how to do it. But I didn't know how to do anything until I tried.

You are all members of the biggest on-line garage in the world. If there is something that you don't know or are not capable of doing for whatever reason there is no reason to go looking elsware. There are thousands of capable and willing people right here and you can get made in just about any country that you prefer.

 

I have bought 3- sets of triangle 4-bar set ups from them, I have been very happy with the fast shipping and the quality of the parts. It is the exact same kit that you can buy through speedway motors in NE.
They just sell it for 1/2 the price
I am very satisfied with there stuff

 

That's a QUALITY statement there! And cheaper! I am all in!

 

IOWA ???? And just think , that is where the first GOP election is being held.
"AND THE BOWTIE ROLLS ON"

 

They sure treat their ebay customers right. 22,000 transactions and a 99.2 favorable rating.

 

The ebay route seems logical. WTF Bowtie? 'Roll on' what?