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

From what I have seen of the shop there is a "for Lease" sign out front BUT there is a new address on Google.com for Howells. I had a HAMB member contact me to check on them for him. I haven't had any time off to go see the new shop. I will this next week....

 

Got my patch panels fast and they were FAR better than bville parts.

 

OK, after almost 4 months since I ordered my hood - after no order confirmation, multiple unanswered E-mails, multiple unanswered phone calls/messages, letter and enlisting Paypal to strong arm them - it finally showed up. The hood is nice, they do good work, but their customer service absolutely sucks. I would have been OK with the wait if I would have know the delivery time was 4 months. Howells needs to hire a high school kid at minimum wage to send note saying "thank you for your order, it will ship on 4/25". They'd get a helluva lot more repeat customers. Unfortunately for Howells, I won't be one of them.

 

I used wolf's steel in canada ,Took awhile to get but that was shipping ,I d use them again

 

That was me TXrat......I actually finally got my damn part. I was concerned when you said their old palce was for lease. They do suffer from a complete lack of customer service. I don't like the way the Model A visor I got looks or fits. The first one was slightly damaged and I waiting over a month for a replacement, so now i got two, and they never credited my returned corner piece, so I will be selling them to try and recoup some of that cash...... after all the damn waiting.

 

Looks like things haven't changed much. I ordered three different panels from Howells in October and received two out of the three with in three weeks. So thinking everything might be okay I waited another three weeks and then called. They were in production on the one panel that didn't get sent and it was to be sent out in one week. Two weeks later I call and am told that it has been sent. I ask how it is being sent and why I didn't get any e-mail from them or the company that is bringing it to me. I am told that he will e-mail me the shipping invoice and that the panel has been sent. It has now been another two weeks and no e-mail and no Panel, like all the rest of you I will never order from them again. I will call them today and ask for a refund of my money. Lee

 

I just bought a part for my T from them on ebay. I paid the 29th and it shipped on the 30th, with confrimation from UPS and a tracking number. It is on the truck in Houston due to be at my house today. I'll keep you posted.

 

I want to order some things for my 5w from them but I'm terrified! I need the rear quarter tail pieces and as far as I can see they're the only place making them and they don't list them on ebay.... what to do...?

 

My part is waiting at the house for me. I'll post about quality when I get home.

 

Part was well packed and in good shape. It is a bit wide, nothing a little finessing won't cure. I'd order again.

 

I just ordered some parts from them...they answered the phone first time. I placed my order. Then a few hours later I realized I ordered a wrong panel, so I went to phone them to correct it and my phone beeped to tell me I had an e-mail...it was UPS with my tracking number...they had already shipped it. You can't get any quicker than that.

 

Have to bump up, enough said

 

Ordered door skins,deck lid skin, and panel below trunk. Helpful guy answered phone and I got my stuff in (2) weeks. Am delighted with quality.

 

I ordered a set of door skins and quarter panels for my model T on the first of August, here it is first of November andnothing. I spoke with Ryan on the phone and he promised that they would be here soon............They have a "F" rating with the better business bureau. I just hope the parts are worth the wait....

 

Im about to start working on a roadster pickup for a customer...some of there panels are cheaper to buy than for me to make.But with these reviews i guess i have no choice.

 

Solution.

Learn how to make your own panels.

 

Thanks for the heads up. I was going to use them for some patch panels on a 34 pickup cab.

 

x2 i agree

 

i agree..but for some easier said than done.I am in the field of metal shaping and crafting panels.Fully equipped, with that being said some of their panels are still cheaper to buy than me to make for my customer.

 

I used to say that too, until I realized how much time it takes to modify and tweak the panels to make them just right. Door skins are all flat with no compound in them, etc. You will wind up with a lot better part if you make it yourself.

 

Howells has had parts I needed in stock and have toured their facility. A LOT of nice stuff happening there.

 

Didn't read all the posts but I had a bad Howell's experience. I live in Canada and ordered a 30 coach roof insert from them. They were to ship by UPS to Niagara Falls NY where I would pick it up. I had to call them at least 8 times, most times not getting an answer and their machine didn't seem to be working. Finally they told me it was shipped and on what day I could expect it. They sent me a receipt by e-mail so I went to pick it up on the assigned day. There was some delay at the border but I finally drove to UPS. As I was approaching the terminal, a truck was pulling out of the driveway and the name on the side was similar to a notation on the invoice. I blocked the truck (not UPS) and asked if he had just delivered my roof to which he replied they would not accept it and it was on its way back to Texas. I finally convinced the driver and his dispatcher to give me the pallet. Had I arrived one minute later, he would has been on I-90, the entrance being next to the UPS terminal. To make matters worse, I paid $240 for the insert and $240 for shipping and what I received was a piece of 18 gauge sheet with two corners rounded off. It came no where near fitting and required hours of cutting and trimming to work. I could have bought the same sheet of 18 gauge locally for $40 and used the $480 to pay my body man to trim it like he had to with the Howell piece.

 

I see their stuff all over ebay, must be they are mass producting the hot items and letting the rest fall by the wayside. Thanks for all your comments guys, lesson to be learned the cheap way!

 

I have a couple of their pieces on my truck. They came as I expected, fit well and cost less. Not at all a bad experience. Tim

 

I've made several purchases and got them on time and been real satisfied with the parts.

 

I ordered some panels for my '32 pickup. I have to say I was a little worried based on others reviews, but took a gamble mostly due to price. I got everything in one week exactly. The full door skin is too long (it has a backing flange on the top making the whole skin taller than the door below the beltline and leaving no room to weld it in below the beltline). I could make it work by cutting it down and butt welding it, but I'd rather do it as they intended. He offered to send another one. The other pieces seem workable.

So far I am satisfied expecially for the price.

 

I have had good luck with them.

 

I was a little worried also when I ordered from Howell's but the parts arrived a 10 days later and Ryan was easy to deal with. Get a verbal before ordering your parts and you won't have any issues.

 

I ordered a set of patches over a month and a half ago and have yet to see anything. I called two weeks ago and he lied and told me they had just shipped out.

 

I ordered inner and outer lower door patch panels , rocker panels, and cab corners for a 47 Ford Pick up. No problem with delivery and the parts are a perfect fit. Not saying you are wrong, just not the same experience I had .