Hot Rods Beware Of Howells Sheetmetal

Better Business Bureau gave them a F.....Must be just me.

 

I've bought from them a few times (trunk lids, bun panels, for T roadster).....but I've quit while I'm ahead. I'm very glad you got your money back.

 

Thanks, me also.

 

Have had no bad issues dealing with them. Parts were quality priced right and shipped quickly. Usually I feel disappointed with most dealers. Ron

 

This has been my impression of them too. I was happy with the quality of the parts I've gotten in the past, but some items I was told were in stock I ended up waiting several weeks for. I think that their priority is taking care of ther commercial customers first. Thats fine if they're honest about it, but I've felt they havent always been. I just use Mac's or Snyder's now and save the poor customer service hassle.

 

I bought their outer decklid skin and the panel that goes below the trunk for my 26 T coupe through one of the other companies mentioned. Shipping was fine and the lower panel was good but I've spent a fortune in body work trying to get the trunklid skin the fit right.

 

I've not had a problem with them,bought a few things from them for a 40 Ford pick up and received them promptly.

 

Well I ordered extended rear quarter panels for a '29 pickup in November 2013, I expected to wait due to the special order. Charged credit card in December 2013. Lied to in January by Ryan (we're making them now will ship by end of week), lied told by Ryan in February (they are on the bench finished, we forgot to send them out) Called in late March and spoke to Jim (we didn't even make them yet, we're going on the road call back the first week of May) Called back in May (call me Friday for a tracking #). Called this past Monday spoke to Ryan (call back on Friday for tracking#) Well it's Friday 5:46 EST, numerous calls and either busy or voice message. I can't put into words how pissed off I am. Never again.

 

My turn to vent...ordered 27 T panels end of September ( 2 orders) waited a month with no contact, then started calling , emailing, leaving messages to no avail. Finally got Ryan and he said 2nd order was lost and would reship. Finally got it 2 weeks later, and it was ok quality and usable. First order was all in stock and would ship soon...after more calls from several phone numbers ( seems to be the only way of him picking up the phone ) he gave me a tracking number which is real, however, it has been sitting on his dock for 3 weeks with no shipment according to UPS. After getting him from another phone number, he said to call back in an hour ( yeah, right) for an update...no word and no shipment, next call is to Mastercard for a dispute and cancellation of order. I guess I will have to buy parts from another vendor ( even though Howells makes the parts) just to get service.

 

That's the problem....they are so busy filling orders for resellers that unless you walk in in person you practically get ignored. It was pretty busy when I picked up my stuff in person.

 

I had a bad experience too, ordered a set of wheel tubs. Paid through PayPal through their website. After 8 days and no word from them, gave them a call. Guy in the phone told me they were being completed, they would ship later that day or the next. After another week of waiting, called back. This time, and this is really what I am mad about, the same guy on the phone tells me they shipped, and have me a tracking number. Tracking number was a fake, this guy lied to me over the phone like a immature teenager. After another week of not being able to get a hold of them because they stopped answering the phone I contacted Paypal, started a complaint, still the coward wouldn't respond, elevated it to a claim, with in an hour PayPal refunded me. It's too bad people do business like this, don't know how they survive.

Take care everyone and I would find another place to shop, I did.

 

Just wanted to let everyone know that the bad press that Howells Sheetmetal / Fordor has gotten over the years is well deserved - and still going strong! Ordered some floor sheetmetal over the phone, because the online order never worked out with 4 separate attempts (you place the order, when you hit submit it alerts you that they will call you back to confirm - But They Don't). They took my order, my CC info, The shipping address and after a couple weeks, i tried to contact them - NO ANSWER.. Left a dozen or so messages, NO RETURN CALL... I then changed my caller ID to show a Houston, TX area code, and they answered on the 1st ring (apparently they screen their calls). When we spoke about my order, I heard lots of shuffling of papers, then said to me; "sorry, I can't find your order"! Then he mumbled something about someone being at the bank, but would call me back... I won't hold my breath...
Its amazing that this company is still around. They really are a terribly run company.

 

The parts Ive gotten came in a timely manner but looked like one of my students made em

 

What's amazing to me is that this information regarding YEARS of bad service is available to anyone with a computer or a smart phone yet people still order from them

 

A friend of mine ordered a roof skin for an A pickup truck and he's all upset that it still hasn't showed up 2 months later, but he doesn't use the internet, doesn't have a computer. Paid with a cashier's check. If I would have known he was going to do that, I would have had him buy it through me off of eBay, or from an outside vendor.

I'm not sure why they even take direct customer orders, they'd be better off to sell through dealers only. It's clearly a hassle for them and has done them no favors.

 

We bought from eBay. They were actually super helpful - we had ordered a wrong part, something for a coupe instead of a roadster, and whoever was processing the order caught it and called to make sure that's what we needed since everything else in the order was for a roadster. The part we were trying to order was not actually even listed on eBay. The parts were good enough, I was not overly pleased with one of the more complex panels but that's the way it goes with repro tin.

I have always heard nightmares about them when ordering direct. I have to wonder what's going on to make such a stark difference between direct orders and eBay.

 

Going through all of these posts has me wondering if they are still processing mail or call in orders the same way they did well before internet and that called or mailed orders end up on hand written notes in a pile and may not be always pulled in order. while Ebay orders get filled by an order puller who Goes down the list filling orders in a timely manner. Maybe different people processing the orders.

 

We're bashing Howell's this month? Nobody told me! I thought speedway was next up!

 

eBay holds them accountable (as in the don't get paid if they don't deliver in a timely method) so they need to make sure they don't screw with those customers. There is no one to hold them responsible on their own end. Buying from them in any other way is stupidity at this point as they have proven over and over they don't give a shit about their customers who order direct.

 

I know right? I ordered something from Speedway last month and it took almost two days to get it, and the damn thing still fit!

 

Lmao!!! That's awesome

 

Just reverse the credit card charge and like the Good Book says, shake the dust of their town off your shoes.
It sucks that they stole your time and the workflow for your project. Don't let them steal your joy or a minute of your sleep.

 

If they have dealers/resellers, I wonder how they deal with the terrible quality? I wouldn't want to sell a poor quality/fitting product that will surely upset the customer... only to have them return pissed off.

That's got to be about the worst position to be in business wise... reselling terrible products.

 

I feel your pain... I ordered from Speedway and was told it was in stock at their Arizona store and I could pick it up anytime... 12 miles round trip.....the nerve.

 

Speedway is a great company... always had excellent experiences with them. Parts that fit and work as advertised and show up early... the bastards!!

 

I have heard that the Hoffman group bought Howell's. And they have speedway making the panels for them now. Sorry, I couldn't resist

 

I bought one piece for my roadster from Howell's last spring. Wanted to use a Brookville part as the rest of the backend of the car is from them; but no-one had any in stock and after waiting for Brookville to produce some for 6 months I was out of time. Purchased from Howell's via evil-bay and the part was here in a week. Only problem was that I had to extensively modify it get it to fit...

 

I ordered some model a roadster fender well patches. What showed up was one for a coupe and one for a roadster. I always try and find a decent patch even if I had to rework it because it’s faster…but anything from howells can be made by literally any person at all with a harbor freight bead roller and break and maybe shrinker stretcher.

 

Yea, the hassle and time wasted is what pisses me off too. Same shit buying from Amazon idiots.

Note: I have a Discover card and they told me they wont protect me from fraud sellers and wont cancel a fraudulent charge. Screw them..... I dont use my Discover card anymore for blind or internet orders

 

Well, they're not millionaires for nothing