A competitor to Speedway Motors ?

I have about had it with their crap customer service. I have been buying from them since the 80's, and have just finally had enough. I dont want to go into all the details, I just want to know if they have a competitor that I dont know about. Mostly I buy small things, like clevises, heims, brake kits, steering parts. I used to be able to turn to total performance, but since they sold out to speedway that's not an option. So any other ideas ? Maybe even a Hamber work at or own a place ? Preferably with dealer accounts ? PM me if you don't want to post it here.

Thanks !

 

Jegs and Summit Racing have many of the same parts but the smll ones you mention might be harder to find in one location. Have you talked to a manager about your issues?

 

Don't back off of them, I caugth Speedy Bill at a show and filled his ear about the way it is now, and he was all listing after about a week I got a call from them and everythig was work out.

 

I've also had good luck with Jeg's and Summitt. I also order stuff from the vendors that advertise in the Goodguys Gazette magazine.

You need to join Goodguys to get the magazine but it's worth it just to see the great cars and for the tips on fabricating and building from the real pros. I've been playing with cars and bikes for 60 years and learn new stuff all the time.

 

I guess I've been lucky with Speedway. The last incorrect thing I received was in around 81, and they made it right. I probably just jinxed it...dammit.

 

Lots of stuff can be found on line at McMaster Carr been using them for years.

 

I've had nothing but great service from Speedway. Nobody can match their inventory or pricing. You can buy from alot of places, but 95% of them are getting their parts from Speedway. So your just paying more for the same stuff.....

What's the point in that?

 

I you had a problem with my company I would like the opportunity to make it right.
Ask to speak higher up the pecking order. all the way to the owner. no reasion to be rude (You get a lot more fly's with honey than you do with viniger)state your problem,offer a solution if you have one.Enrole the person to help solve your problem.

 

I've found these two recently, but I haven't ordered from either yet:

http://WWW.EARLYFORDSTORE.COM & http://www.earlyford.com/

 

X2....I also don't care for their imported Chinese knock off crap.

 

X2..............bought a lot of stuff and have never had a problem yet.......but, if I did, feel confident it could be resolved. I have also bought some from Summit.......again, good service...no issues.

Ray

 

I guess it must be a matter of who you speak to at Speedway. Or, how you approach them. Not all sucky transactions are one sided. I have been a Speedway customer almost from the day they opened. I have never had any problem that wasn't resolved very much to my satisfaction. And, the problems have been few and far between.
It is said that you can't please everyone....buyers and sellers. But, the Lincoln guys have always been stand up with me.

 

hey guy try " jockos sprint parts "in des moines iowa /bob thompson @1-515-564-1204 does mostly sprint cars but is a hamber guy but has lots of neat stuff that should work

 

Never really had a issue with them as far as customer service.
But if there is a racecar shop around you ( like dirt or asphalt ) you might check with them, there's a place by me named Smileys that buys alot of there inventory from speedway. With shipping it's about the same price and I have it right then.

 

Total Performance parts can still be purchased thru Wintech Fabrication.

Ron

 

A recent experience I had was buying an adjustable brake proportioning valve, #260-11179 from Wilwood for $84.00 only to see the same valve in Speedway at $57.00.
Two rules to follow: Buyer beware and ALWAYS carefully look before you purchase anything!

 

Same here, we seem to order from them weekly. Great quality, great service, one of the best websites going. If you can get hold of one of their print catalogs (about 5 inches thick) toss it in the john and thumb thru it when you're on the throne. There's a lot of shit in there you never knew existed (excuse the pun).

 

I have always had good service from Speedway. But with any company you can get a jerk on the phone every once in awhile I suppose. Yes, alot of their stuff is coming from freakin china but whose stuff isnt? Many of the smaller dealers just buy their stuff from one of the bigger boys to resell. No matter where you shop you really arent likely to actually get a part from a different factory where it was manufacturered. We live in a low price rules society these days unfortunately. Just my .02

 

Any number of suppliers have the same or similar pieces that you are looking for. You just have to hunt them out. But, as a couple of the guys said earlier the prices may not be the same and some of the smaller vendors don't have large stocks of some items or do the drop ship thing.

But I have to ask, if you are constantly having problems with orders is the problem them or is it you? I've worked both sides of the counter having worked in Auto and Ag equipment parts houses and I spent a number of years as the parts man for the maintenance department for a large food processing plant where I ordered 1.5 million dollars worth of parts a year. I had few problems either way as long as the correct information got passed on in a clear and concise manner.
Usually in the automotive side I found that the customer didn't know exactly what he was working on when he went to order the parts or his slang term for an item didn't match what I knew the part as. On the other side of the counter when I was doing the buying for the processing plant I found that it was a lot more effective to fax (no internet available to me then) the orders in to the vendors. Typed lists as my handwriting has sucked since I was in first grade and even I can't read it at times. That way the vendors had exactly what I wanted right in front of them so that they could read it and didn't have to hope that they got my list over the phone correct. These days I have a hard time understanding why a guy would want to call a vendor on the phone and give a list to someone on the other end who may or may not understand what he is saying especially if there is background noise going on behind the person doing the ordering when anyone with a computer connected to the net can place an accurate order any time he needs to 24/7 and read it over before sends it to assure that he has everything accurate.
As someone said McMaster Carr is a great outfit to order from, their inventory is huge and they don't get upset about orders of small quantities like some of the national chain nuts and bolts houses do.

 

Never had a problem with them. GREAT Museum

 

Edit- I finally got a call back and they overnighted me a set of stainless steel ones that should be stronger. We will see. I wonder if they were lerking on the HAMB?

 

I've only had one issue with Speedway, and it was resolved quickly. I ordered the straight axle kit for my gasser project and it was missing a few small parts, but I didn't notice for 4 months, because it just didn't get installed until then. I called them and told a lady in customer service what was missing, and they sent the parts USPS Priority mail the same day.

 

Lefthander has a lot of cool stuff that can be used in hot rod fabrication

 

We order from them also, as well as Grainger and Winzer.

 

If you have a dealer account, buy a domain name, go to the manufacturer and start your own competiton.

 

Speedway has been excellent in my experiences.

 

I guess it is like any other volume business, some people will love em and some will hate em. I've been buying from Speedway for over 30 years, and have spent some serious money during that time. Never once have we had an issue where their customer service people didn't go BEYOND what we were seeking to make it right.

Example, my Son Don has Wilwood brakes on the front of his T Bucket. From day one they created a lot of dust and the rotors scored very quickly. He called them simply to ask for their opinion and without asking for it they sent him brand new rotors, different pads, and a proportioning valve, all at no charge. Told him to scrap the old ones.

The times I have gotten something incorrect or otherwise wrong, they have emailed a return label and paid the shipping back. Sometimes the item was bought quite a while back, but they still took care of it.

I put their customer service right up there with Summit, Jegs, and Coker, based on lots of years and lots of purchases. But that is just my opinion and experience.

Don

 

I call them one day and its on my front porch at noon the next day. I have had returns and they always took care of things pronto. Just my experience.

 

Speedway has always treated me right. I have their parts on both my drag car and '31 coupe.

 

Have had great service from Speedway using mail order. Only one issue with counterman after 900 mile trip, that was resolved after some negotiation.