Worst parts supplier ever

[greatscot3]

I was curious about something. I recently bought a brake kit for my Cuda from a guy (Gearheads Enterprises and "Fatrodder" on Ebay) I found on Ebay. I wish I had made the actual transaction through ebay instead of calling him because I would have had more leverage for when this guy bent me over and shoved it in with sand.
The guy sent me rusty, unusable parts that were supposed to be new.
Then he sent me replacement parts that were just as rusty and unusable as the first ones only six days later while my car was on someone's lift.
The parts in the kit were the wrong ones and I had to replace them at my cost.
He and his employees lied to me repeatedly.
My car spent three weeks on a guy's lift while these guys were getting their thumbs out of their ass and it still isn't right by a long shot.
You might be thinking that this happens all the time but this guy and his crew were really special.
Totally inept, uncaring, devious, crooked, I could go on.
What I'd like to do is write down everything that happened from day one and share it with other people so that they don't get screwed like I did. I don't even need to exaggerate to make this guy look like S**t.
Is this the right forum for this? Or should it be posted elsewhere?

Thanks

 

[moparal]

The testimony you just posted with your experience with them is enough warning to some degree. Running on about someone with out hearing both sides is a little childish. I see fatrodders on ebay, I have never bought from them. Seeing your post makes me think twice if I even want to consider them, Try waiting to see if anyone else posts any good/bad experiences . I see Items like headers that dont fit right and stuff they sell. It sucks to get burned. A buyer beware post is always good. Did you end up buying the part from a different vender to make it right? What brake part was it? Used? aftermarket? NOS?

 

[ramenth]

I'm gonna agree with moparal. The fact that you've put his name out there for us to read and shared what you've already shared is good enough for most of us to think twice and steer clear of the guy.

It would be nice to start kind of a useful vendor review thread in here. Some of us have had experiences, good and bad, with vendors that we'd like to share with others that get buried amongst the posts. But with negative experiences would we be able to write an objective review without it turning into a flaming post? If some of you are like me, once you've been pissed off the rant wants to come out. So, given a negative experience could we take a look at things with objectivity to explain how things went wrong?

 

[greatscot3]

The testimony you just posted with your experience with them is enough warning to some degree. Running on about someone with out hearing both sides is a little childish. I see fatrodders on ebay, I have never bought from them. Seeing your post makes me think twice if I even want to consider them, Try waiting to see if anyone else posts any good/bad experiences . I see Items like headers that dont fit right and stuff they sell. It sucks to get burned. A buyer beware post is always good. Did you end up buying the part from a different vender to make it right? What brake part was it? Used? aftermarket? NOS?

This was supposed to be a brand new front disc brake kit (spindles, rotors, calipers, bearings, shoes and dust caps for a Plymouth Cuda. The rotors arrived the first time with heavily rusted bearing races in the rotors. The guy sent me a second set of rotors, same thing even after I asked him several times to check them before he sent them to me.

Just an update. I got the second set of rusty rotors taken care of at my expense, time, gas (thats what I did Christmas eve), then I discovered the rest of the kit wasn't right either. He (fatrodder/Gearheads Enterprises) sent the wrong outer bearings with the kit and he sent 2" dust caps instead of the required 1 3/4" caps. I had to buy the outer bearings and 1 3/4" caps and grind the skirts down on the caps to get them to fit and not stick out of the hub too far. Total cost so far to me just to fix this is over $105.00 plus my time, gas and aggravation. My car has been on the lift for almost a month.
Now that I am having even more problems, the guy is blowing me off and refusing to answer my calls and emails. With all the whining and arguing and lying he did so far I am pretty sure he isn't ever going to step up and make this right.
BTW, all this guy's stuff is cheap Chinese crap and it shows bigtime.
The rotors all had heavy duty corrosion going on top of and underneath the bearing races as if the Chinese didn't want to pollute any water washing the plating chemicals off the rotors before they pressed the races in.
Why would I lie or make this up? The only reason I am writing this is so some of the nice people I met in here can read it and make their own decision whether to trust this guy. I'll try to post some pics of the rotors. You tell me if this is what you would want on your car.

 

[chasduster]

absolutly not....thats why I deal locally...yea it may cost alittle more but....well you get the idea.....better luck next time

 

[greatscot3]

Even more fun

Just as a follow up, Fatrodder (Ebay) aka Gearheads Enterprises aka Craig returned $20.00 whole dollars to my credit card.
My out of pocket up to that point had been $105.00. (not my gas, not my time, not my aggravation, not even three weeks of sitting on the lift)
Thats the good news. The bad news is that the lug nut studs in this guy's rotors turn with the lug nuts when you try to take them off. I have to pull off the wheels with the rotors on them and take them on a 60 mile round trip to get the studs welded. The other bad news is that his calipers stick up farther than my front rims do, so now I get to buy two more larger diameter wheels and tires. Gee whiz, I'm kind of stuck unless I want to buy another "kit" or put my stock, rusty, 38 year old brakes back on.
As you can see, this deal has worked out far better for Craig and his trusty (I mean rusty) band of gearheads than it did for me.
Most fair people would conclude that I'm not really "running on childishly" but have been very well humped by this guy who refuses to stand behind his products.
As far as dealing locally, locally doesn't exist here. Its way way over there.
Maybe someone else here can benefit from my loss. That was the point of writing this in the first place.

 

[greatscot3]

Yeah, worst ever 1

I did a little digging and found out I'm not the only guy "Fatrodder" and Gearheads Enterprises has screwed. Interesting reading.
Notice the aliases and look out.

34Hupmobile
02-20-2007, 03:32 PM
I ordered a MII rebuild kit 3 months ago from these folks via Ebay. I also ordered a swaybar bushing kit at the same time. Six weeks later I get a box with the rebuild kit and an extra set of strut rod bushings. Now it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out strut rods and anti-sway bars aren't interchangable and you don't eliminate one and install an extra set of the other. They don't answer emails ever. I've called them at least 20 times and the gal that answers the phone is totally rude. Half the time she just hangs up without a word. She finally just tells me to talk to her supplier and gives me the number. I called them and they say they don't even sell anti-swaybar bushings but the crackheads at Gearhead ordered extra strut rod bushings so they sent them. Its been so long since my order I can't even leave the ass blasting feedback they so deserve. Avoid these clowns and tell your friends to avoid them too.
40 & 61 Fords
02-20-2007, 05:14 PM

I believe they are also know as "Rod Parts Warehouse". I think they just act like a middle-man on all this stuff. No real storefront or anything. They are a vendor here at Back to the 50's, and always look like the circus coming to town...rental trucks, pop-up tents, and boxes everywhere. They do have some of the best prices on stuff. I guess I may have 2nd thoughts about them if I wasn't able to buy part in had like I can at the event.

graverobber63
02-20-2007, 05:16 PM

Good prices but horrible service. They are known as 'Fatrodder' on ebay.

I've had many mishaps with them. If it helps, the manager's name is Jason IF you can get through the girl on the phone to him.

Nick79
02-20-2007, 05:41 PM

Good prices but horrible service. They are known as 'Fatrodder' on ebay.

I've had many mishaps with them. If it helps, the manager's name is Jason IF you can get through the girl on the phone to him.

That's funny. I called them once and the girl totally hung up on me on purpose. I called right back and the guy answered. He was totally helpful and fixed the issue. Seems like they have way too much going on and not enough people to keep things in order. Keep calling!!

alchemy
02-20-2007, 05:42 PM

I believe they are also know as "Rod Parts Warehouse". I think they just act like a middle-man on all this stuff. No real storefront or anything.


I'm pretty sure Gearhead and Rod Parts Wharehouse are NOT the same places. Gearhead is from Waterloo, and RPW is from the Davenport area. I've never dealt with Gearhead, but I do know the RPW guy has been into old cars for decades.

Now, as for just being a middle-man, this is not always bad. One of the HAMB's own most beloved parts-peddlers runs his business pretty much the same as Rod Parts Warehouse, and everybody is happy with him. It's all in the personality of the man, not how many parts he stocks.

rodbuilder
02-20-2007, 05:47 PM

I think, as of last summer, the rodpart hwarehouse was still in the quad city area. He mey or may not be linked to the Waterloo guy, I know there is a guy that rebuilds blower caes in Waterloo thats not on the level. The rodparts guy is shifty to the end, I bought most of my parts through him when I did my 54 the first time, no store front, all parts in a house in a residential area, stuff everywhere. He has been or for a while banned from NSRA nats vending due to crooked behavior. I live about a hour from him and won't buy a thing from him. Lifes to short to deal with hassles eveytime...buy from Yogis in the midwest, can't beat them for shippng and service.

jusjunk
02-20-2007, 05:52 PM

Dam if this the fatrodder on egay i wouldnt buy **** from him. Just look at his feedback and shitty replies like he is the king and everyone else is an asshole.. I think its the other way around. Ok heres a tip I bought some **** for my buddies model a i was working on from rodparts warehouse. they charged his credit card and no parts. I dont give a rats ass who it is if they charged your card and you dont have the item call em tell em your gonna call the credit card company. If they dont kiss your ass from that point on call the credit card company. Its illegal to charge you in advance for sumpin they done have in stock.. Rod parts asked him not to call and he told em we had better see the **** soon.. we did.
Dave
ps: I bought a bunch of stuff from rodparts when i did my 32 coupe 1-800-visa LOL... They always cut the other guys prices and i didnt have a problem but it can and will happen.......

GTS225
02-20-2007, 05:56 PM

I strongly suggest avoiding doing business with the Gearhead folks. Stopped by the place one time, wasn't impressed at all. They are set up in an out-of-business tire shop, but the place was a mess, and almost every box I saw had chinese markings on it.
I suspect they are a re-packager, pushing cheap crap from "our friends" on the other side of the Pacific.

Roger

5window
02-20-2007, 06:38 PM

I strongly second buying stuff from Yogi's. I haven't bought a lot, but they have always been helpful and the woman on the phone (Betty? Help me out here it's been a while) is just as nice as you'd expect an Iowan to be. I had to return a fuel gauge sender(my fault) and they exchanged it no problem. I wish they were close to me, but I'll still be a repeat customer.

A32Flathead
04-27-2007, 11:23 PM

Another one here.....

Repeat after me....

I shoula searched the HAMB first.....I shoula searched the HAMB first.....I shoula searched the HAMB first.....I shoula searched the HAMB first.....I shoula searched the HAMB first.....I shoula searched the HAMB first.....I shoula searched the HAMB first.....I shoula searched the HAMB first.....

5 Weeks ago, I ordered a pair of front springs for a friend of mine in the UK....

Several 25-40 min "on hold" phone calls....tons of emails, and finally an actual reply....

I got them today...Cheap enough, but TERRIBLE customer service....

giddyup-go
04-27-2007, 11:46 PM

I just bought some pullys from them, their called Fatrodder on ebay. Good prices, but I couldn't get any response to my emails

FleaBiscuit
04-28-2007, 12:19 AM

Watch that FatRodder company on eBay and the parts they sell.

The shop i work for installed a MustangII front end kit that a customer ordered from them, and before the car even hit the road the balljoint boots were cracking.

So, we went to try to replace them, and literally a week later, and about 40 or so trips to our shop by our local parts supplier (bless them and their patience with us), and we couldn't match up the boots to ANYTHING. During this time we were also contacting FatRodder for info to see if they could give us an application so that we could order the proper ones that would press into the groove correctly.

The only thing they did to help was transfer us to someone who then proceeded to tell us that they buy the balljoints and boots from "some place in china", and have no idea what they fit. The threading is completely different than anything most would consider "normal". I wound up fabricating another 'seat' for the balljoints, and getting boots that we know would fit, and it works now.

I hope the balljoints themselves don't go bad anytime soon, the thread pitch/depth/sizes are completely different than any of the balljoints we tried to match it up to. When that time comes, we'll probably have to replace the arms with some different arms with standard components.

Solution? Buy from reputible manufacturers (not middlemen with ZERO product knowledge) that hopefully won't make your life a living hell down the road if/when things go wrong... don't buy cheap crap made in China just to save a few bucks.... it'll cost you more down the road!

weemark
04-28-2007, 03:39 AM

dave thanks for helping me out, cant believe how long the parts have taken to get to dave... however after reading this im kinda worried about the quality of the parts now...

the guy also goes by the name of BIGGJDOGG Auto Accessories - exactly the same shipping address.

as you say dave shoulda checked the hamb!

fleamarket couldnt you have just bought new balljoints which would have had the same thread as the rack and fitted into the bottom spindle mount?

completely agree though give these guys a miss. its hard when your in the UK and you need several different parts and you can find very few suppliers to supply all parts so we can get it all shipped as one parcel - especially when there is still companies out there who say they wont ship outside the USA - thats a whole other thread though!

Ole Pork
04-28-2007, 08:43 AM

WELLLLLLLL.....Goes to show how we should keep current on H.A.M.B. threads. I WAS going to order a m/c from that BIGGJDOGG outfit. Thanx a million for the great info. Another place to put in the ole memory bank to stay away from. .....Ole Pork

krylon32
04-28-2007, 09:35 AM

I bought some parts from Gearhead mostly because I was wondering about their quality. The parts were the same parts I was buying from a name brand distributor, just 40% cheaper. Maybe it doesn't always happen that way but it did this time. Rodparts Warehouse used to sell reputable parts but I don't know lately.

Turbopackman
04-28-2007, 09:55 AM

Speaking of e-gay vendors, does anyone know anything about this guy:

http://motors.search.ebay.com/packard-56_W0QQcatrefZC6QQcoactionZcompareQQcoentrypageZse archQQcopagenumZ1QQfromZR10QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQftrtZ 1QQftrvZ1QQmppfqyZpackardQ2056QQsacatZQ2d1QQsassZh dQ5fmadQ5fdogQQsbrftogZ1QQsellerZ1QQsofocusZbs

He seems to have quite a lot of crap for sale, not just the Packard stuff.

 

[greatscot3]

Yeah worst parts supplier 2

Buyer beware. Look at all the aliases.

FleaBiscuit34Hupmobile
02-20-2007, 03:32 PM
I ordered a MII rebuild kit 3 months ago from these folks via Ebay. I also ordered a swaybar bushing kit at the same time. Six weeks later I get a box with the rebuild kit and an extra set of strut rod bushings. Now it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out strut rods and anti-sway bars aren't interchangable and you don't eliminate one and install an extra set of the other. They don't answer emails ever. I've called them at least 20 times and the gal that answers the phone is totally rude. Half the time she just hangs up without a word. She finally just tells me to talk to her supplier and gives me the number. I called them and they say they don't even sell anti-swaybar bushings but the crackheads at Gearhead ordered extra strut rod bushings so they sent them. Its been so long since my order I can't even leave the ass blasting feedback they so deserve. Avoid these clowns and tell your friends to avoid them too.
40 & 61 Fords
02-20-2007, 05:14 PM

I believe they are also know as "Rod Parts Warehouse". I think they just act like a middle-man on all this stuff. No real storefront or anything. They are a vendor here at Back to the 50's, and always look like the circus coming to town...rental trucks, pop-up tents, and boxes everywhere. They do have some of the best prices on stuff. I guess I may have 2nd thoughts about them if I wasn't able to buy part in had like I can at the event.

graverobber63
02-20-2007, 05:16 PM

Good prices but horrible service. They are known as 'Fatrodder' on ebay.

I've had many mishaps with them. If it helps, the manager's name is Jason IF you can get through the girl on the phone to him.

Nick79
02-20-2007, 05:41 PM

Good prices but horrible service. They are known as 'Fatrodder' on ebay.

I've had many mishaps with them. If it helps, the manager's name is Jason IF you can get through the girl on the phone to him.

That's funny. I called them once and the girl totally hung up on me on purpose. I called right back and the guy answered. He was totally helpful and fixed the issue. Seems like they have way too much going on and not enough people to keep things in order. Keep calling!!

alchemy
02-20-2007, 05:42 PM

I believe they are also know as "Rod Parts Warehouse". I think they just act like a middle-man on all this stuff. No real storefront or anything.


I'm pretty sure Gearhead and Rod Parts Wharehouse are NOT the same places. Gearhead is from Waterloo, and RPW is from the Davenport area. I've never dealt with Gearhead, but I do know the RPW guy has been into old cars for decades.


rodbuilder
02-20-2007, 05:47 PM

I think, as of last summer, the rodpart hwarehouse was still in the quad city area. He mey or may not be linked to the Waterloo guy, I know there is a guy that rebuilds blower caes in Waterloo thats not on the level. The rodparts guy is shifty to the end, I bought most of my parts through him when I did my 54 the first time, no store front, all parts in a house in a residential area, stuff everywhere. He has been or for a while banned from NSRA nats vending due to crooked behavior. I live about a hour from him and won't buy a thing from him. Lifes to short to deal with hassles eveytime...buy from Yogis in the midwest, can't beat them for shippng and service.

jusjunk
02-20-2007, 05:52 PM

Dam if this the fatrodder on egay i wouldnt buy **** from him. Just look at his feedback and shitty replies like he is the king and everyone else is an asshole.. I think its the other way around. Ok heres a tip I bought some **** for my buddies model a i was working on from rodparts warehouse. they charged his credit card and no parts. I dont give a rats ass who it is if they charged your card and you dont have the item call em tell em your gonna call the credit card company. If they dont kiss your ass from that point on call the credit card company. Its illegal to charge you in advance for sumpin they done have in stock.. Rod parts asked him not to call and he told em we had better see the **** soon.. we did.
Dave
ps: I bought a bunch of stuff from rodparts when i did my 32 coupe 1-800-visa LOL... They always cut the other guys prices and i didnt have a problem but it can and will happen.......

GTS225
02-20-2007, 05:56 PM

I strongly suggest avoiding doing business with the Gearhead folks. Stopped by the place one time, wasn't impressed at all. They are set up in an out-of-business tire shop, but the place was a mess, and almost every box I saw had chinese markings on it.
I suspect they are a re-packager, pushing cheap crap from "our friends" on the other side of the Pacific.

04-28-2007, 12:19 AM

Watch that FatRodder company on eBay and the parts they sell.

The shop i work for installed a MustangII front end kit that a customer ordered from them, and before the car even hit the road the balljoint boots were cracking.

So, we went to try to replace them, and literally a week later, and about 40 or so trips to our shop by our local parts supplier (bless them and their patience with us), and we couldn't match up the boots to ANYTHING. During this time we were also contacting FatRodder for info to see if they could give us an application so that we could order the proper ones that would press into the groove correctly.

The only thing they did to help was transfer us to someone who then proceeded to tell us that they buy the balljoints and boots from "some place in china", and have no idea what they fit. The threading is completely different than anything most would consider "normal". I wound up fabricating another 'seat' for the balljoints, and getting boots that we know would fit, and it works now.

I hope the balljoints themselves don't go bad anytime soon, the thread pitch/depth/sizes are completely different than any of the balljoints we tried to match it up to. When that time comes, we'll probably have to replace the arms with some different arms with standard components.

Solution? Buy from reputible manufacturers (not middlemen with ZERO product knowledge) that hopefully won't make your life a living hell down the road if/when things go wrong... don't buy cheap crap made in China just to save a few bucks.... it'll cost you more down the road!

weemark
04-28-2007, 03:39 AM

dave thanks for helping me out, cant believe how long the parts have taken to get to dave... however after reading this im kinda worried about the quality of the parts now...

the guy also goes by the name of BIGGJDOGG Auto Accessories - exactly the same shipping address.

as you say dave shoulda checked the hamb!

fleamarket couldnt you have just bought new balljoints which would have had the same thread as the rack and fitted into the bottom spindle mount?

completely agree though give these guys a miss. its hard when your in the UK and you need several different parts and you can find very few suppliers to supply all parts so we can get it all shipped as one parcel - especially when there is still companies out there who say they wont ship outside the USA - thats a whole other thread though!

Ole Pork
04-28-2007, 08:43 AM

WELLLLLLLL.....Goes to show how we should keep current on H.A.M.B. threads. I WAS going to order a m/c from that BIGGJDOGG outfit. Thanx a million for the great info. Another place to put in the ole memory bank to stay away from. .....Ole Pork

krylon32
04-28-2007, 09:35 AM

I bought some parts from Gearhead mostly because I was wondering about their quality. The parts were the same parts I was buying from a name brand distributor, just 40% cheaper. Maybe it doesn't always happen that way but it did this time. Rodparts Warehouse used to sell reputable parts but I don't know lately.

Turbopackman
04-28-2007, 09:55 AM


78mako
09-25-2008, 08:11 PM

Hi Guys, After reading this thread, and having dealt with theses losers myself, I did some digging around and found out that the following are all the same guy selling on Ebay under different names and ID's: FatRodders Rod Parts, GearheadWorld, Gonefishing69 and Fatrodder. The female that everyone has been talking about being so rude is named "Tammie" and I received an email from her from Fatrodders Rod Parts. The addresses for these are all from Waterloo, IA and Hudson, IA. The thing that has really got me wondering is that they all have very high feedback counts with around a 98.5 to 99.5 positive feedback rating. That seems awfully high for companies that are consistently dealing out bad customer service and ripping people off. The only explanation I can offer is that the folks leaving the positive feedback on Ebay did so in fear of receiving negative feedback themselves. Since the feedback rating system has been changed to prevent sellers from leaving negative ratings for buyers we should see a drastic change in the amount of positive feedback being left for these idiots. It appears to me that the owner or owners of all these seller Id's has used so many of them in an attempt to spread out all the negativity instead of having it all collect under one name. This gives the illusion of having fewer dissatisfied customers in order to enhance business. The bottom line still remains that he is ripping off everyone he can and doesn't care a bit about customer satisfaction. The bad part about all this is that there is nothing that can be done to prevent these guys from keeping it up. All they have to do is change the name of the seller and it's back to business as usual. If anyone has any ideas as to how we can protect each other from these guys Please post it so we can put it into action. Personally I wish there was a way we could wage war on these fools and put them out of business for good. When it comes right down to it they are stealing and ripping us all off on daily basis. It would sure be nice if we could turn the tables on them so they knew how it felt. Anybody got any ideas?

 

[fishy68]

Fatrodder has had a bad reputation for quite awhile now. I remember looking at something he had for sale a few yrs. back and as soon as I looked at his feedback (hundres of negatives) I backed out.

BTW: You know you can file a fraud case real easy with most credit card companies and report this clown to the BBB. I've had to file a fraud case to get my money back once and it was pretty simple and I got my money back right away.