John, SpecialT, and his "business practices"

[Rich]

Sorry to hear when a D parts/services vendor lets anybody down.

I've used most of the various vendors from time to time, including SpecialT.

I've dealt with John H on and off over the years. Maybe 3 or 4 orders with multiple parts per order over the past 5yrs.

Didn't have any problems with any of those orders I can recall. The parts got here when I expected and they all worked fine. During one of those episodes John also spent time with me on the phone explaining some details about the parts installation, which I appreciated.

I'm certainly not defending the behavior Luigi reports he got; nobody would like that treatment. I can say that John's done better than that in the past.

Sorry to hear when a D parts/services vendor lets anybody down.

[Starglider]

I've ordered quite a lot of stuff from John with no problems. It does takes a long time to arrive (even considering that I'm in the UK) and you do have to stay patient and keep calling until it ships. In return you get lower prices. So John seems to be a good supplier for long-term restorations but probably not if you have a deadline.

[Screamin Yellow D]

I have never had an issue with John... always prompt service and quick turn around. As a matter of fact... every DeLorean vendor has served me well!!!... Ok, except DeLorean One... but lets not go there.

[refugeefromcalif]

I made my first online purchase from SpecialT on Aug. 4.
Seeing that PayPal was an option I went to checkout on the order. (His battery ground wires).

I found out SpecialT Doesn't accept PayPal payments online. I had to wait for an email, (Saying that he expects payment before he'll ship my parts), and the email I received Didn't tell me the PayPal account I could pay to.?
I called on Aug. 6 and was fortunate to get John on the phone. I went through the details of my order and asked about how/who to pay by PayPal.
His comment to me was that he didn't like how PayPal paid so, He wanted me to pay by credit card over the phone. (Fastest way for shipping he said).

I did that. He assured me that my order would ship the next day. (Aug. 7).
It's now the Aug. 23 and I haven't heard from John or, seen the cables I ordered?
Granted the day I called and paid him, he said he had 17 orders to process and he was a One Man business and working out of his home.?

While I was on the phone with him he did manage to state, (Many times), that he'd been in business over X years and knew all there was to know about DeLoreans and had the best replacement/upgrade parts for them.
He then reminded me that he wasn't an Official DeLorean vender and then proceeded to Slam the DMC venders on their business practices and Integrity.?

This is my first order from Special T and while it isn't completed yet, It's my Last...

George

[Soundkillr]

I've made my last purchase with John. Unfortunately, I had issue after issue, and just re engineered his parts to work. The final straw was with his 3 core radiator with (x) years warranty. It leaked after 200 miles and being on my car for 8 months. He tried to pull the "user installation error", then when I shot that down, it was "I've sold hundreds of these, and this is the first problem I've ever heard of..." And I've heard that before, and shot it down. Headed it all off with, "look you have a warranty what can I do to get you to honor it?" He then informed me that the warranty was simply to repair the item but he had never had to do it. Told me to pull the radiator and take it to a shop and ask for a quote. He would never confirm that he would pay for any repair. At that point I informed him, if I pull the radiator out its never going back in. The radiator BARELY fit in the car with factory shroud. I asked him directly about a factory shroud (before i bought it) and he said it would fit no issue. When I called him out about it he said, it's not designed for a factory shroud, "shoulda bought my shroud and fans blah blah blah"
Another issue was being re billed for the same purchases months later (on two separate occasions) once for 450 dollars and the second time for 180. Calling him and my credit card company became annoying.
Most of his parts need work to fit. Even his condenser ends are so short, it's impossible to tighten the lines because it fits so tight against the radiator. Had enough of parts that seem to be off the shelf auto parts that have a nut welded on them to ease installation. Now I buy my stuff that is engineered for the car, isn't just a generic part, and will be warrantied by such a vendor who honors their word.

[NightFlyer]

I've got those struts on my car. They're 2-3 years old and have failed.......

How long do door struts normally last?

--buddy

I'm still using the OEM/stock door struts that came with my car when it left Dunmurry.

And no, I haven't made any torsion bar adjustments.

[Citizen]

I've got those struts on my car. They're 2-3 years old and have failed.......

How long do door struts normally last?

--buddy

Mine are going on 8 years now (that's right, eight), and are from DMCH. No problems with them at all. Granted, they get little use.

Thomas

...

[BTTF-1]

I have ordered thousands of Dollars in parts from John. On many of occasions the parts came slowly. Geez I have a D what's the rush I did not pay Fed Ex over night charges.

Generally what I do is purchase a bunch of parts at a time put them in a box in the garage, when the large box gets full take it to my mechanic and have them put on.

I am totally restoring my D.

One time I was having a problem with the D. This was a year ago. I ordered about 500 in parts. HJohn called me on the phone and asked what the problem was. I told him, he gave me some tests to run and would not sell me the parts. He did not want me purchasing any parts I did not need. Hey how many vendors would do that.

I really like John. It's really great he has so much to offer.

I have 5 cars. The parts for the D are cheaper than those for any of my cars.

Soon my D will all be new. "Joking".

Seems to me that if you are in such a rush you might want to make sure you communicate that you need the parts fast and pay the extra Fed Ex charges to ship over night.

Hell I spent at least 750 dollars shipping core charge parts back to John.

I wouldn't even get into the conversion price of making the BTTF props to my spec's and original parts for my car. I could have purchased at least two maybe three of the cars VB has on e-bay.

Just my two cents.

John Rocks however quite slowly.

ED

[Cory W]

One time I was having a problem with the D. This was a year ago. I ordered about 500 in parts. HJohn called me on the phone and asked what the problem was. I told him, he gave me some tests to run and would not sell me the parts. He did not want me purchasing any parts I did not need. Hey how many vendors would do that.

Dave and Julee; Toby and Misty. I'm sure there are others, but these are the ones I have experience with. The differnce is in the way they approach it. I have had situations where they probed a little bit as to why I wanted a certain part, and suggested that I did not need it. They'll sell it if I am aware of the situation, but want it anyways...

If I just want to upgrade a part, or create a benchmark point for maintenance, and I am told I "will not" be sold a part, that is really not a service to me. I can appreciate going over different testing procedures, but "I will not sell you these parts" is likely to create an equal and opposite reaction in some people: "*I* will decide how to spend my money; I will get my parts elsewhere"

Seems to me that if you are in such a rush you might want to make sure you communicate that you need the parts fast and pay the extra Fed Ex charges to ship over night.

I did that my one and only order with him. He was the only person who had what I was looking for (AC barrier hoses, but I added some braided fuel lines). I mentioned the importance of speedy shipping more than once. I gave him my FedEx account number. I still waited three weeks for them in the mail. The excuse was "to save you money" Besides it not being what was VERY explicitly stated and requested, up here summer is measured in weeks. His unsolicited decision, against my specific request, kept my car off the road for an unacceptable amount of TIME. That was unforgivable.

To be fair, he was nice, never gave me attitude, and he was chatty when we did talk on the phone. Had he been brash or standoffish, that would have ended the transaction right then and there. He just cannot deliver what I want or need within a reasonable amount of time for me.

I believe most of it is that he spreads himself too thin. Do the Porsche and Mercedes customers get the same reception as us? I agree with him needing somebody to help out. The "one man show" routine is old, and is too limiting for the potential customer base he tries to reach.

[BTTF-1]

Geez

I think John is just getting old. It's a shame your first order flopped. However I trust him. How many business's can you say that about. John's company has a lot to offer the Delorean World. I would really hate to see him gone.

Then the prices would surely go up.
I have dealt with many of the D vendors. I could tell you stories I just wouldn't put here.

You should order a BTTF product from one of the BTTF Vendors. I have waited as long as a year and a half. I have an order I paid for 1 year and 4 months ago.

Shoot me!
ED