# Vendor Warning - Restoration Performance Center



## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

*Vendor OK - Restoration Performance Center*

Back in March I ordered four (4) reproduction Rallye II wheels through Restoration Performance Center. I ordered through them for two reasons:
1) They advertise wheels manufactured by Specialty Wheel, and I've read many favorable opinions about them and their quality.
2) Their frieght/shipping charges were slightly lower than ordering direct from the manufacturer.

It took more than three months for the wheels to arrive (today). I was patient because the seller was telling me the manufacturer was out of stock and had to build more. I was ok with that.

However, what arrived at my door today, three months since I paid for them, were four wheels from Wheel Vintiques.

Bear is not happy. 

UPDATE: I spoke with both Specialty Wheel and RPC today. Apparently Coker Tire has bought both Specialty Wheel -and- Wheel Vintiques. Both companies now share a common distribution facility, but still have separate manufacturing. 
Using the stamped manufacturing codes on the inside of the inner rim, Specialty confirmed with me that I do have their wheels. Apparently they were just sent in the 'other' boxes.

Ok then. Bear is once more his usual bubbly self .... but unfortunately, it didn't last. See my next post in this thread.

Bear


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## Josh.AZ.GTO (Jul 11, 2009)

I'd like to know how this turns out. I live and down the road from RPC and have intended on purchasing a few products in the upcoming months from them.


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

Josh.AZ.GTO said:


> I'd like to know how this turns out. I live and down the road from RPC and have intended on purchasing a few products in the upcoming months from them.


Hey Josh,
It turned out ok. Check out my most recent edit to the original post.

Bear


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

Well, I spoke too soon. I measured the back-spacing on the new wheels today and all 4 of them are wrong. The 15x8's are supposed to be back spaced 4.5", the 15x7's are supposed to be back spaced 4.25". All 4 wheels instead have 4" back spacing which, amaxingly enough, matches the Wheel Vintiques advertised spec.

Now Bear is "sho' nuff" unhappy...   :shutme

I don't know whether to be peeved at RPC or at the manufacturer though.

Bear


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

*Bad Vendor - RPC*

RPC, that's Restoration Performance Center in Scottsdale AZ.

Well, I just got off the phone with both Specialty Wheel and RPC. I believe I've finally gotten down to the truth, and RPC will never get any of my business ever again.

Turns out that more than a year ago, "something happened" that caused RPC to decide to stop doing business with Specialty Wheel.

However, up until this past Friday, RPC still listed their products as orderable on their web site.

From talking with the folks at Specialty, I've learned that my order through RPC was *never sent to them!* It was from the very beginning back in March, submitted to Wheel Vintiques. It was RPC who pulled a switcheroo on me and never told me. In fact they continued to lie to me about it even as recently as last week. 

So, the upshot of all this is that I'm now waiting for RPC to have these wheels, which won't fit my car because of them being the wrong back-space, picked up and also to refund my money so that I can start the whole process over again, direct with Specialty Wheel this time, and get the parts I need.

The blame for this mess rests squarely and solely with RPC for trying to get away with switching me to a different product and then lying to me about it until I caught them red-handed. Both Specialty Wheel and Wheel Vintiques it turns out are inoocent in this whole mess.

Bear


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

You have been objective and reasonable as usual, Sir. We appreciate the information. Too bad it's such an aggravating wast of TIME. What's happening to integrity in this country these days???


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

I dunno Jeff, I've wondered the same thing myself. It's out there but getting harder and harder to find it seems.

Like a former boss of mine who I respect greatly use to say, "Tell the truth, don't hurt anybody." It doesn't SOUND difficult...:confused

Bear


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

One bright note in all this...

After receiving the return labels and dropping off the 'wrong' wheels at FedEx, I called Specialty Wheels direct and ordered the same ones I was *trying* to get all along.

Despite this being their busy season, not only are they going to try to get them built and sent to me in time for when I need them (June 5th for the Power Tour) but they also knocked a little off the price. None of this they had to do, they had nothing to do with what happened to me, but they're trying to help me out anyway.

Now, can you guess who I'll be calling the next time I need wheels for something?

Bear


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## Josh.AZ.GTO (Jul 11, 2009)

I had planned on buying a new roof and passenger quarter panel through RPC this Summer, but I'm scared to think who is going to be the manufacturing company of the steel. Their website says they carry Goodmark, Sherman, and Dynacorn. The reason I had intened to deal with them is that I could get these parts without paying for the hefty shipping costs. 

Now I don't even know if I want to deal with them at all. Your case is a very clear case of misrepresentation and shows a lack of integrity by there part.

I'm glad to see that Specialty wheels took care of you Bear.

What are you going to do with those Ralleyes you redid?


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

Josh.AZ.GTO said:


> What are you going to do with those Ralleyes you redid?


I'm going to keep at least one of them for a spare tire - since I currently don't have one at all . I wouldn't sell them and feel good about it since honestly, all 4 of them are slightly bent --- I noticed them wobbling just a tiny bit when I bought the tires and had them balanced. There's a place down in Dallas that says they can straigten them, but the cost is $100 plus per wheel. I'm paying not much more than that to get new ones.

You know, if you're dealing with them direct and it saves you big bucks because you don't have to pay shipping - and you can go put eyes on the stuff before you buy - it might be ok. Just be careful.

Bear


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

In owning a business integrity and your name are EVERYTHING!!!!

Just today i had a customer OFFER to pay me for extra work we had done on her house, because of her changing paint colors drastically. This was after i had made the statement initially that she could "change" the color of the walls on the re-paint. Well i was not expecting Marmalade orange over lavender (7 coats) and Regal blue over yellow (5 coats), but i did make the statement so i told her i did not feel right backcharging her for my miscalculation (misspeak) and it was not good business practice. So i had 500.00 in extra labor and materials, if she gives me two referrals or calls me back to do more work, this act of good faith will have paid for itself and i look at it as advertising and cost of doing business. From now on my contract states any colors that take over 2 coats will be charged accordingly. (this is insurance work where that is all they cover under scope of work) And just the fact that a customer would offer to pay more lets me know that i am doing right by them in my work and that there are still honorable people around.

If i were you Bear i would send RPC a link to this thread, think they have forgotten who it is that butters their bread.

Bear, i love your bosses saying....filing that one away.


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

Bear, what a logistical cluster F.....at least you are only loosing time. I have been fortunate enough to MOSTLY deal with reliable people. (Paid top $$$$ to avoid aggrevation). I don't know how some companies stay alive, as this is a small community of expensive stuff. ......here's one I always liked : " I may have been born on Tuesday, but not LAST Tuesday." Hope all works out well with the wheels. E :willy:


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

About the only place where RPC actually did what they promised to do was in refunding my money, and I had to argue with them over that too. The guy I talked to on the phone said they'd issue the refund once they had tracking number confirmation, but "the next guy in line" said it would be when they actually received the wheels. After I told him what I'd already been promised, they did it.

Bear


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

The sad thing is, even when you pay "top dollar" to avoid the pitfalls of marginal service, it doesn't seem to always work that way. Sometimes the cheaper, mom and pop outfits are far better. There's just no way of telling except for sharing our experiences. The internet makes the entire car community a "small town", and it's awfully hard to get by in a small town if you burn people. Instg8ter hit the nail on the head with the buttered bread statement. It's one thing to shaft people on necessities like food and fuel, where we have nowhere to turn. It's another thing entirely to shaft us on non-essentials like hot hod parts and 'toys'. We'll simply go elsewhere , build our own, or do without. Bear, I too like that simple but utterly true saying you posted. It gets filed with me as well!!


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