After viewing several threads on product quality or lack there of, an idea came to me that I would like to float: HAMB Consumer Guide. Let me explain. The HAMB is a tremendous resource for information by the folks that live, breath, build and buy vintage cars and trucks AND PARTS. We buy what we need that we think will help us get the job done. We've all had both bad and good experiences with manufacturers. As it has already been discussed, we also know that the venerated magazines of our hobby, as good as they have been for this hobby, are in business to make money and will not turn down an ad by an unscrupulous vendor. Where do we go to find consumer info on a specific part made by a particular manufacturer? Other than starting a thread here, we have nowhere to go. And creating a new thread every time anyone wants to make a purchase is pretty ***bersome. So here is my idea and I dont know how hard it would be to do, but in theory it seems that it shouldnt be too tough to accomplish. Create a tab under the HAMB with a pull down list of manufacturers/vendors. Under that have a pull down list of product categories. You can then have an open space to type in a specific part number. Once there, you get to place a simple good or bad vote. The program would have a tabulation view that would allow anyone visiting to look at a ***ulative rating for the manufacturer, the product category and even the specific part. The safety feature is that each rating would be recorded by member login and each HAMB member can only vote once on the specific part. The benefit to a member looking for info is that they could quickly see that mfg. X, in general, had 300 votes. If 251 were bad he would at least have a basis to make a buying decision. Anyone could drill into the info and PM the member that voted to get more specific info. This would be great for both our members AND the manufacturers. If a manufacturer has integrity they could use the info as a resource for quality control. They could contact the unhappy customer and find out what went wrong and try to resolve the issue. Each member would have the ability to go back into their vote and make a change to it if the manufacturer stepped up to do the right thing. We have thousands of members with loads of experience and history. That equals power. Its time we put that power to use and maybe, just maybe, we CAN impact the industry in a positive way!
the HAMB already has this, called alliance vendors, Ryan has already created a platform that effectively lets people support 'good' vendors, who in turn support both us and the HAMB. Anything more is, in my eyes fraught with danger, and not really what this site is about....
Search feature here works wonderful to find out info regarding a company, manufacturer or part. Besides, I think your way would open Ryan up to legal issues.
$2000 worth of ugly on car that could have used it a whole lot better spent. I have to agree with Denise in that something that would open Ryan and the board up to way too much chance of legal issues. It's one thing for us members to come on and say "Joe Dipwad makes parts that don't work like he says they will" and Ryan posting a listing saying not to buy parts from Joe Dipwad. Along with the Alliance we also have a strong network here already that is quite vocal on which vendors, up and down the line are good to deal with and which ones are suspect and which ones to stay away from, Guys and gals are also quite vocal in saying why one should or shouldn't buy a certain part no matter what the size or price of the part. And when you have a vehicle in your profile with extremely HAMB unfriendly wheels you had best have a thick skin because you can expect a full ration of **** over it.
The HAMB already has a powerful voice,,and if you question this line of thought check out the Hamb Alliance vendors list.HRP
Only if people make the monumental effort to actually search first. Some companies are still in business because way too many people don't search before spending a stack of cash. Then they start another thread here bashing Stockton, Northwest Speed, Eelco, Obsolete Ford, Wizard, etc.
I think it's a great idea and agree very much with Unkl Ian - the search function is not very often used (or sometimes not effectively so). How many threads on here have been unnecessarily started because someone did not search first? Then valuable bandwidth is used up by several "experts" telling the OP to try the search function - seems really efficient when you look at it that way . . . Not sure on the legal issue for Ryan - how does Consumers Report do it? That's what that publication was designed for and I think it's probably the world standard for rating almost everything. Note that I said "rating" NOT "berating" - I think if the ***essments were not full of slanderous garbage (might be hard to avoid this with "anyone" being able to comment) and reported truthful experiences with vendors or their products/services it would be considered factual information and not open to liability suits or claims. Practicality is the next hurdle. Managing it would be a big undertaking but just think of the advantages of having what the OP mentioned - a place for vendors to receive valuable information on how well or poorly they are doing - maybe some of the thousands of threads about "Made in China" junk would go away if vendors who manufacture overseas had a compiled list of just how many customers are sick of buying their garbage and would happily pay more for a "Made in USA" (or Canada!) part. Maybe we'd actually see some change, for a change. Steve
We actually have been there and done that back when the HAMB was not a friendly place to visit. Ask Z man I'll bet I have called him a bad name at least once in one of those discussions. Today he is one of those on my most revered list. Anyway web space is cheap and a product review site for hot rod parts could be made to use very little band width. Perhaps the solution is to start a site maybe someone from a Atomic industries would consult on design and then make sure that we as the HAMB have a link to said site. It would have to be moderated well to make sure that someone's review of a part or service wasn't slander but I think it would go over well with the rodders. Just a thought.
Dang fellow you just joined and already are wanting to make changes. Hang around longer ,learn the ins and outs of the site before trying to make changes.You work for N.A.P.A. why not work on improving their junk before trying to change the H.A.M.B.
Hey Mr48Chev, Just wait until I put the vinyl top on it, the pop up moon roof, shackles with Hi-Jackers and sidepipes! Going for the real "traditional 70s" look! All kidding aside, the wheels and tires were a steal at a swap meet. Couldn't buy the tires for alone for what I bought the set for. Just needed something to roll and hold air until I can start on it next year. Then I'll decide on what specific wheels I'll go with. I'm still trying to decide whether to keep the "weathered" patina which looks pretty cool or go with new paint. That decision will go far to determine which wheels I'll eventually use. hemisteve, Unkl Ian and porkn******, Thanks for the positive input. I think you get the gist of what I was trying to suggest. Actually, my thought is that there wouldn't a "review" area, just a simple good/bad or thumbs up/ thumbs down rating. If a member wants more info they can pick how ever many reviews that want and PM the members for more specific info. Same goes for the mfgs. The value would be that with just a couple of clicks anyone could get a quick snapshot view of the vendor. Just tonight I sifted through five different threads of complaints on mfgs/vendors where good people laid out money up front for really nothing in return. Sure would've been nice for them to have had a quick reference to check with first without going through the whole "new thread" thing. Oh, brad chevy, It's actually NAPA. And yes, just like everyone else, OR, AZ, ADV, ect..., we all have junk AND we all have great stuff too. You know why we all sell some things that are "junk"? Because too many consumers demand a cheap-priced product. So, if you don't want junk, don't buy it. Ask for and purchase the top-line items and you'll live "happily everafter"!
Most people here by used/vintage parts anyways IMO. I never put money up front, dont pay till I get what I want. And $700 for something to roll around on the driveway? Coulda got some steelies from the 'yard and used rubber for waaaaay less. But it's your money.
For every bad part or company out there, there are probably 100's or thousands of HACK wanna be fabricators. There would be no way to qualify a bad part or a ****py mechanic. How bout we start a list of guys who couldn't build a car correctly if they had to? Bet there are more guys who screw up perfectly good parts than bad parts/vendors out there. By a HUGE margin. If you or anyone else can't figure good part/bad part or good company/bad company with the phenomenal resources in todays world, let alone the HAMB, there is no helping you.
The thing is, most dont have integrity. They got your money already and could give a damn if ur satisfied with their product or not. Thank god for the HAMB's vendor's list, now those people are with the cause.
Hey SLCK64, The wheels have practically brand new 17" BF Goodrich G-Force T/As on them. At Newstalgia, or anywhere else for that matter, they are $180.00 each. I'm leaning toward Rocket Salt Flats or something similar, but that decision will come later. For now I got new tires. The useable wheels are a freebee. And then I can resell these dufus wheels at another swap meet later for a couple c-notes. Yeah, it's my money!
Very true. The part could be great in the hands of a worthy fabricator/mechanic. But not worth a **** if done by a hack artist. That's not fair to the manufacturer. I for one, would be upset to hear about this and find out that the part was fine, but the guy didn't have a clue!
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