I think the strengths and weaknesses of the "Big Three" or four have been
widely noted. I received the Victoria cat in the mail today and have to
say, in fairness, I've been satisfied. The persons taking the orders have
been efficient.( ie found the three wire voltage regulator for my alt
instead of the 2 wire unit which could have been sent) Parts are received
in 2-3 days(USPS of course!)
By comparison, the west coast giant was kind enough to suggest I use a
mayonaise jar lid when I balked at paying $50 for the brake master cylinder
cap.
----------
> From: Kai Radicke <mowogmg@pil.net>
> To: Triumph List <triumphs@autox.team.net>
> Cc: MG List <mgs@autox.team.net>
> Subject: The VickyBrit Attitude.
> Date: Tuesday, June 15, 1999 11:02 AM
>
>
> Due to numerous discussions on Victoria British's service, or extreme
lack
> of, and their poor quality, misjudged shipping dates, erroroneous billing
> precedures and the rest of their "charms" - I have decided to distribute
an
> exerpt of this Thoroughbred & Classic Cars article which summarizes VB
> attitude and business focus very well.
>
> Background on the article: two GB based BMH Specialists decided to take a
> cross country tour of the United States' British car specialists, along
> tagged with them a journalist from T&CC.
>
> Thoroughbred & Classic Cars
> February 1990
> B-ing There 2 ; pgs 71-75
>
> < begin exerpt >
>
> Leo Long, owner o Victoria British, (aka Long Motor Co) the Heritage
> specialist in Kansas, was dismayed to see our conveoy pull into his car
> park! We were early and he'd bet $20 that we'd be late... We unloaded
the
> shell, polished up the MGB and yet again erected the portable British
Motor
> Heritage display boards. Meanwhile, spurred on by the high temperatures
and
> brilliant sunshine, the parking lot was filling with British cars, old
and
> new, for an informal concours and free hospitality. Leo was opening his
new
> spares shop this very day and was offering every visitor a healthy
> introductory discount plus free lunch...
>
> The new shop is an impressive modern facility, fronting an equally
> impressive and massive 60,000sq ft warehouse and 15,000sq ft office
complex
> behind. Leo was quick to explain that only a tiny percentage of his
> business is over-the-counter. Mail order is the key to his reputed
> $20,000,000 (and rising) turnover. MG and Triumph parts predominate on
the
> shelves of his spacious warehouse, although Jaguar, Austin-Healey, and
> Datsun Z items are carried too among the 17,000-plus lines. Much is
> imported from Britian but there are locally produced iteams as well. "We
> make most o our money on 'soft' items," says Leo candidly, meaning
hoods,t
> rim and the like. "But we do try to keep a full range of 'heavy' items
on
> the shelves," he said, indicating half-a-dozen bins of Armstrong lever
arm
> dampers.
>
> In a warehouse where some staff ride around on electric trolleys, the
> packaging and despatch bays are key areas and these are about to be
equipped
> with a robot-arm automated system that can handle more than 2,000 items
per
> day. All orders are taken on toll-free lines by up to 15 operators
working
> shifts that make allowances or USA time zones. "I don't employ 'gear
heads'
> (car enthusiasts) on the phone lines," says Leo. "If they like cars they
> talk about them to the customers and we lose time." A hard attitude,
> certianly, but one that gives a simple, efficient service to people who
want
> parts quickly. Delivery typically takes a couple of days, but a
guarnanteed
> next-day service is available anywhere in the States.
>
> (skip filler about Leo's un-British car collection)
>
> Our dinner with Leo and his company vice-presidents gave us more insight
> into the operation of Victoria British. Why Victoria? "It sounded good
and
> British," reflected Leo, demolishing his massive Kansas steak, before
going
> on to tell us about his favourite film, Wall Street.
>
> < end exerpt >
>
> So this is a man that deliberately hires people that dislike / don't care
> about the cars and what they sell (actually they are Lexana KS area
school
> girls); whom also appears to be a greedy person - not unlike a
stereotypical
> midwestern oil tycoon.
>
> Keep in mind that the large monetary sum quoted above is for the entire
Long
> Motor Corp, which encompases all divisions of it from VickyB to LMC
Trucks
> (Truck parts for all pre 1980 Detriot trucks).
>
> Meanwhile, the same article, raves about Charles Runyan's The Roadster
> Factory. And, believe me, TRF is a total contrast from VickyB (in all
> respects!).
>
> Anyhow, please support businesses that have an equal enthusiasm for our
> vehicles and do not look JUST to profit from them.
>
> chocks away,
>
> --
> Kai M. Radicke -- kmr@pil.net
> IRC: irc.ais.net ; #inet-access
> 1966 MGB -- 1974 Triumph TR6
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