Alfa Stop (Tony Stevens) - Expirience

[Carlos Vasconce]

I have to agree with the comment
"...I don't have the energy to jump through so many hoops. ...".
AlfStop does seem to have the answer to a lot of small problems of any Alfa restorer... but no consistency whatsoever in the handling of all the queries... no price/no information lead to no sale... and an unhappy Alfista!

Best regards to all!

[Zunige]

It's pretty obvious that the vendor in question has difficulty using what has become the modern way of doing business. In other words, via e-mails and on-line facilities. I'm sure all of you have friends who are not "computerized". It doesn't make them bad people to have a friendship with. It just means that you keep your relationship without using the "modern" tools. Or would you break the friendship, because you still have to communicate the old-fashioned way? Then, why not simply do business with this vendor in the same "old-fashioned" manner?

Best regards,

[jc in rb]

wonder of wonders! I got a reply freom alfa stop not 15 minutes after posting here this morning.Will be able to get most of what i need. still gona need drivers side door aperature stainless ( just the lower piece) for 101 spider and wiper stand-offs and window winder.maybe he's readin the board ?? anyways all is cool.

[VeloceOne]

Time for this stupid thread to be locked. Deal with the person or not. ENOUGH.

[p_lo]

Just want to add that I've never had a problem. The times that I did get a hold of him he was very pleasant and helpful, as well as honest. His business is obviously short-staffed yet he sells alot of parts not readily available in noth america, for that reason I'd be patient with him. He seems well- intentioned enough for me to continue to buy with confidence from him.

[alfazagato]

Enough. Tony is a good guy. Let him run his business and our pleasure.

[jc in rb]

agree'd, it wasnt a slam against him, sometimes things happen and people cant do biz due to personal issues or other unforseen situations(website issues ect)and people inquire as to why.glad all is well with his biz and am lucky he is in biz.

[alfazagato]

Couldn't agree more!

[Tony Ranson]

I do not usually air my communications with AlfaStop customers in public, but I feel able to do so in this case since you are no longer a customer of AlfaStop.

I was surprised to see your mail on the Yahoo 750-101 group within hours if not minutes of our conversation last Thursday. It seems from your posting & from our conversation that you do not recall events as I do, or that you choose to forget them.

You first contacted me in August 2005. From then onwards you contacted me fairly regularly, asking for product information & also trying to get me to reveal my supplier details & complaining about the shortcomings of various parts which you had bought in Italy.

Not once during many telephone conversations was there any discernable sign of an enthusiasm or passion for the Giulietta cars.

In April / May 2008 you were finally ready to order place an order, but you then wanted the items sent to a company in another country & not to pay any VAT (sales tax). I was unable to take payment by credit card for such a 3-way transaction since it was not permitted by the credit card company rules. You asked if the company in the other country could wire the payment & I agreed, although this entailed additional work as that company required a pro-forma invoices etc. before they would issue a payment instruction to their bank. I complied with your request & payment was eventually received.

Soon afterwards I received a call from you, informing me that you had received the parts. I enquired if everything was OK & you replied "not exactly", or words to that effect. I asked what the problem was & you replied that the parts were not original Alfa Romeo parts, to which I replied that I do not claim to supply original Alfa Romeo parts.

I asked you what the particular problems were & you stated that the radiator mounting bolts which I had supplied to you had a thread length which was different from that of the original bolts. I asked if that affected using the bolts & you confirmed that it did not but that you thought that I ought to know that I was selling parts which were not correct… You then made some other minor comments which I do not recall in detail.

You then enquired about some other parts. My patience was then at an end after a prolonged exposure to your whinging & negativity. I politely stated that I really did not wish to supply you any more & suggested that you seek an alternative supplier.

You seemed taken aback at this & asked me why. I replied that I had already had about 30 phone conversations with you & about 20 faxes or e-mails. You did not dispute these estimates. This had resulted in an order of around GBP300.00.

I therefore was somewhat surprised when you called me out of the blue last Thursday & asked about some parts which you had seen on the AlfaStop website & spoke to me as though we were in regular contact. I politely re-stated that I did not wish to supply you. You asked why & I reminded you of the problems during our previous transaction. We then closed the conversation relatively cordially under the circumstances, or so I thought.

So I find it hard to comprehend why you immediately wrote to several internet boards stating that you were confused at my attitude...

Nothing has happened in the last week to make me reconsider my decision of last year. I would make the same decision today under similar circumstances.

No doubt some members reading this might appreciate that there can be two sides to a story & that, just as a customer can choose not to use a particular supplier, so a supplier can also choose not to have a particular individual as a customer.

I consider that my communications with you are now at an end.

Tony Stevens
AlfaStop
England

[Subtle]

Two years ago, I received new billet-made brake cylinders from Tony with no problems.

[alfa veloce]

I really could say many things on latest replies.

But as some have intention to offend, I had and have no intention going that low.

Thought that with last post i ended my comments but...

I would never put on group or forum this thread if I knew that people would say what they did. My wish was only to share experience with all. Didn't want to attack anyone or offend.

Despite all mentioned ( Harry Potter, Lincoln, Staljin, Communism, etc ) ill not answer to this. That was not theme of this thread. Especially I don't wanna polemize with Mr. Stevens and define what was first chicken or egg. Every medal has two sides, but I don't want burden everyone with that. What I wanted to say was in my first post. I will mention just few facts:

- regarding bolts, I work with them - that's my job, those send to me
are regular bolts that i sale for 100 times smaller price as they aren't worth any more
(would not order them if Tony said that they aren't “like” original, but said opposite )

- regarding VAT i payed every single Eur on it, like on every other part that were ordered and all were delivered to same place to my partner export company in Germany.

I'm very sorry that this letter was only addressed to me. I can accept that I'm bad guy here, but I noticed that there are other unsatisfied people, or?

At the end, dear Tony I wish you best in your business, I have lived and will live without you and your parts.

Thank you all on your patience. I have spent last few beautiful days with my family,
so with little delay I wish you all:

Happy Easter,

Zlatko

end of discussion for me

P.S.
discussion on 750-101 yahoo group is closed so I cant post this there and I dont want to open new discussion