TR Custom Parts
Mark Hueffman - Owner
- Joined
- May 25, 2001
Since the thread was locked on the tech section about the billet pulleys we are now selling due to the non tech postings let's continue on here. I find it a little disturbing that I have to prove where parts are made that I sell for my various suppliers but since a few trouble makers like gnbooster87 aka marred4life needs to stir the pot, here ya go.
If I say a part is made in the US it is, if I am asked if a part is made overseas I say it is. I haven't been doing this for 10 years now by BS'ing people.
Allegations that I don't support the Buick community is not true as well. I have probably done more giveaways on this board than just about any other vendor and have been a supporting vendor for MANY years. I participated in the giveaway car a couple years ago. I have sent care packages to some shows that have requested giveaways. I have attended some regional get togethers and contribute raffle prizes at these events.
Do I sell parts to make a profit? Of course, I have a family to feed just like everyone else on here. I work a full time job that requires me to be on call 24/7 and even while on vacation as well as doing my Buick business part time every evening. That is why I don't have my phone number on my site. Time is tight. I always strive to answer emails on a timely basis sometimes within minutes of receiving them since I can check on them at the day job. It is hard for me these days to get away to attend a national event for days on end. I have gone to Englishtown in the past for the Buick/Mustang shootout and a Kirban open house as a vendor and was very disappointed in sales for the time and money invested. It was then, that I decided to invest my time in only internet sales. That is my choice and doesn't mean I don't support the Buick community.
While working with a different supplier I had a customer who was waiting for almost a month on an item and I decided to look for a new vendor for this one certain part when it was apparent that it wasn't going to be sent any time soon. He took care of my customer and I moved forward with him. He has been a pleasure to work with and I run the products on my own GN without any issues. Yes, some of these items are made overseas but unfortunately this is just the way it is these days and if you think it is going to change just look around your house and see what is made here in the US. Now this is not true of ALL my parts I sell, pretty much just the headers, exhaust, intercoolers and radiators. All the other items I sell ARE US made and this brings us to the issue at hand.
Pulleys! Years ago I approached the competition inquiring about becoming a dealer for his products since I thought they would be a natural fit for the various custom items I had already been selling for years. I was declined a number of times. OK no big deal, moved on.
Now I have a supplier who has come out with his own line of pulleys. Of course I am going to sell them. They are made in the US and I post that as such when introducing them. Along comes Mr gnbooster87 accusing me of passing these off as a made in China product and things go on from there.
Now the thread is locked but I feel that we need to clear things up. First, these are not a "copy" of the RJC pulleys. I can see if the "razor" pattern was duplicated but it was not. Who says anyone has the rights to be the only manufacturer/seller of something as generic as a pulley? Aren't there different manufacturers of wheels, throttle bodies, vacuum blocks, fuel regulators and on and on?? Let's drop the copy thing right now, they aren't a copy. OK, next point.
For your viewing pleasure, here are some pictures of where these are made. They aren't cast as insinuated by some, they are machined billet aluminum and polished right here in the USA. I have blurred out the actual name of the machine shop making these and if someone has a problem with THAT, too bad!, but you can see the stuff we sell in the pictures including the pulleys and throttle bodies, you can see the California license plates on the cars in the showroom window picture and the picture of the owner who sure doesn't look like someone from China. No offense intended to any of Asian persuasion.
So, gnbooster87, go find someone else to bother. I am not planning on going anywhere. Thanks to all of my supporters and hope the naysayers can see my point on the whole pulley situation. If you like the RJC pulleys better, fine, buy all means buy them. I have them on my own GN but will be changing them out soon to the ones we sell as I run what we sell! If you want an alternative choice to the RJC pulleys you now have one. AND, we also have a billet AC delete pulley that is NOT offered by RJC. Am I going to cry foul if he comes out with one, nope! It's a freaking pulley!
As promised in the other thread, we will be doing a giveaway to board members for the month of November for a 6 piece set of the pulleys. Crank, alternator, water pump, tensioner, power steering pulleys and the alternator fan. Look for details on November 1st.
If I say a part is made in the US it is, if I am asked if a part is made overseas I say it is. I haven't been doing this for 10 years now by BS'ing people.
Allegations that I don't support the Buick community is not true as well. I have probably done more giveaways on this board than just about any other vendor and have been a supporting vendor for MANY years. I participated in the giveaway car a couple years ago. I have sent care packages to some shows that have requested giveaways. I have attended some regional get togethers and contribute raffle prizes at these events.
Do I sell parts to make a profit? Of course, I have a family to feed just like everyone else on here. I work a full time job that requires me to be on call 24/7 and even while on vacation as well as doing my Buick business part time every evening. That is why I don't have my phone number on my site. Time is tight. I always strive to answer emails on a timely basis sometimes within minutes of receiving them since I can check on them at the day job. It is hard for me these days to get away to attend a national event for days on end. I have gone to Englishtown in the past for the Buick/Mustang shootout and a Kirban open house as a vendor and was very disappointed in sales for the time and money invested. It was then, that I decided to invest my time in only internet sales. That is my choice and doesn't mean I don't support the Buick community.
While working with a different supplier I had a customer who was waiting for almost a month on an item and I decided to look for a new vendor for this one certain part when it was apparent that it wasn't going to be sent any time soon. He took care of my customer and I moved forward with him. He has been a pleasure to work with and I run the products on my own GN without any issues. Yes, some of these items are made overseas but unfortunately this is just the way it is these days and if you think it is going to change just look around your house and see what is made here in the US. Now this is not true of ALL my parts I sell, pretty much just the headers, exhaust, intercoolers and radiators. All the other items I sell ARE US made and this brings us to the issue at hand.
Pulleys! Years ago I approached the competition inquiring about becoming a dealer for his products since I thought they would be a natural fit for the various custom items I had already been selling for years. I was declined a number of times. OK no big deal, moved on.
Now I have a supplier who has come out with his own line of pulleys. Of course I am going to sell them. They are made in the US and I post that as such when introducing them. Along comes Mr gnbooster87 accusing me of passing these off as a made in China product and things go on from there.
Now the thread is locked but I feel that we need to clear things up. First, these are not a "copy" of the RJC pulleys. I can see if the "razor" pattern was duplicated but it was not. Who says anyone has the rights to be the only manufacturer/seller of something as generic as a pulley? Aren't there different manufacturers of wheels, throttle bodies, vacuum blocks, fuel regulators and on and on?? Let's drop the copy thing right now, they aren't a copy. OK, next point.
For your viewing pleasure, here are some pictures of where these are made. They aren't cast as insinuated by some, they are machined billet aluminum and polished right here in the USA. I have blurred out the actual name of the machine shop making these and if someone has a problem with THAT, too bad!, but you can see the stuff we sell in the pictures including the pulleys and throttle bodies, you can see the California license plates on the cars in the showroom window picture and the picture of the owner who sure doesn't look like someone from China. No offense intended to any of Asian persuasion.
So, gnbooster87, go find someone else to bother. I am not planning on going anywhere. Thanks to all of my supporters and hope the naysayers can see my point on the whole pulley situation. If you like the RJC pulleys better, fine, buy all means buy them. I have them on my own GN but will be changing them out soon to the ones we sell as I run what we sell! If you want an alternative choice to the RJC pulleys you now have one. AND, we also have a billet AC delete pulley that is NOT offered by RJC. Am I going to cry foul if he comes out with one, nope! It's a freaking pulley!
As promised in the other thread, we will be doing a giveaway to board members for the month of November for a 6 piece set of the pulleys. Crank, alternator, water pump, tensioner, power steering pulleys and the alternator fan. Look for details on November 1st.
