Automotion
 

My shifter coupler bushings broke on my 84 Carrera Sunday. I figured if I called Automotion since they are open Sundays and only a couple hours away I could get them in a day or two without taking off work and driving over there. Sales rep said I should have them Tuesday and would arrive by Fed Ex. Tuesday came and no bushings. I called, they said they put them in the mail. The next day I got a tracking number. They didn't leave until Tuesday night, Wednesday they were on their way to Orlando for some reason, Today (Thursday) they are on their way to Tampa. So I will not receive them until Friday. A week without a car, I could have next dayed them from California and still got them Tuesday. Automotion did not have an answer or wanted to help in anyway. My suggestion, stay away from companies like this who do not put customer needs first. By the way they charged $8.00 to ship a $10.00 part by mail.

I was doing a Google search the other day looking for something for Porsche that I wasn't sure existed. I kept getting results to some of the other Porsche parts sellers. I noticed two things -- the search results seemed to indicate they had what I was looking for. But then when I searched the site, they didn't have it. It seems like they are doing a lot of keyword stacking to improve their rank in the search results but they don't actually have it. It's frustrating to waste a lot of time searching for something that isn't there. Deceptive, but not surprising.

The other thing I noticed was how expensive they were on common parts!

I keep asking Wayne how long it'll be before he expands to a west coast distribution facility. :)

Automotion hasn't been the same sine Tom and Marge sold the business. Lost the personal touch instilled in them and their staff.

Also miss the great annual swap meet.

Back in the day I use to love getting there catalog along with tweeks.

I used to read those catalogs all the time as a kid, before I was old enough to have a Porsche of my own ...

I ordered a rear droplink bushing kit for weltmeister sway bar and after waiting a month I was told on phone that they were on back order from supplier. So I hung up and talked to a very nice girl who sold me the part individualy. No problem and she also next day Air for free for my wait. I think they don't hire right people for the job.

Automotion is probably the number one reason Pelican gets almost all my business!

Seems like a lot of parts sites are going downhill.
Even Pelican irritated me last time I ordered... they cancelled the brake pads i ordered (out of stock, even though the site said "ships tomorrow") without bothering to check if I wanted to replace them with something else.

BMA still seems good, though I don't care for their current website.

AM used to be the schizzle, no mas. I used their catalog to price my used parts 50%......instant fair price. Tweeks the same, no mas. PP gets my bidness....

Automotion, Performance Products, PB Tweeks, Electrodyne, Imparts, AJ USA were all great fun back in the day and I loved going through their catalogs looking for parts. Even Auto Atlanta had a nice catalog with some interesting parts and manuals for those of us that have the 914 bug as well.

Now Pelican is my main source, though occasionally I do have to check Stoddards and Sierra Madre. The hobby has definitely become a business for many.

I had a big hassle with Sierra Madre when they first started, screw them as I have a long memory. AA and Patrick Motorsports are thieves.

GTC, what other cars are you ordering parts for at BMA ?

I remember stopping in at Automotion in the 90's when I was up in the Bay Area on business. What a cool place with great people. I bought a 930 Turbo gauge for my 356 Speedster Turbo [really.....story for another day...]. I bought quite a bit of stuff from them and was a happy customer.

Then on day they sold to Performance Products which I thought was not too bad.....they were a good operation and I liked them and almost in my neighborhood.......

Couple years later Performance had a big sale.....well closing the warehouse sale. they sold to Eckharts and would keep the store open but everything was moving to Florida . I spoke with the chief Eckharts guy and he tried to be convincing.......

We Pelican had my business from that day forward.......

It is a tough business and Wayne and his group do a good job!!

THANKS WAYNE.

Can't understand why a rant against a competitor(s) appears on a Pelican forum.
Have you guys not seen Wayne's latest post regarding the lack of growth at Pelican?
:confused:
Bill K

Not only that, but on a forum devoted to technical questions, as opposed to the off-topic forum, where this sort of stuff gets posted all the time.

Makes no sense to me.... :rolleyes:

JR

I posted this so other Porsche members do not get taken advantage of. And as I received my order today, I got shorted an item.

I seriously had no idea AM was even still open! But yes, I've used all of those above companies in the 90's!

I've used them for a few parts for a honda, toyota, audi, and a mitsubishi.

Came across an old Automotion 2017 catalogue but can't seem to find them anymore? What company bought them out? Thanks

Rose Passion in France I think.