Minor Brain Damage at Chaparral

["Smith, Steven" <ssmith@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Just a little note to vent on the folks at Chaparral (800-841-2960,
http://www.chaparral-racing.com/).  I have done business with Chaparral for
a few years now, and IMHO, their service is sliding into the crapper.  On
March 24 I ordered a pair of Vee-Tops armored shorts (I'll wager
imaginations are racing just about now) and a K&N filter, both to be
delivered 2nd day air.  The order didn't arrive on the expected date.
Called and learned the K&N was not in stock and was holding up the show.
Authorized the shorts to be sent ahead of the filter.  On the newly
appointed day of arrival a package was indeed at my door.  Unfortunately it
contained number plates and decals for a Yamaha dirt bike ordered by someone
else.  Luckily for the person affected I am an honest bloke and notified his
credit card company forthwith that Chaparral was being careless, if not
inconsiderate, with their customer's card number and boughten goods.  I also
shipped the stuff, hopefully not needed for any racing that weekend, back to
Chaparral.  The next business day (April 3) my shorts arrived.  No hurry
about the filter, so I didn't check on the order again.  Another package
arrives April 14.  Wrong filter.  Not even close.  A cylinder as opposed to
a flat.  Rechecked the invoice and everything was in order with respect to
the catalog (K&N part 340-9743, 1998 T595 et.al.).

Apparently the confusion occurs in the shipping department, where they're
too busy to double check parts against the invoice.  However, even if the
mistake is rectified, I will be out return shipping and another two or three
weeks wait - if I'm lucky.  The customer service representative didn't offer
to have the item picked up on their tab.  Need to verify the mistake
themselves I reckon.  Yeah, I know this is the busy season and I'm trying to
be understanding.  However, time and mistakes go a long way toward negating
any benefit of lower pricing.  Therefore, Chaparral, like the Motorcycle
Accessory Warehouse before them, are crossed off my list of reliable
merchants and won't get my dough again.

Crash ("He said 'armored shorts'.  HuhHuhHuh")

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