Rimmer Bros - AAAAH!

I always suggest that orders should be placed by 't phone - this may sound odd as my business is tinternet, but then again, maybe not so ;-)

Sorry, bad syntax, you need to open a statement before closing it :-)

Don't give up on Rimmer too soon, I think it's probably worth the wait/hassle. Although others have had different experiences, mine has been fine, and I also guess they'll know that I'll make a very big scene at every show if it isn't!

I normally do, but I did 'speak' to a human being via email to confirm stock, then placed the order via their website (they seem to be keen for people to do this and are offering 3% discount to those who do).

I've cancelled now, not so much because the lead time is unreasonable (it is what I originally expected), but more because no one I have spoken to gives a damn. They did call back within the hour, but when returned the call to cancel, the guy just said 'OK, I've cancelled it now'. No apology, no attempt to ask why, no attempt to rectify the situation.

I can cope with mistakes, I can cope with ineptitude and I can cope with crap individuals within a good company. But Rimmer gave the impression that not only do they not need my business, but they don't mind letting me know they don't need my business. So my expectation of after-sales support is nil from such an arrogant company. On that basis I'm not going to give them £350 for an exhaust that I would expect to last a long time.

Now, who else makes big / custom exhausts?

Tim Hobbs

'58 Series 2 '77 101FC Ambulance '95 Discovery V8i

Fair enuf I guess, but I really would go and talk to them at Billing, just to let them know. It is a very sad, but general reflection on British business ethics I reckon. In comparison, I ordered something from the States last week, arrived by Fedex 3 days later, plus follow-up to ask if it had arrived alright, was I happy etc. Cost of Fedex less than I was quoted for sending an equally sized package from Kettering on 3 day!

Janspeed? May also be worth talking to Holly at RPI (don't waste you time talking to Chris) and see what he thinks.

RPI I like. Not only did they deliver double quick, they discounted the price a bit and also forgot to take my credit card details (although they did remember later!).

I also got some good advice from Chris a while back about LPG conversion for the Disco (although I know what you mean - it's all 'upsell').

Got me thinking now - customer system with twin outlets each side for the full stereo burble.... Or a truck-style tower system in that dead area behind the passenger door (with the Smokey and the Bandit flap on the top)....

Tim Hobbs

'58 Series 2 '77 101FC Ambulance '95 Discovery V8i

I'd caution that not all US companies can cope with the tangles of orders from overseas. And there can be significant differences between the different carriers in how import duties and VAT are handled, and how much they charge for passing your money to Customs & Excise.

Which should make it even more embarrassing for UK companies which c*ck- up this sort of stuff. They should have a much simpler job to do.

Too true. I operate a "one strike and you're out" policy. Somebody mucks me about, I don't go back, full stop. And I apply it to everywhere I buy things.

Courtesy cost you nothing. Rudeness costs you repeat trade.

And I reccomend places that please me, and not places that muck me about. I can think of at least 4 motor factors round here that I don't patronise any more.

Alex

Funny that, I've often found that it's cheaper to get stuff fedex'ed from the states than buy it locally, or mail order in the UK.

Recently I ordered some cigarettes from Russia. Even with thier prices not being cheap, and international shipping it still worked out cheaper than buying them here, even if they were still on sale in the UK

Alex

Cheaper _and_ quicker. I followed my package with great interest through the on-line Fedex tracking and it arrived 10 hours before their on-line ETA. The other thing I noted with interest was the packaging. This wasn't much different from what I'd expect from a UK supplier, a little 'stronger' maybe, but far less 'battered'.

Actually, now I think about it, the _external_ packaging was slightly better, but on the inside it was 'packed' with pages from "The Desert Morning News and Salt Lake Tribune" newspaper (which I read, because being English, I read everything!) :-)

Presumably you weren't caught for the duty?

Let us know who you find. I'd like a new exhaust too. I can just about justify spending the money on a sports system to myself too.. the current exhaust is pretty much past it, and presumably i'll save on petrol since i'll have to rev it less to make it sound nice :-)

I too have been tempted by Rimmer's exhaust, but since then one of my mates has had loads of trouble with an exhaust he bought off them, and has said the same things as you - they dont ring back and they dont seem to care. Theyve also been really slow sending him replacement bits. Does sound nice though (when its not falling apart!)...

Im thinking of perhaps rerouting my exhaust and making it a bit shorter, so that i can get some tanks under the back of the 101 (infront of the rear x-member). Need to measure stuff up first though. Should make the exhaust cheaper! :)

Tom

P.S - Did you get my email the other week?

Don't write off Rimmer (point to Tim too).

There may be a few basic, fundamental 'changes' taking place very, very soon...

Hi Tom - yes I did. The parts will be at Billing - come and pick them up Thursday night. My mate has just been on a booze cruise to get beers and Pimms, so the Pimms party is definitely on! We are taking a cool box full of ice - it should survive the day and be useable to cool beers and lemonade.

I've just been out looking at the exhaust (and a quick fix for the leaky fuel filler that I forgot to order from the club).

Routing it to exit further forward will be an arse - it comes back to the gearbox before it joins to a single pipe, so joining it up to create a side-mounted stack will be tricky.

The neat work-around is a stack each side - full stereo rumble and actually quite simple pipe runs and no tricky y-joint. I'd lose a bit of cab-space either side (the exhaust will have to enter the cab where the roof overhangs the side, but not a lot.

There's a couple of places where the current pipe 'nips up' a bit, but I can't see any reason why it needs to - might just be some method of doing a cheaper pipe bend - dunno. So on the face of it, a pair of roughly mirror image exhausts would be manageable.

I've found a few specialist exhaust places that look promising, but I think the pricing may be a problem. But if you are up for a joint venture I'm sure that would make a big difference! I'm going to send some emails off this weekend and see if anyone is up for it.

Cheers

Tim Hobbs

'58 Series 2 '77 101FC Ambulance '95 Discovery V8i

I'll see what they're like in person too when im at billing. I always prefer to meet people in real life!. If they have someone good on the stand then i may change my opinion a bit!. It's not like i dont have enough other things id like to spend my money on either! :)

Also; Martyn - I was looking through my photos from Billing last year and found lots of the 101's lining up on the showground. Is this a club activity?

A la Craddocks?

I think the Craddocks website is a piece of anti-marketing - it's been so bad for so long that people actually recommend that others look at it! The new site is a complete botch, and seems to have involved moving half the content into a new and unattractive green format and deleting the rest. It's a handy calendar though - if I forget what month we are in I can look at the 'this site live' date, add a month and hey presto!

If you are designing a new site, surely you get it sorted BEFORE you post it to your server! It's a bit like Land Rover sending out the first draft of the new Discovery brochure, with a post-it saying 'this page will have prices on it' on the back and 'picture of Discovery here' on the front.

If it is anti-marketing, it's working!

Tim Hobbs

'58 Series 2 '77 101FC Ambulance '95 Discovery V8i

You should invest in a gas fridge, theyre great!. Ive got one borrowed on long term loan. think it makes ice cubes too :) Ran it for a week the other summer on around £7.50's worth of gas.

who happen to be just down the road fromme have them for £169, which seems resonable for keeping the beercool!.. Im getting really tempted to go buy one for myself if thiswarm weather keeps up next week,,, Wonder if you could get one that runs off LPG....

I shall come and find you at billing!. Im gonna be there very early on thurday morning i think. Want to beat the traffic and the heat, so that the 101 actually makes it! (tis running very warm at the moment, and i think the water pump may be making noises... fingers crossed for Billing - am hoping to not repeat last years breaking down the night before!..)

I'm provisionally interested!.. Got to do some measuring of LPG tanks and the like first, but then, yeah I might need a custom exhaust!

Tom

Apparently it's a no-no (Martyn - why?) but you can get a specific tank that WILL allow it.

I'm interested in the fridge - might be a neat middle-ground between a big Engel and a crappy Halfords thing. I'll check out the website.

I'm a bit nervy too - the 101 is still well down on power. It's chez Warren tomorrow for a panic carb swap (Stromberg for Stromberg sadly) and ignition overhaul. If that don't fix it then it will be a long, slow drive to Billing! However, I will be there even if I have to tow it with the A-Class!

Look for a red 101 with a grey Disco and a 90 parked next to it (and possibly an unnecessarily huge 6 man tent). If the dog barks at you smack him one, but do it quick or he'll smell your indecision (or just make an "I've got food in my pocket" look).

I'm going to sort out the Weber + LPG conversion first. I'm going to be interested to see how Warren gets the gear lever to go through the air filter....

Then I can work all of August to pay for an exhaust!

Tim Hobbs

'58 Series 2 '77 101FC Ambulance '95 Discovery V8i

We tried taking a halfords 12V fridge away camping. It lasted not quite 24hours off a fully charged truck battery. Gas seems a lot more practical!. The gas fridges will also run off 12V or mains if you so desire!

There should be a 101 emergency line for when one of us breaks down, so that another 101 owner can come give a tow.. :)

Ooh. its red now?. I'm looking forward to seeing it!

We need to have an AFL recognition method!. At Gaydon I think it was mentioned that we should be wearing CD's round our necks... We should all stick a CD on our grilles, so that we can all say hello while wondering around!. Hmm. I'll get some example pictures tomorrow and then try and start a thread getting people to do so :) The 101 needs some grille ornaments anyhow!

He sounds like the sort of man who can do it! :)

hehe. thats what credit cards are for :) buy it now, work it off later..

I posted a speculative question on uk.rec.camping, and everyone who replied reckoned you'd be all right to run a conventional domestic fridge from an inverter. Considering that you can get a new fridge from the usual suspects for less than a ton, and they're generally rated at less than 100 watts, would this be an option here?