Midwest-Bayless making efforts to make things right!!

[fiat218]

When I get the wrong part, I throw in in the garbage and order a new one ,

You have way too much money and too many cars! Send me one of the ones you have in East Grand Forks while I head up to Beek's and bring that rusty scrapy 69 down here!!!

u got a rusty 69? and your taking it to beeks?
does beek need parts off yours for mine lol

[mobigly73]

Hello all,
I wanted to put in another post about this subject after all the buzz that it has created. I agree that the post title should be edited. So I did. Mark has been great about assuring me that things will be worked out. Thank You. For a little clarification about why I posted about this. This did start as mis-picked parts shipped but after a few correspondences turned into a inability to fulfill the order. It took over a week for them to tell me that they were not in stock and wouldn't be available and may not be available for a long time. This is the first time I had made an order to Midwest-Bayless and when the first package arrived incorrect they responded quickly and had me ship them back for replacement with the correct item. I thought all is well but the next email I got back a few days later was a thanks for shipping the wrong item back so quickly but now they don't have the parts that I ordered and they wont be available in the foreseeable future. This seemed a little weird to me hence this post. I had started this project with the assumption that the parts that I ordered would show up so I went ahead and started all the prep work and basically stripped my car down and started body work. To find out that a key part of my projects vision was not going to be available put me in a panic. In my mind my fate was sealed but after this post I have come to find out that maybe the people that I was dealing with were either inexperienced or had some miscommunication internally that created all the confusion.
Like I said earlier Mark has been great in his communications with me and he really shows that he takes pride in his business. Hopefully I will be able to post some really cool pictures of a race replica 124 spider in the near future.

[bradartigue]

I had started this project with the assumption that the parts that I ordered would show up

Word of advice - don't do that. I don't care what kind of car you are working on quite literally ALL of the parts vendors are small operations. Sometimes your parts are coming direct from the manufacturer or wholesaler, sometimes you're the first person to order some part in years (and they literally have to find it). Parts vendors aren't large operations, few have just in time inventories, fewer have highly advanced management systems.

Have your parts in hand and inspected (and possibly returned if something is wrong) before getting into a project, or start your project on a timeline that has plenty of slip for parts and other nasty occurrences.

[4uall]

As an FYI you may want to go to your original post and edit the headline there, editing it past the first post does not change the post heading

Good on you Glad it all worked out

[redauto]

bayless was bought out years ago by midwest. so art and susan and company are no longer bayless. they should not be linked to the person claiming to be bayless and having 40 years experience in fiat parts. unless he started when he was 2.

[MadMatt1]

bayless was bought out years ago by midwest. so art and susan and company are no longer bayless. they should not be linked to the person claiming to be bayless and having 40 years experience in fiat parts. unless he started when he was 2.

...First, I appreciate that you think I'm that young. lol.

...Second, we look forward to another 40 years of carrying on the Bayless name.

....Third, Midwest-Bayless staff have more than 70+ years of cumulative parts and service experience.

....Fourth, the staff works with a 40 year collection of tangible and intellectual property associated with Bayless, in addition to 15 years worth of the Midwest company's experience, reserves and active acquisitions.

You get the picture.

-Matt
Midwest-Bayless

PS. Art and Susan thank you for thinking about them, and say Hi.

[fiat218]

bayless was bought out years ago by midwest. so art and susan and company are no longer bayless. they should not be linked to the person claiming to be bayless and having 40 years experience in fiat parts. unless he started when he was 2.

...First, I appreciate that you think I'm that young. lol.

...Second, we look forward to another 40 years of carrying on the Bayless name.

....Third, Midwest-Bayless staff have more than 70+ years of cumulative parts and service experience.

....Fourth, the staff works with a 40 year collection of tangible and intellectual property associated with Bayless, in addition to 15 years worth of the Midwest company's experience, reserves and active acquisitions.

You get the picture.

-Matt
did you post a picture ?
Midwest-Bayless

PS. Art and Susan thank you for thinking about them, and say Hi.

[wetminkey]

How very cool to hear of Art and Susan, who I did business with over 14 years ago! I hope they are doing well. They were just great, as was the business. And I remember talking with another fellow over the phone too, but I cannot recall the name from so many years ago. Could it have been Roger? I'll have to look through my old records,...
I will happily continue to do business with Bayless because of the customer service I've had in the past!
Glad to hear you are Bayless now, Matt. I look forward to talking to you.
Todd.

[supplyguy]

I had started this project with the assumption that the parts that I ordered would show up

Word of advice - don't do that. I don't care what kind of car you are working on quite literally ALL of the parts vendors are small operations. Sometimes your parts are coming direct from the manufacturer or wholesaler, sometimes you're the first person to order some part in years (and they literally have to find it). Parts vendors aren't large operations, few have just in time inventories, fewer have highly advanced management systems.

Have your parts in hand and inspected (and possibly returned if something is wrong) before getting into a project, or start your project on a timeline that has plenty of slip for parts and other nasty occurrences.

The upside of these smaller vendors is personal attention. I've been on the phone with three of the primary vendors and sorted out what was available or not prior to making purchases of parts that may or may not be right for my car. I've gotten the right parts more often than not, and occasionally the wrong part - and it was always made right. Even with Vick's. Another lesson learned is to open everything and verify upon receipt. Sounds fundamental, especially for a logistics guy, and yet a couple of times when I was ordering parts for projects to be done some day in the future. By the time I got around to doing the work a year had passed. I opened the box (from a huge auto parts supplier) and found it would not fit, ad after a year they would not take it back. Shame on me.

[wetminkey]

supplyguy speaks the truth,...especially with Fiat OEM or after market parts.
Use the forum for information! Then carefully check what you want to order (hopefully with a picture!), call and discuss the order with the supplier, and carefully check everything once received.
Even with my other "major manufacturer's" vehicles, I have to do the same thing, but it's vital for the rare Fiat parts. The lack of common knowledge puts you in the driver's seat!
And these vehicles are 35+ years old,...nobody even knows what a carburetor (or a Fiat) is anymore, especially the guy that's hired for minimum wage to be behind the counter,...Chevy, Ford, Mopar, or Fiat. Keep that in mind.
You'll not find Fiat parts at NAPA.
Shop carefully and have fun!
Todd.

[2500diesel]

You'll not find Fiat parts at NAPA.
Shop carefully and have fun!
Todd.

Not sure about Napa, but Rock Auto actually carries some spider parts.

[wetminkey]

What I meant is that I've found, over the years, that as vehicles get to be about 25 - 30 years old, most of the general parts suppliers (NAPA, etc,...) have less and less ability to source and supply parts. As vehicles hit about 35, their ability becomes severely hampered, and about 40 years old, or greater, those places will only be able to supply the most common replacement parts, like filters. Some of that is true of online shopping, but not so much. And very few people know how to deal with a carburetor anymore, even mechanics. I learned to tune 'em by ear when I was in high school,...
Thanks, I'll remember to check Rock Auto when I need parts for the Spider,...might save some money that way.
Todd.

[spider2081]

I believe its important to buy our parts from the "Fiat Parts Businesses" that have supported us and our cars over the years. As already stated they have been our long time friends. They sponsor our Fiat events like FreakOut as well as local events. We can call them and get helpful information. Just as Home Depot put a lot of local Hard Ware stores out of business Auto Zone and Napa could do the same to our friendly Fiat Suppliers. Then what would we have? We would have counter people who don't know or care about our cars. You will have a continuing reduced availability of parts as time goes on.
Leave the big boys to their profit markets.

Support the Fiat Part Houses who support us.

[FiatMac]

I believe its important to buy our parts from the "Fiat Parts Businesses" that have supported us and our cars over the years. As already stated they have been our long time friends. They sponsor our Fiat events like FreakOut as well as local events. We can call them and get helpful information. Just as Home Depot put a lot of local Hard Ware stores out of business Auto Zone and Napa could do the same to our friendly Fiat Suppliers. Then what would we have? We would have counter people who don't know or care about our cars. You will have a continuing reduced availability of parts as time goes on.
Leave the big boys to their profit markets.

Support the Fiat Part Houses who support us.

I agree!!

[wetminkey]

I, obviously, like to support the Fiat suppliers, since I spent a large amount of money with Bayless (and Caribou, for the top) to rebuild this car's engine, get it fit for the road, and properly replace missing items. I really enjoy dealing with the folks that know Fiats, and miss my conversations with Susan, Art, and Roger (I think that was his name,...he and Susan typically answered the phone at that time) at Bayless. But I also need to save money, if possible (I'm NOT rich, by any means!), and Spidey doesn't require much now. So, for example, I needed to replace the car's air filter just the other day, and I got that from NAPA. I also bought screws and a bolt or two from Ace Hardware, recently. It's tires came from Peerless, long ago, and it has a NAPA battery (and now an MSD coil from Jegs). I don't believe that will hurt Auto Ricambi, Bayless, Vick, etc,...
For my other "major manufacturer" cars/trucks, I try to get parts locally, but as the vehicles get older, that also becomes impossible. Even for those vehicles, OEM, repro, and parts that don't wear out regularly, are still going to have to come from the special parts suppliers, so I support them just as I do the Fiat parts suppliers.
I have seven vehicles (and two tractors) that I've restored/rebuild/refurbished and collected over the past twenty+ years. I don't want to think about what I've spent, but the end result is worth far more (and they are all such FUN to drive!!).
I've certainly been doing my part to keep the OEM/repro folks in business! They are the only reason I can do what I've been able to do!
Todd.