John Craddock Landrover

[Happyoldgit]

<mod hat on>

Tris,

Regarding the grammar etc. While we are mindful to maintain standards I think you have explained sufficiently well and anyone worth their salt is now going to be more understanding so no need to apologise further.

We are all here to pass on information, learn and support one another and your experience with this company and opinions as a result are as valid as the next person.

To everyone else,

I already said earlier: Enough said about grammar ...so the subject now ends here.

Thanks

</mod hat off>

[110WestCape]

LGD, thanks for sharing your experiences about Craddocks. I considered using them in the past for "prepaid" online purchases but they were very slow to reply. This just confirmed my thoughts.

TO: .enif tsuj daerht ruoy dootsrednu I ...... or left to right ...... I understood your thread just fine.

........ hat, coat and .... erm ... mod's handbag

[ThreePointFive]

I'm looking for an alternative to Paddocks, the quality of some of the stuff they send is pretty poor, and they send the bare minimum of what you order. In particular I don't like the way if you buy brake pads, that's all you'll get. You'll need pad retaining pins and anti-rattle springs but they'll never supply any, and you have no right to argue because as the ad says: brake pads. No mention of any other small bits you'll definetly need...hard to think of examples but sending things without nuts and bolts because the car has the old ones, which are almost definetly rusty beyond use and probably shear as you're taking them off to fit the new part, isn't really on.

I think the problem is you can't tell who supplies which parts, I would use other sites but paddocks is usually £10+ cheaper, and if I'm buying the same part I can't afford to pay more just to make a point, I can't throw away money. If sites displayed who was supplying the part, I could see that it's not another britpart part. Then I would pay more! Problem is too many sites trying to make a bigger mark up on the same parts.

My point is, it's good to know who not to deal with and it seems like Craddocks is not the alternative I'm looking for!

Thanks for sharing your experience letsgetdirty.

[Orange]

My point is, it's good to know who not to deal with and it seems like Craddocks is not the alternative I'm looking for!

Bearmach! Never failed me yet. I get what I ask for and they know that I don't take too kindly to inferior quality parts! It helps that I have managed to negotiate a good 'relationship' with the local branch

[widget]

I've used Craddocks for bits over the years, and generally they've been OK - but the attitude of the staff is just rubbish. I've had a couple of surreal moments, the last of which went like this...

Me. "Can I have a set of centre caps for a set of Firestyle wheels please"

Craddocks monkey, "What's Firestyle wheels?"

Me, "The Freestyle copies that you sell and have displayed in your front window, in fact you can see them on my Landy parked outside on the street."

Craddocks monkey, "No cock, them's Compomotives them".

Me, "No they're not, they're Firestyles"

The interchange continues and escalates to stand up row level...

We eventually go outside and have a look. Craddocks monkey peers at the word "Firestyle" cast into the rim and mutters, "Well them looked like Compomotives through the window."

Did I get an apology or acknowledgement? Did I f...

[nas90]

I've used Craddocks for bits over the years, and generally they've been OK - but the attitude of the staff is just rubbish. I've had a couple of surreal moments, the last of which went like this...

Me. "Can I have a set of centre caps for a set of Firestyle wheels please"

Craddocks monkey, "What's Firestyle wheels?"

Me, "The Freestyle copies that you sell and have displayed in your front window, in fact you can see them on my Landy parked outside on the street."

Craddocks monkey, "No cock, them's Compomotives them".

Me, "No they're not, they're Firestyles"

The interchange continues and escalates to stand up row level...

We eventually go outside and have a look. Craddocks monkey peers at the word "Firestyle" cast into the rim and mutters, "Well them looked like Compomotives through the window."

Did I get an apology or acknowledgement? Did I f...

Classic, cracking, Doh!

[Les Henson]

I have to say that I use Bearmach for both genuine and non-genuine L/R parts. I would say that they are getting better and the service I get is always good (apart from the abuse I get from the staff )

The only problem with them is the 'white box' items that they sell, but then the old saying 'you get what you pay for' applies. I wish there was a decent chassis parts supplier - they are all rubbish in my opinion.

Les.

[Steve Warman]

I have to say that I use Bearmach for both genuine and non-genuine L/R parts. I would say that they are getting better and the service I get is always good (apart from the abuse I get from the staff )

The only problem with them is the 'white box' items that they sell, but then the old saying 'you get what you pay for' applies. I wish there was a decent chassis parts supplier - they are all rubbish in my opinion.

Les.

Les,

When I enquired with Bearmach regarding a petrol tank they sent me a link for a third party where I could get the part from.

Can they be dealt with directly or do thet only go through a particular third pary supplier?

Thanks

Steve

[dantd5]

I have a guy up in Derbyshire (DLS). Interestingly, I get my products always the next day I pick the phone. The shipment costs an arm,bones from the ribs and flesh from the Latisimus Dorsi .... But I still get the products. Devon44 sent me a winch in a matter of 2 days ...!! Adwest did the same thing. To Norway!! Impressive..

[Les Henson]

Steve - I've never known them do that. I order what I want and most of the time they get it in when they have said they will.

Les.

[dantd5]

I've used Craddocks for bits over the years, and generally they've been OK - but the attitude of the staff is just rubbish. I've had a couple of surreal moments, the last of which went like this...

Me. "Can I have a set of centre caps for a set of Firestyle wheels please"

Craddocks monkey, "What's Firestyle wheels?"

Me, "The Freestyle copies that you sell and have displayed in your front window, in fact you can see them on my Landy parked outside on the street."

Craddocks monkey, "No cock, them's Compomotives them".

Me, "No they're not, they're Firestyles"

The interchange continues and escalates to stand up row level...

We eventually go outside and have a look. Craddocks monkey peers at the word "Firestyle" cast into the rim and mutters, "Well them looked like Compomotives through the window."

Did I get an apology or acknowledgement? Did I f...

Laughing out Loud!!!!

[Guest diesel_jim]

Same as Les, i vote for Bearmach.

kind of middle road between gen-you-whine and el-cheapo rubbish.

actually, a lot of genuine stuff isn't too badly priced, if you're after strange parts like PAS pipes or certain engine bits, as the aftermarked boys can't seem to touch the prices (and they ususally order direct from their local LR dealer and pass on a % or 3 discount, hardly worth the effort)

for stuff like brakes/discs/springs etc, you can't beat bearmach

[widget]

...you can't beat bearmach

Or a quick fit fitter I hear...

A point of trivia, but I've never known how to say Bearmach. Was it Beer Mach, Bare Mark, Bare Match etc etc. Read in one of the monthy rags that name Bearmach is derived from Bearings and Machinery.

[Orange]

Bear as in what sh#ts in the woods

Mach as in Mach 5 (or warp speed as it is more commonly known!!)

[Les Henson]

Beer Mark

Les.

[Guest noggy]

I have a guy up in Derbyshire (DLS). Interestingly, I get my products always the next day I pick the phone. The shipment costs an arm,bones from the ribs and flesh from the Latisimus Dorsi .... But I still get the products. Devon44 sent me a winch in a matter of 2 days ...!! Adwest did the same thing. To Norway!! Impressive..

theyre only just down the road from me, ive heard plenty of good things about them, but never actually used them yet.

just where i am, ive got 5 LR parts shops within 10miles.

plus

its bear (asin RAWWR) mach (asin...machintosh)

[Guest diesel_jim]

Beer Mark

Les.

As in "Mark....get me a beer"?

[Mark]

As in "Mark....get me a beer"?

No, as in 'Yes please, Les, thank you very much'... :P

[Mo Murphy]

Bear mash ?

Mo

[ThreePointFive]

I always check with my local LR dealer parts guy on prices before I buy the 3rd party stuff. Sometimes it's only a few quid more and well worth paying more for. However they do use the same suppliers for some parts so you can end up paying more.

[Cat_J]

If I was you I would have taken everything back and said I wanted nothing to do with them and go to a caring company. It doesn't look good incase anything brakes if they are like that with sales.

[bobtail4x4]

I have never had a problem with Craddocks, or DLS, Paddocks have taken the p*ss so many times now that I will not use them.

I tend to support my local bloke anyway as by the time the postage is added its about the same price,

[Evil J Guano]

Bought a set of roof bars and a ladder off them last year, upstands started rusting almost straight away. Finally got so bad I rang Crappocks and was told it was atmospheric conditions, I pushed the point and was asked to email some pics. They were so bad as to stain my lovely white truck orange. Took me two weeks of phone calls to get them to change it, had to send them back at my expense, nearly lost t he will to live in the end, never going back. Rubbish.

The new ones have already started to rust

Guess they make it so hard to return stuff you just give up...

[pete3000]

I have had several dealings with J Craddocks over the years ranging from mediocre to ridiculous. Mail order generated random wrong parts even when I double checked the order with them before they took payment.

e.g 300tdi engine mounts came as 200tdi mounts, which aren't even similar.

Wolf lightguards were "in stock and original", turned up as the very very different and very heavy and slatted Bearmach guards which weighed almost as much as a winch. When I argued the toss and said I was returning them they had the cheek to tell me they were the right part as the guy had fitted several sets himself to mod kit, mmmmm........

So I resorted to travelling 25 miles to collect so I could see the bits they were selling before I parted with my beer sheets. Comments above sound familiar (yes it is, no it isn't, etc).

Workshop/salvage really dont talk to one another, I was told by shop staff to "bring up" my selection of old serviceable propshafts after my 300tdi engine/gearbox swap only to be told by salvage dept they weren't even remotely interested in buying them off me for a tenner.

The final straw for me was the phone on hold scam though, mentioned above. I rang the local/free call number listed in their advert as for overseas callers, as it is a Wolverhampton number an I get these call as part of my mobile minutes allowance. Bloke answers and tells me if i want to order parts I have to ring the other (premium rate) order number. I did and 5 seconds ( a record?) later the same bloke picks up the same phone. At which point I hung up. never been back since!

I now use another company who are nearer more reasonable and staff are more helpful. MM4x4 in Droitwich J5 off M5. (Maybe of use to you Tris).

Pete

[letsgetdirty]

Workshop/salvage really dont talk to one another, I was told by shop staff to "bring up" my selection of old serviceable propshafts after my 300tdi engine/gearbox swap only to be told by salvage dept they weren't even remotely interested in buying them off me for a tenner.

I now use another company who are nearer more reasonable and staff are more helpful. MM4x4 in Droitwich J5 off M5. (Maybe of use to you Tris).

Pete

Hi pete, You are so right about workshop and salvage, A few months ago i phoned the workshop and said i needed an oil filter housing, They said come over and get one from salvage, So i drove all the way over and went to salvage,

"you cant have one of these" he said,"We need that housing left on to sell the engine.

He told me workshop were wrong to tell me to come over, Fat lot of good that is after i had driven all the way over! Anyway just placed a big order with paddocks, People here say there okay, Mind you a few say there not! I placed the order last night and the only glitch so far is there out of stock on stuff, So heres hoping!!

Just one thing. this topics really took off, And i want people to know i never speak ill of any companys, I suppose everybody deserves a chance, And im happy because i know craddocks had exactly 6 chances to give me a reason to commend them, Each time they failed. I know some people have had good service, But there is a majority who seem to find them out of their league in the Land rover market. And passing on this information is important to anyone who finds

themselves being let down by them.

Political hat off!!