Shady business practices Double 02 Salvage in Hayward

[BLUNT]

ive found with the internet most salvage yards have improved. it used to be they would hardly talk to you on the phone around here. now they are helpful and courteous for the most part... theres no excuse for rudeness when you work with the public in any fashion whatsoever. i dont care how much knowledge or what obscure parts you carry. vote with your dollar. if you are treated poorly go somewhere else and write the owner a letter explaining why youll never shop at his store again. it only takes 1 employee to tarnish an otherwise helpful establishment.

[blue7500]

They're good guys. It's just that it is a salvage yard. They have piles and piles of parts and aren't that helpful over the phone, because...well they're a salvage yard.

Once there, they are usually happy to let you dig around and I've found the prices to be negotiable. Especially if you take the time to shoot the BS and as long as you aren't thin-skinned.

I've never had any success on the phone with salvage yards, and this is no exception.

This is pretty much exactly my experience. I bought a nose and fender from them, both of which times they led me into the back and let me choose whichever part I wanted and worked with me on price. I'd rater deal with individuals for little parts but for big stuff I'd definitely go back there.

[KFunk]

Ebay's pretty cut and dry. The price and presumably item details are explicitly displayed the entire time. Perhaps that may be the best way to get what you want from them, and dealing with them through the phone is pretty worthless because you never know who or what you'll get when you actually show up at the store which is all that matters.

For all I know there's just one *** in the store and I happened to talk to him. My frustration lies as much in his price gouging tactics as well as his rudeness. However if it is the case that they're so inconsistent in both pricing and stock, I simply wish to not be misled. If they were to tell me or somehow make it known that they are unfortunately unable to quote pricing or check stock over the phone, it would be annoying but still understandable.

So anyway, I guess the consensus is that 02 Salvage over ebay = great; in person = sometimes good, sometimes bad; over the phone = worthless. Good to know. Thanks for the feedback, everyone!

It might be that the 2nd guy actually knew what he was talking about, and has a good idea of what stock they have.

The 1st guy might be the lazy nice guy that can give optimistic claims, but is too lazy to walk out back and see what they actually have, and barely works there at all, and is losing money for the business by selling stuff for cheaper than he's supposed to...

Could be either way...

[superann]

Sorry KFunk, I can't agree with you at all. I agree with Blunt. When is it ever profitable for a shop owner/representative NOT to be courteous and helpful? Honoring prior quotes and being helpful via phone is definitely an asset. I've been to this place in person twice actually just to look around and get a few quotes (was far too pricey for my tastes), and both times I've seen at least 3 guys behind the counter standing around just talking to each other. Surely at least one of them can be bothered to go check some stock for a potential customer...? Is it not their JOB? If the place can hire 3 guys to stand around and shoot the shit with each other and walk-ins, then damn, they must be doing oh-so-well and I guess they just don't need my money (or yours for that matter!).

In fact I would have bought a decent piece of used glass from them for their original quoted $75 and also a fender, and now I will not only go out of my way to not give them my business, but I also posted here in the hopes of deterring other potential customers.

And even if KFunk's wild postulating were true, shouldn't this dude have explained the misquote in a more polite and straightforward way (please refer to original post)? Shouldn't he also have been honest about the actual pricing and availability instead of giving me the rapidly upward shifting number treatment? And obviously, given that it has been possible for me to find several vendors selling BRAND NEW PPG glass at a mere $110, considering the price of USED questionable-quality/brand glass at Double 02, I don't think the first guy who quoted me $75 would lose this place any money!

Honestly, after this interaction it would be pretty surprising if I were to give this guy the benefit of the doubt, don't you think?

[KFunk]

uhhh Ann, i'm not really arguing you on the merits of good customer service.... which is always a good thing. just offering some alternative explanations.

but i can't always judge people from just a phone call. maybe that guy was overworked for covering for the other 3 guys that are standing around doing nothing, while he's out back haulin parts around all day. or maybe he's just an asshole for no reason. who knows.

still, its best for anyone to be nice. but ya gotta deal with some variations within small businesses. sometimes it turns out bad, and sometimes it turns out extremely better than if you dealt with a huge corporation.

[dubois]

Wrecking yards are a necessary evil, historically they are tough kind of guys that embark on this kind of line of work. They need not to be polite or develop "customer service" skills. Patience is not one of their virtues either.

The pricing, as much as they make an effort to be consistent, is by their seat of their pants. There is no "list" as compared to a new part that is in a computer data base. They probably get tons of nuisance phone calls for quotes on this or that, and they probably don't want to spend a lot of time being "nice" over the phone.

They are in the business to make money in a tough market. I am guessing that they know that windshields for 2002 are still made new and very obtainable elsewhere. A used windshield on a 30 year old car, full of urethane and rock chips cannot compete with a brand new one for 100 bucks. So, what do they do when they get a phone call inquiring about a windshield? Take a guess...

Despite their bad "customer service" and bad "business practice" they will live - like Arnold would say. Why? because we need them... not for windshields or brake pads but for some parts where new would be prohibitive.

I am thinking that this was common knowledge, but I guess is not.

[superann]

Unfortunately KFunk, I am not so kind of a human being as to be so forgiving and understanding when treated in such a manner. I usually like to wait for the apology and if it never comes, then my negative opinion usually stays. Good for you though if you can see it from the other side in such a situation.

Anyway I do agree with dubois' point that the guys at salvage places, body shops, garages, etc. tend to be a bit "rough around the edges." The places themselves serve a purpose, yes. However, educating the staff to service their purpose would be such a boon to the business that I'm surprised it isn't standard practice, and I don't agree that I should be accepting/tolerant of rudeness just because it may be the norm. I'm not afraid to post negative reviews, and I will make an effort to contact the owner. That's how things change in this day and age, and it would be better all around for everyone if they did...

I realize that I did call Ed at the other salvage place in Berkeley (via his Craigslist post) before getting the $75 quote and while on the phone with me he walked to where his stuff was at to check actual pieces, specifically telling me about each piece of glass that he did have in stock. I think he told me he had only one that was pretty good and it was unbranded and I could have it for $100. While I didn't want to take a chance with unbranded glass, I did appreciate that he was straightforward, made the effort, and saved me time. I thought this was the norm and didn't think of mentioning it.

Double 02 was the next place I called and $75 sounded so great to me that I was content to stop checking, so I would in fact have bought it from them and they would have had my both this sale and a fender sale. Customer service can pay off more than once, you see.

As for knowing that a brand new piece of glass can run just a little over $100, I wouldn't assume this is common knowledge. When checking yesterday many glass shops didn't carry glass for a car this old, and the prices also varied really wildly from $100-$200.

[Tbone]

you talk to Marshall or Dean (if he still works there, haven't seen him in a while) They are the 2002 experts and will help you out. The other 3 or 4 guys that work there deal only with newer stuff.

IMHO

[Original_Customs]

I would urge you to write a letter, email, or call the proprietor. Most businesses are not paying that much attention to the internet and the owner may not realize there is an issue. Giving feedback is the best way you can judge whether you have a unfriendly business or a problem they're willing to solve (and maybe are unaware of).

[Guest Anonymous]

I read this thread and I find it difficult to believe so many folks are accepting because someone had a bad day or because junk yarders are tough to deal with. In common parlance, what was described is called Bait and Switch, negligent misrepresentation or worse - fraud.

If someone quotes me a price, be it on the phone or internet, and I reasonably rely on the quote by expending the effort to buy it, I should be entitled to get the part for the quoted price. If someone offers the windshield for $1, it is unrealistic for me to believe it. A shop that permits anyone to quote prices is just plain careless and it is hardly a reasonable excuse that they employ the mentally handicapped anymore than someone shortchanging me at the register.

We are all prone to make mistakes in retail, but this doesn't excuse them. A few years ago I attempted to buy a fairly rare taillight assembly from a nearby yard. I did not have all the money with me and the proprietor would not accept a credit card. I paid half with the explicit understanding that I would return the next day with the balance owed. When I returned I noticed someone in the parking lot with what seemed suspiciously like the part I purchased. I asked the customer about it and he said he just bought it for X3 times what I thought I was paying for mine. I asked the proprietor about it and he denied selling it and gave me my money back claiming he forgot he was not supposed to sell it.

I am sorry, but every purchase should not be treated as an auction. I suspect the people selling the windshields get the highest price they can, when they can get away with it. But if this is an auction it should be "buy it now." As they may find out, it may work on one time purchases, but as far as repeat customers, payback can be a bitch.

Y

[Guest Anonymous]

you probably spoke with dean.he always has a chip on his shoulder.i know a lot of people left becuase he would be rude to them.ive gone their since they opened.theo and marshal built that place on service first.you should call marshal and tell him what hapened.

[dp]

On a net search for my friends at Double 02 today, this thread was the first thing google spit up. 

After reading it through, all I can say is....gee, talk about a vindictive, troll headline post. I can see that girl isn't around here any more, in fact I guessing most all the other anonymous piling on arent either. And bitching about things like a 40 dollar set of hinges or 75 dollar pieces of glass? Thats really something. I think I'll give double 02 a call, their licence frame is still on my touring, I hope they're still there I heard something is up with the biz. Maybe they got tired of it after anotrher 10 years of whiners.

[SteveJ]

I've dealt with my friends at Double 02 since before they were in that building. I  remember Theo driving me around INSIDE the building in a chopped off 02. 

 

End of an era.

Another brick and mortar going away.

[conkitchen]

I went there once circa 2010 to buy a part, It was over priced and in crappy condition and the guys were not overly helpful. That being said, I asked about how they came to that price and the response was " where else are you gonna find it" I told him online or Craigslist. His retort was well there goes another illegal parts dismantlier with no license or overhead.  I think they knew the end was near. 

[Vicleonardo1]

After checking their inventory online and a couple of phone calls. My take is that they overpriced themselves out of the market. 

 

Maybe their prices may be a bit more reasonable with a going out of business sale...