Consumer warning: TSR Performance

[ANDREW_ATWELL@HP-PaloAlto-om20.om.hp.com]

     Well, I really hate to bad mouth a business but I feel it is necessary 
     to warn everyone about TSR Performance.  Maybe the problems I have had 
     are partly my mistake trying to purchase parts from England, while I 
     live in the US, but this still seems unreasonable.
        I first sent an e-mail to TSR performance, an established UK tuner 
     of VW's (http://www.tsr-performance.com/), asking if they did US 
     sales.  I received a return letter the next day (8 hour time 
     difference, all TIMELY answers come the next day) stating that YES, 
     they do sell to the US and it is no problem.
        Next e-mail I send I ask about the part I want and the cost with 
     shipping.  I wanted a Vibra-tech front motor mount for a 1995 Jetta 
     GLX(VR6).  They say they have it, it is 120 pounds british sterling, 
     shipping will be 20 pounds and take 5-7days.  
        So I call them and place my order.  Even with the exchange and 
     shipping the part is $50 less than New Dimensions, the only other 
     source for these mounts.  I give them my credit card number and they 
     send it off.
        6 days later it shows up, BUT it is the wrong part!  They sent me 
     the mount for a A2 car with a VR6 transplant?!
        Now this is where things went sour.  I sent them an e-mail to ask 
     about returning the part and getting the correct part. Now remember 
     TSR has always returned my mails with detailed answers by the next 
     day.  This time I hear nothing.  I send the letter to them agian.  
     Nothing.  The next letter I send expresses that I am displeased and 
     that I will dispute the charge to my credit card if I do not hear from 
     them, I mail this and fax it to them.  NOW I hear from them.
        They explain to me that they sent the logical part becuase I 
     refered to my car as a "Jetta" and in Europe they are now "Vento"s and 
     so they thought I had an older car with the VR6 in it.  Well I assumed 
     that the model year would be adequit and they even had quoted me for 
     the correct part A3 earlier.  Oh, well, I send it back and fax them 
     the shipping "insurance" receipt and they say they are mailing off the 
     correct part.
        I'm happy now, except the misunderstanding but am a little 
     aprehensive to the fact they now take so long to return my messages.
        Well 14 days go by and the package with the correct part has not 
     arrived.  The charge for $231 has posted to my credit card, and no 
     part.  I e-mail them asking about the package status and they don't 
     respond (AGAIN).  So I call them, they say it is on it's way, it left 
     the UK but they have no way of tracking it.
        I call the US postal service to track it and they say they need 
     information from TSR on how it was sent, I write to TSR and get no 
     reponse agian.  Now it seems that they are blowing me OFF! I have been 
     charged $231, and have no part! Fuck!  I'm running out of options.  I 
     hope they didn't send it Surface (4-8 weeks) or that they screwed up 
     the paper work and it is now lost in that joke we call Customs.  If I 
     don't hear from them and it doesn't show up, I'm gonna dispute the 
     charge, I will be out my return shipping and still have a broken car!
     
     The lessons from my stories are:  Don't Deal with TSR-Performance.
     Don't order from the UK. AND I shouldn't be a cheap bastard and get 
     myself into this just to save $50.  It's too bad, because TSR seems to 
     have some nice stuff.  SOUNDS A LITTLE TOO MUCH LIKE EIP DOESN'T IT.
     
     
     Let me know if anyone else has had a problem with TSR, or any 
     suggestions in dealing with them.
     
     
     Andy Atwell