Vines Auto (Bessemer, AL) - Avoid like the plague

[kenndoggy]

OK, so I made the mistake of buying from them off their ebay store. These people are some of the most ignorant, incapable people I've dealt with in quite some time. The item I purchased was this, on 2/15/2010:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWNX:IT

First off, I called before I bought it. I specifically asked if it included the DISA valve, since it only showed a pic of an engine bay. Somebody checked with somebody else, and I was told 'yes'. Well, I received it (2/19), and guess what - no DISA valve. Also realized it's not even an M54b30 manifold. Idiots sent me an M52TU manifold. Big differences. Not to mention the fact that almost all the bolt holes are corroded and full of trash,if they weren't broken off bolts.

So, I sent an email right away. Got a response the next day. They said they'd look and see if they had another one. The guy I talked t this time didn't even know what a DISA valve was. I called once somewhere in between, and was told 'oh, we shipped one to you last week'. Bullshit. I live 4.5 hours away, it would've been here by now. I never got another response until after I sent them an email on 3/5 demanding a refund if they were going to cease communication with me, and if they didn't give me one by COB the following Monday, I'd issue an ebay buyer protection dispute. If I didn't work 60 hours a week I would've just gone there and dealt with these idiots in person. Unfortunately, my 1 day off a week is a bit too important to me to waste it on them.

I got a response on 3/5 that I would get a call on monday. That never happened. So, I started an ebay buyer protection dispute. 3/9 I get an email showing they've shipped something. Low and behold, an m54b30 intake manifold finally shows up at my doorstep. Still no communication.





Moral of the story - don't give them your business AL'ers!!! It only took 3+ weeks to get the right product that I'd ordered, plus threatening them with negative feedback and opening an ebay buyer dispute with them to get them to ship me the right product. If anybody's close to them, or shops there, please tell them I'm giving them a big fat middle finger and leaving them negative feedback. Probably one of the top 5 worst ebay experiences I've ever had.

[Fripp64]

LOVE Vines...always taken care of me

[Mitch]

I've never gone through their online business, but last I dealt with them they ran a pretty respectable outfit. Sorry to see you had a bad experience. I'm hoping this is just a matter of an older business going through growing pains while adapting to new technology.

[ltflint]

I had a bad experience with them about 3 or 4 years ago. They advertised a "Steering Wheel / Airbag" on eBay. This ad included a photograph of a steering wheel with an airbag. I bought it and several days later received an airbag with no steering wheel. I sent them an email explaining that their ad indicated that they were selling a steering wheel with an airbag. They insisted that the ad was clearly for the sale of the airbag only. I would not do business with these folks again. I'm pretty sure there is another thread warning of dealing with these folks.

[BimmerLover84]

My dad has done business with them for years by telephone and in person before they opened an eBay store. He never had a problem.

[E30chillin]

I deal with them ALOT but always in person. I have never had a problem.

[smee42]

When my wife's 533i was totaled, I tried selling the engine and 5spd tranny for several months. When I was tired of messing with it, I called Vines and asked if they wanted to come get it for free. The owner drove 90 miles with a trailer and I helped him load it. When I went to shake his hand, he handed me $100. I know he made money but I thought it was cool considering I offered it for free.
I never had any trouble with them before the car was toasted. My two cents.

[M3Alpine99]

Sounds like in person is great since you see the part you are paying for. Maybe they need a little online help.

[kenndoggy]

Of course, I got ignored for weeks, and all of a sudden I am getting emails at 7 AM asking me to retract my negative feedback from ebay if they refunds me half of my purchase price. Apparently thats how they have such high feedback, they buy off their negative feedback. I'd rather warn people, $75 isn't worth selling out for.

[M3Alpine99]

Good. Don't sell out. That is a dirty tactic.

[woky]

Vines hasn't ever been anything but awesome for me. Sorry to hear you had a poor experience.

[Doonbugg]

I bought a partial wiring harness/fuse box from them a while back. Got fast service and more than I expected. Sorry to hear you had a bad experience.

[E34nication]

They've got some pretty damn high prices from what I've seen.

[miklm]

They are very good guys; I've dealt with them for several years, they're about 15 minutes from me.

I will admit in the last year or so its been harder to get in touch with them - they're running on a bare minimum staff from what I can see - and they've had fewer cars/parts in. But any time I go in there, I get a fair deal if they have what I need. They'll wheel and deal too, if you don't like the price then make them an offer.

Sorry you had a negative experience. They're a pretty gritty, old school junkyard type parts business - lots of cars they strip themselves and salvage parts from - so it isn't the polished online experience you get from some other places. They're hard working honest guys though, and they'll make it right if you're patient.

[sntemp]

Sorry you seem to have had trouble.... but I've always heard there are two sides to every story. I've bought a good bit from them and have never had a single problem. In fact they always seem to go out of their way to make sure I was taken care of. The prices on the stuff I've bought were comparable to most other places.

[surge82x]

Sorry to hear about the trouble. I've dealt with Vines for almost 8 years now, online, phone and in person. I've only had one mishap with them, which they corrected very fast and even threw in a few extra parts for my trouble.

Now granted, I usually get whole engines or refurbed heads from them. I haven't purchased many smaller items from them.

[stradguy93]

I have never had a problem with them. One time I needed to buy a part for my car and needed to pick it up on a day that they werent open so they taped it to the door and told me to slide my money under the door. It was very helpful and got me on the road quicker then anyone else.

[E30chillin]

they did a trade with me. I had some OEM pre facelift HId e39 headlights. but i needed a new M42 radiator. They worked out a trade with me. They r some good guys.

[evertoconquer]

E30, i want to see your car one day.

[Consejero]

This seems to be a pretty old thread concerning Vines Automotive in Bessemer; however, I feel that I need to share my current 2013 experience with them to prevent others from making the same mistake in doing business with them that I have. I bought a 6 speed tranny conversion kit from them on February 2, 2013 for $ 1500 and made the trip down to pick it up from my home in middle Tennessee. I had spoken with them several times in the weeks before and they assured me that they would have everything ready when I got there to pick it up so I sent the deposit. I called on Monday and was told that everything was ready and when I got there on Tuesday the flywheel, clutch, pressure plate, throw out bearing, and a few misc parts were missing. They mentioned that the flywheel had a crack in it and that they had already ordered another for me and they promised to have the parts shipped to me by the following Friday. Never heard from them so I called them on the following Monday. "Oh, they will be on their way today," I was told. Never got the parts, never heard anything from them for another week in spite of their promise to call me when they were shipped. So I called again several times, always the same line, always the same empty promises. I called again and asked for Dave, who is either the owner or is in charge of the company and he said, "I'll check for you," and I was passed off to another individual whom I recognized from the day that we went to pick up the tranny kit.

I sent them a certified letter, which they signed for on March 26, requesting a follow up on the promised missing parts and now it is April 15, ten weeks later and still no parts. Their warranty is 6 months on the tranny kit and I cannot even install it because they have not shipped my parts. I am now almost half way through a warranty for something that I do not even know will function. In reply to other posts that I saw, yes, they were very friendly and outgoing but so are used car salesmen when they want to put one over on you. I have made and documented at least 20 calls to them concerning this issue and my bill of sale specifically states that they will send the remaining parts. So, as a matter of advice I would caution anyone who buys from Vines Automotive that there seems to be a lack of integrity and motivation. I have read several current reviews from others on different forums and the complaint seems to be the same; a lack of integrity and follow through as a business entity. I will be proceeding with the next step in the process because I do not need to make another 600 mile round trip nor spend my time getting passed around the building every time that I call.

[SPDSKTR]

I've never had any issues with Vines, personally. Of course, I always ensure I deal with Martin and Martin only. Let it be known that I never deal with them online since they're not even 15 minutes away.

[LouHM5]

Placed order for 3 parts over the phone after sending pictures of what I needed in mid-November. Two parts shipped. All requests for the third part ignored. Filed case with the BBB. Unless you're a local, I would not take the chance. Plenty of other places that will treat you right. If you'd rather give away money for nothing, I'll give you my address.

[1Uwe2]

AVOID THIS SHOP. I ordered parts and Ron said he could no longer do credit card transactions and insisted on bank transfer. As I unpacked everything, I noticed what he had sent was in WORSE condition than the parts I was replacing. Deteriorated rubber pieces were inside the box. Two parts were incorrect and did not fit. He insisted he had the correct part so I shipped one back to exchange and a few WEEKS later he sent me another. This didn't fit either so I sent it back.
Since nothing fit and I had returned everything, I asked for a refund for the parts only (not for the shipping). He said he would think about it, and then he stated that the parts I had sent back were damaged. I know that couldn't be true because I had packed everything better than he had when I shipped the return. I reminded him that the parts he had sent were in WORSE condition (damaged) than what I was replacing.
I followed up for a month and could tell they were screening calls, because if I called from one number they would not answer, but when I called from another number they immediately answered and claimed Ron was not available. After hounding him for a month for my refund, he mailed me less than half of what I had paid for the parts.

[committedBMWguy]

Vines has gone bad.

I bought a Getrag 420F for my sons 2000 540/6 speed manual. They sold me a 2 year warrantee with it.
Shipped like they did not care if it was damaged. The case cracked in shipping. They told me to epoxy the crack - it worked but I was to get a replacement. We put it in anyway so we could use the car as they told us. In 3 weeks reverse would jump out so now reverse was not working. Told them and they had us ship the original tranny back for a rebuild under warrantee. That was over 6 months ago and still waiting. Now they don't answer my calls.

My son has to push the car back to get out of parking spaces. time to talk to lawyers...