Crummy Dealer

[case sensitive]

I just bought a dutchwest catalyst woodstove. I love it. However, the dealer I bought it from, not so much.

I got the stove at their liquidation sale (they sell pools etc, and needed to make room for the 2006 offerings). I feel that I got a great price on the stove, paying about half the original price. I also had them order the 2 speed fan for the stove. Then the problems started...

Upon delivery, I noticed the stove was on the smaller legs, and the delivery guys had broken one of them. They had "given" the tall legs to someone who didn't want the fireplace legs, so I was out those at the start. I mentioned this to the guy and he said, he'd get some more for me. So the delivery guys run back to the shop (about 2-3 miles way) and gets some generic legs. Well, they don't fit. So now, I'm out the original legs, and one of the short legs is broken. So I returned the generic legs to the dealer, who said he'd order them. This was a week after I had bought the stove. At the same time I asked him about the fan. He says it's ordered, and he'll be picking it up soon. Another week goes by, no fan, no call, no nothing. So I give him a call, and he says he hasn't had time to go and pick up his orders yet. I stupidly let it slide... So I called the next week. Still no legs (they're back ordered, nothing I can do there...), and surprize surprize, he hasn't gotten his orders yet. I told him, that was a terrible way to do business, he comes back with that he needs to pick them up in Hudson, NY. So now it's been 4 going on 5 weeks since I bought this stove and I still don't have the correct legs, nor the fan. I'm very upset. I called another dealer ~25 miles away, and they can get me the fan in a week. Why can't this guy?

Thanks for letting me vent. I won't post the name of the dealer at this time.

 

[webbie]

I just bought a dutchwest catalyst woodstove. I love it. However, the dealer I bought it from, not so much.

I got the stove at their liquidation sale (they sell pools etc, and needed to make room for the 2006 offerings). I feel that I got a great price on the stove, paying about half the original price. I also had them order the 2 speed fan for the stove. Then the problems started...

Upon delivery, I noticed the stove was on the smaller legs, and the delivery guys had broken one of them. They had "given" the tall legs to someone who didn't want the fireplace legs, so I was out those at the start. I mentioned this to the guy and he said, he'd get some more for me. So the delivery guys run back to the shop (about 2-3 miles way) and gets some generic legs.

Obviously dangerous for him to give you the generic legs!

Also might be so for the short legs, as they may require a different hearth or heat shield(s).

If you got more than 15% off on the actual list price, you got a HECK of a deal, and probably should be patient......if you really got 50% off - well, you bought it for LESS than dealers cost - congrats.

 

[case sensitive]

I believe it may be a left over from 2005 +/-.

List price was $1025, I paid $550.

I was a bit concerned with the short legs, but they're fine for now. The hearth is stone, and surrounds to stove 3 feet on either side, 2 feet front and back.

I'm just upset that it's taken a month + to get an order, that another store would get in a week. The fan I ordered was not part of the purchase price, and I will be paying full retail on it (not that I think I should after waiting this long...). The longer legs are back ordered from the factory. I'm not too worried about them, or when they come in. Those will be given to me free, so I can't complain about them.

 

[webbie]

I believe it may be a left over from 2005 +/-.

List price was $1025, I paid $550.

I was a bit concerned with the short legs, but they're fine for now. The hearth is stone, and surrounds to stove 3 feet on either side, 2 feet front and back.

I'm just upset that it's taken a month + to get an order, that another store would get in a week. The fan I ordered was not part of the purchase price, and I will be paying full retail on it (not that I think I should after waiting this long...). The longer legs are back ordered from the factory. I'm not too worried about them, or when they come in. Those will be given to me free, so I can't complain about them.

VC orginally worked through dealers and we always had someone we could call and talk to...and when they told us something, it usually happened.

Now they go through another step - distributors - so the dealer does not have as much control. Not to make excuses, but the distributor does not put an order of legs into the RUSH basket.....I guess it's the price we pay for VC getting bigger.

 

[Sundeep Arole]

I don't think there were any stoves left in 2005! Not even the most undesirable models. There was a mad rush on stoves, and manufacturers were backlogged three months or more. As far as getting a discount, forget it. So count yourself very lucky. When I bought my floor model in Aug 2005, the dealer decided not to give it to me until new stoves arrived in his shop. In the end, a stove which I bought and fully paid for in August was finally delivered in January! So it doesn't surprise me that parts are taking a while to arrive.

 

[case sensitive]

This was a floor model, which I can guess was why it was a "left over". I've already gotten a great discount on the price of the stove, I can't complain about that. I'm just p!ssed that I could have called another dealer and had the fan delivered to my house in a week, and this guy can't be bothered to pick up his orders from the distributor, or have them shipped to him.

 

[hearthtools]

Did you get the fan in a week or did the other dealer just tell you he can get it in a week?

Your original dealer might have been told by the dist. that he would have it in a week but he is still waiting.

This has been happining to all of us dealers all year round. I just got some Blowers that I ordered in Dec in today.

 

[case sensitive]

No, the fan is in at the distributers. He just hasn't gone to get it. That's what bugs me. He could have had it shipped to him in a week, but desided not to. The other store I called said called their distributer and can get it shipped to me in a week.