Ordering M3 Parts: How Is It That ECS Stays In Business ?

[usdmej]

Bro send this in an envelope...

my guess is their process has been automated by someone that has convinced someone else that stocking/using envelopes costs more money than shipping with those boxes

imo this situation is better than having it go the other way, like Bimmian, who used to sell decal overlays and charge $7 shipping only to throw them in a stamped envelope

[eacmen]

You need to understand what ECS/Turner/Pelican/Bavarian are and what they aren't.

Turner and Bavarian used to be mostly driven by enthusiasts. They had folks on staff that designed, made, and used the parts they sell.

Once the investors from ECS started gobbling them up, it became a parts distributor flat out. Once you recognize that then the customer experience will make more sense. They are trying to be Turn14 for german imports but doing a shitty job at it.

When you try to merge all these companies/brands into one its very hard to do and what we are experiencing is the downstream effects of that.

Right now I only buy from Bimmerworld, FCP, and BMW. If I needed a factory part and ECS had it in stock and nobody else I might roll the dice.

[usdmej]

Once the investors from ECS started gobbling them up, it became a parts distributor flat out.

with a middleman sourced discount (after paid subscription) if the stars align!

[Epoustouflant]

You need to understand what ECS/Turner/Pelican/Bavarian are and what they aren't.

Turner and Bavarian used to be mostly driven by enthusiasts. They had folks on staff that designed, made, and used the parts they sell.

Not looking to do Turner's PR here, but that isn't accurate. You are factually describing FCP.

Turner / ECS has their own internal R&D and they are very active: they are designing a new diff cover for the E46 M3 right now.

Turn14 is a wholesale warehouse distributor and doesn't design nor retail any parts.

The biggest criticism I have highlighted in various calls with ECS is their lack of care for the Turner brand .

The Turner catalogue has become a copy / paste from ECS and there are various products that should be branded under the Turner label that gets put under the ECS name - it' a slow death.

[eacmen]

Not looking to do Turner's PR here, but that isn't accurate. You are factually describing FCP.

Turner / ECS has their own internal R&D and they are very active: they are designing a new diff cover for the E46 M3 right now.

Turn14 is a wholesale warehouse distributor and doesn't design nor retail any parts.

The biggest criticism I have highlighted in various calls with ECS is their lack of care for the Turner brand .

The Turner catalogue has become a copy / paste from ECS and there are various products that should be branded under the Turner label that gets put under the ECS name - it' a slow death.

I used to be able to call up Turner and talk to the guy that designed the part. That is very much not the case anymore. You get some idiot customer rep who doesnt know shit. Then they took all the old Turner designs and decided to start making them on the cheap. I personally got a set of 20 wheel studs and there were three separate designs from different foundries in a single “kit”. Not a part you want to fuck around with.

After the sale all the good talent went over to the motorsports side. Will made a good call keeping those two companies separate.

I would not put a single Turner part made since the sale on my car or anyone else's.

[Nate047]

Yea it is rather unfortunate for the Turner brand, to be roped into the downward spiral… But they sold the company to ECS willingly, some people cashed out hard, and that’s that.

Everything that’s happened since, including the Turner staff who do care about the brand trying their best to maintain a certain separation of reputation, even if nothing can be done for the Turner branded parts themselves, is completely to be expected.

It’s not like ECS is buying companies to improve them, ECS buys companies to use their earned customers, and ultimately make the other brands puppet extensions of ECS with little or no independence.

[Advorsor]

Luckily for me, never had an issue with ECS.

Bimmerworld > everyone else

(I’ve used FCP but don’t really understand why everyone loves them so much)

[bigjae46]

Yea it is rather unfortunate for the Turner brand, to be roped into the downward spiral… But they sold the company to ECS willingly, some people cashed out hard, and that’s that.

Everything that’s happened since, including the Turner staff who do care about the brand trying their best to maintain a certain separation of reputation, even if nothing can be done for the Turner branded parts themselves, is completely to be expected.

It’s not like ECS is buying companies to improve them, ECS buys companies to use their earned customers, and ultimately make the other brands puppet extensions of ECS with little or no independence.

I don't think ECS is dishonest or screws people over. They've always made it right but damn...its extra effort vs if they just got it right in the first place.

[c watson]

Rock Auto >>> ALL

End thread.

[Obioban]

Luckily for me, never had an issue with ECS.

Bimmerworld > everyone else

(I’ve used FCP but don’t really understand why everyone loves them so much)

FCP has impeccable customer service, everything I order arrives overnight with free shipping, and the lifetime warranty means I haven’t paid for oil/brakes/etc (even track pads) in years. I can’t think of anything more I could possibly want from a parts seller.

[ugaexploder]

Any time I've had to deal with FCP customer service, it has been okay at best. I've made 24 orders from them in the past 3 months and I don't think I've ever received overnight free shipping and I'm on the same coast at least.

[oceansize]

FCP has impeccable customer service, everything I order arrives overnight with free shipping, and the lifetime warranty means I haven’t paid for oil/brakes/etc (even track pads) in years. I can’t think of anything more I could possibly want from a parts seller.

Must be that you are close to a warehouse. I’ve never ordered anything from FCP and had it arrive overnight. I do mean never. For me FCP is slower than ECS every single time.

[bigjae46]

Must be that you are close to a warehouse. I’ve never ordered anything from FCP and had it arrive overnight. I do mean never. For me FCP is slower than ECS every single time.

I'm in TX and they all take about a week. So I order locally...I have a guy. The only things he hasn't been able to get when I need it was a power steering pulley and MK60 brake booster. Funny, I overnighted an in stock aftermarket metal pulley from ECS and it arrived a week later. In fact they sent 3 all of which arrived at least a week later. FCP didn't even have the OE pulley in stock.

Sometimes local will be a better option.

[kaiv]

My main gripe with ECS is that in my experience their website says something is in stock and shipping within X day(s) and all too often that isn't actually the case and things are delayed. Makes me think they do that on purpose to get your order 🤷♂️

[jet_dogg]

My main gripe with ECS is that in my experience their website says something is in stock and shipping within X day(s) and all too often that isn't actually the case and things are delayed. Makes me think they do that on purpose to get your order 🤷♂️

That's exactly why they do it. All they have to do is deal with a few whiny babies via email and they know they'll stop crying once they get their pacifier aka package.