Ames

[Ed Gunter]

Wow, these guys are good. After being shafted on e-bay several times, by a guy who sells out of a "warehouse" in Lousiana and doesn't answer calls, and a local parts yard, I was amazed. Called another nation-wide supplier first. They didn't have any of the 3 parts that were in their catalog. All were "on back-order"-- 3-4 weeks. Got to Ames on line-- great info. Called an 800 number to order. All parts here within a week-- AND they even provided shipping links so I could track the parts through UPS. Going to keep & closely watch their catalog!

[Ed Gunter]

Wow, these guys are good. After being shafted on e-bay several times, by a guy who sells out of a "warehouse" in Lousiana and doesn't answer calls, and a local parts yard, I was amazed. Called another nation-wide supplier first. They didn't have any of the 3 parts that were in their catalog. All were "on back-order"-- 3-4 weeks. Got to Ames on line-- great info. Called an 800 number to order. All parts here within a week-- AND they even provided shipping links so I could track the parts through UPS. Going to keep & closely watch their catalog!

[66SSE]

I'ved bought from Ames in the past and though thier prices are generally higher than Performance Years, they have delivered them within in a week of the order.

[A455GTO]

I have also had good luck with their parts! I like that they rate the quality of a lot of the parts, and also give a brief description on many of them. Some of the other venders that I have dealt with don't tell you anything other that the part name, PN, & price :confused:

[Tim642957]

I've spent a lot of money with Ames and have been pleased. Very seldom have back orders and the deliveries are always on time. Steve runs a first class business.

Your point is interesting 66SSE. I stopped using Year One because their prices were higher than Ames.

[Ccass]

/infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif :rolleyes:

FOR SALE: Pontiac Business- Established 1983. Quality parts, fair prices, good customer service....Identity problem /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[berrygoat]

Ccass good one. We all love ya but sometimes your not the only game in town. While I currently get most of my stuff from PY I have ordered from Ames before. They gave me a bum Hideaway actuator once and replaced it no problem. On the downside when my car was at the body shop in 97 (for a whole year) I received the front fenders and one was dented. They blamed it on the body shop and would not help me at all. I spoke to Steve Ames about this a year or 2 later at the GTOAA Nationals and he apologized. Nice guy.

[Ccass]

You mean we can't get every Pontiac owner to buy everything from PY? :confused: .......

I've known Steve Ames since 1983. He's an asset to the hobby and has built and maintained quite an impressive company.

[ February 13, 2002: Message edited by: Ccass ]</p>

[Ed Gunter]

Sorry, CCass. Certainly didn't mean to offend. We all know YOU're the best!! :-)
Since I've blasted a couple of places for poor service, felt it only fair to commend one who did good.

GTOs rule.

Ed

[66SSE]

Tim. I came up with a list of parts needed for my 66 last year (over 100), and compared prices for each. PY was lower for approx 55% of the Items. I will continue to order from both though as each has items not carried by the other.

[Marty Phipps]

When I first bought my Firebird last year, I bought quite a few parts from Classic, and Ames.
A lot of the prices from Classic were cheaper then Ames, but they "bent me over" for shipping.
Unfortunately I didn't know about Performance then.
The biggest complaint I have with Ames.
The window divider weatherstrips for my bird are junk.
Less then a year after installing, the rubber has already cracked and failed.
the metal backing has started to rust and fail.
Plus the rear bird emblem bolt stud fell off the minute I started to attach it.
I also made the mistake of buying from an "ebay wholeseller"
The trunk weatherstrip is waayy to hard.
my trunk lid no longer fits properly.
I also have to admit, some of the O.E.R. reproduced mldgs. aren't much better.
I'm very experienced in the auto body and paint field.
So I can safely feel confident in what I find to be inferior products.

[bigpop]

Chris,how much for this poor downtrodden business??All the best bigpop

[Tim642957]

I think my comments may have cause some controversy as well as mixed feelings. After reading several posts, and then re-reading my original post, I can see how this my be. I am even surprised than I lost focus in mid-post.
Please allow me to explain.

If you read my original post, you will see that I stated "YEAR ONE". The logical assumption here is that I went too long without breathing and typed this name in response to a post discussing Performance YEARS. It could easily be done as both companies have the word "YEAR" in their names. Freud would have a scientific word for this type of gaffe. I know what most of us would call it.

The truth is that I was oxygen deficient but not in the manner it seems. When I first became interested in Pontiacs and their preservation/restoration, I was introduced to Year One as a source for Pontiac parts. I used them for a while until I became aware there were other vendors that sold Pontiac parts. I found out that Ames existed as well as Performance Years. Both dealt in one make only and both had prices lower than Year One. I left Year One and never went back.

When I read the post by 66SSE, he mentioned price being a big factor in choosing P YEARS over Ames. I read that post and locked in on the "Year" in
PY and thought about my past experience with YEAR One and their prices being higher than others. My boo-boo. I stayed locked in on Y1 when I made my last statement about Ames pricing being lower than Y1. Several days later I return to see discussion that centers around PY having higher prices than Ames. I read back and the brouhaha started after my post. Simply put, I stated and meant Y1 even though the discussion was about PY.

I realize that this explanation sounds feeble. It even sounds feeble to me. I can get blunt at times, but even this old southern boy has enough sense to not knock the man whose business is providing this Pontiac forum. You don't bite the hand that feeds you. If I felt Chris was out of line with his prices, I would shop elsewhere. The last thing I would do is slap his face on the forum he provides for all Pontiac fans.

Chris, I apologize to you for my mistake and the feelings it has caused you being it was made in public. I meant no disrespect to you, the participants in this thread or your business. I have bought form you in the past and will continue to do so in the future because of your competitive prices and the excellent quality of your parts. 66SSE, I also apologize to you for my confusing post. If I "got your gander up" I am truly sorry as I did not mean to. I was proceeding along with the mis-thought that there was someone out there who thought Y1 was cheaper than Ames. PY unfortunately got drawn into the middle of this already confusing post.

Y1 provides quality parts for those wishing to buy. The only qualm I have with them is their higher prices.

I've droned enough to prove to everyone that I'm a babbling idiot now. I respectfully submit myself for company punishment. Sorry guys. /infopop/emoticons/icon_redface.gif


Tim

[Ed Gunter]

I'll drink to that... ;-)

PY rules.

Ed

[WallyB]

AMES Parts- can't find them on Yahoo (my bible)
Y1 - gave me the bums rush
PY gets my business first, except a couple of times when interior parts ran too long for the upholstery shop last year, Classic got some of the business, but cost me $ dearly in shipping to Canada.
NPD came to the rescue for seat foam, (2days from MI to Toronto by std UPS - cheap $ - unheard of) when they said he had foam & didn't - they goofed - otherwise I would have been sitting on a box in the car for a week or more.

[Zig'sbird]

Well, guess that I'll be honest.

I've bought a lot of parts from Ames and have always been happy with what I've received. Only once did I run into a problem with them and that was with customer service. It really made me hopping mad at the time.

That lead me to my first purchase from PY. To be honest, I had never really even heard of PY until I started to cruise the web car sites. By then I was a loyal customer of Ames. Now it is a 50-50 chance of who I'll buy my parts from.

Either way, if I can avoid it I will not use a non-Pontiac specific company again. I used Classic once - and they screwed up that order.

But, my next few orders will be with PY
(I need to get a set of chrome exhaust extensions for my 74 'bird /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif )

[Ccass]

Tim, No offense taken. It's good for me to see what customers like and dislike about the other companies as well as ours. It helps motivate us to be better. My post was all in good fun. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[Blackcat]

I always refer my customers to Performance Years first! I could use a bunch more catalogs! I never seem to keep them long around here! :eek:

[Larry 67]

I order from PY...I'd only order from Ame's if PY did'nt have what I need. I do this because PY sponsers this BB which has been an invaluable asset during the resto of my car. When calling in my order the people have been very helpful and courteous....and all my parts have been recieved in a timely manner and in good shape...Ames seems a good source also...but the this site tips the scales to PY for me..... /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[71 T/A]

Why PY rules:

1. They only sell Pontiac parts.
2. They're very knowledgeable.
3. Their prices are consistently the lowest.
4. Most (90% or more) of the time the parts are in stock.
5. If they don't have it in stock, the parts are on backorder for a short time.
6. Shipping costs are low.
7. They keep introducing new parts.

[cheesepocket]

My gripe with Ames, and the reason I don't go to them anymore, is that they don't have an automated phone answering system, just a busy signal. When I emailed them to comment on that, I got no reply. I don't like to be ignored as a customer, and PY does a better job serving customers who have better things to do than calling back.

[shark landis]

Shop and compare...buyer beware. Only minor beefs with Ames...don't buy Rally Wheel paint, it's a bait and switch. Picture in catalog depicts a custom mix. What you receive is "Auto Zone" sh*t at twice the price. Like most of you, I deal with different vendors and appreciate them all. Steve Ames and Chris Casperson have both taken the time to discuss various problems with me and both seem to be "people people". Gotta luv'em! Thanx...Ron

[Heybuck]

I bought a heap of stuff from Ames when I bought my '66 GP. Back then, I'd never heard of PY.

I messed up the radiator warning decal so ordered another. Cost me $3. They put it in an envelope THEN put the envelope in a shoebox. Cost me $19 for the post.

Wrote a letter to Steve Ames to complain. No reply

Customer service like that doesn't earn repaet business if I can buy the same parts elsewhere. PY for me. :mad:

[hiwaystar71]

i have had good luck with ames and perf years.to back this board,i go to chris first.py by the way is super on replacing damaged or defective items.no bs,no hassles.

[Ed Neasham]

I have to agree with 66SSE. Being an Engineer and a Nuke at that, I can (sometimes?) be anal retentative. When I started on my '66 GTO i set down and made a complete list of everything I would need in the way of parts (my goal is every moving or functional part will either be new or rebuilt when I get done). This means I was going to need a lot of parts.

I then build a data base and put in every vendor, (that I could find and get a catalog from) part number and price for each and every one of these parts (over 950 parts). About 65% of the time PY had the best price. Now remember in many cases, for reproduction parts, there is only one place making a specific part, so all the vendors are selling the same thing. Only thing different is the price, the customer service and the shipping cost.

As said by others, if Chris has a part, I order it from him. I only go to the other catalogs when Chris doesn't carry something.

As to customer support, Chris has been more than accomodating. When I got my set of Rally I wheels from him and found they wouldn't fit over my disk brakes I asked him if he'd take them back (I'd pay the freight). He said, why not wait till he got a west coast order for them and he'd have me ship the wheels to the buyer, saving me the cost of shipping them all the way back to Penn and save the buyer some shipping. (Turns out I decided not to sell them, but to save them for my wife's car). To be honest, I did have one go around with Chris. I bought the repro clutch Z-bar from him. When I got it, found out that it had some features that were flat manufactured wrong (zirk fitting hole on wrong side of the shaft and tapped with wrong thread, no hole in arm for the clutch return spring, assembly painted black - while original was natural). Informed Chris and his only answer was "He didn't know". Not really acceptable for a vendor.

Not a bad post, an Ames thread and never mentioning Ames until now, wasn't it?

Ed

[ March 08, 2002: Message edited by: Ed Neasham ]</p>

[pontiaddict]

I got hosed on the wheel paint too! However, all in all, I've had no real problems with Ames or PY. Year One? Hit and miss.

[Bob Kazian]

Performance Years and Ames are the best two Pontiac suppliers in the business. I have known both Chris and Steve for many years.

One advantage that Performance Years has is that Chris will take trades on NOS parts or buy parts outright that he can sell at shows or in his catalog.

Receltly, Chris was looking for steering wheels in any condition that had good splined hubs and was willing to trade for his catalog items or buy them outright. To my knowledge, no other Pontiac supplier does that.

Another advantage is that PY uses a GM tow vehicle for his trailer. Ames uses a Ford. See Chris, it's the little things that counts!!!

[orstratfan]

Howdy guys.
Brand new here. Looks great.
Okay, just had to post my .02. I have dealt with Ames and found them to be reliable, prompt and almost NO b.o.'s. OPG is a different story. I have had terrible experiences with them. Constant b.o.'s even on comonly stocked parts. Parts and hardware missing from orders, poor customer service. Just discovered PY. Unfortunately the web site seems to be having some problems and many areas I want to access won't load. Catalog download for example. Being a typical boomer male I cannot wait for a printed catolog;-)I've heard good things though and am looking forward to checking out PY's stuff. They do seem very customer oriented.
eBay? I've had very good luck both selling and buying. 99% of the folks I've dealt with have been cool.

[BillS]

In my opinion PY and ames have separated themselves
from the rest. I give the edge to PY. The reason being that PY seems to have a higher standard on part quality. If it's quality is questionable they
choose not to sell it.

[pontonjon]

I,ve bought VERY MANY items from all of 'em. Let'see, Ames, PY, Year One, Paddock, Bob's, Classic Industries and some small guys....

Every company offers good parts but they each have their own place too. Firebird for example, PY has that 4 barrel throttle(PY56), best in the market. Paddock has those radiator support well-nut kits, extremely nice, only supplier. Ames many excellent items as well as their own specialty, in-house reproduced parts.

However,there is that large pool of items that only come from one supplier or the best quality supplier for that specialty. Example, all these guys use M&H Electric Fabricators for their wiring harnesses. Excellent quality and you don't save anything by going direct to M&H. But you can save over the others during Year One's 10% sales.

In some cases where suppliers are different, I've bought the same item from 3 of these guys and returned the 2 worst quality items. One nice feature of Ames though, their catalogue has subheadings referencing quality when exact(i.e. Ames states their side view mirror repro is better quality than the GM item!)

I am 3 68 Firebirds richer today and A LOT smarter when shopping for the closest to NOS repro parts. In the case where I am not at all satisfied, I have the part restored or pay the big bucks from Hemmings seller. There is someone out there that can provide ANY service, it just depends how much is too much!

[TDSjr]

Yes there are other places to buy parts and some are cheaper then others...However Customer service goes alot further for me then price alone and customer service is tops at Performance Years!
I've never had any problems with PY and when things have been on back order they usually ship them out very quickly! Besides I use this site extensively and everyone here has been extremely helpful. The various contests...giveaways and such are also a nice bonus!!!! Just wanted to throw my 2 cents in on this one. Now if I can just get the old lady to loosen the purse strings a little more I'd put a bid in on that established business that's for sale!
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