Well, I'll say it here:
Melltzerbern and/or Penstar needs to step up and take one on this.....
Packing a part like this with cardboard at the bottom of the box is BS....one of THEM made the mistake.....yes, it got damaged in transit -- or maybe it was broken beforehand??
Had you inspected for damage first and refused it, the shipper would have been fighting it out with Meltzerbern and then they with Penstar......however, because you acted like a normal consumer and TRUSTED both the shipper and meltzerbern, they took advantage of the situation and you got screwed...they both avoid the fight and its all on you.
How is that right?
If they are really making you pay for return shipping, that sucks...
Let them both know that your story is posted here for all to see. We are a large community.
Did you pay by way of credit card? Did you talk to the credit card company at all?
Thanks for the heads up...i wont be buying from meltzerbern or penstar anytime soon....because ONE of those two companies are at fault here for crappy packaging.....and NEITHER is stepping up to take the hit.
I emailed showcars and artfiberglass.....
Showcars emailed me back to tell me to call them with my questions. Sorry, that sends up flags in my eyes.
Artfiberglass did get back to me with thorough replies...but said shipping to my house would be $220......!!!!! They are on the west coast, I on the east.
So it may be a wash if I buy from usbody/carhoods.com......
I asked a whole lot of questions of artfiberglass and here is some of what they said:
"the holes are not cut out normally because these are light weight for racing and they dont
want them to blow off. but they will do it for you i think there is a $30 fee for it."
(so I guess artfiberglass doesnt make them after all...they are the middle man.....so wonder who makes them? I am also a little taken back by the "blow off" thing....I thought the bolt on hoods were heavier?)
"they do have a crate fee of $20 on a hood and we have a handing fee to process the order.
box fee = $20.00, Handling fee = $15.98"
(for that $20 box fee I would assume they package it really well.....I wont adress the handling fee...I am not very keen on paying "handling fees" when I am buying something and already paying a large freight fee.....I mean, as a company I know they already mark up the cost of the hood...why do they have to charge me a handling fee to sell me the hood?)
They also said that if I ordered today it would be five weeks before it was shipped....and that the hood would need to be used on the car for 30 days to cure or baked prior to paint.