The Gauge Shop - Beware!

[ANF289]

I ordered a "reconditioned" Smiths clock for my AC directly from Alan Davis' website, The Gauge Shop, about this time last year.  He ended up shipping me a clock that had the tips of the hour and minute hands broken off, and a dial that was in need of a good cleaning (sprinkled w/ white paint (?) particles).  After some back and forth e-mails he agreed to send replacement hands plus instructions, but after repeated follow-ups failed to do so.  After more back-and-fourth e-mails he finally told me "Just send the whole thing back and I will sort it out".  So I shipped it off.
   
   In the mean time I saw that he had another clock on his eBay site for auction, and I ended up winning it (What a deal!).  Unfortunately it never arrived, and he has never responded to my e-mails via eBay.  eBay ended up refunding my money.  The interesting thing is that the clock that I won on eBay for 26 GBP was, and still is advertised on Davis' website for 75 GBP.  Clearly, he had/has this item in stock and for sale at: http://www.thegaugeshop.com/shop/article_55/SMITHS-QUARTZ-CLOCK---.html?shop_param=cid%3D15%26aid%3D55%26.  You too can buy it ...maybe!
   
   I'm still waiting for Davis to return the original purportedly reconditioned clock that I had sent back to him late last year (Probably the one currently listed on his web site!).  Still no response... I would truly feel bad about posting this if the reason for his unresponsiveness was that the ol' curmudgeon dropped dead!  But his recent eBay activity suggests otherwise.  In light of his excellent eBay ratings I am a bit surprised that he is so morally corrupt.  However, from the few negative feedback responses (and some positive ones as well) that he does have, Davis has a history of items lost in post, particularly when the sell price was low.   He may provide great service to those in the UK, but he clearly takes advantage of customers who can't easily come knocking on his door.  That said, Nisonger is the way to go in the US, and probably elsewhere.
   
   By the way, I sent an early version of this e-mail to Alan long before posting it here in the hope that he would agree to honor his word and send me the hands and instructions, or exchange the clock for one that was up to his purported standards.  That was on 10/31/10, and, I'm still waiting for signs of life (and my clock) from Alan.
   
   As they say, ya pays ya money and ya takes ya chances.  Hopefully this note will save someone out there a lot of future aggravation.
   
   On a lighter note, feel free to offer suggestions on how to handle a curmudgeonly Englishman at a distance. [:D]

[cobham cobra]

I suggest you ask a Frenchman [;)]

[aaron]

Good on you for exposing this scumbag.

[Alan Faulkner-Stevens]

Morning ANF 289, as someone living here in the UK can i help in any way? Do you want me to call this guy for you? If i want any sort of instrument refreshed or repaired i would sent it to a company called Speedy Cables who are in Wales. They have proved very helpful and very reliable in completing work for me in the past.
   Let me know, Alan
   faulknerstevens@btinternet.com

[shep]

Hi AFN289, I emailed The Gauge Shop a week ago but have not received a reply, so I'm sorry to say it doesn't look good. I agree with Alan and have used Speedy Cables many times. They used to be in London, but have moved to Wales and do a great job.

[cobham cobra]

I put the address into Google Earth and it's just a house on a residential  estate, no shop, office or workshop etc. Doesn't look like a full time business.

[ANF289]

Gentleman,
   
   Thank you for your support, suggestions, and especially the offer from Alan.  In reference to the latter, I think that this is really something that can only be handled by me... but thank you!  Spreading the word is probably the best thing that could be done for everyone.  Who knows, Mr. Davis may respond if he gets enough bad PR.  I plan on sending him a copy of this thread in an attempt to persuade him to free my clock.  If that doesn't work, I guess I can post similar warnings on the Lotus, MG, and Triumph club forums.
   
   Again, thanks for all of the comments.
   
   Art

[Stephan]

I ordered an original clock for my AC Ace at The Gauge Shop last week and it arrived safe and well today here in Germany. So no complaints from me.
   
   Stephan

[ANF289]

quote:Originally posted by Stephan
   
I ordered an original clock for my AC Ace at The Gauge Shop last week and it arrived safe and well today here in Germany. So no complaints from me.
   
   Stephan
   

Stephan,
   Good to hear you were treated well.  Not a surprise from his ebay feedback.  The problem seems to be when either 1) you're not pleased with what he sends you, or 2) you win an auction at a price he doesn't like.
   Art

[ANF289]

First, I'd like to thank all of you who responded to my original posting.
   
   Second, I'd like to thank all of you who read this thread.
   
   On 5/5/11 I sent the following e-mail to Alan Davis:
   
   Hi Alan,
   
   I'm still waiting for you to return my clock and for you to send me the other clock I won on ebay for 26 GPB.  In the mean time I've generated 500+ hits advertising for you on the ACOC forum.  Makes entertaining reading.  Hope you enjoy it.  I've reproduced some of the comments below for your reading pleasure.  I should be able to easily get 1000 hits on the Lotus site next, and god knows how many hits when I get around to posting this on the MG, Triumph, and Jaguar forums.   I'm sorry to have taken so long to getting around to doing this, but I won't be stopping until I've run out of car forums to post on!
   
   All the best,
   
   Art
   
   Check it out at:  http://www.acownersclub.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1833
   
   On 5/10/11 I received a PayPal message informing me that the GaugeShop sent me a 70 GBP refund for the original clock I bought over a year ago.  It was accompanied by the following note:
   
   >>> "alan davis" <alandavis@thegaugeshop.com> 5/10/2011 6:50 AM >>>
   End of story
   THE END
   
   ALAN
   www.thegaugeshop.com
   07773313474   01732 838528
   
   Apparently he is not as morally corrupt as previously thought; public scrutiny can force him to do the right thing.    However, he remains a man of few words!
   
   Thank you all, again.  This could not have happened without you.   Although I would have preferred the clock, I'll certainly take the refund.
   
   Life is good!
   
   Art

[Gus Meyjes]

I've heard great things about Nisonger Instruments, in case you or anyone else needs their gauges refurbished.
   
   Gus