Questionable vendor, advice? Options

[MattR]

I placed an order last week to a vendor, who shall remain nameless, tuesday to be precise. I needed the pistons so I could get some machine work done during spring break (the only time I have as a student). I expected to have the pistons last friday because they are relativly close to me, but I held out until monday. After UPS had come and gone on monday without my pistons, I decided to email the vendor. Apparently they backordered my pistons without me knowing it and it would a "couple more weeks." Is it me or is this BAD business? You cant backorder stuff when they are expecting it. There was NO indication on their website or any follow up emails from the vendor that the part was on backorder.

I could wait a couple of weeks for him to get the pistons in, but I would have to push all my plans back and sit on my hands for the remaining week of spring brake (meaning my car probably wont run until the summer time).

Or I could cancel the order and find another vendor that might have the pistons in hope that I will get them before friday so I can drop that stuff off to the machine shop and work on it next weekend. My schedule is still screwed because I should be going to the machine shop tomorrow to bore out my cylinders and do headwork... but atleast I dont have to deal with a stupid vendor.

Any thoughts?

I really thought this was a good vendor. He has been praised on this forum and I think he's even a member. I wouldnt normally care for a 2 week setback, but the fact that he ignored telling me for a week really pisses me off, especially when time is such an issue.

[MattR]

I accept some responsibility. I totally should have called to check if they were in stock. If I did that I would have avoided some headache, no doubt.

My biggest beef is them putting the part on backorder without telling me. He had my email and phone number, and if he didnt have something in stock, he should have atleast told me. I guess its a risk you take when the vendor doesnt have an 'in stock' or 'out of stock' ticket on their website for each part.

I thought about taking the heads in and having the boring and balencing done later, but as it stands it will probably be at the machine shop for a week, so I wont be saving any time. If I take my parts to the shop on monday, I wont be able to work on my car until saturday at the earliest...

I guess I planned things too carefully for them to work... one f-up and the whole project goes wry.

Hey brad, do you have any 96mm KB pistons in stock? Or does anyone know a vendor that has these pistons?