F1Addict

I love brick and mortar stores and after I got my Jeep felt so privileged to have a 4 Wheel Parts store just a couple miles from where I live. 'Great', I thought, 'I'll be able to get most everything I need without having to pay for or wait for shipping'. That's what I thought. I would guess I've been in there 20 times in the two+ years I've had my XJ and not once have I bought anything. Not because they were too expensive or not open but because they had to order it and wouldn't have it for a few days. What is the point of having a physical store if you don't actually have anything. I can order the stuff off Amazon for significantly less and get it faster. I want to support my local business and am even willing to pay more for the convenience of instant gratification but I'm not going to pay them more for something I can get faster and cheaper from an online vendor. It's not like I have some obscure 4x4, at least three employees there drive XJs.

When I called this morning (I've learned to always call first) to see if they had a set of Rancho RS9000XL shocks for my '89 XJ I thought for sure today would be different. I mean they seem to specialize in off-road suspension. Nope, had to order. Tuesday at the earliest, so much for doing the swap over the weekend. I just laughed and ordered from Amazon... $22 less, free shipping and it will arrive at my doorstep on Tuesday. Plus, it happens to be from a vendor without a presence in CA so I save another $26 on sales tax.

4 Wheel Parts seems to be nothing more than a middleman who charges a premium to order your parts for eventual in-store pickup. That's dumb.

Atmos

4wp is just a distributor. it would be impossible for them to keep the massive inventory they have all in stock. and buying from amazon is just as bad as buying/supporting walmart IMO. but sometimes you just gotta..

regardless of how useful a physical location is or not, I hate 4wp. so I'm glad you're not giving your business to them. they once tried to tell me my shims were installed on the wrong sides of the bearings I watched them be installed with my own eyes. they were on correct. guess who still had to pay for them to "fix" it.

useless. that's not my only bad experience either, just the worst

andrewmp6

Unless its stuff for something brand new they probably won't keep it on the shelf's.

F1Addict

These shocks have been the most complicated order, ever. I initially ordered them through Amazon but the vendor claimed a backorder issue and wouldn't be able to get them for two weeks so I went back to 4-Wheel Parts this past Saturday and ordered (4) 9-way adjustable Rancho RS9000XL for my '89 XJ with a 3" lift. Total price: $354.20 but there is a $100 mail-in rebate through Rancho so final cost to me would be $254.20 or $63.55 each. The shocks were coming from their Compton warehouse (about 20 miles from the store) and would be there on Monday. I didn't hear from anybody on Monday so I stopped by. They had only gotten two of the shocks (fronts), the rears would arrive on Tuesday. I asked them to explain why only two of them had been shipped from Compton and he gave me a plausible explanation.

This morning I called to confirm all four had arrived and was told they were ready for pickup. I left work and drove down there only to be handed (4) non-adjustable Bilsteins. I explained that's not what I ordered which, at first, seemed to confuse him. "Oooooohhhh" he said, "it looks like we won't be able to get the Ranchos for 5-6 days. Sorry." He tried to convince me that the Bilsteins were a better shock and they might be but they're $8 each more and no $100 rebate. Then he tried to sell me 6-way adjustable ProComps for $110 each and no rebate, lol.

So basically, I ordered 9-way adjustable Ranchos and for some reason, they took it upon themselves to order shocks from a completely different manufacturer without ever consulting me. Who does that?

askingxforxit

That sucks man, I've never had a problem with 4wp bit I've only bought from them a hand full of time. Luckily I live ten minutes from the Compton warehouse so I don't have to wait very long

F1Addict

If they actually had them, I would totally drive to Compton to pick them up. Unfortunately, they don't have the rear shocks and have to order them from Rancho, "six days, minimum" said the unconcerned man behind the counter. I just find it amazing that they tried to give me Bilsteins like I wouldn't notice they weren't what I ordered.

askingxforxit

Yeah that's a pretty chicken **** move.

askingxforxit

I've noticed that the guys behind the counter don't know a damn thing about parts despite the amount of lifted bro trucks in the parking lot...

F1Addict

The funny thing is, there were two XJs in the parking lot (besides mine) that I assume are owned by employees because they were both there on Saturday, Monday, and today. The white one is always in their little poser display out front.

dirtyjerz

ok cool....
heres what i've learned. I work for a corporate america bull**** job(not gonna say where) but the ppl you see in stores are fronts. the real ppl who do the leg work who actually know what their talking about work behind the scenes typically in call centers and back offices. for ANY corporate company you are better off waiting and calling a phone rep who does this 100 plus times a day(i know this cuz i do it). verses talking to someone who bought their jeep on craiglist.
my rant is over... continue

Tom95YJ

As a former employee and current customer of 4wp I can say unless you goto a store attached to one of the 6 dc's your gonna have to wait. I was fortunate enough to work at a location with a DC and it was rare that we had to order parts from another DC. Now that I live in Utah the 4wp here is small so practically everything is ordered in from the Denver DC. Chances are unless you want a high-lift jack or some recovery gear or own a JK they won't have **** in stock.

F1Addict

I went in to get my money back (I'd left a $177 (50%) deposit) and the guy I ordered them from was there. He said he "could have sworn I wanted 5100s" which is weird because during the course of our conversation I never mentioned Bilstein or 5100s, never. Why would I? We specifically talked about the rebate Rancho was offering and that's why I was getting them. That and the 9-way adjustability.

Anyway, I needed them for a trip I was going on, a trip I just got home from tonight. I managed with my old shocks but it would have been nice. Oh well, what can you do. The guy said he would make it right, whatever that means.

Outlaw Star

The 4WP down here is great. Even if they order, it's usually here within 2-3 days. The Manager is also head of our Jeep club so he makes sure the Jeep crowd is happy.

askingxforxit

Which one is that?

Outlaw Star

West Palm Beach, Fl