Pace 427 debuts at Nationals

[BMK]

Yes from the time of agreeing to purchase to completion was around nine months.

I purchased my Kirkham from Absolute Pace directly, although I had the option of buying previously from the US, I decided to buy from the new local agent.

I was keen on a Kirkham after driving one at Fontana Raceway at the Shelby American Auto event.

Craig does a great job looking after his customers and their cars and things are getting quite busy for him with his customers cars going out at nearly one a week.

The quality is exceptional.

[damage]

Bernie,

Well I'm glad to hear that your experience has been great.

I haven't been so fortunate my car was ready to ship in early October 2012 last year and after both David Kirkham and I hounding Craig to ship the car it finally left Kirkhams in April it landed in Australia in June and hasn't had a great deal done since. 7 months waiting.

I ordered my car in early 2011. It took a bit longer due to my engine.

Because of the completed state it arrived in Kirkham suggested between 5 to 10 hours to bolt it together. Plus Craig would take some time with compliance.

I paid Craig half of his money about 18 months ago so that he could have everything ready to start on the car the moment it arrived and to quote his words the car would be ready in a week or two. So that's $8,000.00 he has had to guarantee my work.

I have paid Craig something like another $20,000.00 in shipping and GST always paying promptly when ever he issued an invoice. (Craig's good at ringing and emailing when he's chasing money)

Now I get told a few weeks ago that my wheels aren't here even in his work shop even though I paid to have them shipped and saw them along with my suspension components in his work shop over 12 months ago.

Basically I have spent close on $200,000 for this car and at the moment have nothing to show.

Craig may very well have good products but good service I am yet to see this.

I've lost count how many times I've rung and left messages I've lost count how many emails I've sent and I'm getting tired of waiting.

Just for the record I'm posting all these comments on the back of Craig promising over the last few weeks on no less then 3 occasions that he would send me a complete list of everything required to finish the car. This came after he advised me that he now also doesn't have the suspension springs to finish the car.

So in summary I guess Craig's greater interest is in getting more work in rather than finishing the jobs that customers have already paid for.

BTW David Kirkham advised that they do not have dealers or agency's. This was only yesterday. He apologises sincerely because he referred me to Craig but he also has had immense trouble getting Craig to answer emails.

[400TT]

Was informed tonight I should check the forum.

Damage, I am sorry you have not been satisfied with the work and progress on the Kirkham. Your Kirkham is far more timing consuming to perform the required work than we expected due to specification being totally different to what we use as a base for the registration compliant specification in Australia. And as a result the parts we have in stock for you are not compatible. We have been progressing the changes, but it has required the resources of the guys critical to our PACE 427 & PACE GT roll out. So time has to be shared between the two priorities.

It is not a Kirkham we have imported ourselves, but one damage ordered and spec'd himself and to be honest we only offered our resources as we felt obligated.

I have only charged the actual incurred shipping costs and went out of my way to ship components to where the container was being packed to help offset the shipping cost. It was not to save myself or my customers some money, but to help damage with his shipping costs.

And there are no unanswered emails or phone calls from damage on my end.

I also emailed the requested list and received an acknowledgement.

But I am not going to sit idle and have unfounded public and personal attacks placed against myself and my business.

Best course to move forward is for damage to find someone else to perform the required work to his Kirkham. The Kirkham will be ready for immediate collection as soon as I return from the Cobra Nationals. I will be in contact.

[400TT]

Originally Posted by damage

I have paid Craig something like another $20,000.00 in shipping and GST always paying promptly when ever he issued an invoice. (Craig's good at ringing and emailing when he's chasing money)

Just checked my records, the invoice total was $16,594.52. This amount was billed after the costs were incurred from my end and after I had paid the GST etc, which is the majority of the invoice. Damage you paid that invoice 2 weeks later after I chased you up the 2nd time for payment. By the time I received payment I had already paid the entire shipping costs out of my own pocket.

And I have not charged you for one single work item since. So no charges for unloading the container, installing all suspension into the vehicle, installing rear differential, body repairs and all the other work that has been performed. More than fair in my books.

Originally Posted by damage

Because of the completed state it arrived in Kirkham suggested between 5 to 10 hours to bolt it together.

5 to 10 hours might be possible with a lot of guys working on that vehicle at once and just physically bolting it together and nothing more. This is not a simple bolt together car. Things like suspension mounts etc need to be tuned for fitment and sub-assemblies constructed etc.

Originally Posted by damage

I hounding Craig to ship the car

Interesting enough we were waiting for other very large components to arrive to share in the shipping costs, but after receiving Damage's request, we shipped out immediately in a smaller container. The other components we were waiting for were overdue and I was more than happy to wait any longer either. But I got served a whole lot of grief about the shipping cost, even with the other components shipped with it to share in costs.

[damage]

Craig,

Have you forgotten about the first shipment you asked to get sent over with all my wheels and suspension components.

Have you forgotten about the $ 8,000.00 you asked and were paid as an upfront payment. So how have I not been charged for any work that you have performed.

Would like me to resend send the countless emails that you have never answered.

Can you tell me exactly how my chassis and body combination is different to the other Kirkhams you have complianced and why my car is so much more labour intensive. I realise the engine is different but you have been going to research and lye me know what was required, still waiting on that advise.

Can you explain how my shipment of the car cost so much when you had 2 or 3 engines in the same container. I provided you with a quote from my shipping agent that was cheaper than the costs that you charged but for what ever reason you decided to use your own shipping. I wouldn't call simple questions about the cost of shipping a whole lot of grief as you put it and after all I paid the bill.

Fast tracking the shipment of my missing parts at your expense why thank you, I do believe that the missing wheels as per your first emails was for another client there was certainly no mention of them being my missing wheels until sometime later. Would you like the photo of my wheels in the boxes at your factory when they first arrived.

Can you explain why it took you 7 months to organise the shipping of the car. I know you moved factory and everything but really 7 months.

I would have thought that our telephone conversation a couple of weeks ago would have been sufficient for you to realise that I had lost my patience and that you would promptly send an email listing the components that were missing but another 2 phone calls before you even acted.

As for you feeling obligated if I had of known this was such a burden for you I may have chose different. You offered your services because you wanted a car local to you because the other Kirkhams you were doing were all down south.

Any way I won't continue this on the forum because it wasn't my intent to rubbish you as you appear to have taken it.