Beware: problems with GLASSWORKS

[Barbara S.]

I want to give everyone a heads up. Last month, I sent a $1500 deposit to Glassworks as a deposit to restore my '61 hardtop. They seemed reputable and helpful when I talked to Matt, the manager, on the phone. I waited for about 2 weeks to get confirmation of my deposit and waiting number to know when Glassworks would reach my top.

I left several messages last week for Matt, or someone, to call me back and confirm receipt of my money. No phone call.

I finally got ahold of Matt's Dad, Ted. Now Ted tells me that Matt has left with a bunch of the company's money and has left the company! I've left messages now for Ted to call me back and let me know what is up. Nobody is there to answer the phone and now, apparently, no Ted.

At this point, I'm feeling like I've been ripped off for $1500.

Anybody out there know anything more than I do right now???

If this is how Glassworks is going to do business, then I don't think that Glassworks should be permitted to advertise in the Driveline until they make things right.

Tony

[Rob Dame]

Re: Beware: problems with GLASSWORKS

Do they have your top too? Rob

[Barbara S.]

Re: Beware: problems with GLASSWORKS

Nope. Just my money. I had been waiting for them to send me the shipment box and give me my number in line.

[Mike M.]

Re: Beware: problems with GLASSWORKS

first negative comment on glassworks i've heard of. had them restore a 61 top for me about 8 years ago.also bought pieces i needed to restore a top for one of my other 61's. no probles with either dealing. have know ted for @ 15 years and have always respected him for honesty and integrety.if i'd have set my son up in a buisness and he screwed up, i'd feel obligated to correct his wrongdoings. time will tell. good luck and keep us posted on future developments.. mike

[Barbara S.]

Re: Beware: problems with GLASSWORKS

Problems started 3 weeks ago. maybe fine for you 6 years ago, but problems now. A return phone call would help me feel like Ted will make things right.

[Joe L.]

Re: Beware: problems with GLASSWORKS

Tony-----

I don't know a thing about The Glassworks. However, any business that requires a $1,500 CASH deposit in order to, essentially, give you a "place in line" for them to restore your hardtop would be HIGHLY suspect from the "get go" in my mind. I wouldn't do business this way with anyone.

For a job like this, before you send them the hardtop, there should be no deposit, at all. When the time comes that they're ready for your top, they give you a call and if you "flake out", they simply call the next person on their list. For the crating material that they send you, they should simply make a charge to your credit card at the time that they send you the material for the actual value of what they send. After you send them the top, there's no need for any deposit. The top, itself, is the "deposit"----if you don't pay for the work (e.g. your check bounces or your credit card is rejected), they keep the top until they get paid. That's all there should be to it.

Whenever a business demands an up-front deposit like this, it's usually a sure sign of a business in deep trouble and/or someone wanting to "assemble" as much cash as possible before "hitting the road".

[Jim D.]

Re: Beware: problems with GLASSWORKS

Glassworks has had a good reputation of great service and top notch work -until this. I've talked to Matt and ordered lots of parts and never had a problem. Sorry to hear of another business with customer service problems. Hopefully this will get worked out.

[Joe L.]

Re: Beware: problems with GLASSWORKS

Jim-----

Do you know if they always required a $1,500 cash deposit in order to give someone a "place in line" for hardtop restoration?

[Jim W.]

Re: Beware: problems with GLASSWORKS

They didn't require such a deposit a little over two years ago. I gave Matt my credit card number so he could charge me $40 for a needed shipping carton. I don't think I paid for the restoration until the top was complete and ready to ship back to me. Matt was always great to deal with and met his father and brother at the Orlando meet in January 2003. Sorry to hear of the current problems.

[Mike M.]

Re: Beware: problems with GLASSWORKS

no up-front $ was required of me when i had them restore the hartop nor when i bought parts to do another one.that was between 3 and 10 years ago .as i said earlier, ted always impressed me as being trustworth and honest. mike

[Joe L.]

Re: Beware: problems with GLASSWORKS

Mike----

That's what I figured. It's just not customary or necessary to pay a deposit, and particularly one of $1,500, as a means to secure ones "place in line" for repair work like this. It might be appropriate for a full car restoration at one of the better restoration houses, but, even then, I'd feel very uncomfortable with this sort of thing.

In this case, it's my opinion that it was a case of plain, old fraud. In other words, the intention was to get the money and run off rather than some "unforeseeable circumstance" arising and causing the "default". Like I say, I just can't see any other reason for demanding a large cash deposit like this. That's especially true if it was never done in the past, as you and Jim describe.

Regardless of how the much integrity that the "senior owner" has, it doesn't sound like the "junior owner" is so-endowed.

[Roy B.]

Re: Beware: is OK but!!!!

I must say I ask for an up front deposit $1K for my bubble tops to get in line, only because I have to order the material which takes 6 weeks to get ( not cheap) and they produce 5 to 7 sheets only every 6 weeks ( may be). The molder also can only produce so many at a time , it's a side item for them. ( Producing the top I'm not an Aerospace Company ) having big bucks falling out of my packet . Same when I was reproing the 55 shielding.I.am one person , not a company!
I tell people to ask around about me, call me and if they feel good about it and me OK, if not OK.

[Joe L.]

Re: Beware: is OK but!!!!

Roy-----

When one is ordering something to be custom-made for one, a deposit is appropriate. That's quite customary and usual. In this case, it's not really a deposit, per se, it's advance payment for part of the final price of the item. For custom made articles, up to 50% "advance payment" would be customary in order to initiate production of the item. I would say that your tops fall into the category of a custom-made article.

In the case of this hartop restoration/repair, there are no up-front costs associated with "getting in line". Presumably, since the firm also sells parts for hardtops, they stock the items necessary to do the restoration. So, they shouldn't even have to order these.

[Don Izzo]

Re: Beware: problems with GLASSWORKS **Old news

Sorry Guys but I was warned off of Glassworks 3 years ago! One of my neighbors sent them a hardtop for his 58 and got someone else's top in return . The fit and finish was very poor with the front header on the right side sitting off the windshield about 2 inches high! left side sat just fine! I told Ted I was waiting to see how this problem was resolved before sending them my top . After flying a private plane to Westchester County NY to see the top, Ted said essentially "tuff" . He blamed the poor fit on everything but their work and ignored the complaint that this was not the top originally sent to them but a different year altogether! When my neighbor asked that his original top and money be return he was told neither was going to happen. He sold the car and now drives a 55 Nomad. Shortly after, A local well known Vette shop in NY told me these guys were flakes and to avoid them, a real problem to do business with (strike two) and now this, strike three and your out!
Don

[G B.]

I think small deposits are okay.

Joe, I disagree with you on this point. I think a small deposit to reserve significant time on a work schedule is okay. I do agree that $1,500 is an excessive amount as a schedule deposit. Personally, I think $100 is plenty to show that the customer is serious.

Perhaps you've never worked in a small, custom service type business. You would know that your best seller would be free advice. That means much of your time would be spent helping people with no expectation of being paid. That's fine with me as long as we both understand what's going on.

However, when someone says they want me to reserve 40 hours of my future work schedule especially for them, then I do ask for a $100 deposit to hold their place in line. It's fully refundable if they change their mind for any reason. If they gag on sending that amount, I know they're not ready to hire me and that I should keep my work schedule open for others. No paying customer has objected to this practice so far.

You might be surprised at the number of people who order parts over the phone and then never follow through with payment. It happens about once a month. I guess some people do announce their plans before they're close to acting on them. Requiring such folks to get out their checkbook sure seems to help them decide what they're really going to do.