Autodoc parts, thinking about buying from them, forget it now.

[Charlie Farley]

For anyone looking for parts for Audi or other brands "DO NOT" use Autodoc unless you want to wait indefinitely.
I ordered a pair of drive shafts for my old bus on the 29/12 /20 and they were stock items.
They took my cash and then had no further reply despite numerous emails to them.
They finally emailed with a GLS link that showed the parts had been dispatched on the 4/1/21 and would be with me in 4 working days.
Ever since they have been in transit with no tracking or means to locate where they are.
I managed to get through to them this evening only to be advised that my parcel was still in transit with no delivery date available when I pushed the point the customer service guy conceded that due to brexit all deliveries to the UK are subject to very long delays with no delivery dates available.

I've cancelled my order now based on that info, just a heads up to anyone thinking about using them, don't expect delivery for some time, 6 weeks was mentioned as very possible in my chat with them.

 

[Gazwould]

Sounds familiar , the fall out from Brexit extra paper work .

 

[martin1984]

For anyone looking for parts for Audi or other brands "DO NOT" use Autodoc unless you want to wait indefinitely.
I ordered a pair of drive shafts for my old bus on the 29/12 /20 and they were stock items.
They took my cash and then had no further reply despite numerous emails to them.
They finally emailed with a GLS link that showed the parts had been dispatched on the 4/1/21 and would be with me in 4 working days.
Ever since they have been in transit with no tracking or means to locate where they are.
I managed to get through to them this evening only to be advised that my parcel was still in transit with no delivery date available when I pushed the point the customer service guy conceded that due to brexit all deliveries to the UK are subject to very long delays with no delivery dates available.

I've cancelled my order now based on that info, just a heads up to anyone thinking about using them, don't expect delivery for some time, 6 weeks was mentioned as very possible in my chat with them.

I've hummed and arred about ordering but the fact there so cheap has put me off with you saying this I'll be staying clear of them

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk

 

[Charlie Farley]

The link they sent me was for GLS Ireland , made me wonder wether they are shipping via this route to avoid southern UK ports , well if by road transport that is.
And if they are coming Via Ireland then things will take ages to get here.

 

[Charlie Farley]

So then , an update for those that are still thinking about using Autodoc, " don't" .
After a lot of backtracking over many days I managed to find out more from my own checking than from any other source.
Having had a very helpful chat with a lady from GLS Ireland , she manged to track down my item and despite Autodoc maintaining all the time it was on route, it was not, it is still sitting in there warehouse collecting dust along with hundreds of others destined for overseas customers.
It was never released to GLS , and the tracking info they issued me with that it was coming via GLS Ireland was rubbish aswell as it would be coming from Germany to GLS UK , who are in fact Parcel force world wide, not going anywhere never Ireland.

So they have just been palming me off with excuses .
Anyway , i'd had enough by Friday and gave them 24hrs to refund me or I'll commence a full refund via my card issuer.
I've had an email today confirming they will refund me with the next 1-3 working days, now that is a good start but it kinda proves that they know it hasn't been sent as they were not going to refund me until they had the parcel returned to them without exception.

So i'm still not happy to be honest as I've lost almost a month waiting for something now that wasn't sent, ok i'm getting my money back but I now need to source them all over again from a UK source.

So chaps , us them at your peril, pot lock and all that comes to mind.

rob

 

[desertstorm]

Don't think you can really throw all the blame at Autodoc. I have used them many times over the last few years and never had an issue. If Brexit and Corona Virus hadn't have happened then you would have had your parcel.All couriers at the moment are over run and having issues and all the extra red tape with Brexit has got in the way as well for stuff from Europe.
You only ordered the item on 29/12 how have you lost almost a month??. New year got in the way I am sure.
I have typically had to wait a week or so when I have ordered in "normal times".

 

[Charlie Farley]

Maybe chap , I don't have an issue with waiting, that's life these days, it was the lack of info from autodoc from the very start and that they denied any responsibility.
The couriers never had it in their system, it is still sitting in Autodocs dept, tracking showed that after digging into it deeper, whether it was down to Brexit or covid is questionable.
If it was on route then yes that's fair enough, I was willing to wait, I had factored in 2-3 weeks when I ordered it , but it is not and they were insisting it would be with me in days, when I could get a response from them.

Maybe I was unlucky to have a bad first order with them, but either way, their customer service was very unhelpful and the fact they denied there was a problem when it most certainly was, why say it was on the way in transit when it was still in the warehouse and I had to get that info from another company.
In this instance, I feel it was autodoc at fault, they could have just said at the start there was a problem or the parcel was delayed but they didn't, they just kept up the its in transit and will be with you in few days message when they were fully aware it wasnt.
Anyway, it's put me off them now as I cant trust what they say as being correct, waiting is not and was never the issue, being able to trust and rely on a seller important otherwise whats the point.

 

[Charlie Farley]

I could just say oh well I'll wait another 2-3 weeks for them to arrive , but they won't.
If anyone has ordered since the end of December and has received the parts then you're doing well, if you get them in the next week or so , you're still doing well , just wish i'd had the same success.

 

[Prawn]

Frustrating to read. I ordered some calipers on the 11th of Jan. The confirmation and tracking info came through very quickly, but has since not updated for 10 days.

As said, I don't mind a bit of a wait, but if they're not actually going to arrive I'd rather know sooner so I can source elsewhere.

 

[Charlie Farley]

Don't expect them anytime soon, they have agreed to refund me now and to refuse the parcel if it arrives, but tracking still shows it as the same as on the 5th of Jan, and it's still in the autodoc warehouse.
I think it is a sign of things to come to be honest.

Don't expect a straight answer from Autodoc either, they will just keep fobbing you off with the "it is in transit " excuse, total waste of time.
Hope you get yours but don't rely on it.

 

[RAF_S7]

The parcel delivery routes into and out of Europe are totally screwed up at the moment, so I would expect delays regardless of who the vendor is.

As an example I sent a parcel to Bucharest (Romania) with UPS, the delivery usually takes 3 days. This time it took 3 weeks.

I’ve been sending parcels on this route for years, so enquired with a contact within UPS, and a number of points were raised, all impacting delivery times:

• COVID Pandemic is impacting deliveries globally, from hub locations to destination cities and onward distribution. It’s also impacting parcel collections from senders
• Brexit has significantly impacted all routes into and out of UK, with all parcels subject to additional border and customs checks due to the change in free market regulations, and what you can and can’t now ship into Europe and vice versa (Think ham and cheese sandwiches being confiscated at the border!)
• Customs and VAT charges is now payable on (almost) all goods coming into the UK from Europe, and it’s the carriers responsibility to collect these charges before delivery, hence the delays with incoming parcels

The news media is now starting to pick up on stories of people ordering items from Europe, and being hit by Customs and VAT charges adding significant costs to the original purchase price. Sellers are not required to include additional UK only costs on web site pricing etc.

I suspect it’s going to get worse before it gets better, and given we all drive German cars, I suspect we will be seeing increased prices on spare parts that have to be sourced directly from Germany.

 

[Charlie Farley]

Agreed chap, the problem with autodoc is that the parcel is still at the warehouse not in transit.
They kept on saying it was in transit but i tracked it back via GLS and they confirmed it was still at the autodoc warehouse, autodoc conceded in the end it was there problem , its not the waiting but the denial of what was happening.

 

[Charlie Farley]

Just to make this even worse , i read this article today and i can see it happening to Autodoc parts aswell.
GLS are the UK couriers for Autodoc , and GLS are in fact Parcel force worldwide and they always add on all charges etc from chargeable counties.

So if mine parts do ever appear, which is highly unlikely , i bet they will ask for fees , which they wont get as i don't want the parts now.
just another factor to keep in mind chaps.

here:

British shoppers hit with unexpectedly high fees on products from EU after Brexit (msn.com)

 

[NateS2]

To add some more details, I've also ordered from Autodoc many times and they've been very good, even with returns and warranty. I ordered some parts last week and I've been assure that I won't have to pay fees. They're currently saying they "can't disclose the exact nature of the issue, but its related to customs". They hope to have an update this weekend. They've also said I can contact GLS for more information which I'm going to do.
It is very annoying but such is the world

 

[Charlie Farley]

I hope you have the part about no extra fees in writing chap, i asked the same question when i ordered my bits, they stated that they could not offer any gaurentees that the price would stay the same and that extra fees would not be added as it was down to the new customs regulations and GB was no longer part of a single market.

best of luck all the same.

 

[DW81]

I would just use crewe audi parts. Uk based, very helpful and the prices are probably no different to all these online parts companies. Use them all the time

Sent from my SM-G981B using Tapatalk

 

[Charlie Farley]

I have used them and with very good service, the downside is that a genuine audi front driveshafts are almost double the cost of an SKF part which is a good part anyway, i have no problem using OE parts but at double the price it is not really the best route .
Maybe if using some cheapo parts OE is a good plan but SKF are very good aswell.
That said , getting parts from aftermarket sources in Europe is becoming an issue i may well end up going with OE parts afterall.

 

[NateS2]

So to update this, they resolved their issue over the weekend and orders are moving again. Mine started to move some point last night. I’ve been assured by several people that there will be no fees, and the issue is party coronavirus related, and partly German couriers just stopping shipping for a period because it’s too complicated. Now obviously, autodoc should have made people aware of this and shouldn’t have lied, but it would appear at least that it’s out of their control. Will update when I receive the parts

 

[desertstorm]

That's good news I use Autodoc a lot as the prices for quality parts are a lot better than what I can find in the UK.

 

[Charlie Farley]

So to update this, they resolved their issue over the weekend and orders are moving again. Mine started to move some point last night. I’ve been assured by several people that there will be no fees, and the issue is party coronavirus related, and partly German couriers just stopping shipping for a period because it’s too complicated. Now obviously, autodoc should have made people aware of this and shouldn’t have lied, but it would appear at least that it’s out of their control. Will update when I receive the parts

Good news for you then and i hope you get it soon.
My items have still not moved from the 5th jan info , so still at the warehouse, and despite the promise to refund me with 3-5 days a week or more ago , still no refund either.
I'm not impressed at all.

still i wont be the only person being messed around, no info from autodoc, no refund and basically nothing to show for my order, what a waste of time.

 

[Nedion]

The mess with delivery will continue for a long time until everything comes into balance. But it seems to me that the human factor also took place here. Usually, managers in trusted stores do not cheat with constant customers.

 

[Charlie Farley]

Ok chaps, as I started this thread on a somewhat despondent note I'd thought I'd end it on a more positive note, well for me that is, it doesn't really change my opinion of them but does go some way to clearing up the situation.
Today I have received a very apologetic mail from them which outlined failures within there customer services etc which led to the poor level of service I received.
They say numerous factors are to blame, some were out of their control but others were solely down to their handling of my order, and that they did not deal with my order or subsequent concerns correctly and within there level of service and quality.
As a goodwill gesture they have now refunded me the payment in full and as the items have now been dispatched they will not require any further payments towards them and I am free to keep them upon receipt of delivery.

So I won't say I'm completely happy about the result, it was something that shouldn't have really ended this way, I have always accepted from the day I ordered the parts there would be delays with delivery etc, it was to be expected.
The way they dealt with my order and subsequent enquires was the problem and they have now put there hands up to making a mess of it.
Anyway, hopefully that it's sorted now and I'll wait and see what arrives etc.

To all you guys that have ordered parts and are still waiting for them and to those thinking about ordering, i wish you the best of luck and hope you get a better buying experience then I did.

Best of luck chaps.

Rob

 

[desertstorm]

After seeing positive movement from other peoples posts and this I have actually put an order in this afternoon. I am not in a great rush for the parts . It seems to me they have done as much as they can. We are living in challenging times at the moment and what is normally a well oiled machine has had many large size rocks thrown in.

 

[Charlie Farley]

After seeing positive movement from other peoples posts and this I have actually put an order in this afternoon. I am not in a great rush for the parts . It seems to me they have done as much as they can. We are living in challenging times at the moment and what is normally a well oiled machine has had many large size rocks thrown in.

 

[NateS2]

So just got my parts today, all as normal, no fees! They were posted on the 13th Jan according to the sticker. Only difference is you now get a plastic wallet with a terribly printed "Customs Invoice" stuck to the side.

About substitutions as well. I think there is an option to disable it. You can also just check your "My orders" a day or two after posting. When they substitute (in my experience) they generate a new order with the new item. If you live chat with them they'll let you change their substitution to something of your choice, or let you hold the order until the part is back is in stock.

For new orders they're still aiming for 7-10 days delivery + their processing which is normally a couple of days, depending on what you order.
If you're new, TopCashBack have a really good discount for them. And Autodocs "random" discount is highest on Monday evenings, excluding the flash sales etc. they're doing recently. You also get 1-2% more discount on their app which is handy.

 

[Charlie Farley]

So just got my parts today, all as normal, no fees! They were posted on the 13th Jan according to the sticker. Only difference is you now get a plastic wallet with a terribly printed "Customs Invoice" stuck to the side.

About substitutions as well. I think there is an option to disable it. You can also just check your "My orders" a day or two after posting. When they substitute (in my experience) they generate a new order with the new item. If you live chat with them they'll let you change their substitution to something of your choice, or let you hold the order until the part is back is in stock.

For new orders they're still aiming for 7-10 days delivery + their processing which is normally a couple of days, depending on what you order.
If you're new, TopCashBack have a really good discount for them. And Autodocs "random" discount is highest on Monday evenings, excluding the flash sales etc. they're doing recently. You also get 1-2% more discount on their app which is handy.

Thats good then , still zippo from them for my order as far as a refund and the order is still showing the same status as of 5th of jan , in germany.

 

[NateS2]

Hope you get it sorted! Definitely live chat with or even better, ring them. Most of the time any final authorisation for refunds is done over the phone with someone in Germany so you might get faster results that way, rather than the online chat /email which I think is based in another country.

 

[desertstorm]

Well my Autodoc parcel arrived this morning so 2 weeks from when I ordered it. I expect that the time will reduce when they get through the backlog and hopefully the world returns to a more normal place .

 

[Charlie Farley]

Well my Autodoc parcel arrived this morning so 2 weeks from when I ordered it. I expect that the time will reduce when they get through the backlog and hopefully the world returns to a more normal place .

So another happy chap then, good news for you aswell , sadly still nothing from autodoc for myself.
No refund or parts to date, despite the promises they made nothing at all.
I had a chat with my card issuer and they have opened an investigation to reclaim my card payment.

Maybe i have just been so unlucky , i wont be using them anymore full stop after this.
For those that have had normal service from autodoc, your doing well then.

 

[besters]

Had my delivery today from Autodoc, ordered 12 days ago. I order through www.onlinecarparts.co.uk if that makes any difference.

 

[Charlie Farley]

It looks like a pattern emerging here.
all you guys that have placed orders in the last few weeks would seem to have missed on a lot of issues then.
Great for all you lot.

 

[desertstorm]

I am sure you will get this resolved one way or the other. Probably getting your money back on the credit card. I am glad that hopefully Europe is still open for buying car parts from. Even with the slightly higher postage the parts and choice are so much better than anything like ECP , GSF etc.