Slimey

Just thought I'd vent.

I ordered the shop manual for my 2003 Cl-S on March 31st.

I just called Helm, Inc. to find out 'what's up?' with my outstanding order. They said they put my manual in the mail on April 1st and it is still in transit. They have no way to track it because it's being sent by the USPS.

They must be sending it using the 2nd class magazine shipping because it's been a week and a half. Ugh. :shakehd: No one else takes this long to deliver anything. I should have asked if it could be sent faster. Oh well.

Red-CL

Mine didn't take long at all. I ordered mine on a Sat. night and had it by Wed.

allmotor_2000

How much was it?

Slimey

$69.
The product number for our car is 61S3M02. Their online site doesn't work too well and you cannot find the book unless you already know the product number. Their shopping cart also didn't work well so I had to call them @ 1-800-782-4356.

Shawn S

I would give them a call and BITCH some more.
Mine came in less then a week.

Shawn S

mr. big

i dont know why but i got mine in 4 days!

Slimey

I did. Hopefully it'll be in the mail today or tomorrow. I'll call again Monday and give them more of an earful if transit is more then two weeks.

Slimey

Just to give an update on Helm Inc.

I called them last week again and asked where the book was. The person on the other end said that if I did not receive it after 15 business days, then they would re-ship. I said fine. That would be coming anyway on the following Monday.

I called again yesterday (Monday) to tell them I still don't have the manual. This person changed the story and said that they're now waiting 25 (!) working days before re-ship. She said they're having a 'problem' with the US Postal Service which is causing the delay. She verified my conversation from last week (the 15 day thing) and said that things have changed since then as they believe they've identified the shipping problem. She said that many others are having the same problem as well.

I had a few words with them but got nowhere. They said I could cancel my order, but that was all that was offered. Seeing that they're the only company that makes this book, I'm SOL and will just have to patiently wait.

The USPS is quite reliable and even overseas snail-mail takes less time in transit. I'm not sure what planet they're sending it from, but so far Helm Inc gets a big :thumbsdn: from me.

Smitty

Did they charge your credit card already?... How did you pay for it?

Smitty

Slimey

They charged the credit card on the order date (March 31).

I suppose I can have the credit card company hold payment, but it's not really that much money and Helm does intend to deliver, just on their own schedule.

As said, there really are not any alternative sources for this product.

Slimey

Just a late follow up --

I got my Helm manual last week, after 4+ weeks of waiting. It was sent UPS, so they must have resent it. I've still never received the book that was supposed to come via the USPS.

They really must have had a big screw-up in their loading dock. The person that I talked to said dozens of orders were lost.

---

After perusing the manual I could honestly say that this should have been my FIRST purchase for the car, right after its first tank of gas. It chock full of useful information -- from torque settings and inspection tidbits to complete details on how to overhaul the alternator or transmission!

AK_MOBBER

Make sure to bust out the crayola crayons and start coloring in every picture of the car!!! Hours and hours and hours of fun !!

Seriously helm kicks ass. I personally think it should have come with the car but then the dealer wouldn't get any money for service because everyone would be fixing the cars themselves.

Slimey

Actually I was thinking the somewhat the opposite. The manual gives me new insight as to what the dealer/mechanics can do and also help me gauge my own abilities and limitations before I try to fix something myself.

Now, where are my crayons?...