Randy, I am sorry that you will be stopping the pulley parties but I will see you at the last one in L.A. at EF1. Since you asked:

THE BAD:

1. You guys are horrible in reponding to emails and voicemails. I have left messages that go months without a response.

THE GOOD:

1. Spending time at pulley parties to answer questions no matter how stupid
2. Providing great R&D before launching products (not all other vendors do this)
3. Not trying to sell everything to everyone. Randy has talked me out of several products that would not be appropriate for my needs
4. How-to-do directions

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE FUTURE:

1. Write tech articles for MC2 magazine
2. Develop your own weekly or monthly podcast to discuss products in detail
3. Write a book on modding your MINI
4. Provide a FREE special shirt, valve cover badge or decal to your loyal following that show up at your final pulley parties
5. Comment on this post

 

hey Randy, all good news! I posted something along these lines at WMS.com, but it hasn't been responded to so i'm gonna put it here too. i would like to see the HDI box in black or some kind of a ceramic coating with a little WMS logo on it or something. we all know how great and proven your products are and i for one would like to see the logo displayed on the products rather than a sticker on my car. we know the quality is there now show what you've built proudly - under my bonnet.

 

I second this suggestion. Also, if you guys have a hard time with e-mails, you guys could get blackberries. My office calls them electronic leashes though...

 

Randy, I am very sad by your announcement.

I am very disappointed by the fact that you are withdrawing and pulling the mule from the series.

It's a shame that no one out there can/will sponsor the car properly for the series.

Most of all, it sucks that the series is mainly east coast. How the hell do they expect you/us to drive all over half the continent is beyond me. And with the price of fuel at 3.30 + a gallon doesnt help either. Bastards.

If I had to choose one from the following areas where I would prefer to see Webb Motorsport involved:

a) New Parts Development
b) Pully Parties
c) Improved Customer Service
d) Motorsport

I would, without a doubt, without thinking twice, pick (d). Hell, thats HALF the name of your company for christ sake, and I'm definitely not the only one would who pick it above all others. I wouldnt give a rat's *** about (c).

I personally LOVE watching and hearing about your races. (Speaking of which, we need the more vids, where is the vegas one?)

I think you are mad for withdrawing. MINI motorsport needs you to participate for it to grow in this country.

I for one, am very motivated by you and Brian, and am already trying to get a race car for next years season (or series equivalent).


Dont do it man. Try and hussle somemore for sponsorship if you can. (And anyone else out there who can help).

Randy, you're doing a Jerry on us. Poor Randy.

I won't even ask how much you want for the mule. Coz I dont want anyone to see the price nor want to buy it. Bastards.

 

Hey Randy, Masaki here.

It is sad that you are not doing the parties anymore simply because it was a blast hanging out with you at my house whenever you were in LA. I do know that you are making the right move though. You can't be a gig dog for a long time!

We are making a huge change this summer (moving back to Japan) and as I am preparing to sell my MINI also, I feel the end of an era.......

However, I am looking forward to our new adventure in Tokyo starting this summer and I am definitely going to look into the MINI crazy community back in Japan. Once we are settled in, I will be introducing more cool JDM stuff directly from Tokyo and I am sure I can help you with introducing Webb parts to the Japanese Market.

Our house will be on the market this week so I hope we still have the house when you get here but I am looking forward to the one last party!

See you soon

Masaki & Julia

 

Hope an office manager helps this, and just to repeat those above, your reponse to emails is non-existent. I'm still planning on having you do my work, but I'm planning on dropping several thousand dollars at your shop and haven't heard a peep back in over a month. I realize that you're busy, but doesn't really make me feel like you want my business. Just my $.02

 

In regards to the issues about e-mail and phone messages, I must voice a point of contention about certain "customers" in defense of Randy, Brian, and WMS. Having spent some time at the shop (and as many of you have experienced at pulley parties), I can tell you that Randy is more than willing to respond to questions from those who ask. One problem IMO are the ****** who call Randy to pick his brain - which he patiently responds to, sometimes spending inordinate amounts of time on a single call - and then having the knowledge they were seeking, these same bastards go out and buy a slightly cheaper part from some big warehouse who can buy parts at greater volume, and therefore get cheaper prices (then probably call Randy back again when they need help installing it). This type of behavior makes it more difficult for real paying customers like Toowiley and others to get through.

This simply is not cool! If you take up Randy's valuable time asking him questions, at least have the decency to buy your parts from Webb Motorsports! And if you have not bought your part from Randy, don't call him when you get stuck installing it - use the excellent online guides or call the damn company that you bought the part from in the first place.

BTW Brian really knows his s**t too, is an excellent wrench and shoe, and can steer you in the right direction in terms of answering your questions.

I'm not trying to squelch constructive criticism here, but just trying to get folks to understand the situation from a different perspective. As many of us know, WMS has been an invaluable resource to the Mini community - let's keep it that way by supporting the company with not just our words of support, but our hard earned money as well.

 

micah is spot on here. Agree with you 100%.

Randy, if Masaki's house is sold by pulley party time, my door is open to you.

 

I would just like to see an HDI box!
On my front door step would be nice...... the one I ordered and paid for two months ago.
I still think you have the best products, and I really appreciate the how to articles as I am a do it yourselfer, but just be as honest as you can about any time delays so the customer can made an educated decission on whether to wait or buy another product.
All in all, I am very happy that you are there developing products for the Mini and providing help in so many ways.
I want to continue being a Web customer, so hurry up and work out the kinks.

 

Well said.

 

What he said x
Just a thought .......Think about how many of us have bought from WMS or had our cars "blessed" with Randy's deft touch at a PulleyParty and been able to glean a whisper of understanding about our wounderful cars......why not have everyone throw in some $$$ (kinda like the $200 ten times vs $2000 once) and let the Mule retire where it was born. The Mule IS WMS....no offence Randy

 

QUOTE "One big problem IMO are the ****** who call Randy to pick his brain - which he patiently addresses, sometimes spending inordinate amounts of time on a single call."

I happen to be one of the ****** who have called Randy to pick his brain but I am also the same ***** who has spent countless hours promoting WMS, helped arrange an L.A. party, had Randy install a Milltek exhaust on my car, planning an install at the final L.A. party, and have successfully encourged dozens of MINI owners to attend his parties and purchase his products. WMS has led the way in providing customers great products and I look forward to Randy's sucessful future. I will continue to promote all of Randy's future endeavors but I still may occasionally call Randy with stupid long questions that don't result in a purchase. In the long run ****** like me provide a valuable service. BTW I am trying to get a bunch of SCMM members to come to the final pulley party. Hopefully many of them will schedule installs. Randy totally rocks!!!!

 

Larry, I'm sure strict rules need to apply before you can qualify to be a *****, i.e. You need to a) Call Randy and pick his brain AND b) Not help him/purchase from him in any way.

So I guess that doesnt make you a *****.

I think Randy should have a new phone system that says:

"If you are a ***** and would like to speak to Randy, please press 1 now." And then we can secretly direct them to AOL or something.....******.

 

I guess I am one of the good ******. BTW let's save the MULE. If each NAM member contributes $3.00 to $5.00 we can save the MULE.

 

I'll throw out the cry in the wind of "parts for the Cooper". I know the suspension parts are universal, so that's not a problem. How about an intake? Maybe header and exhaust too.

Is there a Unichip map that does something meaningful on a Cooper? Cooper ECU upgrades don't get talked about much.

 

I'm up for that. If we call it "Save the Mule Foundation" it would be tax deductible....right.?

 

Save the Mule... and buy it, and race the snot out of it, and make us all proud. :-) Randy doesn't need our charity...he needs our business! Waiting for a pulley party to purchase a part? Order it up now, find the most local WMS preferred dealer/installer, and get the work done!

As far as further feedback for Randy: I think you're on the right path... keeping your loyalty to us will keep ours with you! Keep up the good work.

Ben

 

Agreed . While I would love to see Randy out racing his creation, it is definitely noticeable that he is not able to keep up with the business side of things while racing and traveling all over for installs. WMS is a small company and doesn't have the assets to do everything. I'm about ready to finally get into some performance mods and WMS products are definitely on the list. Keep up the innovation.

ps. does anyone know if the larger silicone hose is now available with the HDI? They list the price for one but then say that it will be available shortly at the bottom of the screen.

 

Larry, I was DEFINITELY not referring to you in my earlier post, as you have helped to promote and support Webb Motorsports. And I know that Randy's willingness to talk to folks on the phone can lead to future business.

I guess I am just lamenting a problem I have seen many small businesses run into (originally I am from the cycling world) when people "use" a small shop for knowledge about what parts are best, test out a product to find what size they need, etc. - and then go and order from some big mail order company that can get better margins and offer the product for a lower price.

I also apologize for using a somewhat inappropriate term in my original post, but let me say again that I was not referring to advocates/customers like you who help to support WMS's business

 

A cry in the wind may be right, especially with the R56 around the corner. However, I do share your feelings on this. The cooper is neglected (by a lot of vendors not just Webb). And don't tell me the old I don't get calls asking me for MC parts I don't carry. Half the MINIs sold in this country are MC's. Sure more MCS owners performance mod them, but after 5 years of production, surely the MC deserves some attention.

 

Yeah Randy does not need charity, he needs SPONSORSHIP.

It's really hard to get motorsport sponsorship in this country.

 

Oh so true...

Sites like this are for general tech support...or call your dealer. I believe a vendors only duty is to his paying customers. There is no such this as "free tech support". Time is money and it costs someone in the end. People that don't know how to mod a vehicle should pay someone to do it or figure it out...not waste a shop's time looking for step by step directions for free.

I go through this all the time where I work and it's a big pain in the *** not to mention some on the complete no brainer phone calls I get.

Just a side note...and no joke here...about a year ago I had someone call and ask me what size camshafts I could get for his 3rd gen RX7 he was planning to rebuild. I gave hime a quote (for anyone in the dark rotaries have no cams so I made something up to screw with him) and he actually called a few days later to order them!

Seann

 

So Randy I read on here that you are bad at email and phone so I was wondering just how I can contact you...Apparently this is the best way? Anyway I have left you a few emails wondering if I can come in and get a rear swaybar installed. I didn't know if I needed an appointment or if I could just drop by. Thanks.

Scott Stekr
Scott.Stekr@colorado.edu

 

Hey Randy best of luck to ya buddy. Coming from someone who has called you many times with questions I’m sure you have heard so many times that if you had a nickel for each time you could keep the mule.

Looking forward to seeing you at the Bay Area pulley party. I’ll call you next week, if your in to see about doing some work for me there and to ask yet another question. If you don’t answer I’ll leave a message or try again like always I know eventually we’ll hook up. You may be hard to get a hold of but when I do get you I know I would have 100% of your attention and it was always worth the wait for you time and top of the line parts.

 

Well, to say this is a disappointment would be an understatement. That said, Randy, I hope you take that as the sincerest complement. I have been fortunate enough to watch you drive twice (Laguna Seca and LV) and, not to belittle ANY of the other drivers (I'm envious and respectful of y'all) but not looking forward to you on the track strikes a serious blow to MINI motorsports in general.

I'm not complaining here, as you are doing what's best for you and your company and your family, and I wish you well. But you should know that some of us admire your skill behind the wheel as much as your skill under the bonnet.

I'm not due for any mods, but I'll be at the LA pulley party to say hello and wish you well.

Cheers.

Steve (pulley proudly Webb installed)