Model Car Garage

[dragstk]

Has anyone dealt with Model car Garage lately? I ordered a PH set, paid with PayPal and when it returned me to Model Car Garage site, it said I needed to pay. Tried a few different things, but to no avail. I wrote to them but have not gotten a reply, in almost 2 weeks. This is unusual for them, as in the past they have been great to deal with.

Ant insight would be appreciated

Thanks

Jeff

[Mike Chernecki]

Never had an issue with Model Car Garage in 30 years of doing business with them. They were in the direct path of hurricane Ian, so I would cut him some slack for the next while.

[dragstk]

Thanks Mike. I thought that might be the case, but I didnt know where in Fla he was located

[SpeedShift]

I'm bumping up this discussion.

I ordered some items from MCG last June 2nd - anticipating giving some gifts at the end of the month.

My credit card was billed instantly (that part of the website is working just fine) and tracking orders on his website has been an improvement.

The site allows you to find your order and order status using the order code...I was able to see all my orders the last five years.

But after a month I have yet to receive the June 2nd order.

Last year I called him and got ahold of him and had a really nice conversation.

He apologized for the delay and agreed to track down my order and it arrived later.

This time I left a phone message for Bob, emailed him, I even got on his Facebook page and asked twice about the order and if he was ok,

knowing he had some health issues in the past. He seems to have been well enough to post on his Facebook page.

I haven't heard a thing or even an acknowledgement of my messages.

Do any of you know MCG/Bob's status?

I know there are things in life that are more important than a hobby.

But this is concerning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 14 by SpeedShift

[Rodent]

33 minutes ago, SpeedShift said:

I'm bumping up this discussion.

I ordered some items from MCG last June 2nd - anticipating giving some gifts at the end of the month.

My credit card was billed instantly (that part of the website is working just fine) and tracking orders on his website has been an improvement.

The site allows you to find your order and order status using the order code...I was able to see all my orders the last five years.

But after a month I have yet to receive the June 2nd order.

Last year I called him and got ahold of him and had a really nice conversation.

He apologized for the delay and agreed to track down my order and it arrived later.

This time I left a phone message for Bob, emailed him, I even got on his Facebook page and asked twice about the order and if he was ok,

knowing he had some health issues in the past. He seems to have been well enough to post on his Facebook page.

I haven't heard a thing or even an acknowledgement of my messages.

Do any of you know MCG/Bob's status?

I know there are things in life that are more important than a hobby.

But this is concerning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All I can say is that I had something similar happen to me a few years ago. I refuse to buy directly from him now and will seek out an online hobby shop that has the fret(s) in stock when I need PE.

[SpeedShift]

1 hour ago, Rodent said:

All I can say is that I had something similar happen to me a few years ago. I refuse to buy directly from him now and will seek out an online hobby shop that has the fret(s) in stock when I need PE.

I've seen MCG items sold via a second party as well...I'm hoping I don't have to go that route.

I'll keep you all informed.

[sidcharles]

yeah; you think you're doing the right thing by not going through a middle man and then it don't pan out the way you figured.

i think MCG is one of the OGs in the hobby.

[Rodent]

7 hours ago, SpeedShift said:

I've seen MCG items sold via a second party as well...I'm hoping I don't have to go that route.

I'll keep you all informed.

Not saying any more other than I did get my order. I found Mark Twain Hobbies on FleaPay and they stock a lot of MCG stuff. They also have a website that I order from now to save them the FleaPayFees. That is how I order now. They are also halfway across the country instead of completely across the country, so I get my orders quicker than ordering direct.

[SpeedShift]

15 hours ago, Rodent said:

Not saying any more other than I did get my order. I found Mark Twain Hobbies on FleaPay and they stock a lot of MCG stuff. They also have a website that I order from now to save them the FleaPayFees. That is how I order now. They are also halfway across the country instead of completely across the country, so I get my orders quicker than ordering direct.

Good to know, thanks.

For all....I just got an email this afternoon from Bob asking if I had received my order...so I'll let you know how we resolve it.

 

[bobss396]

On 7/14/2025 at 3:07 PM, Rodent said:

All I can say is that I had something similar happen to me a few years ago. I refuse to buy directly from him now and will seek out an online hobby shop that has the fret(s) in stock when I need PE.

This is what I've been doing. At shows they seem to be very disorganized. I have walked away while waiting for 15 minutes to buy a few things.

[DoctorLarry]

I ordered a PE set recently and it arrived. It did not seem to take an inordinate amount of time but unless it goes long I tend not to check.

[SpeedAndViolence]

I recently ordered from him (approx 3mo ago?) and received everything in a timely manner. I will say though, in one instance I put everything in the 'cart' on the website and then got sidetracked and forgot to pay. When I returned, my cart was empty. He actually called me(!) to verify that I was not having tech issues on the checkout end. We had a pleasant conversation and once I figured out everything I had in the cart previously, I paid and everything transpired as well as I could have expected. So no issues here. 

[SpeedShift]

On 7/15/2025 at 3:45 PM, SpeedShift said:

Good to know, thanks.

For all....I just got an email this afternoon from Bob asking if I had received my order...so I'll let you know how we resolve it.

 

Well after getting an email from Bob on July 15th asking me if I had received my order.....NOTHING.

So, looking back I ordered online and my credit card was billed on June 3rd... then after two emails and a leaving a phone message and asking about my order on his FB page - I finally got an email response - 6 weeks later.

- No confirmation in his email that my order was shipped.

- No status report if the item was out of stock.

Just a question if I had received it. (which sounds to me like he doesn't know himself if he ever shipped it).

Nothing in the mail today (Saturday) so emailed him again today (been eight weeks now) so if it doesn't arrive - or if I don't hear from him this week that's it for me.

After five years of doing business with him I'm ready to call it quits and begin filing a claim with my credit card company.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited yesterday at 12:43 AM by SpeedShift

[sidcharles]

Q: have you called the 800 number on your card to see if you were charged?

did MCG send you an order confirmation email?

when you reviewed your previous orders, did you see the current/ missing in action order?

 

in a take a deep breath moment, the past 20 years have groomed us as consumers to expect everything to work like a fine tuned watch.

when it doesn't, we start to hyperventilate.

the big A has spoiled us, allowed the development of unrealistic expectations, and perhaps set the bar unrealistically high for cottage industry, niche, businesses.

and as a footnote: smartphones are the worst &*^%$* things ever invented.

[SpeedShift]

Q: have you called the 800 number on your card to see if you were charged?

I saw the charge on my credit card when I looked into it.

Q.did MCG send you an order confirmation email?

I received an email confirmation the evening I ordered - confirming the order was processed and "would be shipped soon".

Q. when you reviewed your previous orders, did you see the current/ missing in action order?

I saw my order history - including this latest order.

in a take a deep breath moment, the past 20 years have groomed us as consumers to expect everything to work like a fine-tuned watch.

when it doesn't, we start to hyperventilate.

I took a deep breath - weeks ago. Stuff happens. But six weeks without even an acknowledgement or response to my repeated questions is inexcusable - unless there was a crisis or health issue.

From what has been stated by some of you folks here that have met and talked to him.....there wasn't.

the big A has spoiled us, allowed the development of unrealistic expectations, and perhaps set the bar unrealistically high for cottage industry, niche, businesses.

I understand that. I have been doing business with several cottage industry hobby businesses over the years.

Replicas and Miniatures is a one-man operation and has NEVER had this kind of problem. I've gotten purchases from Brazil and Poland in less time than this.

I ordered some of these items as gift items - so I ordered with a month lead time. Missed the deadline but stuff happens. But some timely basic customer service/communication would be nice.

and as a footnote: smartphones are the worst &*^%$* things ever invented.

I ordered on my home computer, so not sure what your point is. But agreed.

Edited yesterday at 12:47 AM by SpeedShift

[sidcharles]

call your cc company and request a group call to the company. maybe he'll answer and it will reveal either hidden details or jog his memory. that worked once for me with a lumberyard that was intent giving me crappy lumber for too much money. 

i am never ceased to be amazed at companies which ship without tracking numbers. that should be built into their S & H charge. shame on them.

 

[SpeedShift]

1 hour ago, sidcharles said:

call your cc company and request a group call to the company. maybe he'll answer and it will reveal either hidden details or jog his memory. that worked once for me with a lumberyard that was intent giving me crappy lumber for too much money. 

i am never ceased to be amazed at companies which ship without tracking numbers. that should be built into their S & H charge. shame on them.

 

I'm posting this so the rest of you can be informed about the current issue with this company when making a purchase.

MCG has great stuff, and I know a small operation has its challenges. If this is resolved, I'll continue to do business with them.

I'll see what happens this week, - if nothing, then that's it for me.

Some of you may have no problem waiting eight weeks to get information about what happened to an order that doesn't arrive after paying for it.

I'm not one of them.

I recall I used PayPal connected to my bank credit card for the order.

I may be able to request help from PayPal.

 

 

Edited yesterday at 12:46 AM by SpeedShift