I sent in a payment back in the spring, like April I think, for both a years membership and the back issue newsletter special and still have not recieved squat!
I have called them, sent them e-mails and even had Phil and Gloria respond to a few e-mails. Phil replied back at one point and said he saw that they recieved my payment and shipment was sent. He said he was going to send out another shipment the very next day which was about two months ago. Now he has handed it over to Gloria who is arguing that they don't see my payment. Give me a break. I still have the e-mail from Phil that says he shows they got my payment!

I remember on the lists awhile back someone else had stated that they hadn't received yet what they had ordered from FOCOA, and tons of e-mail came back saying how horrible FOCOA is.
How do I get what I ordered or get my money back?

Is anyone associated with FOCOA on this Forum?
Help!!

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I thought I heard someone mention that the fellow who runs FOCOA has had some serious health problems, like a stroke or something.

i haven't dealt with them in years (like 5 or 6). however, in the past they were very good about shipping things.

but that was a long time ago, and things do change.

i have [/b]never[/b] liked the fact that you cant access their website for parts, unless you are a member!

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hoop
Red '86 GT

I use to be a member of FOCOA but one year I sent in my annual dues and never received anything. I then joined NIFE and have been happier since.

Gloria is in the hospital. I have not heard why.

This is the e-mail I recieved from Phil Huff almost two months ago-

Steve: Received your mail. Thanks for letting me hear from even with your
concerns. I'll see if I can address your issues.

1. It is really easy to answer everyones questions if we are provided all
the information. I have no idea what you ordered? Tell me what you did
not get. Were you charged for it?

2. I'll see what happened with your membership today. According to our
computer records you membership package was shipped. Since you say you did
not receive it I'll get another sent out to you tomorrow.

3. It is really easy to manage a small group of names and request. As in
the local clubs. However, when you multiply that number it is not quite as
simple. Sometimes when people either call, send e-mail it is done so with
not complete information. But, there are also times when things need to be
taken care of in a timely manner, and if not then the problems need to be
addressed. I appreciate your contacting us and giving us a change to undo
what ever we have done wrong.

Please let me know what else I can do to assist you. phil

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steven,

I would tell you to CALL them. I have NEVER
had any problems with FOCOA. You pay you get your stuff. Why would you let it go on for so long?

Call them, that's rich! Hopefully they are not the people who influenced their son, Keith, in phone etiquette. My dad had a rebuild done on his 2.8 that was allegedly supposed to uncrease it to a 3.4 (I know, I know, but we were novices at the time and my dad ran into the wrong slick talking mechanic-- all this is totally UNrelated to the Huffs) The car never could run right, and my dad put me in charge of getting the car shipped from Northern CA to the Huffs shop. (Due to him leaving the country for an extended period of time.) I left many messages on his answering machine, as well as sending numerous faxes. All to no avail. Could not BUY a call back.
Finally I got ahold of Mr. Huff the younger, who told me that he had received my messages and faxes, and e did not want to do business with someone who did not "know what the hell they are talking about". Excuse me? Aren't you supposed to be the expert? If I knew what I was talking about, I'd do it myself! My personal impression what that these people ave established themselves as being completely arrogant. Apples don't fall far from the tree.

Just to make sure everybody knows - different Phil

I've had minor problems with FOCOA. All were solved with a phone call (this was a million years ago before I was hooked-up to the net). They were always great to talk with too.

I haven't been a member of FOCOA since they pulled that "we can't drive on the track" stunt at Indy. I had too many un-answered questions.........all from FOCOA.

Notice I said I haven't been a MEMBER since. I still show my face at the national meets.

Steve,

I have also never had any problems with Gloria or Phil at FOCOA. They get in at
10:00am CA time and leave sometime around 6:00pm to 8:00pm CA time. I would
suggest that you find your copy of your Postal Order and fax them a copy of it.
Then follow up with a phone call to them. I am sure that if you show them proof
they will resolve this in a timely manner.

Voice 714-635-0898
Fax 714-917-2161

I pulled these numbers from my Cardfile.

I say just wash your hands of it. With orginisation like that, they will very soon go the way of the dinosaur. I can't see what benefit at all could come out of "membership".
(Can you tell I'm not a fan?)

I too had heard bad things about them, but I finally go the nerve to join and order the back issue about 5 weeks ago. Total bill for 1 year memebership and back issues plus shipping was $110. The back issues came rather quickly (10 days from when I mailed the check). I have not yet recieved a memebership card. I will say thay reading the back issues from 1987 on was rather intersting and well worth the money. Many of the things we talk about here are in the back issues.

Give them a call, the back issues are well worth it.

Plus, one of the back issues has that original 88gt advertisement (same color as my car)that I always wanted, but did not want to pay 10 bucks for in ebay...

Stimpy,

I have been a member of the FOCOA since 1987. I have found good advise, interesting information, great yearly events and most of all a major motivator for keeping interest in the Fiero. They have worked hard to produce hard to find parts as well. Without all their hard work we would not have what we have today. Remember FOCOA was formed in 1983 before the first car was shipped from the factory.

FOCOA is the center of the Fiero community.

What more would anyone need?

I did awhile back and talked to Gloria. She said she was going to look into it, as stated in her e-mail.
The reason I finally posted it here was I hoped maybe someone from FOCOA was on this Forum and would say, "Geeze, this just isn't right' :o)

Don't you hate it when you are blastin' down the road in your Fiero, and you fly over a fence towards a cow? I hate it when that happens!

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FOCOA and Fiero Motorsports seemed a little SHADY to me, never opened on time, thats for sure. I told Keith what I wanted to do to my fiero but he kinda blew me off and started to tell me about his northstar project(this is bout 2 years ago). Chris West and his son to me seemed more interested in mods and tuning up the fiero. Chris West might have just stole the show from Focoa and Fiero Motorsports here in southern Cali.

I have also had some minor problems with FOCOA, but they were very helpful in correcting them as soon as I notified them of the problems. I had renewed my membership and ordered a set of floormats back in January. The floormats came but were the wrong ones. They had the correct item written on the bill, but apparently slapped the label on the wrong box. So I phoned them and they had me send them back, gave me a credit for the shipping and sent out the correct mats. Then in July I recieved a notice stating my membership had lapsed. I was billed for it with the mats. They re-instated my membership and sent me the back issue of the newsletter I had missed.

I am very glad they were willing to correct the problems so quickly. However, it leaves me to wonder how good the organization is anymore. They seem to have a bad organizational system. They are always talking about how tough it is... but it seems to be just a lack of good organization that so much stuff gets "lost" and "misplaced". I am considering not renewing my membership anymore and going to another organization.

Give them a call, I think they will straighten out the problem.

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1988 Fiero Formula

I have known Phil and Gloria for many years and for the most part FOCOA is literally a 2 person operation. Sure, there are volunteers that come and go but its just Phil and Gloria putting together the magazine, just Phil and Gloria running the mail order business,Phil and Gloria coming in 6 days a week, Phil and Gloria putting together some of the Fiero exclusive stuff AND going out to the SEMA show AND putting together the Nationals AND the various traveling associated with various club functions all over the country!

Im surprised that they are as organized as they are!

Now, I have heard a variety of opinions about FOCOA, Phil Huff and even Keith Huff (I had worked for him at Fiero Motorsports) and yes sometimes they rub people the wrong way but I have seen them help many, many more people that needed it. I have also seen many people try to take advantage of them. Act in seriously crimanally childish ways, (how adult-like can you be to key a very special Formula in their museum?) against them and generally try to get as much as they can for as little as they can.

They are in a rough business. But its the business that pays rent and puts food on the table for these two. They may not be perfect but they do honestly try their best.

(boy, do I stretch out my 2 cents worth or what?)

Thank you.

Anthony Sisneros
President, Fieros West

[This message has been edited by WKDFIRO (edited 11-04-2000).]

I think you will find that there are changes occurring within FOCOA (the club itself) these may be evident soon - hang in there and don't go away..........FOCOA (the club) is being restructured to include eight regions within the U.S. and will separate itself from
FOCOA (the Huff's business)as I understand it. I think you will like the structure and will feel the difference. I'm sure you will hear more about this in the future......

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www.tgowens.com/fiero - Blue '87 GT - Gold '87 GT
www.cfog.org - Classic Fiero Owners Group
www.http://www.fieroshop.net/ - Fiero Shop - Richmond, CA - 1-510-23-FIERO

quote Originally posted by Chris Schaefer: Stimpy, FOCOA is the center of the Fiero community. What more would anyone need?

It is precisely this kind of monopolistic rationale that enables people to provide poor customer service. Basically the message received by me is, "We don't want to do business with you, cause we don't have too. And you're not going anywhere else." Newsflash, FOCOA is not the center of my Fiero universe, and after the treatment I received from Keith Huff, I would sooner sell my Fiero and drive a Toyota Corolla then be "forced" to do business with him or anyone connected to him. Furthermore, if my opinion is solicited now or in the future, I wil not hesitate to share this opinion. Now, if he wants to send a nice little fruit basket with an apology, I would be happy to rethink my position.

Stimpy- please don't hold back! Tell it how it is

Man, you must be living in a very, very small world if FOCOA is the center of your Fiero community. I can think of a list about a mile and a half long of other things Fiero owners would need besides a membership to FOCOA. My parents own a store here and they are the only ones running it, any time. They work their a** off and are always on top of things. Its a two person operation. Granted it is not the same type of business as FOCOA, they probally have just as much work load. They maintain a 10K Sq. Ft. Store, along with going to the Las Vegas trade/gift show twice a year, along with paying invoices stacked, honestly, 2 ft high. Im sure keeping up FOCOA is a pretty difficult job, but they need to a little more dedicated and commited. If they dont take care of the customers they have, they wont have any in a while. I think that is becoming obvious now, declining membership. Isnt that what everyone wants: As much as they can for as little as they can?

Wow, that was about a nickel's worth.

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Sean's Fiero Page
Sean Heberly
Silver 86 GT 2.8 Auto
Going on to 3.4 in Jan.
If you smoke after sex, your doing it way to fast.

quote Originally posted by Cooter: Stimpy- please don't hold back! Tell it how it is

Oh shoot, did I go and ruin my reputation of being quiet, demure, and understated? My bad!

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Loud Pipes Save Lives!

I am going to call them one more time on Monday. I will post how this latest attempt to get my order goes as soon as I get off the phone.
Stay tuned.

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Well guys, I see that you are all getting hiped about nothing and everything. I talked to Gloria about four days ago and she was on her way to the hospital to be with Phil who is sitting vigil with his mother who had a massive heart attack and the docs. don't think she will make it. It took me four days of trying but Gloria and Phil have always come thru for me.
Sometime being nice gets you more then being nasty.
I personally think that if you nothing good to say about somebody,don't say anything at all.
I don't like to put people down, especially if I don't know what is happening or what the current situation is.
Grow up guys.

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[This message has been edited by fieroshop (edited 11-07-2000).]

"I talked to Gloria about four days ago and she was on her way to the hospital to be with Phil who is sitting vigil with his mother..."

Well, at least that explains why I have had a hard time reaching anyone for the last few days. Still doesn't explain the many past months.
Will try again today. My prayers to Phil and his family.

My sympathies also go othe family in this time of trouble. However my dealings with Keith Huff date from way back in 97. Does not change my mind regarding his business ethic and customer service skills in any way. I hate to sound like I'm kicking a guy when he is down, but he had an opportunity a long time ago to impress me and he blew it.

quote Originally posted by 007DOUG: ... since they pulled that "we can't drive on the track" stunt at Indy...

Will somebody plase tell me what happened at the Speedway? If you feel it's too far off the topic, then email me.

At the national show a few years ago at Indy, everyone who paid, was promised time on the track with your fiero. NO SPEED LIMIT. But at the last moment, the powers in charged pulled the plug on all the fiero indy wannabees and now one got track time as promised. From what I understand, Indy never intended to let the fieros on the track but took the money anyway, then FOCOA had to refund everyone. It was a real mess. Lots of fieros came just to race on the track. This is just what I read. I was not there, If someone else can add to the story please do.

Don't worry Stimpy!

Keith "Fiero Doc" Huff doesn't have to impress you or anyone else since he has been retired from Fiero Motorsports for almost a year now.

He still has his bright orange Fiero and is still an active member but no longer worries about working on Fieros other than his own.

Who would seriously think that Indy would let uninspected cars and drivers without performance drivers licenses take laps on the track with out at least a pace car?

quote Originally posted by WKDFIRO: He still has his bright orange Fiero and is still an active member but no longer worries about working on Fieros other than his own.

Yep, that's how impressed me, as being a real member!

I was at Indy in 96 for the cancelled event. Phil is right the event was for a controlled lap at Indy. The cars would follow a pace car at some controlled speed. No track would allow uncontrolled racing by inexperienced drivers. The track was closed because of construction on the track, FOCOA Phil was notified at the convention that the event was cancelled. Don't blame Phil.

Even controlled laps in the past were made dangerous by some goofballs taking off thinking they were Mario Andretti creating very hazardous conditions, because of more than one goofball at a time would try this and near misses occur. No wonder Indy and Daytona dont do this any more. Some jerks ruin the experience for all.

The St.Louis show you had the cahnce to run on Gateway International at $50/driver. FOCOA Phil had to put up $5000 for the track and hope 100 drivers would subscribe. The wannabe racers cried about the price, that you had to wear a helmet and clean the interior of the car from rubble. You had to sign off obsolving the track in case of accident. There were three catagories: 1. Drive the track, 2.Race at highway speed, 3. All out racing. Each catagory had 20 minutes, then it would start over. We had the track for the day. FOCOA Phil lost money. Some of you cry babies need to get some real life experience of planning a show to include track privledges. You come up with the upfront money.