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Getting Answers to New Pricing Questions

R

rv12iS-builder

Well Known Member
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I want to ask a question about my order before agreeing to the new pricing. I asked my question using the portal but haven’t received a reply. Does anyone know how long it typically takes to receive a reply? Is there also a phone number we can call?

Thanks,
 
I have two questions open since about an hour after the portal was launched.

Crickets are chirping.
 
Same situation. Posted a question, no answer. I am not going to confirm until last minute.

My main concern is that we all pay the higher prices, due their faults not ours, and in one year, they drop the prices again as they realised they priced themselves out of the exp market. So, it will be us, the current customers, paying the most while Van and the creditors get a 10% profit on the loans made to the company.
 
I asked three questions on 12/22/23 and two of them have been answered.

My question about why the "New Price" is higher than the Web pricing has not been answered. I thought that it might be state tax related but that math only works for one of my three orders.

Waiting...

Bill
 
Same situation, submitted a question same day when received the email, still no answer.

On Friday, I managed to reach them by their regular phone number and speak with a representative. They confirmed that they could see my question in the system. I was promised on the phone that I would receive an answer via the portal most likely on Tuesday or no later than EOD Wednesday.
 
Anyone had a reply to their questions from Van’s yet? Conscious that time is marching on, it would be good if consumers were in a position to make an informed decision regarding their future plans, but like others have said, it’s crickets…
 
Sent an email to them directly, had a response from Anne who’s always been responsive asking me to send her the questions to see if she can answer. Not sure who is in charge of the portal but seems strange that I can get a response through the original channels within a very reasonable timeframe
 
I hope the company are looking after the likes of Anne at the present time, she has always been exceptional to deal with. Sorry to hear that Kim has moved on but if it works for her, then good luck to her.
 
Got an answer

Not suggesting it is the preferred method, but after waiting for a response through the portal for over a week, then emailing directly with no response for another week, I called the main munger this week. The kit team phone went straight to voicemail several times over two days, so yesterday I just hit “0” to speak to anyone. Actually got someone that was able to pull up my order, track down an issue and assured me he would get back to me soon - I chuckled to myself helplessly assuming it wouldn’t be resolved. But sure enough I had an email back from him within an hour and I was able to confidently accept my order through the portal based on the email even though the portal still showed the wrong price. I got a second email from Anne later in the day confirming the change was made. If there is an issue later I feel like I have enough documentation.

I was also happy they were able to make the change. There was a discrepancy in what I had originally intended to order and what they said I had ordered. It’s one one of those things I wasn’t concerned about because we could always add or subtract items prior to crating. With the new no deletions policy I feared I was getting $1000s of stuff I didn’t want. They made it right.

They’re doing their best.
 
New Portal?

Is there a new portal up? anyone have a link or is it builder specific? and is it for kits only or LCP parts also?

As for the Kits team, I wouldn't expect to get a response this week. After talking with Jake Friday about my -10 wing kit he let me know it was there but the freight team had already left for the day and he promised to call me Tues with more info. Since I didn't get a call I made the 3hr drive down with all my emails with Kim in hand planning to work with Jake and figure out what's going on and path forward. And hopefully leave with my wings. Kicker, Jake's on vacation this week:(.

it took Greg himself a couple hours on the phone to work out the solution and discover I wasn't included in the database for the kit emails. hopefully I'm the only one in that boat.
Ultimately I was able to pick up my kit. After paying the increase (gutpunch)

Bottom line, the team there is working towards the solution to make sure we're taken care of. Part runs are happening to get the LCP replacements out the door but they still have a little more list comparisons to take care of first.
Everyone in the mother-ship is looking a bit worn but they're maintaining a positive attitude. Greg looks like he could use a couple weeks on a beach sipping Mia-ties and getting some sleep.

This may suck garbage for us waiting, but multiply that by ~2000 for the staff. Then take away most decision making power from them.
 
Still waiting...

I submitted a question the same day I got my email with the link to the portal. That was 12/21/23, and I still have not received an answer to that question. I know time is running short, so I hope someone at Van's can send an answer soon!
 
If it were me, I would have sent more than one follow-up email, and a phone call or two, by now.
 
I posted a question on Dec 18th, but as of today have not received a reply. Here was my question, for posterity.

I'm interested in agreeing to the new terms for my RV-10 fuselage kit, however I am unable to proceed without my laser-cut replacement parts first. Since I'm in the middle of my tailcone and I also need to rebuild almost everything else that I have already finished, I don't have the physical space to receive and store the fuselage kit until that's complete.

If I agree to the new order, can I hold off on final payment until I have completed my tailcone kit (which is waiting on the lasercut replacement parts)?
Click to expand...
 
rv9builder said:
I want to ask a question about my order before agreeing to the new pricing. I asked my question using the portal but haven’t received a reply. Does anyone know how long it typically takes to receive a reply? Is there also a phone number we can call?

Thanks,
Click to expand...

I've seen mention of this "portal" a couple of times, but I can't find a link to it. Is this something that has been communicated in e-mails to people? I have received two letters regarding the bankruptcy, but nothing via e-mail yet.
 
1001001 said:
I've seen mention of this "portal" a couple of times, but I can't find a link to it. Is this something that has been communicated in e-mails to people? I have received two letters regarding the bankruptcy, but nothing via e-mail yet.
Click to expand...

I received an email with the subject, "Van's Aircraft Invitation to Revised Order Portal." There was a link in the email to click, but it takes you to a login page that requires you to enter your email and set up a password.

Once you do that, it takes you to a page that lists your specific kit order and lets you compare your original order to the modified kit order. You then have a choice: You can accept the higher-priced modified kit order, or you can reject the modified order and file a claim for the amount of your previous deposit under the terms of the bankruptcy code.
 
I still haven't received a response to my single question. I'm worried about accepting the new pricing because of this paragraph in one of their recent emails:

Future payments: Approximately 60 days prior to crating your kit, Van's will reach out to you to request the full balance due on your kit order. You will have 14 days from that notice to submit the balance payment.
Click to expand...

I don't want to get in a situation where I agree to the new pricing and then am forced to pay the remainder of the balance before I'm ready for the kit. Specifically:
  • I don't have room to receive and store the fuselage kit until I have finished my empennage kit, which requires the LCP replacements (and for me to rebuild everything).
  • I don't want to give them more of my money until they have actually done anything to properly fulfill my empennage kit.
 
Since time is running out for me to make my decision on the new contract and I can't get Van's to answer one question posted on the portal over a month ago, does anybody have any suggestions on who I should call to try to get answers?
 
kirkbauer said:
I still haven't received a response to my single question. I'm worried about accepting the new pricing because of this paragraph in one of their recent emails:



I don't want to get in a situation where I agree to the new pricing and then am forced to pay the remainder of the balance before I'm ready for the kit. Specifically:
  • I don't have room to receive and store the fuselage kit until I have finished my empennage kit, which requires the LCP replacements (and for me to rebuild everything).
  • I don't want to give them more of my money until they have actually done anything to properly fulfill my empennage kit.
Click to expand...
Suggest taking delivery when you can. (dont know what may come in the future.)
 
FWIW, I asked a simple question on the portal 12/22/2023 and never received an answer.

Questions sent to "normal" Van's email addresses have received reasonable attention.
 
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