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The Aquila Affair...Continued

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  • The Aquila Affair...Continued

    Looked promising at first, after a couple of weeks of e-mails (up to a week for a reply) I actually spoke to Milan (had to

    phone a few times before I was called back) who was very pleasant and said they had all the bits I wanted. He said he'd get

    back to me with info on a gearbox cross-member... 3 days later an e-mail to say:

    "I will come back to you later today as I need to find out the time scales from our chassis manufacturer for the manufacturing

    of the members"

    That was on 28th April and nothing since. I even sent an e-mail on 29th to say 'no hurry' on most of the parts but could I

    please order some engine mounts right away - no response whatsoever.

    Milan seems like a nice guy and maybe he has problems, but with this sort service I'd be very wary about sending cheques off

    etc. (they don't take credit cards which at least afford you some protection). Maybe parts/support for old cars just isn't

    profitable and Aquila are only interested in new sales, which is fair enough as they are running a business (I think). That

    said, from my experience I would never consider buying a car from them.

    If Aquila are not interested, perhaps they'd consider selling old molds & drawings to someone who can make them available to

    those who need them - such as the MOC! I can see Aquila disappearing with everything.

    What a contrast when I called Quantum Sports Cars ; not knowing exactly what I needed, I asked for everything required to use

    my bare Type 9 bellhousing with a Zetec R - lots of helpful, knowledgeable advice, credit card over the phone and all the

    required parts delivered in a few days. If only Aquila could be the same.

    I also spoke to MJ Steptoe (listed as a dealer on the Aquila web site), he has the same trouble contacting Aquila and told me

    he's been asking them for months to take their demonstrator away as there has been no interest in it. So apparently it is

    not just MOC members that get ignored.

    The Aquila telephone number is call answering service with a script. For fun I called and asked for the Parts Department -

    they actually put me on hold for few seconds before saying no-one in Parts was available! Said they'd get someone to call me

    back (which no-one did of course).

    It is very disappointing that Aquila are still the same as they have been from the very beginning.

  • #2
    Re: The Aquila Affair...Continued

    I think the 4 day silence on this displays the frustration and disappointment of those that have tried hard to get a result on this. It would be difficult to promise that anyone can do anymore. What a sad situation.
    Ben Caswell probably not the last word on anything here!!

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    • #3
      Re: The Aquila Affair...Continued

      Chris, I have had almost exactly the same experience with Aquilla. About 18 months ago, anyway not long after Don sold to Aquilla, I tried to obtain engine mounts and an alternator bracket for the 1.8 Zetec I was fitting into my Berlinetta. Again Milan, in a very friendly voice, said I would receive the parts the next day! The story I have to tell you is almost the same, except: Milan initially promised the parts, then did not return my calls and eventually said Don had them; but Don had previously told me Milan had taken over the stock. Might be best to look else where.

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      • #4
        Re: The Aquila Affair...Continued

        I called them again last week - no reply again obviously. It is extremely annoying and frustrating that I'm going to have to pay someone to work out/design & fabricate something that is sitting on shelf somewhere.

        For myself, at the next kit car show I will be displaying some informative flyers about Aquila that will hopefully help people make up there minds as to whether they would like to buy anything from Aquila.

        They are very stupid as there are lots of good quality kits out there from companies with excellent customer service.

        Anyway, hopefully they'll be out of business soon and the receivers can sell off the important bits to a proper company.

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