Coming back to work after a particularly fun weekend can be a little difficult.  Fortunately my morning was made a whole lot cheerier when another happy customer email found its way into my inbox.  Today’s mail is from an enthusiastic man named Kevin:

The service you provide is TOP NOTCH and the BEST service I have ever received!!!!! The order had not even been placed for two hours and it was delivered to my door. I can’t thank you enough.

Kevin F.

Yep, that’s right.  Kevin gave us not one, but five exclamation points and he even sent a couple kind words in all caps.  In email terms this means high praise.  On behalf of all of us here at Radiator.com I’d like to say thank you Kevin!  It was our pleasure.

Earlier this morning this email from a happy customer came our way:

“Just wanted to thank you for the excellent service you provided.  I ordered my radiator on Monday, received it on Tuesday, and installed it on Wednesday.  It was a perfect replacement and worked perfectly.  The delivery time was incredible, the driver called to let me know he in the area and the courtesy he displayed was incredible.  If every company I  had to deal with was like yours, I would never have any complaints.  Thank you again, it was a pleasure doing business with you and I will recommend you to all of my friends.”

-From Tim in Bristol, Tennessee

Why, thank you Tim in Bristol!  What a sweetie you are to say such nice things!

It is always wonderful to get positive feedback from our customers.  We all work pretty hard to take care of them and it makes us feel good to know that people notice.  Emails like Tim’s always make my week. 

-Emily

Last Sunday was a hot one at Watkins Glen International, as Bill Lester prepared to race in Sahlen’s Six Hours on the Glen and hoped to secure a Grand Am Rolex Sports Car Series Victory.

Unfortunately it was not to be.  Shortly into the race Bill Lester’s radiator failed, his car overheated, and despite a speedy replacement by the pit crew, he was not able to make up the lost laps. 

Nine years ago Watkins Glen was where Bill Lester became the first African American to participate in a Busch Series race.  He is known as one of the most influential and trailblazing African-Americans in Nascar.  We congratulate him for finishing last weekends race even after suffering a radiator disaster.  Additionally we wish him much better luck in the Rolex Series’ future stops! 

The rest of us might not have as much riding on our radiators as a professional racecar driver like Lester, but it is still comforting to remember that Radiator.com can help us get back on the road without losing valuable time.

Bill Lester Blogs on the Watkins Glen Race

-Emily

 Greetings all!  My name is Emily, I’m also Radiator.com’s newest blogger.

I started working at Radiator.com five years ago.  I was in high school, it was my first summer job.  I spent June, July and August packaging Radiator.com t-shirts, notepads and stickers and mailing these goody filled envelopes out to loyal customers.   I enjoyed the responsibilities and challenges of a full-time workweek.  I learned valuable lessons from my bosses about taking care of the customer, basic job skills, and I got a little more familiar with how my car worked under the hood.  When I returned to school in September I was more mature, better at managing my schoolwork and interacting with my teachers, much more financially responsible and when my car started overheating I knew what to do.  I returned to the company the next summer and I’ve worked year-round at Radiator.com ever since, it’s where I learned to work, and it’s where I grew up.

I never left Radiator.com, but my job description has changed quite a bit since that first summer.  After spending some time honing my writing skills in college I started writing  press releases for the company.  After learning a bit about graphics editing programs I started designing ads and coupons for our customers.  Now (after spending countless hours whining in my LiveJournal)  I have the privilege of contributing to the Radiator.com blog.

I’m looking forward to sharing my excitement about the company and thoughts on the automotive industry with you in my next entries.   Thanks all for reading and it’s great to meet you!

-Emily

Since 1925 when the first Ford pickup was introduced, Ford truck radiators have been some of the best performing radiators in the auto industry.  Ford truck radiators are manufactured with the same high quality standards as other Ford parts.  But over time and with normal wear and tear, any auto part will eventually need replacing, including Ford truck radiators.  That’s where radiator.com comes in.  We’re your one stop shop for Ford truck radiators. Or …. do you try and repair the part?

If you have questions or are working on installing a Ford truck radiator yourself, it’s always a good idea to ask an expert.  There’s no substitute for experience, and when it comes to Ford truck radiators, we can help.
Installing Ford truck radiators, whether you do it yourself or have a professional do it, isn’t a quick or simple job.  You could try to save on costs by buying one of the used Ford truck radiators on the market, but if the unit is faulty then all your labor will be wasted.  Do any of you have an good links to share with us for installing Ford radiators?

There is always the question of repair radiator vs. purchasing one of the new radiators we sell. If you do buy a new radiator from us, you can rest assured that the part is good and the work won’t have to be redone.  And because we offer our radiators at some of the most competitive prices around, it can be argued that it makes sense to buy a new one because you’ll save both time and money in the long run.

Food for thought.

The Rolls Royce is known for is class and sophistication in the auto industry but that doesn’t stop it from having the occasional radiator issue. Whether it is a upgrade or repair it can be difficult to find reliable radiator parts and service for a Rolls Royce. Trust me, I know. I also know that repairs and maintenance must be up to date and efficient to these vehicles and the radiator is no different.

Essential to your Rolls Royce health, the radiator must be in tip-top condition and maintained at all times. Making repairs with pour in refurbishing fluids and sticky putty’s can only make your problem worse in the long run. Soldering is another technique often used that winds up with a bigger problem in the end and can cause injury in the process.

If you are considering a re-core, think again. They are often more, or as expensive as a new radiator. We have knowledgeable techs ready to help you whenever you need it 24 hours a day. You cannot beat our terms and conditions. We are proud of our extraordinary customer service. Help with your Rolls Royce radiator is a phone call away. Don’t make decisions about your glamorous, hard won automotive beauty without the benefit of our well-informed service techs. Take advantage of our free lifetime warranty and low price guarantee as well!

Want to hear about my holiday season? I just bought myself a well-deserved automobile, the Mitsubishi Outlander. It’s beautiful, it’s big and it’s all mine. I’ve worked like a dog and now I have my prize.

What I did not count on was Bambi’s mama nearly destroying my holidays. I decided to bring my baby to the Chicago suburbs with me… during deer-feeding season… in the winter, because I am dumb. I left my parents house and I decided to take a short cut through the forest preserve … and BOOM! Hello Dear! I mean, HELLO DEER…saying Merry Christmas to my Mitsubishi Radiator.

I was okay, thanks to my airbags galore; apparently it was not my time to go. It was however, almost time for my Outlander Radiator to take the big sleep. Why, might you ask? Well, because, now, my beautiful Mitsubishi Outlander Automobile Radiator has had a very intimate exchange with Bambi’s mama. My Outlander Radiator is destroyed… well, crunched…depressed…in need of some serious TLC. Christmas was nearly a wash because I was on the phone with every Mitsubishi Discount Autopart store on the Chicago South Side. How many Mitsubishi Outlander Automobile Radiators are available on that lovely side of town? Not many. However, the nice man at the Mitsubishi Discount Autopart store that I did find wanted to charge me an amount that made me feel worse than the damage the deer did to my Outlander Radiator.

In true Chicago South-Side style, I told him exactly what I thought of him, got online and found 1.800.248.8720, that’s www.radiator.com …I got the best price for my Mitsubishi Outlander Radiator. For all of you eco-friendly folk out there… la Madre de Bambi will live another day…hopefully, never to face my Outlander Radiator again…for her sake.

– Diane

IDIOT OF THE WEEK:

Okay so I’m driving downtown to meet some of my friends for appetizers and beers. Specifically calamari. Damn I love that stuff. I had probably had calamari about 10 times before someone leaned over and told me, “Dude, you know that’s squid, right?” By that time it was too late. They could have told me it was made of old boots. I was already hooked. After all, it’s deep fried isn’t it? But I digress…

So I’m in my car (’97 Toyota Corolla baby!) and I’m climbing up levels in the parking garage. And this place is packed. Evidently, I wasn’t the only one with calamari on the brain because every spot was filled. I’m talking about “giant diesel turbo-charged trucks parked in the compact spots” packed. Frankly, I take exception to that. I’m pretty open to almost any type of vehicle parking in compact spots but you have to draw the line somewhere. When I see a turbocharged Cummins diesel giant parked in a compact spot, as a compact car driver I get a little offended! That’s like me being handicap and having to wait while you, a regular joe, stinks up my stall. You don’t need those handrails man! But I digress yet again.

So the dude in front of me comes to a stop. So I stop my little Toyota Corolla safely behind him assuming that he is waiting for someone to pull out. If only I had gotten there seconds earlier, I would have been the one waiting and would be closer to hot crispy calamari. Alas, it was not so.

All of a sudden the guy in front of me (who will hereafter be referred to as “dude”, throws his car into reverse and starts backing up for no apparent reason at all! I lay it on the horn but he’s coming back to fast and *CRUNCH!*. Dude nailed my beautiful Toyota Corolla. Getting out of the car I know that I am instantly in the market for some Toyota Corolla parts. Pushed in grill, broken headlights, and upon further inspection, one banged up Toyota Corolla radiator. Hooray.

Naturally, before I checked out my car I gave Dude the ol’ “What the hell were you doing?” to which he muttered, “I was just trying to get out of here.” Let’s stop and think about that for a second. Instead of using the designated exits, his course of logic told him to throw his car into reverse… and then back up really fact without looking in his mirror. That’s like being stuck in traffic and reversing on the freeway to the last exit you just missed. Or, in other words: it’s stupid. Really stupid.

So now I have a confession to make. Through this course of events, I learned that I really do love my Toyota Corolla. I mean, I talk bad about it to my friends who all have nicer cars, but that thing is tiny and fun to drive. I can pull off turns that no vehicle should be able to make. So I found myself in the position of wanting the highest quality Toyota Corolla parts. The insurance company gave me a check and I hit the road shopping. I started with the radiator. My first instinct was to head over to the dealer where they no doubt carry authentic Toyota radiators. And they do. They just cost more than a freakin’ plasma TV. I couldn’t believe my ears when they told me what they wanted for Toyota Corolla parts. I love my Corolla, but not THAT much.

So what next? I checked out a bunch of auto parts wholesale and auto parts warehouse places. They’re prices were still a little inflated, but the worst part was the 16 year olds behind the counter. I’m pretty sure that none of them had even heard of a Toyota Corolla before. Actually, I’m not sure any of them had even seen a car before. Okay, maybe that’s being a little extreme but I had no confidence that they would know enough to order me the right part. For example, they gave me a price without even asking me the year of the car. I may not be some mechanical guru, but I’m pretty sure somewhere in the evolution of Toyota Corolla parts they changed the design of the radiator at least once.

So I checked the phone book and came across a phone number. Radiator Hotline. It was like finding a nugget of gold in a pot of dirt. These guys asked me incredibly detailed questions, explained to my WHY they were asking me those questions, and sold me a discount Corolla radiator for half of where I had seen it anywhere else. And when I got this thing, it was put together better than the one I bought the car with! Not only that, but they checked into their database for me and helped me find a parts guy that they had a good relationship with. They got us both on the phone and introduced us and this guy ended up getting me the rest of my Toyota Corolla parts for next to nothing. And these were quality parts, mind you! I got my entire dilemma handled with one phone call!

The only real complaint I had with Radiator Hotline was their lack of calamari. Never did get to eat some of that.

That’s all for now.

-Geno

My brother in Portland recently bought a Honda Civic Hybrid. He called me to talk about his experience as I plan on my next car payment going towards a more fuel-efficient and environmentally conscious car. He knew I was in the aftermarket radiator business and the first thing he told me was that the Honda Civic radiator for his hybrid looked much like the a regular radiator and he asked me how changing fuel efficiency standards affected the radiator business.

I started to tell him how a replacement radiator is needed to cool most engines regardless of whether or not a gas engine was assisted by an electric motor when he tuned me out. “You know, I thought I’d get a few more looks from the ladies, especially some of the hippies out here but most people can’t tell this is a hybrid. I should have got the Prius,” he lamented. My suspicions that my brother’s purchase had less to do about the environment and more to do with his libido were confirmed. I told him an all aluminum Honda radiator might score with the ladies but he saw through my ploy to sell him a more expensive Honda part.

1-800-Radiator is currently in the process of expanding product line to include HVAC air parts, all of which will be in demand, even as state and federal legislators require the automotive industry to think ‘green.’

Let me tell you something about my truck. I love it.

Now before all of you hybrid car driving environmentalists show up on my doorstep with pitchforks and torches, allow me to clarify. I’m one of the few pickup truck drivers that actually use the vehicle for functional purposes. I tow things. I lift things. I move things. I truck, dammit.

Now, I’ve been through all brands of trucks. I’ve had a Ford truck, Chevy truck and a Dodge truck. And no matter how dependable those commercials on television (Y’know, the ones with the cowboys and John Cougar Mellencamp songs) say that their truck is, there is one part that invariably goes out every time. The radiator.

Truck radiators are magnets for destruction, I kid you not. Whether you’re towing a trailer, carrying a load of dirt, or simply strapping a giant elephant into the bed of the truck (Which I do every Wednesday. Don’t ask.) you should know that your truck radiator is eventually going to blow. There’s only so much cooling a radiator can do on an overstressed engine and, trust me on this one, radiator repair will only get you so far. A repaired radiator will at best cool to 80% capacity as a new radiator will because even if they flushed it, it’s still full of buildup that is now somehow physically part of the radiator. I’m not even sure how it gets that bad. Clearly, I should have watched more Mr. Wizard as a kid.

So needless to say, with all of the truckery (I just made that word up) that I do, I find myself buying a new truck radiator at least once every 4-5 years or so. It’s not like the radiators I buy are defective; in fact they’re some of the highest quality parts I’ve ever seen, it’s that I put that much strain on my trucks. Still, it doesn’t hurt to do some research to ensure that one gets a discounted truck radiator. Personally, I know I’ll get as much mileage out of it as I would an OEM Ford, Chevy, or Dodge truck radiator, so why would I throw away up to 200 extra dollars that can be better spent on can after can of alphabet soup? God I love alphabet soup. I’m eating a bowl right now. I spilled a “Q” in my keyboard. It’s wedged in the little space between the “N” key and the “M” key which ironically isn’t anywhere near the “Q” key.

That’s all for now.

- Geno