Several weeks ago I had the opportunity to visit the Parts Source facility in Twinsbug, OH. and was impressed with their operation and the employees I met. I was trying to sell them some RF amps and coils I have for a Picker MRI system. During my tour the operations manager was quick to point out that they do not do much with MRI because they currently don't have the technical expertice neened to satisfy their customers in the way they are entitled to. He also told me they are considering MRI but holding off until they have the invetory and "qualified service people" to provide the same level of service their portable x-ray and biomed customers have come to expect from Parts Source. With that said, I feel Parts Source has fallen victim to someone else, their supplier, as well as their customer by his not honoring the commitment to pay restocking charges be it verbal or not. From my own experience, I know how frustrating that can be and sometimes the solution leaves all parties invovled with a bitter taste in their mouths. Resolve it and get on with your life, I don't think anyone will be put out of business over this! I felt it necesary to chime in because there are a lot of crooks and scam artists out there and from my own experience ,Parts Source is not one of them. And by seeing first hand the success of his operation Mr. Hubbard will do the right thing. Greg Vojak

Is DOTMED now the judge and jury of all disagreements in the industry. This is why we have a legal system gentlemen. Settle your business there not maligning people in print like you do. I remember once reading about a certain DOTMEDer who physically attacked another DOTMEDer. Somehow this person still is on DOTMED - IS THAT PROFESSIONAL? Perhaps you should all spend more time tending to your deals properly and less time gossipping on this site.

I am glad many of you have responded. I will respond to the points brought up but it will have to be next week. I am still waiting for one item in particular. When the matter is finished, I will respond. Thank you for your patience and please, keep the comments coming. Be they positive or negative. Sincerely, Gary Benitez

If I had been the consumer, I would have simply sent a photo(digital) of what part I had, then asked for the photo from supplier to match. Taking any risk after that really falls on the consumer, plus when the terms are agreed only a person who thinks dishonestly would not pay. This is a clear cut case of "lack of communication" . I seem to side with the Parts Source view, even not ever doing business with them.....yet, but if I do I will disregard this posting and always live up to what I agreed. This should be in writing to avoid misunderstanding.......

Mr. Benitez, I too use Parts Source for many of my parts and I have had no problems. I can understand that a correct part number from a particular service manual can become a different number from a different manufacturer. Our business falls on the whims of the bigger companies buying out the small guy and revamping their inventory so that part numbers missing a "-001" or in your case an anologic number with a cross reference can instantly become a nightmare. You looked unprofressional to your customer as well as Part Source looked unprofessionnal to you. Parts Source has always made sure that I had the correct part. I wish you the best of luck in correcting this matter Mike Brockhaus

Thank you for shedding some truth about Parts Source. If most of us come forth and denounce and expose these unscrupulous tactics, it will only benefit us all in the end. Gary Benitez Victim of Corporate Greed

Guys, let me put a few words in this pot. I have recently, despite all these contradictive opinions, decided to order a part from Parts Source. It took me two days to identify the CORRECT part that I needed, since the part was coming from a recently de-installed Picker MTX room. I do not want to judge what happened here, but let me give you a piece of advice: take time to take a picture of a part that needs to be replaced. Ask a salesman to email you a picture of the part he's trying to sell to you. (After all the salesman is a salesman, not an engineer or a tech, he needs to make a sale!). That exactly what I did. A few phone calls, few emails with pictures back and forth, and I got what I needed and the salesguy made a sale. Mutual benefit...:) Regards to the community.

Michael: It was a $3,000 restock fee that got stuck on us from the vendor. Even "long-winded" letters are cheaper than that! It's a tough situation. I was TRYING to find some reason to make our guys or the vendor the problem so i could justify doing something but he wouldn't even let me speak. So I have to assume what i wrote is true. Thanks for the input. This is just going to you - not being posted. Don

With all due respect to Mr. Vesser, he really ought to become better informed before making such inflammatory comments. My two points: 1. There are alternate part numbers in MRI systems. For example, you can replace a pair of older single-can style Vision gradient amplifiers with a newer double-can. Or vice-versa. This was probably a well-meaning and legitimate call by the parts vendor. 2. Restocking fees are necessary to compensate the vendor for time spent shipping and (hopefully) recertifying restocked parts. That's what we do. It requires time, power, systems and engineering talent. That's why we charge a restocking fee. I would say that I somewhat agree with Mr. Vesser in this regard. In an identical circumstance, we would have supplied the part with a caveat that it might not work at all and agreed to a 0% restocking fee in that case. Nonetheless, that's the call of the individual vendor - not an uninvolved third party who's not privy to all of the facts. Anyway, that's just a somewhat informed opinion from someone who does sell a few MRI parts here and there.

I have resisted commenting on this issue long enough. It seems to me that everyone seems to judge this one as it relates to his own pocket book. However, there are some issues that are very fundamental. I will enumerate: 1) Parts Source is a very reputable company. They are responsive and they are communicative. I find it hard to believe that if Parts Source knew there was a version level problem or a part number change that would be encountered that this was not discussed in advance. This is our experience with Parts Source. It should be noted that it is very common for the OEM to change numbers on a regular basis. They do this to make it difficult. They don't want Part Source or Mr. Benitez doing what they are doing. 2) Let the buyer beware. Mr. Benitez clearly had the responsiblity to tell Parts Source what it was that he needed. The problem is that Mr. Benitez was not qualified to do this. It is not Parts Source responsbility to guess or tell him what he needs. This sort of technical support comes from an engineer. Usually this engineer has years of experience. 3) If a technical person was hired to get Mr. Benitez this information and he did not shame on that person. If Mr. Benitez was immodest enough to think of himself as an engineer then shame on him. Parts Source has a responsibity to use there best efforts to assist the customer. But, in the end Mr. Benitez must make the decisions based on the facts that HE procures. 4) Restock Fees - This is a customary charge that is common in our industry. Do not buy a part unless you expect to pay a restock fee, if you send it back. This fee prevents the company from being taken advantage of by unscroupulous or desparte person. It is an act of despartion to order a part that you know is not a direct replacment. Final Analysis - Hire a qualified person to repair your broken equipment. Hold him liable when he gives you bad information. The reality is Mr. Benitez is an equipment broker. He is not an engineer. It would have seemed prudent to have his engineer work through these technical details for him. This engineer could have called Parts Source explained exactly what he needed. All to often things are done on a shoe string budget. In the end this causes cost overruns. Now everyone postures in an effort to recover the funds that were lost due to their own ignorance or immodesty. I recommend Parts Source as a vendor. I wish Mr. Benitez well. I hope that eveyone has learned a lesson. Isn't this forum great. Tommy Geske Sr. Field Service Engineer Sunrise Medical Technology, Inc.

Dear Don: I thought the solution offred by another poster of 8.33% was a good idea and that would take you out of this Forum Michael

We have had similar experience with Parts Source and, in fact, refuse to do business with them any longer. Maggie@mobilexraysolutions.com

My Experience with Parts Source and North American Imaging Is the same. Recently I ordered a Transducer for a Philips CX50 from Parts Source. They shipped a transducer for the iE33. They are incompetent. They were under the wrong assumption that the probes are interchangable. Which they are not. It was the wrong part and they charged me a 25% restocking fee of almost $1400.00. These two companies Are the most despicable, unethical companies on the planet!! I would never do business with either one of them!!!!

Thank you for your support. I am considering legal actions against Parts Source. Can my attorney contact you for comments on this matter? Do you think it's worth it? Thanks again, Gary Benitez

Dear Mr. Hubbard, It is quite clear to me that a 3 fold problem exists in this transaction by your post. (1) GREED by all parties involved (2) NOTHING IN WRITING (3) NO CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF ONE ANOTHER Mr. Benitez should have insisted on the CORRECT part as this MRI was designed to work on humans under medical care. There is no room for error. But instead by your post he would accept anything that would "work". That is wrong and unprofessional. Mr. Hubbard you or your sales staff choose to "broker" a part from your parts vendor "that might or might not work. Bear in mind Sir this is a MRI designed to work on humans under medical care. Mr. Hubbard this is wrong and unprofessional. Your parts vender choose to let you broker a part that might or might not work. Bear in mind Sir this is for a MRI designed for humans under medical care. This Sir is wrong and unprofessional. A 25% restocking fee is on the high end of the scale. I propose this solution: (A) Parts Source pay 8.33% of the restocking fee. (B) Mr. Benitez pay 8.33% of the restocking fee. (C) Your Parts Vendor asorbe 8.33% of the restocking fee. This applying ONLY if a true 25% restocking fee was agreed upon prior to the sell between you and your unnamed Parts Vendor. This you will know. This deal has made everyone involved look a little, shady, foolish and greedy. Even the unnamed Parts Vendor. Medical equiptment saves lives, it should be repaired like it was going to help save lifes. Medical equiptment should not be repaired like "STREET RODS" or "HARLEY DAVISION" motorcycles. I don't think you Mr. Hubbard, Mr. Benitez, your unnamed parts vendor or myself would want and trust a MRI from a machine with parts in it that might or might not work or with incorrect parts installed. Mr. Hubbard, Mr. Benitez and unnamed parts vendor, get this deal behind you move on to the next case take the 8.33% loss after all you win some and lose some. There nothing to be made in this deal everyone loses 8.33%. Get all details signed in writing. Consider a parts vendor that charges less than a 25% restocking fee. Thats where the WHOLE PROBLEM LIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dear Associates, I am taking this opportunity to bring to the community a bad experience I presently went through with "Parts Source" out of Twinsburg Ohio. I recently sent out a mass email asking if anyone had a Gradient Amplifier for a GE 0.5 Tesla Contour MRI. Below is the request as I sent it. GE Gradient Amplifier for 0.5 Tesla Contour MRI. PN AN 8280 PN 2186863 (This number is Analogic's PN Number and GE's Exchange Part Number ) I ordered the the above but received instead the following. I have a written P.O. which will confirm this. PN AN 8280 PN PL 1037957 I cannot use this incorrect part number and now PartsSource wants to charge a re-stocking charge of 25%. The fact that "Parts Source" and VP Don Hubbard doesn't want to recognize that they made an error, says a lot about their character. Don't be fooled by their overzealousness. If anyone has had a similar experience with them, I would appreciate hearing from you. Regards, Gary Benitez Crown Medical Intl

As reputable and successful as you seem to think Parts Source is, they send out the wrong part all too frequently. I know several organizations that will not buy from them because they do not know what they are selling. They do not test parts or verify compatibility. They are interested only in selling parts. They might take the bad/wrong part back and refund the money, but how mauch down time and service time have been wasted by their mistakes? Most of us cannot afford to buy from a company that "might" have a working part. Thank you Gary Benitez for making people aware that buying from Parts Source can be a risky choice.

I am also concerned with how much influence Dotmed has on our industry (try not to smile to much as you read this Phil, you did a good job. Congratulations) But, regardless of any reservations I may have, this Honest/Dishonest Forum is the only way many people become informed about bad companies in our industry and we all know there are plenty of them. All honest dealers have lost deals to disreputable companies undermining us and representing equipment at prices that are impossible and making us lose our deals or profit, and in the process rip off somebody. We all know who most of them are, though not all. Sometimes we do not post because we do not want to get sued, because the case may not be too clear. Or we do not want to risk a lawsuit and the loss of time and money. But I applaud everybody that posts here, be it good or bad. Most intelligent people can tell when a post has real value and when its just stupid jibberish. I would urge everyone to keep on posting. If you have a legitimate complaint or comment, please post. It helps everyone.

I agree with Mick. This Forum is often used as a "SOAPBOX" for anybody to shout out whatever they like, be it true or not. Therefore, there is not much of value in having this forum. I take is with a great deal of skepticism.

Parts Source is one of Ray Dalton's companies. While Mr. Dalton has made a lot of money building companies on paper and them selling them, he has stepped on a lot of toes on the way. Ask anyone who worked for National MD if Ray Dalton is interested in running a good, ethical company or if he is just interested in making money at any cost.

The item you are trying to purchase is currently out of stock.Please enter your name, email, and phone number below. We will contact you as soon as this product is available.

Quick question for you. I think your proposal seems fair except for one thing. Gary acknowledged (or at least he did at one time) that he knew the terms going into the transaction.....he just didn't think they would ever become applicable because HE thought the part would work too! As rapidly as the OEMs change part numbers this is really, really common. But your suggestion about "getting it in writing" is right on the mark and i've made that change internally already on transactions such as this. Thanks for your input. Don

Hi Gary, My apologies as well. I utilize Parts Source (when I can) for lab equipment. I have never worked on MRI and probably won't. My hat's off to you. After reading some of the replies you have received, it sounds that eveything turned out ok. I may even have to do this forum thing as well. Take care. Mike Brockhaus

I finally have a few spare minutes and will add to my previous explanation of what went wrong. 1. On my mass email I had requested the right part number, which is the same information I put on my P.O. #519 I have a copy of this P.O., which by the way I also sent to the original supplier so that they can see for themselves what was actually ordered 2. When Jeff Campbell, the sales associate for PARTSSOURCE called be back after I gave him the MY part number, he got back to me but said the numbers I have don't match his. His number was AN 8280 and PL1037957, which by the way is the part number that we eventually received. I then called my client and said that the matching second set of numbers for the AN 8280 was this PL1037957, he immediately advised that this was the wrong part number. 3. I called Jeff and told him this. He then said he would double check why the number he just gave me didn't match what I was looking for. 4. Jeff calls me back after re-checking and with his vendor and you know what he said, he said that his people, here he was evasive as to who his people were, but he said that after re-checking and triple checking, guess what? He couldn't find the number he gave me (PL 1037957) anywhere. I told him but you JUST gave it to me. He said I am sorry Gary but the number I gave you I can longer find anywhere. How weird since it was on the part number we actually received. 5. Since Jeff couldn't find this wrong number again, I agreed with him that this must have been some sort of fluke and that somebody in his organization may have goofed. I told him, look, if you get me PN AN 8280 and GE Outright Purchase part number of 2186863, and that if the part number had Anologic's Part number of 10-37738 R9, then go ahead and send me what you have. He sent what he had alright, except it wasn't what I had orderd on my P.O. What more putting in writting do you want from me. A P.O. is a ligitimate contract between parties. The P.O. was accepted with my numbers. PARTSSOURCE never said, Mr. Benitez please adjust your P.O. to reflect the wrong part number we originally gave you. 6. Somebody new they were sending this original bad part number, PL 1037957. I had taken the time to right it down in my notebood and my client is not disputing the fact that I had originally called to report to him with this bad number PL 1037957. 7. Ask yourselves this, WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO THE PL 1037957 that Jeff Campbell said he had when I first approached him? Where did it go? Was it abducted by F....... g ALIENS? 8. LOOK PARTS SOURCE, I DON'T CARE WHO you are. YOU STEAL MONEY LIKE THIS AND I WON'T LET YOU REST!!!!!! 9. MY TIME IS JUST AS VALUABLE AS YOURS. PLEASE DON'T WASTE IT.

Dear Tommy, Let me explain to you what happened. 1) We received a part with a totally different part #. The part we received was for a 1.5T GE MRI and we ordered a specific part with a specific part # for a GE 0.5T Contour. 2) If you don't know all the facts, it may be better for you to keep quiet.

Please complete the fields below to send your friend a link to this product. Your friend will receive an email from you with a link to our site.

I repeat my assertion that until a matter is resolved between the two people this FORUM is wholly being used to embarrass or otherwise blackmail people by pressuring them to respond and air their differences in public. However, liable laws prohibit the writing of inflamatory comments no matter what you all may think. All I'm saying or suggesting is make sure your contracts are tight and make certain that everyone understands what is expected and be prepared for something to go wrong and build in a work out plan. This whole business started because one person didn't understand the other. That only makes them human not criminal or crooked or a proper subject of a FORUM.

While I agree with your insinuation, that DOTMED is not judge and jury, the intention of the "forum" is not to gossip, but to inform other people, like me and you, about the possible and probable dishonest dealings of others. I would perfer to know such things in advance, but in fairness, hear both sides as in the case of "Parts Source". Wise men will apply the info accordingly and not jump to conclusions - something I have been guilty of in the past with less infomation. Settlement may have to come before the courts, but reasonable information shared is valueable. Danny Storms

I am truly sorry that Mr. Benitez is unhappy with both our firm and myself but I do feel I must reply to his posting with a slightly different version of the events leading up to his posting. When he originally ordered the part he describes we were unable to secure an exact replacement match (as was he by the way) but we did find a supplier who "thought" they had a correct cross-match even though the part numbers were different. As anyone reading this is well aware, this is NOT uncommon. We were told by our supplier, however, that while they felt very confident the part would work there was a chance it wouldn't and if it didn't work there would still be a restock fee assessed. We passed this information on to Gary and he said he needed the part desperately, had not other options and to send it out immediately. We reinterated to him that if it didn't work there would be a restock fee assessed as our vendor was charging us one regardless of if the part worked or not. My assumption is that because he had no other options he told us to send it out so we subsequently purchased the part for him and sent it to his requested location. Needless to say...it didn't work. When Gary originally called back to inform us of this he had several conversations with his account reprentative who reinterated to Gary that there was nothing we could do as our vendor was charging us a restock fee for the part's return regardless of the reason. Gary was unhappy with this response and requested a conference call with his account representative and our vendor business development director. They again reinterated to him that if there was anyway WE could avoid the charge we would do so but that there was no way we could simply absorb it....especially after we told him several times in advance it may not work and there would be a restock fee either way. Needless-to-say THAT didn't please Gary either so he requested that I speak to him. When I first started to speak to Gary I wanted to make sure that the events outlined above were accurate so I asked him if we could go over the situation so I could determine if any of our people had either mispresented themselves or the situation but he quickly cut me off and said "are you going to take care of the restock fee or not?" I was a bit taken aback as I had not spoken to him previously did not understand why he didn't want to go over the situation so I could understand the problem from his perspective. I again asked him if we could go over the events of his order (This was the first I had been directly involved in the situation) and he again cut me off and told me he didn't care if he had agreed to the restock fee terms at the outset...."the part didn't work and he shouldn't have to pay!" I told him that I felt bad that the part didn't work but didn't see anyway that PartsSource should absorb the cost - especially when he had been told up front that the part may not work and if it didn't, he would still have the restock fee. It would seem fairly obvious that Mr. Benitez is still upset but I am frankly at a loss as to where he sees our firm as the problem. Don Hubbard Sr VP Sales & Marketing PartsSource

The definition of a Forum is a public place to judge one or to render an opinion on an issue or situation. This Forum is doing just that by letting its own industry be judge & jury, as oppossed to filing lawsuits every time someone has a disagreement. And I do know what they say opinions are like.....

I have used PartsSouce, LLC numerous times for OEC C-Arm parts.... everything went well, GREAT communication with each order.....would not hesitate to use again Russel Bodin Magnolia Diagnostics, INC. New Orleans, LA

I am sorry that you cannot appreciate all the facts of this matter. I had the right information but the break down occurred between Parts Source and their supplier. I have been in touch with them and it looks like I will get my full refund. It's apparent that you are biased towards Parts Source. If you knew me, you would realize that I am very meticulous in what I do and did not make the mistake. Thank you for comments anyway. Sincerely, Gary Benitez

Dear Don and friends: It is my belief that it is always cheaper to reimburse the customer for something he did not use than spend time explaining myself in long winded letters. Then again it is just my opinion Sincerely Michael Badell President Accurate Medical Diagnostics www.amdworldwide.com

Don: I am the end user of the MRI, and my system was down for two weeks, when I bought the Gradient Amplifier from Crown Medical I decided from 2 options, and this one was a little bit more expensive, but I trust Gary and asked him for a specific Part Number, when the part was delivered to me I immediatly note the wrong number and call back gary, He also call back you and the original part supplier who told me to use the part as my convenience or send it back to him after talk with my provider, now I know why. the parts looks similar outside but totally diferent inside (electronics). I dont want to do this story longer just think about this: 15 days, ten patients per day, prestige, and now PAY A RESTOKING FEE FOR A WRONG PART? NOT FARE! EVEN MORE I AM LOCATED OUTSIDE US, AND I PAID DUTIES AND TAXES FOR IMPORT, NOW EXPORT, FEDEX SHIPPING COST IS ALMOST $400.00 EACH WAY. WHY? IF YOU KNEW FROM THE BEGINING THAT THIS PART HAVE A TOTALLY DIFERENT PART NUMBER. THATS IT.

Gentlemen, Let me first begin by saying I see nothing DISHONEST in the orginial postings of either Mr. Benitez or Mr. Hubbard of PARTS SOURCE pertaining to this transaction that has gone sour. I do however see HOW and WHY the transaction went to the wayside and now a dispute has developed. Both parties choose by their own free will to do this transaction without a detailed written contract outlineing the details mainly, a restocking fee of 25% placed by a third party vendor. Now bear in mind gentelmen this is a contract of several thousand dollars for a part that MIGHT or MIGHT NOT work in the intended application. The part DID NOT WORK and this seems to be the general census between the two parties involved and also I might add the unnamed parts vendor of Mr. Hubbard's. I donot see this as something that needs to be "setteled" in a court of law. Just the thought of this is scary and has the possibility of bringing ramifications to everyone reading this fourm! I see no reason what so ever why two HONEST and HONORABLE gentelmen repersenting two HONEST and HONORABLE companies can not reach an amicable agreement on this matter. I sincerely wish the best to "all" parties involved and hope that this fourm has added to your honorablity. Respects to all, Charles

Dear Tommy, Apparently you did not read all of the comments. I WAS working under the directions of a fine engineer. I did NOT get the part that I ordeerd. If I was sent the part that I ordered and I returned I would pay a restocking fee. I should NOT pay a fee to return a part that I did not order. Tommy, who should pay the freight and customs fees because the wrong part was sent? Parts Source claims to sell millions of dollars of parts. I would hope that a multi million dollar company that made a mistake would do the right thing and take care of the little guy that was hurt by thier mistake. Gary