Which is better, Moss or Victoria British?

Just curious which one people think is better, it seems some of Victoria British parts are cheaper but is their quality cheap as well?

I have just undertaken an order comparison from both Moss and VB. For an order for front end bits and rear bushes.
Moss came in at US$248 and VB at US$184, for the exact same parts.
After the shock of the postage cost to Australia from VB I bought locally in OZ. The postal quote from VB was US$110 via US postal. Moss couldnt give a quote as some parts were back order and could not / would not do it.

Prior to this we have ordered a huge number of parts from Moss with reasonable postage to OZ.
Sorry I have no comments no the quality of VB.

I try to support both! The longer we keep the two of them competing with each other the lower the prices will be kept. I am pretty sure they both source parts from most of the same places. I find that the Moss catalog is a little easier to read and to look up items.

I agree with Bill, plus if you have a tech question Moss most likely can answer it, VB.... nope.

In my experience with VB they are ok but you had better be ordering the correct part number because the person on the phone has no idea what a car is let alone an MG. When I was doing research about MGAs I called Moss and asked the person on the phone if MGAs had wood floors or metal floors and if they were metal were they bolted in or welded? The person on the phone told me he didn't know! So maybe you just take your chances. By the way, I have 2 other British cars and they both have welded floors.

I do all my ordering on line an not on the phone. To me VB has the better ordering system. When you put items in your cart, they show if they are in stock or not. With Moss, it's a guessing game as to if they have the part and when it will be available. Also VB makes tracking your order and shipment a breeze. Just do your research before hand to know exactly the parts you will be ordering. In my opinion, VB has basically the same parts at a lower price and are much easier to order.

Michael

Moss cares, but aren't always the cheapest.

VB is a waste of time - the parts people know nothing and don't care. I have had them go and look at the part and still ship the wrong thing. Much higher frustration levels.

I have used both and had good success with both, but I tend to lean towards Moss or one of its affiliated vendors.

The few times I have used VB I got burned with delayed shipping and I wasn't too impressed with their quality. That is not to say that I have never received an inferior part from another vendor, but suffice to say that I don't even think of them anymore when it comes time to order a part. Moss for the most part is fine. I realize that we were asked to compare Moss and VB, but I would highly recommend Scarborough Faire. They're usually my first choice especially when it comes to larger, expensive projects. I completely rebuilt my transmission last winter and did a thorough price check between Moss and SF. Though Moss is much cheaper on certain parts, SF had the lower price on the total cost of the order. They don't do internet ordering which is a negative, but they have a wealth of knowledge of the MGA (and also a large spare parts stock which they will share with you) which is a huge plus.

It is worth noting that if you support your local Moss distributor (vs. ordering direct online or by phone) you will usually get a 10% to 15% (sometimes) discount from the list prices, and you're helping to keep that guy in business supporting our hobby as well.

Having said that, for small stuff that I need right away (like seals) I end up ordering at 2AM online because I need them for the coming weekend. However, on my wiring harness, 10% of $300 is enough to make me think twice.

Does Moss have a list of their local dealers? I know of Leyland British in York, ME near me, and BritBits right here in NH - but I don't see a comprehensive list on the Moss website - which I guess is no surprise since they effectively are competing with their distributors for the difference in the margin.

As long as we're departing from the two-way comparison, you really ought to know about Clarke Spares and Restorations (http://www.clarkespares.com/carparts.html), run by Todd Clarke. He distributes and manufacturers parts whose quality is usually unmatched, although at prices not necessarily less expensive than those from Moss, VB or SF. Ordering from him is not as simple as ordering online from Moss or VB or by phone from SF and, because his is a small operation, he can be difficult to reach, but I've found that it's worth the extra bother.

Ken
I have known Todd for years and what he sells is correct and of very high quality. You are right about being hard to reach at times.
Ron

Todd tells me that he has an online catalog coming "soon"...but it doesn't sound like a priority for him.

I've had both good and bad experiences with both of them but the Moss folks definitley have more knowledge. Let's not forget Jeff Zorn and LBCar Co. Jeff is great to answer your emails in a timely manner and his website is very easy to navigate. Plus the fact that he always includes that little "treat" with the shipment.....Yum.......It's a very good thing to have all of the above named companies helping us out and I have used every one listed and some time or other. It can only be good for them as well as for us who keep the cars on the road. I think it would be a real detriment to lose any of these companies, as the recent closure of University Motors and John Twist's business has shown.
Support them all when you can.

If you want Moss, plus knowledge, try O'Connor at http://www.oconnorclassics.com/. A professional restorer (not me) recommends them highly. I agree with the above and spread it around, including Scarborough Faire.

VB sometimes has items that Moss doesn't list, body parts, bezels for gauges, proper gaskets for light assemblies, etc. Not sure why this is the case.

I've used both and find VB better for me because I can get it most times overnite from KC to Iowa.
Moss is high and has lots of backorders. Usually takes 4-5 days from them...if they have it in stock.

But, still use both because as someone pointed out....we need to keep them in business.