FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
As you can see above, what you see on this web site in stock and ready to ship. All of our products are BRAND NEW in their original boxes purchased direct from the manufacturer.
Although it would appear completely obvious to everyone (except, possibly, attorneys), DiecastX and Speednation are in no way associated with Honda North America, the Ford Motor Company or Volkswagen of America (or any other car manufacturer for that matter). Speednation LLC owns and operates these web sites.
Is my credit card information safe with you?
Absolutely. We don't use wireless routers and don't keep ANY information on our computers, in files, or on disk. We only retain a hard copy of your order for 2 months in the event there is a problem and you need to contact us.
Do you guys share customer information with other companies?
We hate SPAM!!!!! We hate telemarketers!!!! We would NEVER, EVER share your personal information with ANYONE - never. In fact, we consider ALL information to be confidential. So rest assured that NO information that you provide will end up in anyone else's hands. The only email you will EVER get from us is one confirming your current order and shipping date. We NEVER email our customers about "new products" we may receive, or even "special offers". So please provide us with your compete information when you order so that we can contact you if there is a problem with your order.
Do you guys have a catalog you can mail me?
Sorry, but no. Everything we carry is listed right here on the website, which is updated daily. Because we add and delete products every day, a paper catalog would be out of date as soon as it was printed. Also, many of the diecasts and plastic model kits we carry are limited in production. Once we sell out of our inventory, we may not be able to get any more from the manufacturer.
We also save money by not printing a catalog which means we can offer our products to you at a lower cost.
How long will it take to process my order?
- also -
I think I made a mistake when I was placing my order...
There's one thing you should know about Speednation - we are FAST! I mean that you won't have much time to contact us to cancel or modify your order, so make sure it is accurate before you checkout. If you order after 4PM EST on a Sunday thru Thursday evening, your order will probably be on its way to you by 11AM the next morning. CALL US right away (412-882-3100). We get over 250 emails per day and probably won't discover that you made a mistake until it is too late. Of course, you can always send it back for a full refund (minus shipping costs). That's only fair if it was your mistake and not ours. Don't penalize us for being efficient.
We are not like other hobby or enthusiast web sites - we actually have nearly every product you see IN STOCK and ship them out right after receiving an order.
Who are you guys?
Our company is named: Speednation LLC. We operate several different web sites. Our main site is this one: Speednation.com, but links from our other sites: Diecastx.com and Mini Imports.com will take you here now.
The owner of Speednation is Mike Ancas, who wrote the Honda and Acura Performance Handbook (1st and 2nd edition), as well as the Mazda RX-7 Performance Handbook and the Dodge Neon/SRT-4 Performance Handbook.
Mike, is an avid SCCA racer and can be seen at SCCA Solo I (hillclimbs and track events), Solo II and Road Racing events in the Northeast. The Speednation race car fleet includes a 6 --time hillclimb record setting GT-4 Honda Civic, a 6-time record holding Mugen powered GT-5 Honda Civic, a 2-time record holding Street Modified Turbo Neon ACR (currently being rebuilt after a 120MPH wreck at the Pagoda Hillclimb), an 18-time record holding E Production Road Racing NEON ACR, and an 8-time record holding 1990 F Production Honda Civic.
The director of day to day operations is Brenda Ancas. That is it for the staff. We are a small hobby store that can give you personal service - just like your neighborhood hobby store, except that they likely don't have the inventory selection that we do. We actually know most of our regular customers by name. You are never a "number" at Speednation, so when you call, don't reference your order number, just tell us your name.
I looked at the website, but I dont see the item I am looking for. Why is that?
There could be several reasons. The item has likely been discontinued by the manufacturer. Once we sell out of the limited production items, sometimes we can never find another supply. You may also be looking for something that was never made by any manufacturer due to insufficient demand.
Since we search the planet looking for products that nobody else carries, quantities are limited. Once we sell out of an item, there are times when no more can be found.
You can call us at 412-882-3100 between 10am and 8pm Eastern Time (or later if you want - we may still be here) to check stock on any items listed on the website before you place your order.
What locations do you ship to? I want to know if I can place an order with your company.
We now ship to everywhere in the world with proper payment.
What kinds of payment do you accept?
Customers may use Mastercard, Visa, American Express, Discover, Paypal and debit cards through our website and over the phone. They must provide us with the billing address for the credit card as a security measure. All credit cards are billing manually to help prevent fraud. You will be contacted if your credit card is declined.
All international duties, customs and/or brokerage fees are the sole responsibility of the customer. If any fees are incurred by Speednation, they will be charged to your credit card in a separate transaction.
We accept checks and money orders as well. Please call us at 412-882-3100 between 10am and 8pm Eastern Time if you intend to pay this way. We can then check stock for you, give you an exact total for the order and provide you with the details for sending payment.
We do not ship COD under any circumstances.
I am not too sure about this Internet thing. Is it safe to order over the web?
Of course. We use a secure server to handle all of the credit card information online and your account number is completely safe at all times. If you would prefer, you can place your order over the phone with a live person (Mike or Brenda) between 10am and 8pm Eastern Time at 412-882-3100. Sometimes we even answer the phone up until 11PM.
I am not exactly sure how large the item I want is. Can you give me an explanation?
All plastic and diecasts models are referred to in the scale they are made in. The scale is a fractional number meaning how many models it would take to reach full size.
For example, a model half the size of a real car would be represented as 1/2 scale. The smaller the model, the smaller the fraction. Our largest diecast is 1/12 scale meaning it is 12 times smaller than the real car and is approximately 16 inches long. Our biggest selling diecast models are created in 1/18 scale (18 times smaller than the real car) and they range from 8 to 11 inches long. We also carry 1/24 scale (6 to 8 inches), 1/43 scale (3 to 4 inches) and 1/64 scale models (about 2 inches) as well. There is usually an explanation of the size in the item description.
What is the deal with shipping? What methods do you use?
Everything is shipped via FedEx ground, except for books, t-shirts and some smaller diecasts which are shipped via the USPS. Since the cost of shipping FedEx to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Guam is so expensive, we use the USPS priority mail system to save our customers money, but we don't ship via express mail to these states. FedEx will also not ship to a PO Box or to APO/Military mailboxes, so in those cases we also use the USPS. Unfortunately, due to the high cost of diesel fuel, FedEx (and all of the carriers) increased their shipping fees by 25% or more. We absorbed the coast for nearly 2 years, but then had finally to raise our shipping charges. The USPS is even worse, as they increased their shipping costs by over 45% since 2008!!!!
Your order can take anywhere from one day to a week or so to arrive, depending on where you live. We are on the east coast. You MUST have a valid daytime phone number entered on your order form in case the FedEx driver needs to contact you concerning delivery. All deliveries through FedEx are insured and tracked at no extra charge.
If you request shipping to a post office box, an APO or FPO we will ship you order via USPS. We make no guarantees regarding how long it will take for your package to arrive. There is no tracking for items sent to APO or FPO addresses either. We do not insure any items sent through the USPS unless you request on the order form that we do so. We will accept no liability for items shipped through this method.
Overseas and Canadian orders will be shipped either via Global Priority (up to a 4 lb. box) or Global Express (anything over 4 lbs.). Since the USPS increased their shipping rates by over 45% in the past few years, the cost for a 4 lb. box (average weight of a 1:18 scale diecast car) to Canada is now approx. $27-29, and for Europe/Australia it is $45-49. We like to ship via first class mail, as long as the box weights 4 lbs. or less. That way we can add our own insurance, not the USPS insurance that forces the customer to file a claim. When we add our own insurance, we file the claim - you don't have to do anything except to tell us that the package came damaged. We charge the EXACT cost of shipping with a $2 handling fee added to cover the cost of bubble wrap, boxes, packing peanuts, and the 2-3% that the credit card companies (or in the case of Paypal - 4% fee) charge us when we bill you for shipping. In other words, if you are billed $38 for shipping to Europe, approx $1 of that goes to the credit card company, so our handling fee is only $1. Have you tried to buy packing supplies lately? When all is said and done, we actually lose money on shipping charges.
Books and t-shirts can go in a Global Priority or first class envelope. The costs is approx. $12 to Canada (up to 2 lbs.) or $18 overseas. Again, we ship via first class mail to save you money - usually 25% off of these rates. These prices work for Europe, Australia, etc. Again, sorry about the high costs for overseas shipping. The smaller Global Priority flat rate envelope rate was discontinued on 5/14/07, which is how we used to send a single t-shirt. Now it must be shipped in the larger international envelopes, which commands a higher shipping rate. We DO NOT ship to Indonesia, Nigeria, or Malaysia.
I bought something from you and I want to return it, what do I do?
YOU MUST CONTACT US WITHIN 5 DAYS FROM THE TIME YOU RECEIVE THE PRODUCT.
That gives you lots of time to inspect the item for damages, or to decide whether or not you were sent the correct item you ordered. For ALL return reasons, please call us at 412-882-3100 between 10am and 8pm Eastern time BEFORE you return the item to us. You will be given a return authorization number and instructions for returning the item. Unless we made a mistake, you will be responsible for the cost of shipping the item back to us and the original shipping charges. Please make sure you insure any returns for their actual value and that your shipper has tracking services for the package. We do not accept COD returns. There is a 15% restocking fee for all items you return (excluding damaged items).
* * T-shirts are not returnable as each shirt is custom made at the time you place your order. * * *
Items that arrive at your location damaged must be handled through the shipping company. You can contact FedEx directly for a claim by calling 800-GO-FEDEX, or if your item was shipped through the USPS, call 800-222-1811 or go to your local post office to file a claim. YOU MUST NOTIFY US WITHIN FIVE DAYS OF RECEIPT OF YOUR ORDER. Please save all packing materials and the original shipping container and do not attempt to repair any damaged items. Please contact us for assistance dealing with broken items and the shipper of record. No claims for damages can be later than 15 days from THE DAY WE SHIPPED THE ORDER TO YOU. All broken or loose parts must be returned to us with the diecast.
A very small percentage of our diecasts are old stock (diecasts that have been long since discontinued by the manufacturer, and we have the last few pieces on the planet). They are still brand new - not used (we don't buy used collections), but the boxes may have some minor shelf wear.
Sorry, but we cannot accept returns on items after 15 days from the time you receive your order.
All returns must be in the same condition as when they shipped out. The packing material and straps must be undamaged and item must be in brand new, resalable condition. Once you take the diecast off the base, it cannot be returned.
We cannot credit you for any shipping charges unless we made a mistake with your order. We will refund 100% of the cost of the model only if it is exactly as it was when it left our facility. If the box, straps, packing material or model itself has been damaged in any way, you will not receive any refund.
Items returned to us by the shipper as undeliverable or refused will be held until you contact us concerning the order. It is your responsibility to provide an accurate shipping address on your order form and to comply with deliver instructions left by the shipping company.
Bear in mind that we sell items that are (for the most part) for the serious collector. They are precision models and not toys. Items that are damaged through ignorance, abuse or rough handling cannot be returned. Our customers are very picky (as they should be) and will only accept product in the original, undamaged box. You break it, you bought it.
I placed an order but still haven't received it
The most likely reason for this is that your credit card was declined. We won't get an authorization from your credit card company for a number of reasons. The most common reason is that the billing address that you provided doesn't match the billing address of the credit card you used. Have you moved lately? Is this your college address?
The second most common reason is that the credit card number was entered incorrectly. This happens more often with expiration dates than the actual credit card numbers.
And of course the other reason is that the credit card is over the spending limit.
In all of these cases, we will email you to inform you of this. Sometimes, an email we send to you is returned to us as "undeliverable" (this is why you should include a valid daytime phone number with your order). This can happen if your email server is either down, or too busy. It will also happen if you typed your email address incorrectly. We always try to contact our customers in a situation where something goes wrong with their order. Remember - we want your business.
The first thing you should do if you didn't receive your order is to check your email. Then, check to see if your credit card was billed.
We manually bill credit cards - your card is NOT billed automatically when you place an order. That is a short cut that some other web sites take - but not us. A real person will review each order, and then bill your credit card manually, just like at a "brick and mortar" retail store (which we are). If you discover that your credit card was not billed, then we either never received the order, your credit card was declined, or we were sold out of the item (very rare) when you ordered (again, we do email you when this happens). If your credit card was billed, then call or email us as there was likely a problem with shipping. We can then help you to track the order.
It is also possible that you clicked to purchase an item right after we sold the last one we had in stock. We only update your web site once or twice per day. Sometimes, the item you tried to order was limited in production and it won't be possible for us to get any more. Again, we email every customer if this happens. If you only received a partial shipment (very rare), most likely we were out of one of the items when we packed your order (see above - again, 99% of everything you see on our web page is IN STOCK).
You can cancel any backorder by either calling us at 412-882-3100 between 10am and 8pm Eastern Time or by e-mailing us at mike@speednation.com. If we do not hear from you, we will assume you still want the missing item and will get it to you ASAP. If more than 90 days pass, your backorder will automatically cancel and your order will not be filled. If you still want the item at that time, you will have to reorder it from the website or over the phone.
You guys now have my e-mail address, am I going to be hit with a bunch of Spam?
No, we would NEVER sell or give your e-mail address to anybody for any reason whatsoever. The only time you will get e-mail from us is concerning your current order. We also expect you to keep our e-mail address private because we hate junk e-mail too.
What about my personal information, is it safe?
Yes, we will never sell or give your personal information (including your credit card information) to anyone ever. It will remain in our secure files as long as required by our accountant and then destroyed.
I want to buy in bulk from you guys. Do you sell wholesale?
Yes, we sell wholesale. There are minimum quantities and dollar amounts that need to be reached before wholesale discounts can be given. Please contact us at 412-882-3100 between 11am and 6pm Eastern Time for the details.
Would you be interested in sponsoring my race car?
Sorry, but no. We already sponsor our own race cars (and some close friends' race cars) at this time and we don�t want to give any of our competitors an advantage!
Can you still find a specific items for me even if it is not listed in your web site?
YES. We stock 1:18, 1:24, 1:43 and 1:64 scale diecast cars, plastic model kits, books and cool t-shirts from the following companies: IXO, Ebbro, Minichamps, CMC, J-Collection, Autoart, Auto Art, Minichamps, Bang, BBR, Brumm, Burago, Chrono, Eagles Race, Ertl Racing Champions, Exoto, Kyosho, Maisto, Mattel Hotwheels, Onyx, Quartzo, Revell Monogram and Revell Germany, AMT, Anson, Carousel 1, Classic Metal Works, Corgi, Jada, Dub City, Gateway Global, GMP, Highway 61, Johnny Lightning, Lane Collectables, Motor Max, Solido, SunStar, Tamiya, Team Caliber, Vitesse, Welly, Yat Ming, The Franklin Mint, UT Models, Spark, Trofeu, Aoshima, Detail Cars, Fujimi, Hasegawa, Jadi, MBI (Motorbooks International), CarTech books, Brooklands books, Zippo lighters, and Koolart. BUT if you don't see what you are looking for, we can probably find it if it still exists - just call Mike or Brenda at 412-882-3100.
