My horrible experience with Vivid Racing:
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My horrible experience with Vivid Racing:
Hey guys. I haven't posted here in a while, and it's actually a really long story. I'm basically going to copy and paste what's been on other boards. This is to serve as a warning to other members, so you don't have your time wasted over several months period, with no resolution, like I did.
I didn't want it to escalate this far. But unlike Rob/Vivid, I'm a man of my word. Therefore, I've made a claim with BBB, and I believe they have contacted them for their side of the story. Updates will be posted as I get them.
Ok so:
On February 13th, I placed an order with Abe Schmidt of Vivid Racing. The order was for a full set of brembo rotors, hawk pads, SS brake lines, and Tien SS coilovers (all of which was for front and rear).
After a week, the front rotors came in.
Week later, the pads and brake lines.
Still waiting on the coilovers and rear rotors.
So of course, I'm still calling maybe twice a week or so trying to figure out what's going on, with several employees -- and noone could give me a straight answer. Finally get back in touch with Abe again the other week, and he assures me that the "order with Tien and Brembo was screwed up, and they're in transit now, but no tracking number yet". Fair enough, it's been a minute, but **** it.
Call in again yesterday (April 2nd) asking for Abe or a Manager. Moment of silence, and neither are available, and Shawn (I believe) was trying to help me out. Nice guy, but he informed me that the order for coilovers and rear rotors was never placed.
What - the - ****.
Now I insist on speaking with a Manager, and I get Rob on the phone.
I inform him of the situation, and how I've been inconvenienced not only for time, but missing out on track events in the meantime. He apologizes, and offers to either:
A. Sell me a pair of inferior rear rotors (Rotora) at cost, and only oem copies
B. Have me ship the brembos back, and he'll ship me a full set of Rotora, and pay me back the difference -- if any
Hell no, and at this point, I'm furious.
To add insult to injury, he starts talking to me about how "I don't really need rear rotors, the fronts do 70% of the work, while the rears take the rest of the slack".
Irrelevant. I want what I ordered, and I'm not paying extra.
"Well it's not on the invoice, it only sais Brembo Rotors, so I can't do anything else, this is all I can do, unless I can get Abe to confirm --- "
I cut him off. And insist on putting Abe on, and he'll confirm what I said is true, and that I've been calling for the past month wondering what the hell is up with the rotors.
There's a moment of silence (don't think he was expecting for me to say get Abe). He said he'll call me back.
Turns out, they just fired Abe, and he can't get in touch with him to confirm my order. I informed him that despite the fact it's not specified on the invoice (it just shows Brembo Rotors 94+ Rx7), it was confirmed with one of his employees, on several occassions, that my parts were in the mail.
So now I'm ****ed. He's giving me a bit more slack, and offered to ship me the Rotora OEM copies for free, or sell me rear cross drilled/slotted at cost. In the process, he's whining that they "don't give away free parts". I don't want free parts, I want the parts I ordered, and confirmed I ordered, otherwise I would have taken my business elsewhere.
So now, I have to make a choice: Settle for an inferior product, or shell out more money.
The whole time, Rob was extremely apologetic, and apparently did the best he could do. But this is still unacceptable for company to conduct business. Had I had better grounds, I would have submitted this to the BBB in a heartbeat, but it's probably a waste of time.
On February 13th, I placed an order with Abe Schmidt of Vivid Racing. The order was for a full set of brembo rotors, hawk pads, SS brake lines, and Tien SS coilovers (all of which was for front and rear).
After a week, the front rotors came in.
Week later, the pads and brake lines.
Still waiting on the coilovers and rear rotors.
So of course, I'm still calling maybe twice a week or so trying to figure out what's going on, with several employees -- and noone could give me a straight answer. Finally get back in touch with Abe again the other week, and he assures me that the "order with Tien and Brembo was screwed up, and they're in transit now, but no tracking number yet". Fair enough, it's been a minute, but **** it.
Call in again yesterday (April 2nd) asking for Abe or a Manager. Moment of silence, and neither are available, and Shawn (I believe) was trying to help me out. Nice guy, but he informed me that the order for coilovers and rear rotors was never placed.
What - the - ****.
Now I insist on speaking with a Manager, and I get Rob on the phone.
I inform him of the situation, and how I've been inconvenienced not only for time, but missing out on track events in the meantime. He apologizes, and offers to either:
A. Sell me a pair of inferior rear rotors (Rotora) at cost, and only oem copies
B. Have me ship the brembos back, and he'll ship me a full set of Rotora, and pay me back the difference -- if any
Hell no, and at this point, I'm furious.
To add insult to injury, he starts talking to me about how "I don't really need rear rotors, the fronts do 70% of the work, while the rears take the rest of the slack".
Irrelevant. I want what I ordered, and I'm not paying extra.
"Well it's not on the invoice, it only sais Brembo Rotors, so I can't do anything else, this is all I can do, unless I can get Abe to confirm --- "
I cut him off. And insist on putting Abe on, and he'll confirm what I said is true, and that I've been calling for the past month wondering what the hell is up with the rotors.
There's a moment of silence (don't think he was expecting for me to say get Abe). He said he'll call me back.
Turns out, they just fired Abe, and he can't get in touch with him to confirm my order. I informed him that despite the fact it's not specified on the invoice (it just shows Brembo Rotors 94+ Rx7), it was confirmed with one of his employees, on several occassions, that my parts were in the mail.
So now I'm ****ed. He's giving me a bit more slack, and offered to ship me the Rotora OEM copies for free, or sell me rear cross drilled/slotted at cost. In the process, he's whining that they "don't give away free parts". I don't want free parts, I want the parts I ordered, and confirmed I ordered, otherwise I would have taken my business elsewhere.
So now, I have to make a choice: Settle for an inferior product, or shell out more money.
The whole time, Rob was extremely apologetic, and apparently did the best he could do. But this is still unacceptable for company to conduct business. Had I had better grounds, I would have submitted this to the BBB in a heartbeat, but it's probably a waste of time.
Well, a little update.
So I decided you all were right, and they don't deserve any more of my money. I call in to cancel my coilovers, and he sais he can't give me a full refund, because there's a restocking fee, and he'll get back to me.
... I said nothing, just to call me back.
He never did.
I call in about 5 hours later, and guess who picks up the phone? My buddy who ****ed me over in the first place, who I was assured would "never work for them again".
I was ****ing livid. Not only have I been lied to by this pric, I've been lied to by one of the owners.
He said there's no way that he will give me a full refund. I re-explain the situation, explained how I'm pissed not only because I've had months wasted, but that I've been lied to by two staff members, on several occasions.
Pissing and moaning goes back and forth, and he has the ***** to say that I'm in the wrong. I reexplain the situation in a more legal sense, and let him know that I have half a mind to report him to the better business bureau.
There's a moment of silence.
I again, insist that I have a full refund, and insist on having my rear rotors shipped to me. He then asks why he should help me, if i'm being such a "jerk".
Because that's what I ****ing ordered in the first place, that's why. Call me a name ONCE more, and you will be reported, and I assure you my experience will spread.
He caved, and said he will refund my money, and the rotors will be shipped.
What a ****ing *******.
So I decided you all were right, and they don't deserve any more of my money. I call in to cancel my coilovers, and he sais he can't give me a full refund, because there's a restocking fee, and he'll get back to me.
... I said nothing, just to call me back.
He never did.
I call in about 5 hours later, and guess who picks up the phone? My buddy who ****ed me over in the first place, who I was assured would "never work for them again".
I was ****ing livid. Not only have I been lied to by this pric, I've been lied to by one of the owners.
He said there's no way that he will give me a full refund. I re-explain the situation, explained how I'm pissed not only because I've had months wasted, but that I've been lied to by two staff members, on several occasions.
Pissing and moaning goes back and forth, and he has the ***** to say that I'm in the wrong. I reexplain the situation in a more legal sense, and let him know that I have half a mind to report him to the better business bureau.
There's a moment of silence.
I again, insist that I have a full refund, and insist on having my rear rotors shipped to me. He then asks why he should help me, if i'm being such a "jerk".
Because that's what I ****ing ordered in the first place, that's why. Call me a name ONCE more, and you will be reported, and I assure you my experience will spread.
He caved, and said he will refund my money, and the rotors will be shipped.
What a ****ing *******.
So another update. (4/29/09)
After being promised rear rotors for the inconvenience, they have yet to arrive. I call in asking what's going on, and if they've been shipped.
Rob: Oh... I thought you were done after we cancelled your coilover order.
Me: No. I told you specifically when I cancelled that I still want the order, and you agreed.
Rob: Well... That's not how I interpreted it.
Arguments went back and forth, long story short, he's now offering me the parts at cost, vs getting what I originally ordered, and what I was promised. This is the 3rd instance I was lied to by the company, two of which were from a manager.
I'm in the process of filing a BBB claim right now.
After being promised rear rotors for the inconvenience, they have yet to arrive. I call in asking what's going on, and if they've been shipped.
Rob: Oh... I thought you were done after we cancelled your coilover order.
Me: No. I told you specifically when I cancelled that I still want the order, and you agreed.
Rob: Well... That's not how I interpreted it.
Arguments went back and forth, long story short, he's now offering me the parts at cost, vs getting what I originally ordered, and what I was promised. This is the 3rd instance I was lied to by the company, two of which were from a manager.
I'm in the process of filing a BBB claim right now.
Last edited by Junon; May 1, 2009 at 09:58 AM.
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Thank you.
I'm kinda hoping they chime in this thread to see what they say, and see the difference in story. I can already pin-point where there will be disputes and arguments, because they were discussed at length over the phone. I assure you, being the customer, and knowing the situation from front to back, that what I have posted is 100% true to the best of my recollection (there may be a lapse in dates, that's about it -- the story/ experience holds true).
As I even explained to Rob several times, I've taken a loss with other business' in the past -- but I have NEVER been lied to, nor had someone go back on their word. Vivid managed to do both. I can imagine this happens on rare occassions from an employee attempting to cover his/her ***, but NOT from an owner.
A side note: Rob wouldn't even break the news that he "couldn't" ship the rear rotors to me over the phone. He did so over an email, possibly thinking that it would be left at that. I have no problems with email, but when someone specifically requests a call back, and no prior communication regarding a dispute was done via email, I would expect them to atleast have the ***** to pick up the phone, and make the call at their own expense. Very unprofessional.
I'm kinda hoping they chime in this thread to see what they say, and see the difference in story. I can already pin-point where there will be disputes and arguments, because they were discussed at length over the phone. I assure you, being the customer, and knowing the situation from front to back, that what I have posted is 100% true to the best of my recollection (there may be a lapse in dates, that's about it -- the story/ experience holds true).
As I even explained to Rob several times, I've taken a loss with other business' in the past -- but I have NEVER been lied to, nor had someone go back on their word. Vivid managed to do both. I can imagine this happens on rare occassions from an employee attempting to cover his/her ***, but NOT from an owner.
A side note: Rob wouldn't even break the news that he "couldn't" ship the rear rotors to me over the phone. He did so over an email, possibly thinking that it would be left at that. I have no problems with email, but when someone specifically requests a call back, and no prior communication regarding a dispute was done via email, I would expect them to atleast have the ***** to pick up the phone, and make the call at their own expense. Very unprofessional.
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wow!!! good luck man. I just don't get how so many companies have absolutely no problem taking your money and then f'ing up your order or just simply screwing you over. It's funny how they act like they don't understand why you're upset that you've just spent thousands of dollars of your hard earned money and you didn't get the parts. And what is it about so many vendors lieing about shipping status.......IT'S EITHER BEEN SHIPPED OR IT HASN'T!!!
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Good Job! The customer is always right. Based on this I will not order from them I hate ****** Customer Service! It just makes the whole experience difficult and unenjoyable. Thanks for the heads up.
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I am glad someone is doing something about Vivid's crappy service. They completly messed up a friend of mine's car and he did nothing about it. He just took it and let it go like nothing happend. I hope it all works out for you and I hope Vivid gets what they deserve. Good luck.
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This is definitely not the first time I've heard of sub-par service from Vivid. They seem to be one of those companies who believe that, since they process so many faceless internet orders, they can just screw over a few customers and get away with it.
Good on you man for speaking up and doing what you have to.
Good on you man for speaking up and doing what you have to.