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Anyone else having problems with 034 orders???

4K views 22 replies 19 participants last post by  newt 
#1 ·
Beginning to think its only me. Placed a small order with them ($1000.00) on Monday Sept 22 for front tie rods and front ball joints for the URQ that we need as replacements for the ones that got hooped on the Alcan rally so we can get down to BBQ5. Item showed in stock (or didn't show not currently available). Shipment via FedEx.

Order accepted, even though our order note state please reconfirm items in stock and contact me before cashing order. Payment cashed.

Get notice tonite (25th) that Tie-rods are not available - being manufactured and they have no idea when they will be ready. Rest of order being held until whole items complete. We then recheck the website to see if we screwed up but no notice that front tie rods not currently available.

So far we at batting 2 for 2 on 034 orders. Had similar situation ref silicon hoses 2pce set ordered in June for delivery before end of July. Get e-mail very similar to form e-mail received tonite that missing part being sourced. How could hoses sold as a 2 pce set suddenly only have one piece available. They eventually turned up in mid August too late for use in the car on the Alcan. Thankfully we didn't have any problems with the existing hose but we had to cannibalize another URQ to make sure we had a spare. Again payment cashed before notice given.

Sure this is a partial rant but guys if you don't have the parts stop teasing people and say as much on your website even to extent that they are custom order - its just plain politeness and good customer service.

Now we don't know if the URQ ball joints (2 complete sets front and rear that were part of the tie-rod order are even going to be part shipped). Taking 3 days to advise you don't really really have the item advertised is not service.

To ensure we get to BBQ we'll now have to take them off one of the other URQ's unless some kind person on the board knows of another place to get them fast or has some available themselves. Need next week.

Hopefully someone from 034 will be at BBQ so we can properly express our feelings. We had turned down a supply from another source cos we thought tat 034 would come through - now we have to go back to them and see if we can beg the parts.

This is not building up any sort of trust at all..... Anyone else having these problems....... :x

Keith
 
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#2 ·
This doesn't relate to 034 specifically, but at least where I live, advertising something for sale that you don't actually have (without clearly stating that fact, like with items that are made to order) is illegal. Although as far as I can tell that law is rarely enforced. If they started enforcing it against Internet vendors, they'd probably have to increase their staff by a factor of 100... :(
 
#7 ·
Call and talk to Laszlo or Jeremy Thurston (jthurston@034motorsport.com). Both guys are stand up. Regardless of what is shown on the website, calling and asking someone would get you a straight story either way. Keep in mind you're buying parts for a rare, old platform that is now a niche-ish market for them--sometimes things move slowly and aren't always available right away.

Sam
 
#10 ·
Definitely had problems with my order. Took them over a month to ship my IIb kit, and when I got it, I had a dead ECU that wouldn't read RPM or run the fuel pump. I was also missing 4 of the pins I needed to wire up the connectors. They repaired it without question which in some ways makes me suspicious that they sent me a dead unit and just won't admit it. They never told me what was wrong with it either.
On the other hand the customer service was great. Gave me an RMA and everything to return the ECU within minutes of my request. All my emails about fitting the kit (since I'm a newbie without any sort of instructions) were helpful and told me exactly what to do. I'd specifically like to call out Jeremy and Nate, as they were the most helpful.
Over-all, my order experience was crap and I think with the company getting so large some of their smaller orders get overlooked or not given as much attention as they used to, but the customer service and tech support is still immaculate.
 
#11 ·
#13 ·
It's not just the small orders.

I had enough trouble getting small orders dealt with professionally thru the website/email/phone-tag that I started using a local distributor when it came to a large order (suspension). Apparently $4000 or so wasn't enough to merit timely service, as in less than three months, to provide confirmation if I'd need cores for KW v3 coil overs. The answer changed last minute (from yes, need cores, to no don't bother they've been ordered) after I'd sourced a parts coupe for said purpose, at over $1000 cost to me.

When it came time for an engine build, again another $4000 or more, it took... wait for it... wait... for... it... 3 months and a dozen emails and six non returned phone calls/voicemails to the shop, then an angry letter to Javad directly to get any sort of quote.

IMO/IME, 034 grew too large to handle their total consumer base and didn't have a plan to properly cover customer service. Or they don't give a shit about the old market anymore (which I doubt to some degree, money is all the same regardless of the source).

It's stuff like this, and reading/experiencing so-called plug'n'play parts that don't drop in as advertised.. and a shitty return policy, that led me to other vendors. Any other vendor, for the most part.

034 Motorsport used to be my go-to, no... point of pride purchase, but nowadays they're the retailer of last resort.

/rant
 
#14 ·
I resorted to paying a local machinist $85/hr to make me stuff instead. Cost a little more (not that much more) but I got it when I needed it and never got the runaround.

I just got an email from 034, literally minutes ago, asking to review my purchase experience... on a snub mount. That I think I purchased 5 years ago.
 
#15 ·
I've had a couple experiences exactly the same... With my RIP chip and my urs4 intake.

On both cases the item was out of stock or had to be made up. Then after two weeks of waiting, call and find out that its been made up or is in stock and will get shipped out "today". Well then it took another 2 weeks and two more phone calls to remind them to ship it out. Very similar situation with both items.

Also everybody I know personally that has ever ordered parts from them has had a long wait time and had to call them a bunch of times only to find out the item hasn't been shipped yet.

The other thing that pisses me off is after thousands and thousands of dollars spent with them, I've never received a single sticker. I'll order a 60 cent light bulb from RockAuto and I get a magnet EVERY time haha.

On the plus side, somebody does always answer the phone, and is usually extremely polite and helpful. Also I've never had an issue with the parts once I do finally receive them.
 
#16 ·
Same stuff for me.... I have ordered from the site only to get an email saying it isnt there.... viewtopic.php?f=1&t=51557

If it wasnt for Sam I would not have gotten what I needed as he actually went back and made the kit for what I needed from parts on the shelf. I am pretty sure I was still charged for a couple bushings that i never got in this order but I was just happy to have it show up when I needed it. Now that Sam doesnt work there I dont dare order anything from the site anymore. All my orders (if any) will be call in only.
 
#17 ·
I could have sworn there was a thread about having "better customer service" and not "jerking" customers around…...just posted a couple weeks ago….

hhhhmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!
 
#18 ·
same for me , first order i placd with them for the maf to turbo tube , N75 and new silicon hose form the turbo-n75-wastegate .... n75 tubing wasnt sent , was told it was not on the order (it was) . they shipped it at no cost (15 dollar tube) but it was the time without the car . (my UrS is my daily for the last year and it takes 3 days to get the maf tube ....but a week and a hlaf for a small n75 tube)..... i go to swanson now if i need anything
 
#22 ·
Boosted20vT said:
i wonder if 034 actaully reads this stuff
As I've posted before, yes, and no. We/I haven't had the time to actively monitor every post on every forum we try to listen to, particularly when things get posted in a chit-chat style forum, it's not something I have a lot of time to peruse (as much as I'd really love to!! :(). All of our tech and order support needs to travel through our normal channels, passively posting on a forum and waiting for a response is going to be much less productive than simply contacting us directly.
 
#23 ·
yamadjs08 said:
I've had a couple experiences exactly the same... With my RIP chip and my urs4 intake.

On both cases the item was out of stock or had to be made up. Then after two weeks of waiting, call and find out that its been made up or is in stock and will get shipped out "today". Well then it took another 2 weeks and two more phone calls to remind them to ship it out. Very similar situation with both items.

Also everybody I know personally that has ever ordered parts from them has had a long wait time and had to call them a bunch of times only to find out the item hasn't been shipped yet.

The other thing that pisses me off is after thousands and thousands of dollars spent with them, I've never received a single sticker. I'll order a 60 cent light bulb from RockAuto and I get a magnet EVERY time haha.

On the plus side, somebody does always answer the phone, and is usually extremely polite and helpful. Also I've never had an issue with the parts once I do finally receive them.
Sorry to hear about that, it sucks. We have been pushing really, really hard this past year and some to be able to fulfill orders as quickly as possible, I'm sure many have noticed this has resulted in a slimmed down product line as well, as some very slow movers we simply couldn't justify stocking and maintaining inventory on for items that sit for months/years. The S4 intake is something that we like to offer, but it's a slow mover, and as such takes some time to assemble and go through qc on a per-order basis. We're working on better, more active inventory systems so you guys will have a better idea of in-stock vs built-to-order items in the future, but for now we're pushing harder to be more pro-active and contacting customers anytime there's a delayed item. If you could PM me your address I'd be happy to send you a pile of stickers as well, we don't always have enough on hand to toss them in every order.
 
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