Posted by Steve Nelson Top-End Performance on August 02, 1999 at 16:04:15:
In Reply to: Rear Rear Stress Bar / Korman Autoworks / Top-End Performance posted by Troy Rudolph on July 29, 1999 at 13:33:05:
Here is my final installment on this particular saga.
Bear in mind we did not actually sell him an incorrect or bogus part.
We did not take anyones money and not deliver product.
We did in fact not even receive an order for the product that is causing all this stink.
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.
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Rudolph, Troy wrote:
Here's my reply:
"I reported the facts available to me as given to me. I stand by my
story.
What do you think you've inspired me to do vis-a-vis your business?
"
I don't hide from anyone!
Reported the facts available to you. I see.
Does that include asking us if we had a pending order with Korman for a brace
for your vehicle before trashing us ?
Does that include using a public forum to conclude that neither us nor Korman
knows anything about anything ?
Does that include researching the practical applications of mounting the brace the
way you suggested before concluding that we do not know what we are talking
about ? Or is is just that you have an opinion that you are entitled to that does not
agree with ours (Which we are entitled to. ) It was optional to ask us to make you
a rear brace and battery kit that utilized those mounting studs as the location for
the top mounts even though we do not feel it is the strongest possible method.
We could have done that on a custom basis for you.
I do dearly care about my customers and their opinions and I have gleaned many
good ideas from creative and technically adept customers that have found their
way into our product line. I do not pretend to know everything but I do know we
have a very successful product line with many hundreds of satisfied customers.
How you feel about us at this point I cannot change. Just remember that you are
the one that undertook to slander us online in a public forum with out all the facts
at your disposal and you seem taken aback that we might respond with a bit of
indignation.
If the whole of the First Fives list feels the same as you then there is nothing that I
can do about that. My response was professional and not filled with the uncalled
for vehemence and rancor of your original posting. I would not have even known
that it was an issue except one of the other members alerted me to it via e-mail
stating that he felt that it should be responded to.
I have had enough of this topic. I will post both of these responses and let the
good people of the First Fives group draw their own conclusions. I hope most of
them will be positive conclusions as I look forward to developing a complete
line of E12 upgrades and packages. It is my favorite chassis and I will always
feel it is the very best BMW that has ever been made. It is a drivers car that can
handle all the practical jobs needed from a car every day.
Sincerely,
Steve Nelson
: As some may recall, Korman lists a combination Rear Stress Bar and Battery Relocation Kit for E12 cars. The price is $238 for the whole thing including the mounting hardware, new battery cables, etc.
: I ordered one around 6/1/99. Guess what? I still don't have it. In fact, I just cancelled the order. Here's the story.
: When I ordered the kit, I was told by Shane at Korman Autoworks that there would be a 2 week lead-time followed by a week of shipping time. I thought this was good because it's an uncommon item and mostly like was manufactured when ordered.
: Four weeks went by and I called Shane at Korman Autoworks again and left a message. He never called me back. After leaving a two more messages, I happened to call while he was at his desk, and he promised to call the supplier and get back to me that afternoon. He never called.
: Eventually, he referred me to Bob in Korman's shipping department who also promised to call the supplier and call me that same afternoon. He never called either. I called Bob today and he happened to be at his desk. I reminded him that he had promised to call me on 7/21. He apologized and admitted that he had never called because the supplier did not return his calls. I cancelled the order.
: Somewhere between Shane and Bob, I became curious about who the supplier is, so I did a few searches on AltaVista and turned up Top-End Performance. Bob confirmed this when I spoke to him.
: I called Top-End Performance after calling Korman and they answered the phone immediately. I asked about the E12 Rear Stress Bar/Battery Relocation kit and was told that they have made about six and are putting together some jigs to speed things up, but that they don't know quite when that'll be done.
: Unfortunately, I don't think they know much about E12s. When I originally spoke to Shane at Korman, he told me that no holes needed to be drilled in the shock towers because the bar fastened to the three bolts that hold upper shock mount/spring pad. The guy I spoke to at Top-End today said that holes needed to be drilled in the sides of the shock towers because there was no other way to mount it. He claimed that the shock towers on E12s had no bolts on which to mount the bar. Further, he said that the rear shock towers on an E12 "are not load points." I guess those coil-over springs push on thin air while they hold up the car!
: In short, neither Korman nor Top-End, in this particular case, know anything about anything.
: Just thought I'd mention it.
: Today, I cancelled the order. It's safe to