FFF 1st GP Updates......

[Radcat]

Originally posted by Tiago:
DHL has deeffinately been put on my black list forever.

Now this is funny. DHL is who shipped my silicone connector. It still isn't hear. Took them 5 days and a few emails to get the tracking number when I was suppose to get it within 24 hours.

[BirdOfPrey01]

Sounds like DHL may be either stealing items or they have a big problem with organization. If I was you I would contact DHL immedately and b*tch them out. I would threaten. Contact a lawyer. Have them investigated.

Alot of workers in the shipping and recieving departments of companies all over the USA have been stealing items regularaly. The last walmart store I was at. the Manager was arrested for stealing items. It is a big problem that the US has not cracked down on. They need to.

Tiago, I doubt that the items were lost. Losing 14 intercoolers is not something that just happens. I am guessing that they were stolen. I would contact the authorities immediately if they do not respond.

I only trust UPS, i have never lost any items with UPS ever. UPS hires competent employees, does excessive drug screening and background screening. UPS is 1# on my list.

[snatch]

I prefer FEDEX over UPS anyday. UPS damaged 2 of my packages and wouldnt pay.
Shane

[BirdOfPrey01]

FEDEX is good too, UPS hasnt ever done me wrong.

[snatch]

Ive still never had a missing package with either so they are a step up from DHP.....

[Clark Griswold]

Funny, its like deja vu...

Originally posted by navyblue2000:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Drone51:
funny how people bashed mach but know one dares to bash FFF. Just an observation.

FFF never missed a deadline (that wasn't their fault)
FFF at least posts progress reports...
no doubt they reply to emails and phone calls.
at least their project made it out to the market...
i could go on... :rolleyes: </font>[/QUOTE]

Originally posted by Perry V:
I agree, this is getting retarted. I've tried to get tracking numbers, but tiago won't get back to me with those. The Brian guy who's shipping the kits doesn't even pick up or return my phone calls anymore (I've called him atleast 10 times with not return phone call or answer). We never know what is going on, we are never updated, the one year anniversary to this GP is coming up, and we still don't have everything, now that's a big shame. This is probably the worst customer service i have ever experienced. Updates everyweek would be nice, so we all know exactly what is going on, it's not that it is just taking too long, we don't even know what is going on, and that is pretty scary cause our money was given in January.
sorry, i definitely needed to vent, i won't even be able to enjoy this thing this year, as the summer is basically over.

[RGB]

Originally posted by GN-T66:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by DavidSiri:
Many companies have quarks and problems that need to be worked out with the start of a company. This GP is the first real sales FFF has ever had, and thus the cost of producing all these products before sales were made was basically not do able. Running out of intercooler cores, and a company backing out of making y pipe flanges are not probelms that you can "iron" out beforehand, because you do not know that they will occur. If you ordered a car, and for some unforseeable reason, the factory that your car was suppose to be made in shut down,your order would have to be mvoed to another factory and most likely wait at the end of the line. This is what has happened. I am sure that the next GP's will run very smoothly. Companies such as BMR do not even notify customers that an item may be on back order for 3 months when they ALREADY know it. At least Tiago has responded to say that he knows that there have been problems, and they are being resolved. He is frustrated just as much as the customers if not more. If bad business practices are to be blamed on anyone, it should be at the companies who have CAUSED the delays, not FFF.
Let me just say, I like how this thread has stayed civil, let's attempt to keep it that way. [img]smile.gif[/img] ;)

you're kind of missing my point here though. I am not saying which companies blame should be placed on.. I am saying that if a company produces all the unique pieces of a kit before a GP is started, then they will run into all these supplier and production problems beforehand, rather than after, when a customer's money is in their hands and people get impatient. If all those issues are solved and the parts are in-house before the GP, then some gaurantee ca nbe made as to a quick shipment of parts to customers. The only thing if any that should be left until after the GP starts is pieces that can be easily bought (by the kit supplier/GP starter), and are on hand at retailers. </font>[/QUOTE]I've never had good luck with asking for custom work. Most places can't help you if they don't have a part number and if they do try you wonder why you paid them $$ to do work you could have done better yourself. So instead of trying to piece together a tubo sytem myself I ordered the kit. This way Tiago gets to have pipes rebent, wait on a company to do machine work just to have them back out, and the rest of the headaches. Plus if an order for 14 custom intercoolers comes in from FFF or an order for 1 from me guess which order is higher priority.

On the other hand, given I was expecting the kit 6 months ago, I bet there were opportunites to be more PROACTIVE in finding out that a supplier was going to be a bottle neck that were missed thinking "yea, they missed the first deadline but they will probably make the next one, we don't have to spend time finding someone to replace them TOday." Maby even now DHL dosen't have a date in mind by which feels it needs to have the matter resolved. And if it dose have a deadline and misses that date, what's the plan? (a rhetorical question. If DHL pays out the claim (and who knows how long to cut the check even after they say they will pay the claim), does Spearco have cores ready or will they need a heads up? (also a rhetorical question).

So looking back on it, I don't think it would be wise business practice for FFF to run into the negitive building custom parts ahead to advoid delays in a group purchase. FFF can't realy know who's in on a GP until each person sends them cash. However, as a customer I never like paying the full bill without some guaranty of the goods showing up.

Enter Paypal. Half down on the kit in January would have reserved my spot in the GP and gave FFF working capital to get the y-pipe and intercooler built. When the custom work was done, FFF could email me to send the other half. FFF would then have 29 days for ALL the stuff to show up on my door step. On the 30th day I would have to file a "buyer complaint" with paypal (Pay pal rules for them to try to get my money back from the second payment.)

Sorry for the long post, but I could have been riding around on Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3's this summer instead of these GA's if I would have paid just half up front.

[yellowfbod]

Originally posted by BirdOfPrey01:
UPS hires competent employees, does excessive drug screening and background screening. UPS is 1# on my list.

[img]graemlins/rofl.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/rofl.gif[/img] I don't know where you heard that from but I worked for them for 2 years and have NEVER had a drug test and never had more than a basic background check, and half of their employees are white trash stupid m/f.

[Turbo V6 Camaro]

Originally posted by RGB:


Sorry for the long post, but I could have been riding around on Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3's this summer instead of these GA's if I would have paid just half up front. [/QB]

good liuck finding them good year stoped making them to "make minor changes in them" and you can not find them any were, it took the place i got them from 1 month to track 4 of them down

[Perry V]

Tiago can you atleast email us the instructions for the turbo kit. It would be nice to review it a few times before actually installing it. If we can get around to actually installing it this year that is.

Any word from brian with what's happening with the stuff? This DHL company misplaced all the accessories boxes, how could they screw it up again with the intercoolers and pipes, it makes no sense.

thanks

[BirdOfPrey01]

Tiago needs to seek legal advice and take care of DHL. 14 intercoolers should of not been misplaced. If I was sending out 14 expensive items and the shipping company misplaced all of them. My lawyer would have their balls in a glass jar. I would threaten to tell DHL's future customers of their service. I would contact the man in charge of the situation immediately. If they didnt take me serious, they would be in court.

[Tiago]

Ive put together a rough set of instructions, they have been done but I was wanting to improve on them further. Anyway you guys can check them out and let me know of any improvements that need to be done. There are definately a few sections that I would like to add more detail.

www.forcefedfab.com/video/INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS.doc


copy paste, save as....

[ July 27, 2004, 11:54 AM: Message edited by: Tiago ]

[Teufel Hunden]

Originally posted by BirdOfPrey01:
Tiago needs to seek legal advice and take care of DHL. 14 intercoolers should of not been misplaced. If I was sending out 14 expensive items and the shipping company misplaced all of them. My lawyer would have their balls in a glass jar. I would threaten to tell DHL's future customers of their service. I would contact the man in charge of the situation immediately. If they didnt take me serious, they would be in court.

Damn right. If it were me, i wouldn't even threaten anyone first.. i'd just show up with a posse of lawyers.

[Turbo V6 Camaro]

Originally posted by Tiago:
Ive put together a rough set of instructions, they have been done but I was wanting to improve on them further. Anyway you guys can check them out and let me know of any improvements that need to be done. There are definately a few sections that I would like to add more detail.

www.forcefedfab.com/video/INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS.doc


copy paste, save as....

that looks like a 2 hour install, lol

what do the 98 and under peeps have to do for the TB i have been looking at it and i don't thing the pipe to the tb will even fit under the hood

[DavidSiri]

Originally posted by viper04af:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Tiago:
Ive put together a rough set of instructions, they have been done but I was wanting to improve on them further. Anyway you guys can check them out and let me know of any improvements that need to be done. There are definately a few sections that I would like to add more detail.

www.forcefedfab.com/video/INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS.doc


copy paste, save as....

that looks like a 2 hour install, lol

what do the 98 and under peeps have to do for the TB i have been looking at it and i don't thing the pipe to the tb will even fit under the hood </font>[/QUOTE]The install isn't bad at all. The hardest part really is drilling the oil pan. The rest is just labor and getting things bolted up/screwed in/tightened. If you do not have a striaght throttle body, just a minor adjustment has to be made. The throttle body piece needs to rest right on the top of the fan shroud on our cars. Unless I'm mistaken, you should just be able to cut the piece in half or so and the bend should lead right to the throttle body...
Let me get a pic, one second.