Well stated.

 

Rafael,

Jim Sr. tried to call you this morning on both numbers that we have, to handle this between the both of you. He got no answer on both numbers.........
I just got off the phone with him and he said to come in on tuesday and pay the remaining balance on you bill and to discuss how you would like to get your truck back....

 

W O W !!!!!

$$$650 for a custom aluminum oil pan ?????? I contacted STEFFs directly and had them custom build an 8qt pan for my stang. It only cost $295!!!! It looks as though JDM has charged you double. Yes, I see “w/gasket”, and I used the $$$ Motorsport gasket on my application so I know too how much a quality gasket cost. They charged nearly DOUBLE for an oil pan. Imagine what else they are tacking on.

 

not to mention $600 labor for a "custom" oil pickup tube???

oooooooooo...............

unfortunately for rafa, this is how things work sometimes when you drop off a project car/truck a shop. Shop says it should be done with by such and such but in the meantime, other work comes in that's often the bread and butter of a shop/company. there's only so much labor to go around, so guess what happens? the project gets put on the back burner. can't blame JDM, they have to stay in business. of course the customer gets upset and things get complicated if the customer changes his mind. not pointing fingers, just pointing things out.

 

I am getting worked up for Rafa, they're overcharging on a project they have had numerous delays on. Looking at their responses to this mess, they will do nothing but defend themselves all the way down to the multiplied costs on their items.

Rafa, I am truly sorry for getting drawn in by JDM's marketing scheme. I hope they make things right with you instead of badger on your decision to make this public.

 

I am working since 8:00am, my work phone works fine, my cellphone also works fine.

Thats very weird.

 

Wow, Somethings shady there. I think they already buried themselves on this one Rafa.... The entire Lightning post knows about this cluster f&*k now. Not a good rep to have with all these guys building trucks this year. Im sure JLP is sitting back and laughing at this one.

 

Concidering that you already have a contract/statement of work with a price on it, if Rafael pays that amount he better get his truck back with all the work done and not in pieces. Any expenses over that have to be OK'd with the customer before they are done, and you better have proof he OK'd them. Otherwise, the contract is all he's bound to and the extra costs are JDM's to eat.

 

Hi rafa,

There was a link to this thread on Modular Fords so I came over to take a look.

I am a customer of JDM's and I know many others who are also.

Before I became a customer I did my research and spoke to at least 10 people who had major work done on their vehicles by JDM.

When I asked them about their vehicles the first thing out of their mouths was how great the vehicles perform and how reliable they are not how long it took for the work to be completed.
Everyone without exception said that they would go back without hesitation.

If you do a search on almost any of the major mustang boards you will see that I'm not a troll since i'm using the same screen name everywhere.

You can also contact Tommy33 on Modular Fords who also had a long term project completed by JDM and is very pleased with the results.

I am not trying to trivialize your situation but just trying to reassure you that when you get your vehicle back it will be worth the wait.

In my case it was a Saleen blower with mailorder tune.
The tuning of the car is so perfect that I'm running 11.42 on a conservative tune without the car ever having seen the dyno.

The tuning abilities of Jim Sr, are nothing short of amazing.

Stick it out and you will see that it is worth the wait once the truck is completed

Best of luck with your truck.

Peter Mitas

 

Nice response thump. While there is no doubt they're good at what they do, it's how they are handling Rafa's situation that turns everyone off.

I'm sure there are several companys (JLP, etc), that can do the same job with the same amount of quality and reliably give him an honest mans word as far as time, parts, labor, cost, etc is concerned. With JDM it's been slip up after slip up.

I am sure you're right, the product will be great in the end but hopefully JDM, from now on, is a little more accurate in their estimation rather than angry at how Rafa is dealing. You put this much money into anything, you want a trustworthy man behind the people doing the work.

And again, Rafa has everything to lose and no reason to fabricate any of this by coming on here and updating us with his experience. It's probably not the best idea to take shots at his integrity.

 

I personally don't like resolving my problems with vendors in public but that's just me.

I have had quite a few problems with parts for my 05 Mustang since some of the parts were made available nearly the same time the car was put into production.

Once an issue was resolved with a vendor I would then post my comments wether positive or negative.

If I felt that other people would end up having problems if the situation wasn't brought to light I would post that I have a problem with such and such a product and that I'm working with the manufacturer, supplier, or vendor to solve the problem.

I agree wholeheartedly that rafa's integrity should not have come into question but I skimmed through almost all posts exept for the ones by rafa so I may have missed something.

P.S. I saw the truck there when I went down to NJ. for JDM Day Nov 3rd and it's badass.

 

Thump- I agree it should be handled between them... but the thing is, Rafa started this post to sing praises for JDM and give us updates. It wasn't Rafa, but the F150online community that raised questions and concerns over JDM's handling of the situation. Rafa did NOT bash JDM or come here looking for support to get at JDM.

That's NOT the kind of guy Rafa is.

Again, at risk of beating a dead horse with a stick, the issue was with the time lines that were not given once, but time and time again to Rafa, when we all know better than to believe JDM actually felt as if they would have completed that work in the time they said they would.

They even told him specifically the truck WOULD be done n day X, Y, etc

Just not smart to do if you (as JDM) realize custom work can always hit hitches along the way.

I sure as hell hope JDM realizes that just dumping a bill, and an unfinished or less than PERFECT truck back on Rafa at this point would be nothing short of MAJOR slap in the face to Rafa, and the entire community. I for damn sure will go out of my way to discourage ANY business to any company that treats PAYING, PATIENT customers in that manner.

 

I went back and re read everything between JDM and Rafa that has been written the last 2 days and what I can't figure out why she says

Was something said over the phone that he wanted the truck back ready or not?

I really don't know?

The worst thing right now is that there is also a 3rd party between Rafael and Jim Sr. relaying messages. I think we all know how well the game telephone gets a message across.

 

Thump, I think you are starting to see the kind of communication that has everyone here upset. That comment wasn't needed by JDM and more than likely wasn't the result of any phone conversation, just a 3rd party passing things along in a non-professional, non-business like manor. These kinds of things should be relayed to the customer directly via a phone call.

 

I have a few vendors I deal with that like to do all of their communications over the internet since it doesn't cost anything.
What a couple of these people don't get is that emotions are difficult to convey through a keyboard.

I was on the phone with a vendor on Wednesday and even though I was frustrated that the part his supplier had sent was missing a critical piece I wasn't really that mad since there is a foot of snow outside my door.
I picked up the phone and called him and we exchanged information in real time without misunderstandings.

I was a manufacturers technical rep for many years so I know how vital proper communication is to a project.

The best thing for Rafael is to go meet Jim Sr. on Tuesday and work through this so that the truck is completed and all parties are satisfied.
It will not do any good to either party for the truck to leave JDM unfinished since the next person will without a doubt not be sure of what has and hasn't been done and will want to start again from a clean slate.
I have seen this scenario play out before with disasterous results at a shop local to me.