This is not a bash against any of the vendors here on this board, or any other board that I have seen. But I felt it necessary to warn fellow Lightning/Ford owners about an absolutely horrible buying experience with a major parts supplier, commonly listed in the Truck mags.

Autobahn Sales (www.zmotive.com) has to be the poorest service and flat out incompetance I have ever personally witnessed.

Last week, Monday May 17th, I called at 3:00 pm, to place an order for an Extang Black Max tonneau cover for my 2002 Lightning. The total with shipping was $218.00. I asked for expedited shipping because I needed it before the weekend. To ensure that I had ample time to install it, before making the 1800 mile drive to the Modular Shootout this week.

I was told that there was NO NEED for expedited shiping, that the order would arrive on normal schedule, before Friday. Ok, fine.

I called Friday, slightly upset after the UPS deliveries were made, and no package from them, to ask for a tracking number. Their reaction was, I have to call and get it, a salesman will call you back in ~1 hour. Fine. 3 hours later, I called them back, it was getting late in the day, and I wanted some answers. At which time, the salesman of the moment, answered by saying that he can't get a Tracking #, until after 10 days in transit.

Then he looks up my order, and says, it should be there by next Thursday. WOOOO. NO, thursday won't work. He passes me to another chimp in the customer service area. Who then looks up my account, and tells me the same thing. I gave up and cooled down, gave it the weekend...

I call today, and find out that my order that was placed on Monday, was entered in till Tuesday(late), so the wharehouse didn't receive it till Wednesday, and that the "LEBRA SADDLEMAN TONNEAU COVER " didn't leave till then, and it will take 7-10 business days from California.

Extang is in Michigan, not California, and I didn't order a LEBRA brand. Cancel my order, refund my money, and shove it up your ***. They won't and say sorry, it has already shipped, and we won't refund shipped items. Then I will have to send it back, pay a restocking fee, and have to wait for them to refund me. Eat me!

I proceed to tell them I would gaurantee that all the internet boards would receive this warning, and he snickered, and said personally care!

So my warning stands... DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH AUTOBAHN SALES, IN GEORGIA. THEY WILL TAKE YOUR MONEY AND NOT DELIVER WHAT IS ORDERED!

Joe

 

Sorry that you had so many problems getting your Extang Black Max tonneau cover. I will be at ModMotor and hope to meet you there. Should be lots of fun.

 

I can see how you may have been treated poorly.

I can't understand why this post is different from bashing JDM,PSP or JL performance. You are saying something bad about a vendor which may or may not be true. I remember reading a rule which states that problems with vendors should not be addressed on the boards. It should take place between the vendor and customer.

I don't really like that rule, because I would like to know who has good service and who has poor service. Those are the rules. If you want to complain with out fear of your thread being closed try the http://www.******.com/ site.

 

Key word bashing.

He posted a negative experience, didn't flame them or attack them.

If it was a post about JDM,PSP or JL; no matter how nice/bad/justified/etc the post would have started out, it would end up in bashing.

 

I was talking about a personal experience about a non-supporting vendor, which wasn't a bash or flame. It was relaying a bad purchase/customer service experience. If you don't like it fine.

Folks, I am not bashing, I merely was trying to save someone else the time and money of dealing with this same scenario.

joe

 

So, If I make a post which is negative but someone can turn it into a bashing thread I shouldn't say anything? What are the guidelines to know if it will turn out to be a bashing thread?

I read the following last week and thought it was part of the 'rules'.
"Ther are some here who think it is appropriate behavior and/or who enjoy slamming a vendor if they get a chance, including as I mentioned before even some of us vendors too from time to time over the years; and there are some here who have been invovled in a situaiton with a vendor where, just as an example for conversation's sake, perhaps they could have been treated better, or be given more updated info on a delivery time, etc. Guess what? That's between you and that vendor to resolve, and those kinds of things are *never* resolved here on the message boards. In fact, the policies of F-150 Online *require* that matters that are of a nature that are between customer & vendor (Tech Support, pricing, order status, etc.) be communicated privately between those 2 parties, not here on the message boards. Posting an "impression" is one thing, and seems reasonable and may help others; attacking the vendor, or attacking those who do business with a particular vendor, or even aggressively defending the honor of a vendor can, at worst, accomplish nothing other than serving as the start point to call out all those who love to join in that kind of unproductive and nasty fray, and if we're lucky, a few who will attempt to inject some levity and/or perspective into a heated thread in an effort to get all to calm down. Point being, it doesn't serve a *positive* purpose. "

 

AutoBahn has a reputation for THAT kind of customer service. I never posted my experiences with them here, but probably should have to keep other Lightning owners from being Autobahned!!!!!!!!!!

 

I also would like to know who has bad customer service but as far as bashing I don't see it that way he just stated a bad personal experience next time try www.******.com. you can talk about anything without getting the thread closed
Harry

 

I didn't say I disliked the thread. I'm glad you posted something. I'm trying to figure out the rules and they don't make sense.

You can't say anything negative about big 3 vendors, however other vendors it doesn't matter.

 

I give up, screw it...

oh well, take it for as much as you want.
joe

 

Agree with you on that.

 

Y'all are soooooooo confused. You can post anything
as long as it's not against the supporting vendors.
The supporting vendors deserve a fair bit of respect
for doing what they can with their typical PITA
Lightning customers.

Actually I saw posts that were deleted from some
boards just because they took issue with the facts
about a given vendor. Of course if the VENDOR
is the moderator that is to be expected.

The internet is NOT guaranteed Freedom of Speech,
the people that pay the bills makes the rulz.... you
don't like it? Start your own site !!!

Like ****** said.....

My $.02 of course ....

 

I see nothing wrong with this post. It is not bashing a vendor as the original poster stated, Supporting or otherwise, and it only aims to make other potential customers of this vendor aware of the problems this particular customer had had.

Contrary to what someone posted in this thread, there is not a blanket rule that applies to all Supporting Vendors. Those that have posted questioning or complaining know the rules and only seem to have responded to promote another site and cause controversy. If they are happier with the other, so be it, move on and stop wasting our community's time. Nobody here is forcing you to participate at this site.

 

I don't think that Doug or Steve would agree with that. Of course I am not them and I could be mistaken.
.

 

Steve send me a list of the rules. I am confused as hell.
leonard@etoppers.com