Interior/Exterior Palo Uber Tuner Lugs; what's up?
6th Gear
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 15,966
Likes: 1
There is no reason not to post it. As a vendor on NAM, I believe NAmites should know his response to our "slamming." Besides, if his retort is legit, what's the problem?
6th Gear
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 15,966
Likes: 1
Well, since I posted my post about hearing from any of the 150+ satisfied PU NAMites, there have been 2, one of which was from the well-established fan. True, it is more likely people will post to complain than to praise, but I have read many praise posts about other vendors and many more where people come to the defense of a vendor. But with one exception, the same is not true for PU.
I have had people take pictures of defining features such as the markings that wheel companies place on their wheels. The 'forged' imprinting on the outside wheel alone in the exact same position on both wheels is enough to ensure atleast some knowledge of fakeness. There are lots of threads and pictures if you look around....just gotta spend the time searching as i have.
The funniest lie they made was also the easiest to disprove.....they claim that Palo Uber is the most famous living expressionist artist as well as the designer of the above wheels. I majored in Art with a concentration in Art history from one of the "new ivies" and could not for the life of me find his name in my expressionist books. I went to ask some of my art history proffessors including the ones with the PHD's focused on modern expressionist art....no luck. You can even do a google search without finding any information about the artist. So "most famous living expressionist artist"? I think not. I did some further research to find info on the galleries..... of the ones i saw, they all turn out to be restaraunts or cafes ( i was assured by PU that they were atleast 5 star...hahaha). Certainly being on display in a cafe isn't enough to make you "most famous" in the world. If so, i should really look into it, as i have had my pieces in many galleries and just recently held a solo exhibit in an art gallery (read: not a decoration in a food establishment).....am I the most famous artist of our time?
I surely hope not 
It's just hard to take someone seriously when they say such things. I'm sure they are trying to write me off for not buying things from them....and if people fall for it, that's fine. But in all honesty....no purchase is necessary to find the lies....just research into friends' and strangers' experiences, problems, and stories. All of the necessary information is out there, even for those who haven't purchased a PU product.
The funniest lie they made was also the easiest to disprove.....they claim that Palo Uber is the most famous living expressionist artist as well as the designer of the above wheels. I majored in Art with a concentration in Art history from one of the "new ivies" and could not for the life of me find his name in my expressionist books. I went to ask some of my art history proffessors including the ones with the PHD's focused on modern expressionist art....no luck. You can even do a google search without finding any information about the artist. So "most famous living expressionist artist"? I think not. I did some further research to find info on the galleries..... of the ones i saw, they all turn out to be restaraunts or cafes ( i was assured by PU that they were atleast 5 star...hahaha). Certainly being on display in a cafe isn't enough to make you "most famous" in the world. If so, i should really look into it, as i have had my pieces in many galleries and just recently held a solo exhibit in an art gallery (read: not a decoration in a food establishment).....am I the most famous artist of our time?
I surely hope not It's just hard to take someone seriously when they say such things. I'm sure they are trying to write me off for not buying things from them....and if people fall for it, that's fine. But in all honesty....no purchase is necessary to find the lies....just research into friends' and strangers' experiences, problems, and stories. All of the necessary information is out there, even for those who haven't purchased a PU product.
Is that good or bad, who can say as the majority of the vendors listed on the vendor page on NAM have not been to any of those three events in 07. Some vendors have been to all three. Way Motorsports, Custom Mini Shop, Aesthetic Creations, Cooper Cards and Alta are the only ones that come to mind that have been at all three.
I've been to AMVIV, MOTD and MITM. PU had a rep sharing space with Mini Madness at AMVIV. They have no other presence at any other event. I only remember him being there for one day but I could be mistaken.
Is that good or bad, who can say as the majority of the vendors listed on the vendor page on NAM have not been to any of those three events in 07. Some vendors have been to all three. Way Motorsports, Custom Mini Shop, Aesthetic Creations, Cooper Cards and Alta are the only ones that come to mind that have been at all three.
Is that good or bad, who can say as the majority of the vendors listed on the vendor page on NAM have not been to any of those three events in 07. Some vendors have been to all three. Way Motorsports, Custom Mini Shop, Aesthetic Creations, Cooper Cards and Alta are the only ones that come to mind that have been at all three.
I assume that any vendors who exhibit at these events pay a nice fee to have this presence, so I think it is probably a non-factor; anyone can pay to attend, if they choose.
Just curious, but regardless of how you feel about PU, are there any other vendors folks feel strongly about, one way or the other based on the overall flow of comments made to NAM?
Former Vendor
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 8,337
Likes: 8
From: oh10
Are you asking which vendors we really like or dislike based on the past experiences shared by other NAM members?
OVERDRIVE
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 7,201
Likes: 8
From: Norfolk, VA
Well, I think you'd have a hard time finding any vendors with reputations as good as Ian Cull and Doug Whalen. Ian is the one that makes the auto-up circuit for the MINI windows (as well as auto DSC-off, garage door opener, auto-foglamps, and probably a few other gadgets). And of course, Doug Whalen is the guy behind the awesome stainless steel shift ***** that bear his name.
I agree with those you've Listed, but there's no problem finding vendors with great reputations....
Lets add these guys to the list.....
Aaron from Outmotoring,
Chad from Detroit Tuned
Pete from Mymini.
I know there are others out there too.
Lets add these guys to the list.....
Aaron from Outmotoring,
Chad from Detroit Tuned
Pete from Mymini.
I know there are others out there too.
Former Vendor
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 8,337
Likes: 8
From: oh10
From what I've read/gathered
Outmotoring- Many compliments about customer service and general customer satisfaction. Sells parts from other tuners (although hes got his own coilovers now) but he seems to pick the high quality parts to sell 
I've personally met and hung out with aaron of outmotoring, and he is an all around nce guy
Alta- They are always on the ball making new products for our cars. You generally don't hear many complaints about their parts. If you do have a problem with them or have any questions, they have the cool Alta questions thread where you can directly talk to them about their stuff.
M7- They used to upset people with large performance claims that many didn't believe, but they've seem to have noticed that and worked hard to change that. They now do a lot of testing and offer numbers and test results to back up claims. These tend to still offer up some room for debate, but you can't deny that they are working hard to create good parts for our cars. Some of their parts are rebadged parts, but they will gladly tell you so, and they keep the price in the same general range. In terms of customer service, you can easily call randy or peter on their personal phone, and from what I've heard they will walk you through your problems or answer all your questions. A few of their products had install issues, but they are quick to remedy it and send you a new part or solution. They used to be the bashed vendor on NAM, but they've changed their ways for the better and they are far more accepted.
Whalen- What can i say, he has an amazing product on his hands and he backs it up with strong customer service. I've never heard a complaint and you don't have to look far to find threads full of praise.
Ian Cull-....same as Whalen. Good inventive product, good guy, mini enthusiast, good customer service. Pretty simple
Randy webb- The guy really cares. He tests all the parts before selling to make sure that he's selling people what is best for their cars. He used to have a problem with an overflow on his customer service, but i haven't heard of any problems in a while as i think he remedied it. He's eager to answer questions and share his findings from the track. He was always down for a pulley install day too...
Detroit Tuned- They offer a good line-up of parts from various producers and also offer the install days that many of the above vendors offer. The install days they held local to me went over well and everyone left happy with the parts and prices. I've heard a few good things about customer service and no bad....but probably not enough to make a certain statement just yet.
PU- They offer an interesting line of stuff and it's good to see someone going for the luxury style tuning scene. They have been reported to have had "bad batches" of tuner lugs and antennas. When people attempted to contact them about it, they oftened waited for responses which were filled with excuses. Many of their vendor announcements have exaggerated claims about HP, performance, and quality being the best on the market....none of these claims have been proven via graphs, numbers, or tests....as many of the other vendors have. There are reports that they are rebadging parts and charging far more than the original part. There are a few happy customers (3 so far, if youve been following that thread) that have reported no problems with their scoops. One of these people has reported good customer service. Many others have reported having a hard time getting in contact with them in a timely manor.
Classic MINI parts department- Good prices, generally good customer service. Most people refer to them when someone is looking for OEM parts at a good price.
Redlinegoods- The products they sell are generally seen as top notch when people report in after purchasing. They offer a nice NAM discount off already good prices (unlike the PU "discounts" off super high prices) and many people are surprised about how quickly the product arrives.
Those are just the ones i can think of off the top of my head that really stand out. If you're wondering about more, just let me know
Outmotoring- Many compliments about customer service and general customer satisfaction. Sells parts from other tuners (although hes got his own coilovers now
) but he seems to pick the high quality parts to sell I've personally met and hung out with aaron of outmotoring, and he is an all around nce guyAlta- They are always on the ball making new products for our cars. You generally don't hear many complaints about their parts. If you do have a problem with them or have any questions, they have the cool Alta questions thread where you can directly talk to them about their stuff
. M7- They used to upset people with large performance claims that many didn't believe, but they've seem to have noticed that and worked hard to change that. They now do a lot of testing and offer numbers and test results to back up claims. These tend to still offer up some room for debate, but you can't deny that they are working hard to create good parts for our cars. Some of their parts are rebadged parts, but they will gladly tell you so, and they keep the price in the same general range. In terms of customer service, you can easily call randy or peter on their personal phone, and from what I've heard they will walk you through your problems or answer all your questions.
A few of their products had install issues, but they are quick to remedy it and send you a new part or solution. They used to be the bashed vendor on NAM, but they've changed their ways for the better and they are far more accepted.Whalen- What can i say, he has an amazing product on his hands and he backs it up with strong customer service. I've never heard a complaint and you don't have to look far to find threads full of praise.
Ian Cull-....same as Whalen. Good inventive product, good guy, mini enthusiast, good customer service. Pretty simple
Randy webb- The guy really cares. He tests all the parts before selling to make sure that he's selling people what is best for their cars. He used to have a problem with an overflow on his customer service, but i haven't heard of any problems in a while as i think he remedied it. He's eager to answer questions and share his findings from the track. He was always down for a pulley install day too...
Detroit Tuned- They offer a good line-up of parts from various producers and also offer the install days that many of the above vendors offer. The install days they held local to me went over well and everyone left happy with the parts and prices. I've heard a few good things about customer service and no bad....but probably not enough to make a certain statement just yet.
PU- They offer an interesting line of stuff and it's good to see someone going for the luxury style tuning scene. They have been reported to have had "bad batches" of tuner lugs and antennas. When people attempted to contact them about it, they oftened waited for responses which were filled with excuses. Many of their vendor announcements have exaggerated claims about HP, performance, and quality being the best on the market....none of these claims have been proven via graphs, numbers, or tests....as many of the other vendors have. There are reports that they are rebadging parts and charging far more than the original part. There are a few happy customers (3 so far, if youve been following that thread
) that have reported no problems with their scoops. One of these people has reported good customer service. Many others have reported having a hard time getting in contact with them in a timely manor. Classic MINI parts department- Good prices, generally good customer service. Most people refer to them when someone is looking for OEM parts at a good price.
Redlinegoods- The products they sell are generally seen as top notch when people report in after purchasing. They offer a nice NAM discount off already good prices (unlike the PU "discounts" off super high prices
) and many people are surprised about how quickly the product arrives. Those are just the ones i can think of off the top of my head that really stand out. If you're wondering about more, just let me know
Last edited by Rally@StanceDesign; Aug 14, 2007 at 06:26 PM.
Yes all of those good folks.
In a way I hate to do lists like this. I always manage to forget some good people.
Sorry to the guys & girls I've forgotten.
I'll add Jason in the parts department at Classic MINI.
In a way I hate to do lists like this. I always manage to forget some good people.
Sorry to the guys & girls I've forgotten.
I'll add Jason in the parts department at Classic MINI.
Former Vendor
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 8,337
Likes: 8
From: oh10
. Just added the Classic MINI crew.My list is by no means all of the vendors here (obviously)
5th Gear
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 685
Likes: 1
From: Trumbull, CT
-----Original Message-----
From: Carol [mailto:gabbianos2003@yahoo.com]
Sent: Tue 7/31/2007 1:06 AM
To: Andrew Blackman
Cc:
Subject: RE: HELP !!! - EMERGENCY - "SERIOUS" probelm with Lug wrench and key !!!!!
Andrew,
I do not understand why your emails are so hostle and threatening. Your installer used our products with an air tool which caused the original damage which you expect our company to correct. We did not refuse to replace the damaged parts, but did so in a jesture of good faith and an attempt to build our relationship.
I did need to check our inventory to ensure our product was not defective which took a couple of days. We replaced the product and paid for ship costs to you.
The reason the socket is bad is it was not made for use with air tools.
The key has to be softer than the tuner lug so as not to damage the inside fitting of the lug, but will occur when air tools are used. The length is an eingeneering decision which I dont need to go into.
You would think we would be the ones threatening you, but that is not the way we do business. We have 173 Nam members that are puchasing customers, all happy.
The people that continualy bag our company have never purchased anythin from us, they simply have very boring lifes with nothing much else to do.
I simply can not believe how upset you are over this, and I am sorry you were not able to return Sean's phone call to your office this morning, while I was at hospital. I have less than a year to live, and take each day as it comes. I do not understand your logic in threateng us , and over a set of tuners??????????????????????????????????????
I will send you a new Uber Key and socket to replace the ones damaged by the air tools tuesday.
Thank You for your consideration;
Bryce Smythson
From: Carol [mailto:gabbianos2003@yahoo.com]
Sent: Tue 7/31/2007 1:06 AM
To: Andrew Blackman
Cc:
Subject: RE: HELP !!! - EMERGENCY - "SERIOUS" probelm with Lug wrench and key !!!!!
Andrew,
I do not understand why your emails are so hostle and threatening. Your installer used our products with an air tool which caused the original damage which you expect our company to correct. We did not refuse to replace the damaged parts, but did so in a jesture of good faith and an attempt to build our relationship.
I did need to check our inventory to ensure our product was not defective which took a couple of days. We replaced the product and paid for ship costs to you.
The reason the socket is bad is it was not made for use with air tools.
The key has to be softer than the tuner lug so as not to damage the inside fitting of the lug, but will occur when air tools are used. The length is an eingeneering decision which I dont need to go into.
You would think we would be the ones threatening you, but that is not the way we do business. We have 173 Nam members that are puchasing customers, all happy.
The people that continualy bag our company have never purchased anythin from us, they simply have very boring lifes with nothing much else to do.
I simply can not believe how upset you are over this, and I am sorry you were not able to return Sean's phone call to your office this morning, while I was at hospital. I have less than a year to live, and take each day as it comes. I do not understand your logic in threateng us , and over a set of tuners??????????????????????????????????????
I will send you a new Uber Key and socket to replace the ones damaged by the air tools tuesday.
Thank You for your consideration;
Bryce Smythson
Yes
Well, I didn't like that e-mail at all either and it sounds like a similar reply to what others have shared here. However, e-mails are tricky things and this went much better when I got on the telephone with Bryce.
I can't document whether or not they do or do not make their own products or if they highly mark-up products made by others, but ultimately PU made amends in the lug and wrench situations. Having a telephone discussion was the way my 2 issues got worked out.
I do have another new little issue I want them to address and I wrote them about it, so we will see how that goes. I do know that the communication is spotty now as Bryce is seriously ill and undergoing cancer treatments.
While I am sure folks are sympathetic, businesses do need to find means to fill in for employees who are incapaciated by illnesses. I wish Bryce the best, but PU does need to plan on how to fill in for what sounds like Bryce's diminished schedule.
I can't document whether or not they do or do not make their own products or if they highly mark-up products made by others, but ultimately PU made amends in the lug and wrench situations. Having a telephone discussion was the way my 2 issues got worked out.
I do have another new little issue I want them to address and I wrote them about it, so we will see how that goes. I do know that the communication is spotty now as Bryce is seriously ill and undergoing cancer treatments.
While I am sure folks are sympathetic, businesses do need to find means to fill in for employees who are incapaciated by illnesses. I wish Bryce the best, but PU does need to plan on how to fill in for what sounds like Bryce's diminished schedule.
6th Gear
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,362
Likes: 1
From: Winston-Salem, NC
Grassroots Garage
Randy Webb
We do have a lot of really good vendors that are trying to do their very best to give us great service, top quality parts and feed their families at the same time! We are blessed that we don't have to do business with arrogant vendors whose only goal is to separate us from our dollars ....
Randy Webb
We do have a lot of really good vendors that are trying to do their very best to give us great service, top quality parts and feed their families at the same time! We are blessed that we don't have to do business with arrogant vendors whose only goal is to separate us from our dollars ....
Last edited by minimarks; Aug 14, 2007 at 10:37 PM.
I had a little problem in the customer service area with Craven and I am fairly certain to this day we both feel we were right. I purchased their very expensive oil dip stick (I'm not saying it was not worth the cost, but considering the number of comments here about PU's prices, well it seems appropriate to mention). So, they determine they need to do a recall. OK, if there is a known problem this was the correct thing to do, but again I would think this should generally not happen and falls into the same sort of realm as the "bad batch" comments. So they send the replacement to me and I don't receive it, yet FedEx insists they have a signature from my building's mail room (which I don't control). The bottom line I tell Craven is that I don't have it and I don't care what FedEx is saying (it turns out it was delivered to an incorrect address, beacuse the signature FedEx had was not from anyone in our building's mailroom). After much arguing back and forth Craven finally sends me another one, but they charge me for it, at least until they determine what has happened. I thought that customer unfriendly. Ultimately, I get the replacement and the same day the original shipment is found and brought to our building. So, I return the original defective one, as well as the original replacement to get credited. This also takes on lots of shouting from both sides and I have to call my credit card company in to the rescue to ensure I don't pay for the item a second time. While everyone made nice in the end it was far too much aggravation when they were trying to do the right thing by sending me a replacement. So, what is the moral? I think Craven makes a nice product and I'd still do business with Craven again, if they had something I wanted. However, I think anyone can have a difficult experience with any vendor.
From what I've read/gathered
Outmotoring- Many compliments about customer service and general customer satisfaction. Sells parts from other tuners (although hes got his own coilovers now) but he seems to pick the high quality parts to sell I've personally met and hung out with aaron of outmotoring, and he is an all around nce guy
Alta- They are always on the ball making new products for our cars. You generally don't hear many complaints about their parts. If you do have a problem with them or have any questions, they have the cool Alta questions thread where you can directly talk to them about their stuff.
M7- They used to upset people with large performance claims that many didn't believe, but they've seem to have noticed that and worked hard to change that. They now do a lot of testing and offer numbers and test results to back up claims. These tend to still offer up some room for debate, but you can't deny that they are working hard to create good parts for our cars. Some of their parts are rebadged parts, but they will gladly tell you so, and they keep the price in the same general range. In terms of customer service, you can easily call randy or peter on their personal phone, and from what I've heard they will walk you through your problems or answer all your questions. A few of their products had install issues, but they are quick to remedy it and send you a new part or solution. They used to be the bashed vendor on NAM, but they've changed their ways for the better and they are far more accepted.
Whalen- What can i say, he has an amazing product on his hands and he backs it up with strong customer service. I've never heard a complaint and you don't have to look far to find threads full of praise.
Ian Cull-....same as Whalen. Good inventive product, good guy, mini enthusiast, good customer service. Pretty simple
Randy webb- The guy really cares. He tests all the parts before selling to make sure that he's selling people what is best for their cars. He used to have a problem with an overflow on his customer service, but i haven't heard of any problems in a while as i think he remedied it. He's eager to answer questions and share his findings from the track. He was always down for a pulley install day too...
Detroit Tuned- They offer a good line-up of parts from various producers and also offer the install days that many of the above vendors offer. The install days they held local to me went over well and everyone left happy with the parts and prices. I've heard a few good things about customer service and no bad....but probably not enough to make a certain statement just yet.
PU- They offer an interesting line of stuff and it's good to see someone going for the luxury style tuning scene. They have been reported to have had "bad batches" of tuner lugs and antennas. When people attempted to contact them about it, they oftened waited for responses which were filled with excuses. Many of their vendor announcements have exaggerated claims about HP, performance, and quality being the best on the market....none of these claims have been proven via graphs, numbers, or tests....as many of the other vendors have. There are reports that they are rebadging parts and charging far more than the original part. There are a few happy customers (3 so far, if youve been following that thread) that have reported no problems with their scoops. One of these people has reported good customer service. Many others have reported having a hard time getting in contact with them in a timely manor.
Classic MINI parts department- Good prices, generally good customer service. Most people refer to them when someone is looking for OEM parts at a good price.
Redlinegoods- The products they sell are generally seen as top notch when people report in after purchasing. They offer a nice NAM discount off already good prices (unlike the PU "discounts" off super high prices) and many people are surprised about how quickly the product arrives.
Those are just the ones i can think of off the top of my head that really stand out. If you're wondering about more, just let me know
Outmotoring- Many compliments about customer service and general customer satisfaction. Sells parts from other tuners (although hes got his own coilovers now
) but he seems to pick the high quality parts to sell I've personally met and hung out with aaron of outmotoring, and he is an all around nce guyAlta- They are always on the ball making new products for our cars. You generally don't hear many complaints about their parts. If you do have a problem with them or have any questions, they have the cool Alta questions thread where you can directly talk to them about their stuff
. M7- They used to upset people with large performance claims that many didn't believe, but they've seem to have noticed that and worked hard to change that. They now do a lot of testing and offer numbers and test results to back up claims. These tend to still offer up some room for debate, but you can't deny that they are working hard to create good parts for our cars. Some of their parts are rebadged parts, but they will gladly tell you so, and they keep the price in the same general range. In terms of customer service, you can easily call randy or peter on their personal phone, and from what I've heard they will walk you through your problems or answer all your questions.
A few of their products had install issues, but they are quick to remedy it and send you a new part or solution. They used to be the bashed vendor on NAM, but they've changed their ways for the better and they are far more accepted.Whalen- What can i say, he has an amazing product on his hands and he backs it up with strong customer service. I've never heard a complaint and you don't have to look far to find threads full of praise.
Ian Cull-....same as Whalen. Good inventive product, good guy, mini enthusiast, good customer service. Pretty simple
Randy webb- The guy really cares. He tests all the parts before selling to make sure that he's selling people what is best for their cars. He used to have a problem with an overflow on his customer service, but i haven't heard of any problems in a while as i think he remedied it. He's eager to answer questions and share his findings from the track. He was always down for a pulley install day too...
Detroit Tuned- They offer a good line-up of parts from various producers and also offer the install days that many of the above vendors offer. The install days they held local to me went over well and everyone left happy with the parts and prices. I've heard a few good things about customer service and no bad....but probably not enough to make a certain statement just yet.
PU- They offer an interesting line of stuff and it's good to see someone going for the luxury style tuning scene. They have been reported to have had "bad batches" of tuner lugs and antennas. When people attempted to contact them about it, they oftened waited for responses which were filled with excuses. Many of their vendor announcements have exaggerated claims about HP, performance, and quality being the best on the market....none of these claims have been proven via graphs, numbers, or tests....as many of the other vendors have. There are reports that they are rebadging parts and charging far more than the original part. There are a few happy customers (3 so far, if youve been following that thread
) that have reported no problems with their scoops. One of these people has reported good customer service. Many others have reported having a hard time getting in contact with them in a timely manor. Classic MINI parts department- Good prices, generally good customer service. Most people refer to them when someone is looking for OEM parts at a good price.
Redlinegoods- The products they sell are generally seen as top notch when people report in after purchasing. They offer a nice NAM discount off already good prices (unlike the PU "discounts" off super high prices
) and many people are surprised about how quickly the product arrives. Those are just the ones i can think of off the top of my head that really stand out. If you're wondering about more, just let me know
Former Vendor
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 8,337
Likes: 8
From: oh10
Good line-up. I would like to add some comments regarding Detroit Tuned, as your review seems luke-warm. Chad is a stand-up, hard-working, honest guy who does excellent work. I met him almost 3 years ago when I got my MINI and have nothing but praise for him and his company. He sells quality parts and backs it up with great service. 5 STARS for DT!!