Rally:

Thanks for nailing this down and conveying part of what I intended with the specifics. I also meant that PU loves to emphasize parts of their needing to "clear customs", with the very clear intended subliminal message being "PU parts are quality imports from the UK", so that you buy into the aura that PU seeks to create with their dripping BS, which is PU parts are in fact the highest quality made so that they have a shot to sucker more customers.

 

Actually, that is part of my issue with this thread to start with.
You were making claims without the info to back it up.
He "If....It's true....backed you up."
Besides, people claim things differently for different reasons.
Take car insurance for example, alot of people claim their car is insured somewhere where they can get a better rate.
If you plug the address on their site in google maps it plants you right in the business district.
So what..

 

What claim wasn't backed up?

The point you're missing is the definition of "sole proprietorship"....I'd look it up if you're confused...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sole_proprietorship

Meaning it bears no connections to any corporations elsewhere (London for example).


yes...they more than likely run the buisness out of the small suite room that you mentioned. But where's the proof of a London location? If they were making parts over there in London (where mini's are just as popular as the US....if not more so)...why wouldn't they have a shop over there to sell parts to the UK MINI people?

 

I know what sole proprietorship is, and honestly I'm not going to get involved with talking about, speculating about how they set up their business.
It's honestly not my concern.

 

But you said our claims weren't backed up....when they clearly were

The only claim i see that isn't backed up is the claim that they have a business in london.

 

I said Blackies wasn't backed up if you hadn't made your post.
So he was making a claim without the proper info to back it up.
That's all. If infact it's true

 

EDIT: NM, I just realized this is the same thing that happened to the OP. Sorry.

Well $%@#$%...

I was just installing some new TXW springs and finally got the first spring on and got the wheel back on when the lug tool (star shaped adapter thing) decided to break. And it didn't even really break so much as slowly shear completely off leaving the star end in the lug. WTF? Was this stuff made of aluminum?

So, does anyone know if you cna just go buy thees things anywhere like an auto store? Am I going to have to ask PU to send me another one?



TIA,
John

 

You can say it is not your concern; maybe you only care if you personally were treated well by PU and they managed to get you some parts that make you happy. That is all well and good, but you maybe you also not want to discuss something that ultimately makes the folks you've been supportive of look to be a the skanky sort when it comes to their "ethics". You may not care who they are or what their business practices are, but many of us, the ones they burned (and ones who simply know about it and want others not to fall victim) do care. Hey, it's OK; PU is truly indefensible, so why even bother when the really tough questions arise?

 

PU charges $10 for an extra key, as per their site. They may send you one for free, if you contact them; they did that for me when they were still attempting to save face, but not much else was done well by PU and it was the least they could do for me (and for you). If not, I'll send you mine (I had it in the marketplace and nobody wants it; I thought no one must have these lousy rusty lugs on anymore). I took their rusty lugs off anyway. I also believe their lugs are probably not their own and that if you looked hard you could find the real manufacturer and get a key that way (I think a company called Rally may make them or at least something pretty similar that PU probably had copied). As I said, you don't have to go that far. Contact PU and if they shaft you on getting a replacement you can have mine. BTW, the key is truly way to soft; you'll see I have photos posted of how mine basically tore apart.

 

What claim of mine isn't backed up? If I speculated something I labeled it so. The things I claimed as fact though are fact:

1) Their lugs rusted not once, but twice, on me.
2) Their lug wrench socket was a real piece of crap, as it tore apart in normal use the second time it was used.
3) Their lug key is a similar sub-standard piece of junk, as it also ripped open easily on its second use.
4) The PU folks have more excuses than a quality products; that they fed me pure BS on any number of occasions and that they blamed me for their sub-standard junk not performing without even asking me any questions to determine what my role was in the matter, if any.

As to Rally's information on the PU operations, I'd wager that it is all factual and available to anyone who wants to do the research.

 

For those who need their daily dose of "As The Uber Turns", go check the PU CF Wing Extension thread; Palo Uber's illegitimate love child has been found!

 

Blackie,

Do you have the PU/sportmax forged rims also? Do you have new lugs now? I want to just get rid of these damn things at this point. I will PM you about your lug key.

If you did get new lugs, do you mind sharing what you got and where you got them?

Thanks,
John

 

John:

I guess I count myself as lucky for never having been suckered into wasting my money on the rims , but I gave up on the lugs after two rusted sets of them and then PU sending me another non-tuner set as a replacement for the second rusted set of tuners. PU said they thought the new ones would be a fair replacement (closed heads that would not rust), but the only problem was that no key was needed on this closed-head set, so there was no security feature to them; they were basically a common $15 set (or less) of ordinary lugs. I sent them back and had to argue over a refund.

I'll not be asking for another replacement set of tuners based on this latest PU NAM vendor announcement. I finally got my refund after much hassle and arguing, so I'm not entitled to another set of rusty tuners. BTW, I went to the marketplace to solve my lug problem, as I managed to purchase a MINI locking lug set (4 locks and a key) and placed the OEM lugs back on with one lock per wheel.

So, I now have this key I don't need and that was never used. Unless this key somehow gets sold before we connect and you still need it to simply remove your rusty tuners, I'll consider it my good deed and send it to you, so you don't have to argue with PU to get you another one (even though they ought to, because they should clean up their mess). PU will probably try to sweet talk you (before turning around and blaming you for something outrageous ) into taking them up on a replacement set of tuners, rather than refunding you your money for the rusty ones (hey, at least you'd get a key to remove your rusty set, assuming the new tuner key is of the same configuration as the last set you had).

 

Blackie,

Thanks for the reply. I have bought new lugs and will be taking these off as soon as I get the new lugs. Right now I have a car with only one TXW spring on it and need to get the others on ASAP so I can drive again.

The new set of lugs are on their way and shodl be in tomorrow. That means I will need to be removing the PU lugs tommorrow evening. I have cut into the old tool and re-created the end so I can at least get these off.

Thank you very much for the offer on the tool. If for some reason my hacked up tool does not work, I will ping on you for yours and gladly pay for it.

As for the rims, I am happy with them. They are light, appear to be strong, and haven't rusted yet. My only gripe was the center caps they came with. They are PU stickers on aluminum circles that use some adhesive to stick onto the center of the rim. And when asked about why they made them stick on and not use the bolts that the rims are designed for (see the sportmax pictures for an idea), they said to cut down on weight.

Oh well, hopefully others read this thread and learn from our mistakes. Afterall, that's what this place should be about right?

Thanks again,
John

 

John:

I hope it all goes smoothly, so you are not delayed, but let me know if you need the key. Us "PU survivors" need to stick together!

As to that excuse about their cheap sticker scam cutting weight on their rebadged rims, please give us a break already with this nonsense! Though PU does not surprise me with their creative stupidity and their unmitigated gall. It shows nothing short of complete disdain for the intelligence of their customer base; well, maybe the customer base is fairly stupid, as "we" (at least too many of us) do keep falling into their traps and accepting their lies until they become so obvious that even a 5th grader can tell them for big fat fibs. I guess we are not smarter than a 5th grader!

 

Time for a bump, especially with PU trying hard to look good with their vendor replacement ads here. They are poison, so stay away!

 

Rust Never Sleeps!

In honor of Neil Young playing in NYC the next few days. I'll be seeing the Old Man next Tuesday.

 

I hope some at least have seen this latest addition to the vendor reviews. Here is the quote, "OUTRIGHT LIES!!!" You all knew that already, right?

Last Review Posted by DmOcRsI - posted: 12/30/2007 5:31pm


I do not own any PU products; however my decision to review is due in part that I do not need to purchase products from a company that outright lies about their products. I have extremely good relations with my wheel sponsor Sportmax Wheels (soon to be XXR Wheels) and within that I'd like to welcome everyone to compare wheels on their website http://www.sportmaxwheel.com/wheels.shtml to compare their wheels with those advertised on PU's website. I'd like to specifically point out Style's 003, 006, 009, and 962... these wheels have been around for years now and were designed and constructed overseas in Taiwan. They are not a bad wheel at all; they are all cast with the exception of the 003's and are fairly strong. But they are in NO MEANS "...designed by Palo Uber and engineered in Europe by our specialist." That is absurd... even more absurd than their selling price between $1,495-$1,690. I mean, even the forged 003's can be found for $850.00 for a set. "This is the rim others have attempted to imitate, but no other manufacturer comes close to our arch spoke curvature..." OUTRIGHT LIES!!!