I bought a Moss skid plate on clearance from another vendor (minicooperparts.com) who got it from Moss without the bolts required for installation (this wasn't discovered until they turned around and shipped it to me). I contacted Moss, who hemmed and hawed for a month, and then sent me the wrong bolts. Now they say they're on backorder. That's funny, the skid plate is still available on their website. They've stopped responding to my e-mails, and won't do the decent thing and take the hunk of metal back in return for the clearance price I paid for it. It sure looks nice in my hallway.

By the way, the required bolts are not easy to find because they have a rounded head, which prevents them from snagging on anything under the car. I have not been able to find them anywhere.

Moss has no problem hiding behind the middle man. They do not prioritize customer satisfaction, and they do not do a fair, honest business. I have purchased mutliple times from them in the past, but no more. I have removed my name from their catalog mailing list, and plan to remind this and other forums of the problems I had with them whenever possible.

They also sent me their PT Cruiser catalog constantly, despite my calling them at least four times asking them to stop.

This company is not worthy of your business.
_________________

 

Chris,

I have a Moss Skid Plate, but haven't used it for 8 months or so. The plate is currently back in Colorado in storage. However, I believe I have the bolts from the plate in my toolbox here in Santa Monica. If they aren't there, I'll try to remember to dig them up over Christmas when I'm back in Colorado.

Send me a PM with your full mailing address. I'll send you the bolts.

Dave

 

Thanks, Dave! :smile: (sending a PM)
I'd really appreciate that. We're buried under about 20" of snow right now in Boston, and the bottom of my car is scraping along the ridges in the middle of the streets. Sure would like to have that skid plate on there! I'd like even more if Moss would stand behind their product and help me out.

 

I bought the skid plate as well and recieved no mounting hardware. At first I thought they expected me to use the existing bolts for the plastic but that idea didnt fly.

I was just going to go the hardare store and see what I could find. Are they really that specialized? Any chance you could take a picture of the hardare before you ship Dave?

Thanks

Chuck

 

>>
>>I was just going to go the hardare store and see what I could find. Are they really that specialized? Any chance you could take a picture of the hardare before you ship Dave?
>>
>>

You can use any M10 screw (with a washer, of course ...) ; The thing that makes the Moss-supplied ones special is that they are Hex Socket Button Head Cap Screws and they are Stainless ... if you go the industrial part of town and hit any fastener store there, you should be able to find 'em ...

 

Chuck, the bolts that Moss sent me (which happen to be too large to fit into the threaded holes under the car) have a fairly wide head, maybe 3/4", with an allen hex socket in the center. They are rounded off to a shallow angle so that anything coming into contact with them is deflected instead of snagged. If you were to use regular, non-rounded bolt heads, though, I doubt you'd end up having a problem.

 

perhaps I missed sometime. That happens to me a lot. you say " I bought a Moss skid plate on clearance from another vendor (minicooperparts.com) who got it from Moss without the bolts required for installation (this wasn't discovered until they turned around and shipped it to me). " So why are raising h#ll with minicooperparts? They have your money, and they screwed you. Regardless of what they claim, they made the sale and are responsable. Aren't they.

Motor on

 

minicooperparts.com never opened the box. They sold the item to me exactly as it was shipped from Moss, which was sans bolts, and with a cruddy, dirty, torn instruction sheet. In other words, someone probably returned it after the bolts didn't fit.

Furthermore, they were clearing out their whole inventory, and could not replace the item with another one. I didn't see the point in pursuing the issue with them. Ultimately it's Moss's mistake for putting an incomplete product out there.

 

>>You can use any M10 screw (with a washer, of course ...) ; The thing that makes the Moss-supplied ones special is that they are Hex Socket Button Head Cap Screws and they are Stainless ... if you go the industrial part of town and hit any fastener store there, you should be able to find 'em ...

Thanks 8ball. I know a place where I might just be able to procure a few of those bad-boys. So while we're on the subject, I have of course looked at the thing and on the plastic cover there are the 3 front screw slots, then the 2 rear that have the mounting brackets with clips that accept the factory screws.

On the Moss plate there is an extra set of holes, way in the back, that look like they might accept screws. So, do I only use the 5 stock mounting locations or are these rear holes useable as well? Remember I got no hardware at all from Moss.

Thanks Again

Chuck

 

I bought an intake from moss and had a problem with it, I sent them a few emails and they never replied...I guess moss doesnt care about customer service.

 

Bummer about the Moss skid plate and Moss customer service. I wanted to buy one mainly to protect the power steering fan. Does anyone else sell it or a similar product?

 

Your PS fan might already have a grille of its own - I know it was in the works as of a few months ago and my dealer has shown me the updated fans. I got a 92mm fan grille for a computer on ebay for about $3 and used that on my '03 MCS. I can't seen spending $40 for the (Moss?) part...

Check underneath and see what is/isn't there - you might be pleasantly surprised!

 

>>Your PS fan might already have a grille of its own - I know it was in the works as of a few months ago and my dealer has shown me the updated fans. I got a 92mm fan grille for a computer on ebay for about $3 and used that on my '03 MCS. I can't seen spending $40 for the (Moss?) part...
>>
>>Check underneath and see what is/isn't there - you might be pleasantly surprised!

Thanks I will (if I can fit my fat a***) under there :smile:
I have an October 2003 build, so that may be good news.

_________________

 

Go to http://www.mcmaster.com and view page 2917. I think what you want is a metric button head machine screw. Don't know what length tho... good luck!

--
Cheese

 

I have bought items from MOSS also
I got the oil cooler from them, the fins on the cooler were smashed.
I gave them a call, I had new part within a week.
I also have the fan shield for both coopers, they fit good.
Sorry to hear about the bad experience, I've had no trouble with them.

Glenn,

 

Chris,

I have the bolts here in SoCal. I'll send them out to you (hopefully tomorrow).

 

I installed a stainless steel Moss skid plate last night. The install didn't go too bad. One corner was slightly tweaked in shipping, but I was able to get it back into shape. The holes in the two tabs that take the OE screws are drilled too large so getting them to seat properly was a bit of a challenge, but otherwise no major issues. The four 10mm bolts were included along with a packet of red Loctite.

We pushed forward the installation for the same reason: the low clearance of the MCS and the chunks of snow in the middle of the road.

I'm not real happy with the access to the oil drain plug now, but I'll just remove the plate when I need to do that. I'm used to having to do that with my VW, although the steel plate is much heavier than the VW's plastic one. As such, I'll use blue Loctite rather than the red stuff Moss included.

 

Do not use the Hex socket bolts and Do not Loctite them in. The loast time I removed my Skid plate Eric @ Helix had to Air chisel them off. Those Bolts are made of soft metal and strip easily. Go to Lowes Home Inprovement and get Grade 8.8 m10-1.50 (pitch)x20mm bolts.

 

>>Do not use the Hex socket bolts and Do not Loctite them in. The loast time I removed my Skid plate Eric @ Helix had to Air chisel them off. Those Bolts are made of soft metal and strip easily. Go to Lowes Home Inprovement and get Grade 8.8 m10-1.50 (pitch)x20mm bolts.

Very good advise. I too had the same problem and to this day have not put mine back on. I did make the choice of the Moss fan shroud as a backup though just to be safe.

 

I have delt with Moss since 1979, when I purchased a run down MG. Since that time I have used their services on a regular basis, for my MG, Miata and MINI needs. They have never given me any cause to complain about poor service, or failure to stand behind their products. I have returned items for credit or replacement, and never once in almost a quarter century of customer/supplier relationship have I received a run-around or hemming and hawing.

Perhaps because Moss didn't sell you your skidplate is why there has been some problem. It seems to me that you should involve the folks at MiniCooperParts (Paula has done alright by me as well) to fight your battle. If they purchased directly from Moss, they can make a valid claim on your behalf. I find your comments about Moss to be misdirected, and very unlike my own exteriences with the organization.

Hope all gets resolved to your satisfacion.

_________________
BLUBELLE - 2003 MCS IB /W Premium, Sport, Cold pkgs, Lapis blue interior, Magnecor wires, Alta Pulley, Moss Skid Plate, Chrome Trim Interior

 

Dave, thanks a million!

MGCMAN, you've been lucky. What else can I say? The test of a good company comes when they screw
up, and in this case Moss is obviously just plugging their ears and waiting for me to go away.

Minicooperparts.com wasn't willing to help me by placing a call to Moss, so no, they're not so great
either. However, the actual error here was on Moss's part, and they have failed to make good on it,
which would have cost them all of $5 and prevented me from bailing on them as a customer. They would
have easily made that back on my next order, which will now go to someone else.

Thanks for the advice on nixing the loctite, guys. Moss didn't include that, either.
_________________

 

slight tangent
Once upon a time I bought those billet door lock pulls from Moss. A few days ago, after repeated emails and phone calls to them, they gave me a "store credit" for the items (which did NOT fit).

About the Moss skid-plate; During this weekend's Pulley Party in Detroit, one of the customers had a Moss plate installed for over a year, and it seized itself into the car, we had to cut it out to remove it! The owner was sickened, and refused to want the plate installed again, especially after we noticed it had not a scratch on it, despite his tough Canadian winter.

$0.02,
Ryan

 

>>
>>About the Moss skid-plate; During this weekend's Pulley Party in Detroit, one of the customers had a Moss plate installed for over a year, and it seized itself into the car, we had to cut it out to remove it! The owner was sickened, and refused to want the plate installed again, especially after we noticed it had not a scratch on it, despite his tough Canadian winter.
>>
>>

... so, the plate rusted itself to the car? ... and hadn't been removed in a year? ... no oil changes in all that time?

And about the lack of scratches - a motorcycle helmut shouldn't have any scratches on it either, but when it finall does, you're glad you have it ...

 

Hmmm... I had the skidplate on mine.. and the install instructions called for using "lock-tite" glue to better secure the bolts.

maybe once on, they should (or cannot) really be removed??

 

Dave, how is it that you can even make a photo of skid plate bolts look tasteful?! I'd put a print of that photo on my office wall!