Detours Off Road Hardware is ghosting me

[theMayor]

I ordered and paid for a Detours Off Road Hardware (formally Detours of Maine) tire carrier 14 months ago and the dude seems to be ghosting me now. I knew it would be a long wait time. So I asked for updates every few months. He always responds late (like a week later) and comes back with the same excuse about shipping delays, hard to find parts, covid, etc. But I'm seeing on FB that ppl have ordered in the last few months and already received their carrier. I messaged him a month ago (and several times since then) and he hasn't responded.

Has anyone delt with him or know a way to contact him besides FB? He admittedly doesn't check his email either.

I'm not opposed to waiting another month. I really like his design and how it sits so close to the trunk. But idk what to do if he's not responding.

 

[fourwd1]

There's been some other posts about this, look here

 

[theMayor]

Damn. I searched to make sure he was legit when I first ordered. Pelfrybuilt all over again. :Cry:

 

[fourwd1]

Maybe why they changed their name a bit.

 

[solmin]

no idea. he's obviously has time to post updates offering to reduce and save people money on his products. most likely to drum up more people who are willing to pay and wait more than a year and then get nothing. the business doles it out a little at a time to make it look legitimate. that is my perception. until they do something to change it, I don't recommend you do this. There are companies and other fabricators out there who deserve your business.

I used PayPal and their policy used to be 1 year for protection but they have changed it to 6 months. If I had known this I would have requested a refund within that window. I believe DOM knows this and communicates with people to placate them long enough out of the refund window.

 

[John in NC]

Have you called on the phone?

I’d try that if not. I hope you get the part or a refund.
Here is a long thread on another site, skip to page 3+

Some folks have recently gotten their parts from the guy, and some say it's a year or more wait, and most complain of a lack of communication.

Error | Toyota 4Runner Forum [4Runners.com]

 

[Seymore Butts]

Mayor, sorry to hear about your problem with Detours.

Most of the companies that require prepayment in full are the definition of Ponzi schemes. The money is collected and spent on operations and overhead long before the product is manufactured and shipped for that order. If you prepay and have to wait, that means that you're paying for production costs of someone else's order placed long ago.

The vendor hopes to get more prepayments next year to finance your order when it comes time to finally produce and ship it.

Eventually, they run out of prepayments due to their well-deserved shitty reputation and the last batch of dupes who prepaid are left holding the bag.

If you look at all the aftermarket equipment companies who's implosions are well documented in this forum, they followed this very path. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE.

If a prepayment in full is required, some group of customers will be ripped off by that vendor. Guaranteed. The only question is when.

 

[fourwd1]

Moving this to Buyer/Seller Feedback for others to see.

 

[phatcheeks]

I ordered and paid for a Detours Off Road Hardware (formally Detours of Maine) tire carrier 14 months ago and the dude seems to be ghosting me now. I knew it would be a long wait time. So I asked for updates every few months. He always responds late (like a week later) and comes back with the same excuse about shipping delays, hard to find parts, covid, etc. But I'm seeing on FB that ppl have ordered in the last few months and already received their carrier. I messaged him a month ago (and several times since then) and he hasn't responded.

Has anyone delt with him or know a way to contact him besides FB? He admittedly doesn't check his email either.

I'm not opposed to waiting another month. I really like his design and how it sits so close to the trunk. But idk what to do if he's not responding.

did you ever receive your tire carrier? Its almost been a 12 months for me and nothing. His FB page, website and everything is gone. No way to get my money back because of PayPal's 6-month policy.