T4R.org Member and Total Automotive Performance Dispute

[1engineer]

This is a PSA (Public Service Announcement) to all T4R members:

On October 15, 2015, member purchased, through Paypal, fog lights and harness for the amount of $332.98. Total Automotive Performance shipped the lights but no harness and claimed the harness was not part of the deal. This means this dispute has been going on close to four months.

After this member worked unsuccessfully with Total Automotive for a resolution, Paypal was notified on 1-12-16 and also the credit card company was notified. There has been no resolution yet.

I am writing this as a reminder to all T4R.org members to BE SURE to keep all paperwork, conversations, screen shots, invoices, etc when dealing with not only this vendor but ALL VENDORS.
Be careful out there.

EDIT:
I am not saying Total Automotive is a bad company or a good company, I am just relaying a member's specific case with Total Automotive. I wrote this post just as a friendly reminder that not all dealings with any vendor are unicorns and butterflies and to keep your correspondence. That is all.

 

[Jhalko]

Paying attention to warranty and return policies is also critical, over the years there have been issues and folks posting dissatisfaction around these items with other vendors. Know before you order...

 

[Engineer]

Appreciate the PSA and I hope both the member and TAP will provide their sides of the story and keep the discussion civil. Always two sides and I will second [MENTION=91899]Jhalko[/MENTION] about reading return policies but I always hope that vendors and consumers alike will be reasonable when a true miss understanding occurs.

 

[ST1FLER]

Once you get the order and it wasnt what you thought you were getting, why not just return what you go for a refund and be done with it? Why drag it out 4 months? Sometimes the silliness of people amazes me.

@TotalAutomotive has been great to deal with. If there is a mistake on their end they would most likely fix it.... something tells me someone just didnt know what they were buying.

 

[chudiddy]

Once you get the order and it wasnt what you thought you were getting, why not just return what you go for a refund and be done with it? Why drag it out 4 months? Sometimes the silliness of people amazes me.

@TotalAutomotive has been great to deal with. If there is a mistake on their end they would most likely fix it.... something tells me someone just didnt know what they were buying.

Ditto on this ^^ I've had great dealings with @TotalAutomotive and believe they would take care of any issues.

 

[-dustin]

gonna be all sorts of speculation now.

if i log into TAP, i can see my order, notes, when payment was made, error made on my part with initial payment, notes stating that had been fixed...their e-commerce software seems quite dialed and informative.

surprised the dispute has taken this long.

 

[DesertCanyons]

Truth in Advertising

Greg,
Can you provide the name of the fog light set or a link to the item description? Sometimes the answer is in the ad. You said TAP says the harness wasn't included. Reading the ad might clarify that question.
I have no prior dealings with TAP but he is always friendly and helpful when he posts here. I wish you good luck in settling this old dispute.

I recently purchased a 50' length of Samson, Amsteel Blue synthetic winch rope from a rope vendor on Amazon. From the photo in the ad I thought it was the same 7/16" line I've seen on the Wyeth-Scott come-along. My mistake. The rope turns out to be 1/4" line and it was not the better "Blue" rope but the grey version with less strength. Probably made for an ATV winch. I went back to read the ad more carefully to see if I'd been fooled but it had no info as to size and strength. Not being a "Blue" line was misleading by the vendor but many people would not research Samson rope enough to know the difference.

I returned the item, wrote a poor review on Amazon, and was out the shipping cost both ways ($12 total). A phone call to the vendor before the purchase would have prevented the problem.

 

[Saker]

I too have had nothing but good experiences dealing with TAP.
Items, prices and shipped when told.

 

[carlomagne]

+1 for Chas from TAP. Took care of my custom Icon group buy order last year.

 

[4R Play]

Ditto on this ^^ I've had great dealings with @TotalAutomotive and believe they would take care of any issues.

I also agree. Don't know all the details behind this but I do know that I don't pay anything until I see an invoice. If the items or price don't match what you think they should be, you don't complete the purchase.

My order/experience with TAP was good. They sent me a complete and accurate invoice before I paid.

If the message of this thread is to warn buyers in general about following good process in dealing with vendors in general, I don't know why TAP is specifically named here while the "buyer" is not. Seems biased.

 

[1engineer]

Of course many of you have had good dealings with this and other vendors. This post is not about good dealings, it's about the one that didn't go well.

This is simply a cautionary post to make sure you pay attention when dealing with vendors and keeping all correspondence.

 

[spencenasty]

Sounds like the purchaser should have just sent his shit back, probably solved after a couple weeks and got a refund.

I probably wouldn't have called out TAP.

 

[TotalAutomotiveLV]

Total Automotive Performance makes every effort to resolve any issues or concerns in a timely manner. That is why we are always just a phone call away.

We have worked hard to provide detailed invoices/order confirmations for both our customers and ourselves - This is to make sure all items ordered are processed and shipped.

We do appreciate all the support and look forward to continuing to provide the best order experience possible.

Thank you,

Customer Support
Total Automotive Performance
702-979-1577

 

[weeeee]

op2:

 

[PitbullRescuer]

I had a minor issue with TAP not that long ago. But they responded quickly and resolved it. I'd deal with them again.
OP, good heads up post though. Sound advice for anyone.

 

[delloro]

This is a PSA (Public Service Announcement) to all T4R members:

On October 15, 2015, member purchased, through Paypal, fog lights and harness for the amount of $332.98. Total Automotive Performance shipped the lights but no harness and claimed the harness was not part of the deal. This means this dispute has been going on close to four months.

After this member worked unsuccessfully with Total Automotive for a resolution, Paypal was notified on 1-12-16 and also the credit card company was notified. There has been no resolution yet.

I am writing this as a reminder to all T4R.org members to BE SURE to keep all paperwork, conversations, screen shots, invoices, etc when dealing with not only this vendor but ALL VENDORS.
Be careful out there.

EDIT:
I am not saying Total Automotive is a bad company or a good company, I am just relaying a member's specific case with Total Automotive. I wrote this post just as a friendly reminder that not all dealings with any vendor are unicorns and butterflies and to keep your correspondence. That is all.

If that post was truly a PSA about smart buying practices, the particular vendor's identity need not have been disclosed.

By calling out TAP, your post is a warning to others about dealing with TAP, endorsed with the imprimatur of a moderator.

That is not right.

ETA why is this in the 5th Gen forum?

 

[B...]

I agree. No need to name names here. If the person involved in the dispute wants to create their own thread and reveal their identity...have at it. Then the rest of us can pick a side, sing praises, or talk trash until cows come home and/or the thread gets locked. Or you can just tell us who's got the beef with TAP and let a jury of web wheelers figure out who's to blame. :keyboard:

 

[KidVermicious]

If that post was truly a PSA about smart buying practices, the particular vendor's identity need not have been disclosed.

By calling out TAP, your post is a warning to others about dealing with TAP, endorsed with the imprimatur of a moderator.

That is not right.

ETA why is this in the 5th Gen forum?

Ditto. Why is this in the 5th gen forum, and why did we have to call out TAP? I propose this thread be moved to the General forum where it belongs and all references to a so-far-excellent forum sponsor deleted.

If it turns out said forum sponsor was in the wrong, then we can drag their name through the dirt.

 

[ST1FLER]

I called them out because if a vendor is being shady we should know. If a member is being a beyatch we should know that as well..... TAPs response was shakey at best, if I knew who the member was I'd bet that we could solve this in 10 minutes

 

[1engineer]

If that post was truly a PSA about smart buying practices, the particular vendor's identity need not have been disclosed.

By calling out TAP, your post is a warning to others about dealing with TAP, endorsed with the imprimatur of a moderator.

That is not right.

ETA why is this in the 5th Gen forum?

I did not "call out" anyone. Go back and re-read. I said there was a dispute between a member and TAP. This is but one example of many from different vendors (and individuals) I have received via email and pm since I became moderator.

It's in the 5th gen forum because the vehicle is a 5th gen.

I did not endorse anything.

I agree. No need to name names here. If the person involved in the dispute wants to create their own thread and reveal their identity...have at it. Then the rest of us can pick a side, sing praises, or talk trash until cows come home and/or the thread gets locked. Or you can just tell us who's got the beef with TAP and let a jury of web wheelers figure out who's to blame. :keyboard:

I did this for the member PRECISELY because of your attitude towards "picking sides." This is not a fight or a football game. It is simply a PSA to make sure you keep all documentation when dealing with others.

I could have listed the guy who bought some stuff from the "FS" thread and got screwed, or the other guy who bought something else and couldn't get his money back or any one of a number of examples.

Ditto. Why is this in the 5th gen forum, and why did we have to call out TAP? I propose this thread be moved to the General forum where it belongs and all references to a so-far-excellent forum sponsor deleted.

If it turns out said forum sponsor was in the wrong, then we can drag their name through the dirt.

Read the post Kevin. Nobody got called out. Nobody got judged. No name got besmirched.

It is a 5th gen vehicle.

I called them out because if a vendor is being shady we should know. If a member is being a beyatch we should know that as well..... TAPs response was shakey at best, if I knew who the member was I'd bet that we could solve this in 10 minutes

Again, I did this so it would not turn into a contest.