86 yota

My experience started off Dec. 07 when I first ordered a set of old man emu Dakar leaf springs from Rocky Road Outfitters. I spoke to a customer service rep. who wasn't very helpful to me but, made it seem as though he knew what he was doing by asking measurements for the length of the springs. I measured them with a tape measure and got around 43''. He then told me that I would need the longer 47" leafs. Me being a young novelist of the off road world accepted his older and what seemed wiser judgment. I assumed that the longer length is what would give me a 2'' over stock lift. After receiving my springs over 1 month later than they originally were supposed to arrive I started the tear down and removal of the old worn out rear leafs. I started placing the bushings in the eyelets of the new springs and there arose my first problem... the bushings didn't fit. I contacted RRO with this problem and they sent me the omesb43 kit in place of the omesb6 kit they had shipped with the springs. I had to complain to them that it was not my screw up and that they should pay shipping for their mistake. I received the replacement kit and started putting these bushings in and they fit the springs but, the springs did not fit the truck! After calling RRO and getting no help, I contacted ARB about my problem and they sent me to Nills in their tech dept. He confirmed my fears that I had the wrong springs. I confronted RRO with this information and they seemed to accept responsibility. My understanding was that they would pay for shipping of the old springs back to them and the new (correct) ones to me. Obviously I was wrong, because when I called them back they played it off like I was suppossed to pay shipping one way and they would pay the other. To me this is a little ridiculous since I had recently forked out $464.12 for these (incorrect) springs. After repeated attempts to try to get them to work with me I lost it and told them how ridiculous this whole thing was and how the lack of customer service sucked. They then said that they would pay for half of it and we'll call it even. That really got me going considering how much patience I had had before. I ended up telling them that I was going to refuse the charge on my credit card and they could deal with the credit card company. This was after them giving me the option to send them back at their expence but I would have to pay the 15% restocking fee. So for me this was a bad experience with an off road company that has a lack of customer service and knowledge in the 4x4 world. I really think that companies like this put a bad image on good manufacturers like ARB because their screw ups come back to the manufacturer. I really have had a great experience with ARB the whole time dealing with this problem and Nills got me straightened out and was there to share his personal knowledge and experience to try to help me out of this ordeal. I wanted to make sure that anyone else doing business with this company would know of my poor experience first. As I have learned after years in the landscape business the customer is number one and if they are not happy then no one will be. I hope this helps to prevent another case of this kind and if anyone has any questions or concerns then they can E Mail me or call me on my cell. Thanks go to Nills at ARB for helping out, man I really appreciate it. Clint

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__________________
Drive train: Detroit Truetracs front and rear with Yukon 4:56 R&P.
Body: Bushwhacker Fender flares
Suspension: Skyjacker Hydro 7000 shocks, 2" ome/Bj spacer lift. Diff Drop
Tires & wheels : Tires 33x10.50 BFG KM2s, On Mb Motoring Razor wheels.
Line X spray in bed liner.
Armor: ARB Deluxe Bull Bar. Custom rear bumper, Custom rock sliders,Budbuilt Crossmember.
Rebuilt: Motor, trans, clutch
Lighting: IPF 868

roundtheworld

I've emailed a few of stores for info on parts I was looking for. Only one store took the time to reply, Rocky Road. I actually got clear answers from the owner. He really took the time to help me understand my 4runner and all the parts I was looking for. And I'm really impressed he actually owns and drives a Toyota.

It was actually a Jeep buddy that turned me onto Rocky Road. He had a great experience with all his parts he had ordered from them. So with their great customer service responses and recommendations from friends, I gave them a shot.

The super rock sliders I ordered came in about a week which was exactly as I was told. They told me they are built to order which is cool with me. Best fitting part I've ever put on anything I've ever owned. Top notch quality.

The lift I ordered also came pretty quick. Maybe they hit a rough patch with the other poster's comments, but these guys really have been the best in my experience. Don't let one guy's (maybe) bad experience sway you. Rocky Road is definitely a great place to shop.

mr_big_willy_styles

My experience with rocky road started with necessity. I found that the air intake on my Jeep was very low to the ground by hydro-locking the engine. After a lot of cursing and drying out of several things and many fluid changes. I decided that I would never let this happen again. I would buy a snorkel and that would be the end of my problems. While looking for a snorkel I came across “rocky-road.com”. Now with only twenty employees and the current economic crisis I figured that they needed my business more than a chain store.
So on 11/16/08 I purchased the item online. A week goes by and I have no part. I send an email and ask when I should expect the item the reply (11/20/08) is as follows:
“sir , the snorkel is coming from our vendor out of austrailia , so tyour looking at 4 weeks be fore we see it ,if this is a px-mas present we can sen a nice certifacate to send you , if its just for you i am sorry for the delay , if you need to cancel let me know ,thanks ,,,charlie,,,,”
Notice the great grammar and punctuation. Now I have had problems with vendors before and so understandingly I told him not to cancel the order. It is a long way from Australia to Washington.
December rolls around and no snorkel. So I shoot an email (12/22/08) to Charlie from rocky-road.com
“It has been five weeks and I still have not yet received my snorkel. When can I expect it? Thank you. Will.”
Reply
“sorry it is on back order and should get to you right after the holidays sorry for the daly and any problems this may cause you ,thanks ,,,charlie,,,”.



Well wasn't it nice of them to send me an email to let me know. Oh wait they didn't.
Finlay in January of 2009 I sent an email from a different account asking about shipping times for the same item.
From 1/9/2009
“Its probably 2-4 weeks turnaround on those. The Snorkels are not kept in stock, pretty rare item. They will need to be ordered in form the manufacturer.


I run a snorkel on my XJ if you have any questions on it.”



I was pretty suspicious after this. I waited a couple of days (mainly to cool down) and sent a message to
the live help desk at their website (1/16/09) asking about the status of my order. The operator stated it would be a couple of more weeks. Angered and determined I decided to go over their head and contacted ARB directly. “


“I have ordered a Safari Snorkel in November and it has not come yet. The dealer has informed me that shipments from Australia have been slow going. Is this true or is this dealer just dicking me around? I love your products they are very reliable.


Thanks
Will”


Reply from Jim Jackson President ARB-USA


“Which snorkel and which dealer is it? We get very regular shipments from Australia but without more information I can't help you.”


So after nailing down all the specifics Jim calls and leaves me a voice mail


“We have this item in stock and have never been out. I don't know why we have not sent one out to you or why rocky road has not put one on will call for you”.


Point in fact ARB-USA is based out of Renton Washington which is twenty minutes from my house and I drive by Renton to and from work every day.


Furious I open my email when I get home today (1/19/09) and there is an email from Glen the douche owner at RR

“I was just in communication with Jim at ARB. I want to apologize to you for the delay on this order.


I wanted to make it clear that it is our store that has been out of stock on this item... not ARB HQ in Seattle.


I can't say for certain when we will have this kit available to ship to you. We will certainly cancel the order if this is what you wish. We have not billed anything to your credit card. You may find another shop that has it immediately available to ship, or perhaps quicker access to supply. At this time though, we do not have it in stock. That should have been made more clear to you by our staff in our communications.


Please advise if I should cancel this for you... and I will speak to my staff about speaking more clearly on our stock issues with special items like the snorkels.

Glenn Wakefield
www.rocky-road.com"












Is this guy serious? I thought to myself. Special order? How special is it if the warehouse that gives you the part has never been out of stock?


My reply


“Really? So I guess nobody lifted a finger to get a snorkel sent out from the distribution center. The reality is that you thought I would just cancel the order and you would get your scam restock fee. I had a long talk with Jim about the way things get shipped from ARB. All items go through them first and get sent out to you second. I have looked into a long shady history of dealings with your company. I went with a small company because your the ones who need business the most. Your eBay record is deplorable. You even switched user names so you could seal your history. If there is so much as a penny charged to my account I will bring down a wrath like your company has never seen. This con has gone on long enough and I will see to it that it will not happen to another.


Cancel my order and DO NOT charge anything to my account if you do not wish legal repercussions”

Now to be honest I never had a talk with Jim about warehouse protocol, but then again im not stupid.


His reply (fast for once)


“
The restocking fee only exist for orders that have been shipped, opened, and then returned for some reason. It was initially started because of kits and parts we manufacture and people copy our designs, then return the kits.... It certainly does not apply for orders that have not been shipped. Hopefully this makes sense.


I should say that the same return system applies to every 4WD parts seller on the planet... including ARB.


I'm not sure of what "shady" dealings you are talking about. We only bill when an order ships. Sometimes there are unforseen delays. If a shipping delay is "shady", then pretty much every company on the planet is guilty of being "shady". Otherwise, when a part is shipped it is exactly what was ordered, at the price that was quoted. I don't quite understand what is "shady" about that. For parts we manufacture, we have better control over inventory. For items that we order in and then ship out, its a much different situation we often don't have complete control over. Hopefully this makes sense.


We did not "switch" user names on Ebay. We started a new Ebay store with some new features. Ebay actually contacted us with an invitation to try the new system. When we got the new one up and running, we made the old store inactive. Just like anyone moving their 'brick and mortar' store to a new location, we did the same with the Ebay system. I don't quite understand why you would feel updating and modernization is such a bad thing.


We also do not ever bill anything until it is shipped.


I really do not know what "shady" things you suspect of us. If it is simply a matter of stocking inventory, I hope you realize that "shady" is a little off the mark in a proper description of stocking and supply issues.



Glenn Wakefield”






Now I put this together as a warning on how tease guys operate. Even though douche bag ….I mean Glenn says that the restocking fee does not apply I have found many unsatisfied customers that it applied to without ever seeing their order. For instance if you get the wrong parts sent to you why should you have to give them 15% off the top.


Don't buy from these morons. If you want to give your money away give it to me. At least I wont lie to you.