thefatkid

Well they do have a point. Your site needs to only state fact of the product or it is slander. Even your actions here are slander and could be used against you.

1. did you ever get the old engine back and take pictures of the damage? Prove that is was not running rich? Pictures of the spark plugs removed from the rich engine? How many hydrocarbons were in your oil test?

2. at the time of the engine install what other actions were taken for the increase in displacement and and cam profile?

3. is your tech ASE certified? can he prove anything? what did he think?

Post up some relevant information to help your case or you might want to take the site down. It does sound like a personal attack on LC to me.

If it were me and I wanted to make a point.

1. post a picture of the combustion chamber on the head and piston side, showing the edge of the piston for signs of oil wash.

2. post the oil results up

3. post your tuning results from installing a high performance engine (a dyno run with air/fuel raito would be great).

4. say you and your technician found no signs of piston ring washout or oil contamination.

I would make no mention of your new engine, this doesn't prove or disprove anything. They have a point because at this point your not proving anything just throwing mud, this is against the law. Freedom of speech doesn't allow you to speak trash without recourse. You can state FACT all you want.

Leave the page up but remove the emotion and put up more fact to prove your point.

edit: if your still running a toyota ECM and you installed a new O2 sensor post that up too.

rob17san

Usually they use those letters to scare you. Also, that looks like a middle school student wrote it, and threw in some big words to sound professional. I wouldn't even worry about that. A company I used to work for sent those out regularly as scare tactics, knowing full well they were not going to persue legal action.

Good Luck!
Rob

mnmontana

Kept seeing a bunch of posts from other guys on this forum and pirate4x4 talking about lcengineering.com. Figured I would try them out, $18.90 for 2 small metal plates (that could easily be shipped in standard mail inside an envelope with 60 cents in stamps).

I thought it was odd that they didn't post a shipping price, but did request credit card info to make a purchase. I normally wouldn't buy from a site like that, but after seeing them referenced so many times here, I decided to just go with it.

I imediatly saw 2 charges on my account, $18.00, and $18.90, I assumed the 18 dollar charge was in error, and that it could be cleared up with a quick phone call once the item arrived. My assumption was that they meant to charge 8 dollars for shipping and accidentally hit 18.... So I waited a few days untill my plates arrived. Sure enough, 18.90 for the parts, and 18 for the shipping and handling. UPS ground, took a week to get here. I figured 8 bucks for shipping on this was a rip off, 18... well, thats just rape.

So I recommend not ordering from these guys... and if you must... grab the KY and get ready for the 'shipping and handling' charges which wont be disclosed to you untill AFTER it has been shipped and there is no way to cancel the order, unless you return it and get hit with an 18 dollar return fee.

mnmontana

Just checked UPS.com, to ship this package 2nd day air mail from them to me, would have been $16... They shipped it to me UPS ground, which should have been around $6.50.

DupermanDave

I have heard shoddy things about LC engineering. Firstly, them being overpriced with simple parts. Secondly, their customer service is a little lacking in quality. Thirdly, well....now this shipping incident.

bxlt

I work in the mail order/web order business at a university book store. We have a flat rate for S$H $8.95 and that is to ship out anything including textbooks. Prices are clearly marked and we have very few complaints about the charges even when some people will pay $8.95 for a $6 item, but to pay $18.00 to ground ship what sounds like something that was well under 10lbs something is a total rip off!

I never liked companies, or people on ebay, that use the S&H to make money. Charging $18.00 for ground shipping anything under 50lbs is someone trying to make money on the S&H. Unless you are a UPS store or a FedEx Kinkos you are in business to sell your products and offer the service to ship them as a way to increase your sales. Having a huge markup on S&H will in the long wrong cost a company money.

As for where I am every year we look at the total cost of shipping a package (box, packing, shipping charges, and time) vs what we charge then the average is set as the current shipping price and currently we could wind up losing money this year on S&H. However we also realize that it is better off for us as a company to sell a sweatshirt at a $30 with a 50% markup then then to make $9 on the shipping.

I believe the saying is stepping over a dollar to pick up a dime. I know that is a saying is usually said when referring to someone being cheap for stupid reasons but I think it it works in this case as well by trying to make extra money that a walk up customer wouldn't have to pay. My guess would be that id mnmontana really wanted this item he would have been willing to pay $25 for the plates and $9.00 for S&H and if that was the case then this post would have never been started and the company would not be receiving this negative publicity! .

Sorry for the long rant but I've spent too many years working in marketing and have had to put out too many fires created by bad management decisions that where made with the idea of increasing the bottom line but in actuality cost far more in the long run by driving away customers.

DeathCougar

iTrader: (23)

Sorry, but i have to disagree with this thread.

The cost is for shipping and HANDLING, correct? So, lets assume the extra is for handling...ie Box, padding materials, etc etc. That all costs money. So what, is LC Engineering supposed to eat that cost? Or would you just rather they raise their prices and start tacking on "fuel surcharges"? You also forgot to mention LC sends all their parts FULLY insured, meaning if you stuff arrives busted, you WILL get a replacement not just a "tough luck" email.

Shipping is not as cheap as people make it out to be. The wrecking yard I work for just shipped a differential to CT, and it cost us $50 JUST in UPS charges to ship it over there.

And there is always this: If you do not like the cost of shipping, you can always drive down and pick it up yourself. Shipping costs are not always cut and dry, and I do not fault LC Engineering ONE BIT for charging that much for shipping. It doesn't matter what to cost of the part you bought is, shipping will always be high and it only goes up from there.

It would do you well to READ a companies shipping info beforehand:

http://lcengineering.com/help.php?p=1
http://www.toyotacatalog.net/M1WebGe...px?id=shipping

*edit* BTW did you make sure you checked "residential shipment" when checking the price? UPS charges extra to ship to a residence, and charges even more if shipped from a "UPS Store" location

camo31_10.50

yea handling auto parts tends to be kinda high these days..i was going to order a Camshaft (cant remember website..or price of cam) and the shipping was like..8 dollars or something...but the handling was OVER $50 BUCKS!!!..i was like..thats insane..because the cam was cheaper than everywhere else..even with shipping..but handling made it about the same as everywhere else..lol..

mnmontana

were not talking about parts here.... were talking about 2 tiny metal plates, that weigh less than an empty soda can, and can fit inside a wallet.


But to DeathCouger, im not trying to demonoize them... just stating my frustration with them, and pointing out something that would piss off most people. Wether anyone buys from them or not, is their own choice. Personally, I wont be, but others may be fortunate enough to read about it before ordering instead of being surprised.

Also, yes I selected 'ship to residential', and included insurance in the quote I got. Plus, its not like they were shipping this accross the country, they are about 4 hours away from me. Took a week to get the plates, and it costed that much...

If I ordered a part such as a differential, I would expect a large shipping cost. But these thigns litterally could have been sent inside an envelope with 60 cents in stamps. This 'Handling' crap is BS, that should be included in the price of the product itself. Its this kind of crap that makes me refuse to buy off ebay. Yes the item is x dollars cheaper there, but when you look at the shipping and handling fees it ends up costing more.


Its not the money that pissed me off, its the shady crap they pulled.
They listed the price low, and had an 'unknwon fee' to have it shipped. Then it was shipped with the slowest and cheapest method possible, and charged top dollar for it. Thats just flat out wrong.


These 2 plates (problably 20 cents worth of metal), ended up costing 36.90 total. had the plates been listed at 30.00, and 6.90 dollars shipping, I would have bought them still (from the same site), and been 100% content and happy. Notice, its still the same price in the end, but the pricing makes sense. Yes it was cheaper else where, but I heard good reviews on them from this forum.

ozziesironmanoffroad

well, did u buy it from an auto site? YES. is it a PART to go on your truck? YES. so its considered a part, and thus subject to S&H, sucks huh?

mnmontana

That is EXACTLY my point! I was/am willing to pay the $ for the product, but having a hidden fee of 18 dollars, and calling it a shipping fee is complete BS.

DeathCougar

iTrader: (23)

lol well there is no convincing you, i can see. next time just drive to them if you don't want to pay the shipping.

You also seem to have a problem with the "$.20 in metal" you bought, but you didn't have any problem shelling out $18 without so much as blinking.

I understand you are not trying to demonize them, but I think this thread is out of line. They did not target 'you' specifically, their shipping costs are the same for everyone. If you feel you have been wronged, why not try and contact them to see what can be done? Perhaps they shipped it the wrong way, and accidently charged you the wrong amount? You never know until you talk to someone.

mnmontana

Yeah, its not the money that bothered me... its how they did it. If you read up higher, where i state 'had it been 30 dollars for the products and 6.90 for shipping' id have still bought it, but been a content customer.

Its the fact that this fee was NOT applied at the time of purchase. The shipping and handling fee was not included untill it had already been shipped out their door, when it was too late to do anything about it. Its flat out shady. They know people wont buy from them if they charge their fees at the time of purchase, so they wait untill it is too late to cancel without paying a restocking fee.

Green93

I have ordered from LCE twice now. The first time was for their street header kit, and I can't defend them on the claims of slow customer service. The second was for the cat back exhaust plus a test pipe.

The shipping charge on the full exhaust system was $35 for a 36lb package. This is shipped to Blaine, WA where I pick it up and bring it across the border. The shipping and handling charge must be more apparent because of the small original purchase. Just my experience with them.

Jason

Yotas&Jellos

I didn't bother reading the rest of the thread, but I work in sales and the product is mailed to the customer.

We work with UPS and offer flat rates depending on how much they purchased. But the shipping is PPS&I - processing, packaging, shipping, and insurance. I'm sure since LCE does a lot of business they are using something like this. And that's probably why you paid more then you expected. But what is cool about this, when you do order something large and heavy, you'll probably be paying less then what you expected.

Return it, and go to a hardware store or something to get metal plates. You'll save.

Bigblock

Shoulda just made em yourself!
Bigblock

Ron Helmuth

I work in an office and ship things UPS quite frequently. The first complaint I get from folks is the extra $6.50 that UPS charges to ship to a residential address.

Thus when the shipping is $6 for the product it is now$12.50 with the $6.50 residential surcharge to have it delivered to the house where no one is home all day long anyways because most people (not all just the majority) work something like 6-3 or 7-4 or 8-5 you get my drift...

A decal/a nut/a bolt-whenver you ship some really light item you will take a bite in the shorts on shipping. My guess is LC Engineering has covered his bases with their shipping rate.

There is a tradeoff in matters like this. You can burn your own gas and pick it up if they are local. (Toytec is local to me for example)

or 2/ you can ask places to ship via US Postal Service. No trackability but will probably save a few pennies on the actual freight-

Oh you say your item did not show up? sorry but we did ship it... you see how saving the few cents now did not pay off for either party... or

3/ pay UPS and have it delivered to a business address. Save the $6.50 residential surcharge.

When the charge for the product is less or same as the shipping-geez you may want to buy another and peddle one to another Yota owner in your 'hood or have a spare one for yourself...

No direct experience with this vendor. But to me it does not appear they were deceiving you if they post their shipping costs and policies in their site.

Was their cost outrageous for 2 plates-yes probably. But as stated earlier-folks that order a heavier product likely saved some cost.

dodgedude360

jus do what i did, i bought a complete motor at the junkyard, took it home and totally rebuilt it. had the block bored new stage three head from lc with another cam from engbldr, lc big bore tb and ported intake. i put a new dual row timing chain with new cover n steel guides. redid the entire bottom end with 94 mm pistons n new rods. redrilled n balanced crank. had to redo my afm by two clicks. put a cold air pipe when i did the battery switch to the driver side. jet chipped it. new high flow injectors n supra fuel pump. header from lc n a skunk two muffler off of a vtech hatch. took about a year to build myself but ended up savin a lot of money and got a whole lot more ponnies!! one of lc's motors or doa's wouldnt stand a chance if u built it urself

scuba

HOLY CRAP ?!?!?!? Did you really have to bring up a 6 year old thread ??

crolison

Maybe it took him 6yrs to rebuild it at home?