My nightmare with ACR - need help/advice

[matteni]

Where do I begin!

First of all - this sucks to have to write. I have been a member of this community since 1997 and have purchased a ton of aftermarket products from all the NSX vendors. Dali, SoS, RM, CompTech all have delivered their products as promised and professionally. So when it came time to order an aftermarket clutch and transmission I shopped around and started talking to everyone including Alex/ACR Motorsports.__

Alex would answer the sales calls on the first ring and was always available to provide a quote and to demonstrate they could fill the order for much less then SoS, Basch, Dali, or CompTech. Alex seemed like a great guy and was going the extra mile to get the sale. Heck - I was even trying to get him business by telling others to order CompTech parts from him.__
Here is what has happened to me since I ordered my clutch and transmission through ACR Motorsports in on February 4nd 2003. Yes - that's correct February 4th. The original estimated delivery date was 3/1 sent by and agreed to by ACR. I can not begin to convey what a nightmare this has become for me and unfortunately IMO Alex/ACR have given up on making me a satisfied customer.

I definitely don't want their transmission at this point and would like to order it from another vendor and get out from under the nightmare of working through ACR. If anyone has any advice on what they think I should do - please private me as at this point it is obvious ACR is going to try to shove this thing down my throat.__

BTW - if it helps you - help me - I have all the original emails/documents and can send them to anyone who needs them.

Thanks in advance...

You can read about my nightmare here:

http://www.ourfamilyinteractive.com/ACR_Nightmare.htm

 

[ACR_Motorsports]

Nick, it is regretful that you felt you had to resort to posting this on the forum.
I have already admitted that we were at fault for some of the problems that have occurred. Some of the problems were not our fault such as the availability of the parts from Japan in which all the vendors had back orders. With some of the delays, you did not mention that we upgraded, free of charge, the discs to cera-metallic clutch discs, which are quite a bit more in cost. The clutch pressure plates was not representative of what our rebuilt clutch usually is due to our mistake of not checking the rebuilder’s work.

The $675 or so that you mentioned that is owed to you was sent out and apparently since you did not receive it, is missing in the mail system. We have offered to resend the $675. However, if you read in our policy on our website and on the purchase order you signed, we are not responsible for any cost incurred due to warranty issues, such as time lost, install/removal labor, etc. This is standard policy for most aftermarket vendors. We, in goodwill, offered to pay the $675 labor to try to make up for our mistake. On that same purchase order, which I made clear to you before we started the transaction, it was stated that since it was a custom built order, it is non-refundable. This is also stated on our website regarding custom orders. You have told me personally that you liked the clutch that was installed in your car. I was hoping that we could make the transmission right for you. After inspecting the transmission, we notified you that we ordered extra parts(at our cost) to remedy the notchy shifting problem.

Again, I regret all the problems we have had with this transaction, and it has been more difficult due to our moving to a new office and our overseas business trips. Most of our customers have had good experiences with us and some have posted about their smooth transactions. We have had delays recently due to our moving locations and business trips, and I hope people will understand.

In Nick’s case, we have made an exception and covered labor costs which were clearly stated on our policy and purchase order as the buyer’s responsibility. He was well aware that the transaction is non-refundable and the only thing we can do is wait for the parts to arrive and put his transmission back together.


For those that are reading this and have not had dealt with us before, here are some comments from customers regarding their experience with us:

http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16251
http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11716

 

[matteni]

Wow - all the kind responses - it's like a wonderful life and tie a yellow ribbon all in one!

To everyone who has written - sorry I haven't responded - I am in California on a business trip. Your suggestions, offers of advice, inside information, and sympathy are well appreciated. It is so great to belong to such a caring community that still takes care of their own. There are a couple of you that offered specific advice that I may want to take you up on - I will let you know this week depending on how ACR responds to my last request to make this right by me.

Note - please do not send me money or take a collection. Although loosing $4k would be a blow to my finances - it is not going to ruin me and your donations would be better spent on people much more needy then me!

As for ACR / Alex - as you can tell from my emails and communications - I am not angry with Alex/ACR. I have never raised my voice, insulted, or otherwise tried to offend him. I have given him time, and time, and time again to rectify the situation. I have spent hundreds of additional dollars, many hours, and many gray hairs trying to go the extra mile to make this right. It was only when nearly every single promise was broken over and over again that I felt compelled to share my story and get some help from the many awesome members of prime.

One funny definition for insanity is when you do something exactly the same over, and over, and over again and expect a different result. ACR has had my transmission open and tested at least 3 times to my knowledge and can't make it right but they swear that the 4th time and a few more parts will make the difference.

I have written ACR again today letting him know that the check was never received. I will concede that I am the most unlucky customer in the world if ACR will simply refund my money for a transaction he has failed to complete in any definition of a reasonable amount of time. Just because it is a custom order and there are no refunds - you still have an obligation to deliver a working product in a reasonable amount of time. If anyone doesn't think that going from a 4 week estimated delivery to a 18 weeks (and counting!) delivery is not enough time to put together a working transmission or refund the customers money - please post here and let me know!

Anyway - I will keep all my friends here posted as to if ACR does the right thing by me and refunds the money, if they insist on sending a transmission and my check (and in what condition they arrive), or if I continue to get excuses and ACR joins NSX Modified / Larry Garcia in the NSX vendor hall of shame.

 

[matteni]

To everyone who has been writing me about ACR and if I received a refund or a perfect transmission - no new news to report now 15 weeks past ACR's original estimated delivery date. I am thinking about adding this to my will so it will pass probate to my heirs when I pass away! No explanation as to when I will get a refund, what happened to the check that I was supposed to get 4 weeks ago, what ever happened to the tranny, what parts were ordered, or (God forbid I actually have to take this thing) - when it will get here.

I sent an email last week asking ACR one more time for a refund and then they can take their time fixing it and selling it as my patience had run out. No response at all.

Fortunately Discover to this point is sticking by me (I call them once / week) and they said that even if the charges are posted again to me, I can re-reverse until proof of delivery. Furthermore - I can tally up all my expenses (shipping back to ACR, mileage at 34.5 cents/mile, transmission fluid used, uninstall and reinstall of my old tranny, and other documented expenses) and reverse those as well (they would not be subject to debate). They have also suggested I contact the BBB and retain a lawyer (I don't want to take these steps yet as I am holding out some hope that ACR will just refund the money).

Unfortunately the plot is thickening and I am hearing a rumor that the "tech" who did the building of my transmission is well known on these boards and has a reputation and integrity are not that great right now.

Many of you have reminded me that this is the "little stuff" and pales in comparison to the many positive things in my life and in our NSX community in general. You are so right!

I am still holding out hope that ACR will refund my money completely and sell their transmission once it is perfect but I have every reason to believe this will get a LOT worse before it gets better. If I do end up with this transmission and a promised check - I will sent it out to Mark B. and have him go through it with a fine tooth comb and make sure I have the brand new gears, R&P, no-snap ring case, and otherwise "perfect" transmission I was promised.

 

[jlindy]

Any progress with this Nick? Hope all is well.

 

[matteni]

Hi Jeff - nope - no new word from ACR about my refund I requested.

Good news has been Discover (so far). Even if ACR ships a unit Discover is going to re-reverse the charges for installation and removal of the bad unit, all my millage expenses to and from St. Peters, and all my shipping expenses. They have also said these will not be subject to vendor dispute.

I am also negotiating with Discover (if I don't get an outright refund) the cost and expense to ship ACR's tranny to Mark Basch so that he can go through it with a fine tooth comb and make sure all the new parts I purchased are included and that the transmission meets all tollerances, etc.

This really sucks to be driving on a snap ring tranny 20 weeks after ordering a new one and 16 weeks after the estimated delivery date.

 

[ScienceofSpeed]

Nick -- I know you're stuck between a rock & a hard place, but you should minimize driving the car with the bits of snap-ring floating around in your trans fluid. Best of luck.

-- Chris

 

[matteni]

Nick -- I know you're stuck between a rock & a hard place, but you should minimize driving the car with the bits of snap-ring floating around in your trans fluid. Best of luck.

-- Chris

Thank you Cris for you concern but I am afraid my email was misleading - I run the risk of a failure - it has not yet failed. That is why - 5 months ago - I went through this trouble.

Still - thank you for concern and I will contact you / Mark if and when the time comes to check out what I receive.

 

[tomc92bb000059]

What a coincidence.............

My Snap Ring failed about 2 months ago. I had owned the car about a year and a half, and one of the conditions of the purchases was that the tranny was either not in range, or had been replaced, as the seller would not come off the price any. I found that the tranny had been replaced, along with the clutch, and the water pump, timing belt, etc, at the 60k service. Called the tech in NY (i'm in NC) and he even remembered working on the car, as it was with them a while, waiting on parts.

To make a long story short, the used tranny was purchased from Alex Chiu? at ACR. I called up the previous owner, and he said that although Alex sounded like he din't really know about the snap ring problem, he assured him that the tranny was good. 22K and a year and a half later, boom.

I actually posted on here to find out if anyone knew Alex, as the previous owner couldn't remember the company, just the name. Anyway, I emailed Alex, and he said we could work something out, although the warranty was a) good for 12000 or a year, and b) not transferrable. I tried calling him several times, and never was able to get up with him, I think cause he was doing some race or show or trade thing at the time. I emailed again, and he said he would call, and we could work something out.

I never heard from him.

Finally, I decided that I didn't want to do business with someone who a) didn't fully understand the snap ring thing a few years ago (if I was to believe the previous owner), and b) someone who was not concerned with making a potential longterm customer happy (the dude does have good prices) I got worried that he might make me a deal and sell me a good tranny with 150K on it, which, in my mind, is not a good tranny.

I have refrained from posting details, but since someone else has/is having problems, I felt bad for not doing so.

Good luck, and if there is anything I can do.....

Tom

 

[matteni]

What a coincidence.............

Wow Tom - thanks for coming forward and YES I may very well need your help - if it comes to that.

To everyone else who has been so supportive - thank you too. Perhaps ACR will refund my money AND give me the appology I deserve for putting me and my family through hell these last 21 weeks (and counting).

In any event - I noticed ACR Motorsports also sells to the S2K crowd and I have posted over at www.s2ki.com to give them a head's up as to what my experience has been thus far so they can factor this information into their buying decisions.

http://www.s2ki.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=133092

Furthermore - I will file with the BBB this week in the very likely event that I don't receive a full refund. No one should have to go through this ever and we have to protect each other using tools like this IMO.

 

[4AU4LIFE]

ARGH !!

Burns me up when you do everything you can to make a bad situation good and you get no help from the company that started the whole thing.

 

[AaronR]

Any news????

 

[matteni]

Any news????

Unfortunately not.

"Sometimes your the pigeon - and sometimes your the statue"

Guess which one I appear to be? Man do I wish I had a time machine or wasn't so gullible sometimes...

 

[4AU4LIFE]

Sometimes your the pigeon - and sometimes your the statue"

That is classic. Never heard it before.

 

[jlindy]

Nick

You have got to be kidding me! You still have no resolution to this problem? If this is the case, this company needs to be put out of business. Terrible. I hope you have heard something.

 

[AaronR]

Nick

You have got to be kidding me! You still have no resolution to this problem? If this is the case, this company needs to be put out of business. Terrible. I hope you have heard something.

or at least come on here and give us a defense or something!

 

[matteni]

Nick

You have got to be kidding me! You still have no resolution to this problem? If this is the case, this company needs to be put out of business. Terrible. I hope you have heard something.

Yes Jeff - absolutely no word or communication in many weeks. As a matter of fact - yesterday marked 22 weeks since my first promissed delivery date!

Last I heard ACR was working with Larry Garcia (of NSX Modified fame) as his behind the scenes transmission tech and Larry might have actually done my transmission the first couple of times.

I also heard several weeks ago that he was asking customers to write the checks out directly to him and not have the money put in the company's name.

Sounds to me like ACR is either history or heading that way fast. Needless to say - I am being saved by the fact that Discover is standing by me. I hate having my chain pulled but I think ACR is smart enough not to contest my refund or jerk me around any more. If so I have allready contacted Discover's fraud department and have everything ready to turn it over to them and get my credit right back (just for starters).

 

[ACR_Motorsports]

(correction)Matteni, if you like spreading rumors, be my guest, but Larry Garcia did not perform the work on your transmission. I have done work with Larry in the past, but he has not done any work for me since months before he went out of business, which is before your order even came through. We are not heading out of business and only have been silent because of recent a recent power surge that damged our computers and phones. Our phones system is still down, but should be back up soon. As far as your comment on the checks, we are currently accepting payments in the "company's name". We are still disputing your chargeback and would rather not discuss the details on this forum.

Please get your information correct before spreading rumors around.

Alex

Yes Jeff - absolutely no word or communication in many weeks. As a matter of fact - yesterday marked 22 weeks since my first promissed delivery date!

Last I heard ACR was working with Larry Garcia (of NSX Modified fame) as his behind the scenes transmission tech and Larry might have actually done my transmission the first couple of times.

I also heard several weeks ago that he was asking customers to write the checks out directly to him and not have the money put in the company's name.

Sounds to me like ACR is either history or heading that way fast. Needless to say - I am being saved by the fact that Discover is standing by me. I hate having my chain pulled but I think ACR is smart enough not to contest my refund or jerk me around any more. If so I have allready contacted Discover's fraud department and have everything ready to turn it over to them and get my credit right back (just for starters).

 

[POWERED by HONDA]

Matt, if you like spreading rumors/B]

WOW! ACR doesn't even know your correct first name!

 

[matteni]

WOW! ACR doesn't even know your correct first name!

Maybe he owes $4,000 to a guy named Matt too and is getting the 2 of us confused!?!



Anyway - I sent Alex a private message reminding him of my name, phone number, my Feb 2 order, the need to end this civily, and that all I am asking for is an appology and a refund.

 

[NSX Prime]

My only run-in with ACR was trying to buy some used wheels. FOr some reason, they couldn't sell the old ones until some new ones came from Japan, I assume so the car would not be without wheels. 2 weeks was the date given to me. 2-months later I asked, and the ones from Japan were stuck in customs held up by a poultry shipment. I wasn't aware we had such a chicken shortage in the US, but hey, who knows.

Anyways, I believe this was in April? March? I cannot even remember now. I didn't get a response back from later e-mails, so I just went about my business looking elsewhere for wheels.

I can't say my experience was really good or bad, but I did have to change my CC number since I had already given it to them.

SR

 

[SpeedxRacer]

Hey, Im from s2ki and I cant thank you enough for your heads up. To me, customer service is EVERYTHNG. I cant deal with companys that puts customers 2nd and money 1st. If a deadline was stated and somthing was promised that it would be delivered at a certain date, then it should be delivered regardless.

Ive been scammed and have dealt with business that honestly does not appreciate me spending my money towards them. It really ticks me off to hear about people getting screwed over on somthing they put alot of time and money and also trust into.

Hope you get everything straighten out and I hope to see you around s2ki.com . Ill be sure to check out this NSX forum, its going to make me jealous though ahha.

 

[jlindy]

(correction)Matteni, if you like spreading rumors, be my guest, but Larry Garcia did not perform the work on your transmission. I have done work with Larry in the past, but he has not done any work for me since months before he went out of business, which is before your order even came through. We are not heading out of business and only have been silent because of recent a recent power surge that damged our computers and phones. Our phones system is still down, but should be back up soon. As far as your comment on the checks, we are currently accepting payments in the "company's name". We are still disputing your chargeback and would rather not discuss the details on this forum.

Please get your information correct before spreading rumors around.

Alex

Wow Alex, it really does Nick, in case you didn't know his first name, a lot of good to spread false rumors around when he has no product and no resolution at this time. Nick has been extremely helpful and completely honest to me and everyone else on this forum. He will come out of his shoes to help someone out if he can. He is simply relaying what he has heard and is not stating it as fact which is so far off from the whole point of this.

As far as your explanation of silence, I sure would like to have seen the power surge that took you out of the loop for 22 weeks! What do you have your shop set up in Baghdad? I could set up a phone with cups and string faster than that.

As far as you wanting to deal with the specifics of Nick's deal offline, I can respect that. However, considering your reputation and business are on the line, I would make damn sure that you come up with a logical explanation for everybody on this site if you want anyone to ever use you again. Think of all the influence we all have...word travels fast. Enough of the what you did or did not do, but how about what you are going to do. How would you feel if it were you. Do the right thing for not only Nick or your business, but for yourself too.

 

[4AU4LIFE]

www.acrmotorsports.com / 949-305-9730

Kinda funny to have a phone number on your signature if they don't even work !!

 

[comquat1]

After reading this thread, ACR can plan on never getting an order from me. I'm in sales, and I fully understand that sometimes you have to make things right by the customer even if you have to eat it from a profitability standpoint. A long term customer who you have to give up a little to keep is worth more than not having them as a customer forever.