Snip snip

[XXL]

Originally Posted by porterbuilt

...but it looks like the same name is attached to all the complaints.

You should read the post again. 1) there are several 'names' there, and 2) I too _was_ a VERY satisfied customer... I've had plenty of phone conversations with Tony, and even Bret when he still worked the phones. Sounds like they might be channeling all that "customer service" on their dealers. Good for you.

Originally Posted by porterbuilt

... Hopefully the issue has been resolved.

Nope. With a first-class operation (that I believe they once were), just the hint of problems (like I posted in that thread in 2005, and to which I pointed Tony to at the time), and I'd have gotten a phone call. ART never took the time, and I still don't have all the parts for the arms. Like you said, mistakes happen. No reasonable person faults them for a mistake here and there... but to not make it good after finding out about it? That's bad business. I'll bet you don't let that happen at your shop.

[Shane]

... but they have the coolest decals

[XXL]

Originally Posted by Shane

... but they have the coolest decals

Yeah... last year's experience irritated me so much that I scraped the decals off of my 2 $79 3 gallon air tanks. The only evidence I've got an ART system end to end are the red valves. Hmmm...

[jlaird]

The same thing happened to me and friend at the Syracuse Nationals. Seems liked the guys at the AirRide booth didn't want to talk.

[XXL]

Originally Posted by jlaird

The same thing happened to me and friend at the Syracuse Nationals. Seems liked the guys at the AirRide booth didn't want to talk.

I was hoping to hear something from Tony in this thread. He's been actively posting on the board for the last few weeks, and he's (probably) subscribed to this thread since he posted to it above. I wonder why he's not responding... this is the very issue you, me, and others are describing.

[Shane]

Don't ask. Don't tell.

[Tony@AirRideTech]

Originally Posted by XXL

I wonder why he's not responding... this is the very issue you, me, and others are describing.

Kenneth, First off.... I did not see this until this post until this morning and another thing, I go to these boards to have a good time and try to help people out when they need it. I also participate in a lot of boards.... so please dont put me in that corner with the bad kids.
Now onto your original post... I vaguely remember this from last year and to be honest.... I never heard back from you on anything so I assumed you were squared away. We go back a ways and I did think you would call me if you were having issues. Now if I look at your post, it is evident that things got off on the wrong foot and your order got screwed up... and if I had to guess, it was because it was a brand new part and we were trying to get ball joints between the three situated and take car of you guys by kicking them out... which doesnt matter because there was issue that needed to be handled. Looking at the rest of your thread, it does look like Jason did send you out two sets of additional arms and one of those sets looks like it went overnight and was probably on our dime... so he was trying to get things sorted out. You guys may have been off kilt with each other but he was trying to make something happen and I highly doubt that he or anybody is going to intentionally, consistantly send you the wrong stuff on our dime. A lot of companies simply would have said that you need to box it up and send it back to them and once we receive it we will diagnose what was wrong with the order and then ship it back to you via the same means. This was also a year ago and there and it is impossible now to say what happened.... not only that but the solution is just to make sure you are taken care of.

As far as the going up to the booth.... I have a fairly open idea about that and the last thing I want is one of my guys walking around acting like a used car salesman and pesturing people.... nothing irritates me worse than having someone follow me around. The way it works is that someone walks in the booth and they get greeted... not followed around. then when the guy has a question... he asks..... I dont think you guys want me to put them in monkey suits and knock you guys down and drag you into the booth. Remember guys... we are laid back hot rodders and truck builders the same as you ......

[SCOTI]

My experiences w/ART have been good so I'm sorry to hear about XXL's deal.

Tony & the guys have always been nice @ shows; out of town or in Dallas (but, I'm usually there w/my friends from Stoked Out).

I did have to bang my head on a table once or twice w/Darren but it all worked out in the end.

[Shane]

Actually Tony, I was completely ignored by "your guys in the booth." When I tried to field questions, I was brushed off as a "tire kicker." After attempting to talk to 3 different guys and getting the same results, I gave up and took my money and business elsewhere.

This was at the NSRA National event in Louisville. Like I have said before, apparently my hair was not gray enough and I had too little in the way of gold chains on.

This may not be the norm, but you have to remember that you only have one chance at a first impression ... and "your guys in the booth" didn't do much to make a favorable impression ... as a matter of fact, they drove business away that day.

[67Fleet]

I experienced a similar deal at the Hot Rod Power Tour and I think it was ART but I can't remember now so I'm not going to bash them directly. Just like Shane was describing. Maybe my t-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops didn't make me worthy enough to talk to. I think that is why Suicide Doors does so well, they have a knowledgeable staff and they do whatever it takes to make sure you are taken care of. They have quality stuff and their prices are cheap. I was extremely happy with everything I got from them.

[XXL]

Originally Posted by Tony@AirRideTech

I go to these boards to have a good time and try to help people out when they need it.

You've set the precedent long ago that you are on "these boards" representing ART (you put it in your username, you tell people about new products, you ask them to PM you for pricing details, etc.) You're actions are as that of a "vendor" when you're here, and so claiming you're here on some kind of 'personal time' doesn't fly. Besides, "trying to help people out when they need it" is precisely what this issue is about.

Originally Posted by Tony@AirRideTech

it does look like Jason did send you out two sets of additional arms and one of those sets looks like it went overnight and was probably on our dime...

No, Jason SAID he was going to send me the missing parts overnight (not arms, but rather ball joint rubber covers). And he SAID he was going to send it to where the truck was. He did neither-- he sent to my home address and he sent the rubbers ground. Small errors on the grand scheme of things, but especially irritating when that was supposed to _fix_ the previous one; and even moreso when he blamed "the shipping guys" for screwing up.

Originally Posted by Tony@AirRideTech

I highly doubt that he or anybody is going to intentionally, consistantly send you the wrong stuff on our dime.

Of course not... nobody's claiming this was done out of spite.

Originally Posted by Tony@AirRideTech

This was also a year ago and there and it is impossible now to say what happened.... not only that but the solution is just to make sure you are taken care of.

I let ART know what happened "a year ago" and nobody seemed to care then... including you (at least that's what I interpreted inaction on your part to mean).

Originally Posted by Tony@AirRideTech

I dont think you guys want me to put them in monkey suits and knock you guys down and drag you into the booth. Remember guys... we are laid back hot rodders and truck builders the same as you ......

This has never happened to me because I've never seen you at a show. However, I've experienced what people are describing plenty of times in plenty of locales by plenty of companies. Any _good_ sales person is going to size up the customer before a single word is spoken. The flaw is when you size someone up based on what they're wearing, or the length of their hair, and so on. You're going to extremes, suggesting monkey suits and dragging customers into the booth. That's not what anyone was expecting. They're hot rodders and truck builders... the same as you say your people are. Just be friendly and be willing to chat. Most of your visitors ARE going to be tire kickers... it's the way the business works. But one day, when that pimply-faced 13 year-old gets a job, he'll dump every last dime of his pittance paycheck into your products if you treated him right from the start.

/nuff said

[Shane]

<sound of crickets>

[Tony@AirRideTech]

Ken,
You mentioned that you are still missing some pieces or something... let me know what is going on and you know I will get you squared away.

I hear what you guys are saying and I do appreciate the feedback. It is definitely worthwhile to hear it stright up.

[XXL]

Boxed in the trailing arms today...

[Alvin]

Jesus! Those things must weigh twice as much as they used to!

Looks great though. Glad to see you posting again, I felt like I never had the chance to say

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Ken I cant believe ur still working on that truck.... Been a long time fo sure you ever get all the stuff from art?

[XXL]

Originally Posted by FRENCHBLUE72

you ever get all the stuff from art?

Close enough at this point... I got everything but one control arm pivot shaft nut.

[XXL]

After swapping in the modified ECE trailing arm xmember, I think I've got the height about right. Now I can wash the roof without straining myself

[XXL]

Also been working on front shock mounts. They're done now, so it's time to redo the rears. New front shocks have 6.25" of linear travel, which works out to about 7.4" of suspension travel at the shock mounts... quite a bit more out at the ball joints. The rears will have 9.5" of linear travel, which translates out to about 12" of axle travel... which is a bit more than I actually need back there, but that's how it works out.

Craptastic camera phone pics...

[Shane]

nice work ... pics are crap!

[Slammed67]

At least he has crappy pictures of progress.... more than I can say

[Shane]

Originally Posted by Slammed67

At least he has crappy pictures of progress.... more than I can say

Unfortunately the same applies here.

[N2TRUX]

I worked on them for ya...

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Jason where ya been hideing..

[XXL]

Rear shocks in... the angle is a bit of an optical illusion-- that combined with the fact that the suspension is absolutely slammed (tire is touching the top of the rear step-fender ).