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Avalance Engineering (terrible service AGAIN :mad:)

7K views 91 replies 38 participants last post by  Steve N 
#1 · (Edited)
Avalance Engineering (tons of MONEY & terrible service AGAIN 4/15/2002)

Ok, I hate to do this again, but Avalanche is back at it.

Please read this to understand how this all started :mad3:
Post Reguarding First Problem w/ Avalanche Engineering


1st. I ordered a set or corners and rockers for a 94 YJ. The only thing I asked was that the wheel well openings for the corners be opened as large as possible. Sounds simple doesn't it....

I was told everything would ship in 2 weeks. So when I called after nothing arrived I was told several times, "We just need to drill a couple more holes", 1 more week goes bye bye... "We just need to drill a couple more holes", 1 more week goes bye bye. "Now only have to drill 2 more holes".... Ok.. Then I start getting upset. If you don't have them finished, just say so.....


Finally I start calling looking for Clifton, because I am getting no where with Curt. No nobody answers the phone. That is when I post here for the first time. After 2 days Clifton emails me and states the problem will be fixed and he apologized for any inconvenience and had the parts finished and shipped. I was disappointed, but I got some good quality parts that fit and looked good.

Now after painting and mounting the rockers and corners I was happy and had no hard feelings.
Everything Fits, take a look.

After a month or so, I decide to fix other problems, I will need to move my rear axle back 6 inches. Ok, I now need comp corners. So back to Avalanche. I sold my first set of corners to a friend. I called back Avalanche and ordered a set of comp corners for my jeep. I asked curt, are you sure there won't be any problems. He states "No all of the Comp Cut corners are the same nothing will have to be changed, There are no custom features on comp corners allowed. Everything is built to stock" So, shortly after placing my order the corners arrived. Quite impressed about the quick turnaround :)

Ok. So I got to mount the new comp corners. Yeah....



They don't match up. So back to call Avalanche. I call and talk to curt and let him know what happend. He seems shocked almost to the point of disbelief. Ok. So what are you going to do to fix this problem. He states that a talk with Clifton will be in order to figure out how this could happen. So. I patiently wait 1 more week for a phone call. I get a call from Clifton on my answering machine stating that they are off to the Eastern jeep safari and will be back in 1 week at which time they will fix this problem. He also stated that several other customer have had problems with their corners not keying together correctly and that a problem was found. So three weeks later, still no phone call. I cannot believe it. More calls to Avalanche. Now I get Curt again. He states to me. He will have to look into it and call me back. The next day I get a call from Avalanche. Curt says. "I looks like since you changed your order half way through, they will not fit." What? Change my order. What is he talking about. I never changed any order. I ordered rocker and corners, recieved and installed them. Now I bought new corners again. So I tell him to please talk to Clifton to figure this out, and call me back. Another week goes by still now calls. So I call again. Now Curt states the reason they don't fit is because I ordered TJ rockers and corners. No I didn't I ordered rockers and corners for a YJ If he took TJ parts and used those to fill my order fine. But I didn't order TJ parts for my YJ. Its not like they have some application chart that I could even look that up in. I called, told him what I needed and he placed the order. He then stated that he would have to talk to Clifton to see if they would take back the rockers and or corners for credit.
What are you kidding. You guys screwed this up and now you are checking to see if I am going to get credit for this order.. NO WAY.
Since dealing with curt seems to get me nothing but stories over the last couple of months, I decide to find Clifton. I try calling and asking for him, but he is never available, or always out of the shop. So I decided to email Clifton. But nothing... No calls back.. no responses to my email..... Actuall I sent many more emails with no responses either. I in all sent messages to them on the following dates and times explaining these problems.

March 19, 7:50 AM. Corners don't fit. Problem found
March 21, 2:29 PM. same message again.
April 4, 10:10 AM , same message again.
April 5, 7:37 AM . same message again.
April 5, 2:30 PM . same message again (just talked to curt said just about to check his mail)
April 8, 8:30 AM . same message again.

I NEVER RECIEVED 1 CALL or EMAIL RESPONSE TO ANY OF THESE EMAILS EITHER.


Ok. I am done with being nice and waiting for a phone call or a email response.


To Recap.. As to why my corners don't fit.

Story #1
Clifton, tells me that they discovered an error building
the corners after other customers call about corners
that don't fit either.


Story #2
Curt, first tells me that because I changed my order they don't fit.

Story # 3
Curt now states that because I ordered have TJ rockers and corners the comp corners will now not fit and he might be able to get me credit for something after talking to Clifton.




I will not accept a MAYBE we can give you credit on something we screwed up as a solution. :mad3:



I am extremely mad at this point. I just want a PHONE CALL within a reasonable amount of time. And an explanation as to why I keep getting stories about why nothing fits. And I want to either get my money back or get some parts that fit.


:mad3:
 
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#4 ·
Man I think that you have some serious ass explaining coming to you.

I will have to say one thing that I dont like is that when I called them there phone rings through to two different shops. So the second time that I called no-one knew what I was talking about.

Also I ordered beadlocks and they said that they had no record of a order. When I ordered my first set it sounded like the guy was playing a game of cards instead of listening to my order.

When I call them back I always talk to them but they never seem to get me a straight answer. He told me that they found my order in the computer, OK. I asked when they would start (I put my order in over a week ago). He said that he didnt know? Man I hate horror stories like this. I have to have these wheels done in 3 weeks. That is what they told me it would take. I have some doubts now.
 
#5 ·
i ordered avalanche dana 44 high steer setup for my CJ last year and i had trouble also. i ordered their high steer arms and their tie rod and drag link. i got the arms and installed them then i called back and told them the measurements on the tie rod and drag link. i recieved those but the heims were the wrong size to fit the arms i had just recieved(overnight, i needed then fast). so i called back and they said that they were sorry and they were going to send the other set out. I told them i needed them ASAP, so i said i wanted them shipped out overnight. they said they could not do that so i would have to pay for the shipping. i was so pissed i almost sent everything back. well i paid the shipping and then i recieved the new heims. they also charged my CC the $140 value for the new heims and the shipping. then i had to pay for the shipping back to avalanche for the credit on the heims. so i was out overnight shipping for the new heims and the return shipping which totalled out to be almost $45. thats $45 that i should not of even paid for because it was their screw up. the product was great, but the customer service sucks.
 
#6 ·
man that sucks. cliff is really a nice guy though, but talking to curt won't get you anywhere. cliff is in and out of the shop during the day time, if you just keep calling back and asking for him i'm sure you will eventually get him, and i would hope if you explained everything he would do something to fix the situation. avalanche is just super busy most of the time, so thats probably the problem, and they are kinda new to the mail order game. i don't want to be the guy blindly defending avalanche when they have done wrong, but i work with cliff on stuff sometimes and hes a really nice, straight forward guy. plus the 4xvideo shop is next door to avalanche, that helps. i would walk next door and ask cliff whats up, but i'm in texas right now doing family junk.

cliff also frequents this board, so he probably will find this thread.
 
#7 · (Edited)
aaronlosey said:
man that sucks.
plus the 4xvideo shop is next door to avalanche, that helps. i would walk next door and ask cliff whats up, but i'm in texas right now doing family junk.

cliff also frequents this board, so he probably will find this thread.

Yeah, I know he is a member here. I have PM'd him several times. He never replies. He wont answer the phone, he wont respond to PM's. So I figure this is the only way to get his attention. Curt obviously doesn't find it necessary to bring thig matter up with Clifton, or neither of them care about this issue.
:mad3:
 
#8 ·
ok well i ordered some tube and rod ends about 5 months ago and still can't get a damn receipt from them. i call about once every two weeks.

me: i stil don't have a f8ckin receipt
them: oh thats horrible
me: i have called before and still don't have one
then: well i am priniting one out now and will send it right away

yeah whatever, is it too much to ask for a damn receipt they sure as hell would want one if i wanted to return something. come to think if it im going to call them right now.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Hey matt,

Sorry to hear about the problems. I see where the mistake is. The piece of the corner that goes down and should hook into the rocker is too skinny. My corners had a much wider bottom part that would have filled the gap correctly. maybe you got old style rockers with new style corners.

One suggestion I have is if you can weld maybe you could just make the piece to fit on the bottom yourself, weld it and grind it smooth. It might take an afternoon but you'd be saving yourself some headaches with avalanche and get a resolution much quicker.

Good luck,
CJ
 
#10 ·
CJ Lagos said:
Hey matt, Sorry to hear about the problems. I see where the mistake is. The piece of the corner that goes down and should hook into the rocker is too skinny. My corners had a much wider bottom part that would have filled the gap correctly. maybe you got old style rockers with new style corners. CJ
PS.. Nice Rig, have checked it out many times. :)


If I had a welder right now I would. But I am in the process of buying another. So thats not an option. I still think they should fix this problem. I have ordered a quite a few parts this Avalanche. All but 1 order was messed up quite a bit.
 
#11 ·
Matt K said:


PS.. Nice Rig, have checked it out many times. :)


If I had a welder right now I would. But I am in the process of buying another. So thats not an option. I still think they should fix this problem. I have ordered a quite a few parts this Avalanche. All but 1 order was messed up quite a bit.
Matt,

I see that you have a YJ. Are you saying that the piece that comes down should be thicker? If that is so could someone post what a correct one looks like. I think that they may have sent me the wrong ones also........AHHHHH!
 
#13 ·
CJ Lagos said:
Thanks Matt....


This isn't a very good picture but I think you can see the difference.

http://www.admotorsports.com/jeep.org/cjl-tj/old-misc/P1010036.JPG

CJ
Ok,
I see what that looks like. So are you saying that the thicker "teardrop" is needed on a TJ and the thinner on a YJ? I have the thinner for sure. It doesnt really matter to me because I am not ordering the Knockers, but should I have the thicker? Thanks alot for the pic.
 
#14 ·
You guys are making me nervous, I just placed an order about a week and a half ago, no word back from Avalanche yet, I ordered a custom set of crusher corners, hope they do me right. I dont wanna get dicked around. I think that Avalanche dosent really give a fuck unless you are paying them to build a rock buggy. but maybe Im wrong.:skull:
 
#16 ·
May i ask, "If you have some much beef and problem with them, then why on earth do you display their name in huge letters on your rig with the rocker guards"? I am guessing you bought and installed those before the beef right? I hope so!

I know how frustrating it is dealing with idiots. I went through this with Quadrashit when i first got my jeep and didnt know any better.

I have never bought or even called Avalanche but i can feel your pain man!

Get some new rockers for sure!!!

If they do you wrong, you sure as shit dont wanna advertise for em!

My .02
 
#17 ·
Matt,

I dont see why the YJ and TJ versions would be any different in terms of that teardrop or whatever it is called. My first guess is that they have redesigned the rocker/corner guard combo and the new rocker guards are a little bit longer, in turn they had to shorten the corners. I wonder if you got a set of old rocker guards and your new corners have the newest changes in them. I cut that teardrop thing off of mine when I painted them and I'm gonna build rockers that go the full length of the tub.

Either way you got a raw deal. I know the feeling all too well, seems like nothing goes smoothly.

Hopefully they'll take care of it for you.

CJ
 
#18 ·
May i ask, "If you have some much beef and problem with them, then why on earth do you display their name in huge letters on your rig with the rocker guards"? I am guessing you bought and installed those before the beef right? I hope so!
You know, I don't know why, but it always bothered my how they put their name all over everything they make. I'm sure you could get their stuff without their name on it, but anyway. I'd be pretty pissed off too If I was you. They sure charge tits money for their stuff, so i'd expect some good service to back that up to. In their defense, I haven't heard too much bad crap about them other than their $$. I've run into them on the trails now and then and they seem OK enough.
 
#20 ·
i never had a problem with there products or service, they were always quick to get me my stuff and it all fit perfect. i have there comp corners, rockers, d60 arms, tie rod and drag link. hers what the yj rockers and comp corners look like i got them last summer
 

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#23 ·
Damn! I was wanting to order their hi-steer arms and some suspension parts for my D60 conversion. Maybe I better re-think this.
What's another company (or individual) with high quality parts that would like my money? I did say high quality! :flipoff2:
Parts needed:
Hi-steer arms
Heims - probably use QA-1 again
Tube inserts - threaded for heims
I'm sure there'll be more

Thanks!
 
#24 ·
Customer Service

I just happened to be in the shop when you called Avalanche, and it sounds like there has been a misunderstanding. Hopefully everything will be resolved. However, in their defense, I walked in and out today with a 1.5" .25" wall DOM tie rod in less than half an hour. They even stopped work on one of thier buggies to help a schmoe like me out.
-Jon
 
#25 ·
A member in our club is having similar problems with av. eng.

He ordered parts from them like 6 months ago, and they have been giving him the run-aroud ever since.

Also, when he bent one of their Hi-steer arms. They said that that had never happened before and that they would replace it for free. Still hasnt arrived and that was last summer!

I have only ordered from them once, but was not impressed with their customer service. :rolleyes:
 
#26 ·
I don't know how comparable Avalanche Eng. and High Angle are product wise ... but if even IF Avalanche had waaaay better prices than Jess, I wouldn't touch their shi@t with a 10 foot pole. If Clifton wants to have a jerk to fulfill his customer service arena He won't be getting any good press from me. Now that don't mean nothin' to him as I am a "nobody" in his world, but when all the rats start jumping ship you know things ain't right. Hell, even if he gave his stuff away like Jess does here on Pirate, I would have absolutley no faith whatsoever that I would ever get what I had supposedly won! I run a multi-million dollar facility that has heavy competition all around and everybody knows everybody. When I don't have something a customer needs I have a select few I will refer to and vice versa. Without customers a business is nothing. When I first moved out here on a corporate transfer I had one helluva uphill battle due to the previous sets of management. It took a ton of damage control and bringing out a whole new image and marketing strategy to overcome my predecessors stupidities. It has been a year and a half now and life is much better. Without superior customer service this location would have most likely been sold. I guess Clifton is counting on his high dollar ticket items to carry him along. And the little guys like us will just stand in the rain staring at the sky like turkeys while the rain pours down until we drown. I am one bag of feathers you won't mistreat!! What about you guys?!? You gonna stick around to be buried by the avalanche of customer NO service:confused:

:rantoff:

:beer:
 
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