**BUYING EXPERIENCES FROM MEMBER QUAD_M**
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Joined: Apr 2006
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From: fl,USA
My Ride: BMW 2005 X3 3.0
Originally Posted by wacopolumbo' post='598820' date='Jun 9 2008, 10:29 AM
Alright, I have been quietly watching and waiting to see what is going to happen with my kit. I ordered my kit at the begining of May from Tony. I had seen his ad on e-bay for a Mystic Blue kit and assumed it was painted and ready to go. When I contacted him, he told me it would have to be painted and would be two weeks wait. This was at the full price. I couldn't decide if I wanted the rear bumper or if I was going to do someting else on the rear so I only ordered a front and sides (9 May). He gave me a forum discount but told me it would be a month or more because I was getting a discount. He even called me in Germany to go over this with me.
Now, as the month has passed, I have still been patient. However, I was notified that I may have to deploy with the military on short-notice. As soon as I found out about this I called Tony (5 Jun) because I didn't want to have to deal with this from the war zone. I decided I wanted the rear bumper too and paid Tony extra to get it done quickly. I have a short time line before my potential deployment.
This morning (9 Jun) I was on the phone with Tony and he called the paint shop, while I was on the line, to ensure my kit would be painted today and shipped this week. I will let you guys know when it gets here to Germany.
The bottom line guys is this. If you want to get a smoking price on a full kit, you will have to wait to get it. If you want your kit quickly, you need to be prepared to pay full price. I think that Tony's business took-off dramatically becuase of this forum. He started to get lot's of orders and at the same time had supply problems and has to work with a third-party paint shop to get the kits painted. I think if you want a kit without it being painted, you could get it quickly from Tony. He has to schedule the kits in with the paint shop and does not control the paint shop priorities.
If more people want to order from him while he still has a back-log of orders than they need to do so understanding the wait times associated with the order.
Like I said, I will let you guys know when my kit gets here.
Bottom line - Tony is running a business and has been presented some challenges that are beyond his control. He is doing his best to get it all straightened out though.
-Waco
BTW, I just thought it is kind of funny that my kit is made in Germany, shipped to the states to be painted and then sent back to me here in Germany for about $1,000.00 less than I would have to pay for it here. The exchange rate with the Euro stinks! So even by paying full price for the kit, I am still saving money with Tony than if I bought it here in Germany.
Now, as the month has passed, I have still been patient. However, I was notified that I may have to deploy with the military on short-notice. As soon as I found out about this I called Tony (5 Jun) because I didn't want to have to deal with this from the war zone. I decided I wanted the rear bumper too and paid Tony extra to get it done quickly. I have a short time line before my potential deployment.
This morning (9 Jun) I was on the phone with Tony and he called the paint shop, while I was on the line, to ensure my kit would be painted today and shipped this week. I will let you guys know when it gets here to Germany.
The bottom line guys is this. If you want to get a smoking price on a full kit, you will have to wait to get it. If you want your kit quickly, you need to be prepared to pay full price. I think that Tony's business took-off dramatically becuase of this forum. He started to get lot's of orders and at the same time had supply problems and has to work with a third-party paint shop to get the kits painted. I think if you want a kit without it being painted, you could get it quickly from Tony. He has to schedule the kits in with the paint shop and does not control the paint shop priorities.
If more people want to order from him while he still has a back-log of orders than they need to do so understanding the wait times associated with the order.
Like I said, I will let you guys know when my kit gets here.
Bottom line - Tony is running a business and has been presented some challenges that are beyond his control. He is doing his best to get it all straightened out though.
-Waco
BTW, I just thought it is kind of funny that my kit is made in Germany, shipped to the states to be painted and then sent back to me here in Germany for about $1,000.00 less than I would have to pay for it here. The exchange rate with the Euro stinks! So even by paying full price for the kit, I am still saving money with Tony than if I bought it here in Germany.
thank you for understanding the situation here, this is exactly whats happening. Since I am the ONLY authorized vendor supplying pre-painted kits on the whole Internet.
I do get many orders from e-bay, internet page and mostly from forum members. Do I make enough money or profit NO. I am just trying to help everybody with the best
prices and fastest shipping (I always ship AIR) but is it appreciate it? NO.. will I continue doing deep discounts? I really dont think so..
I am dissapointed that many people were holding grudge against me and now they are revealing.. but God is always with me and I know what kind of a person I am I will be ok.
just to let everybody know, up to now I sent out around 200 FULL Painted kits , around 150 unpainted kits and another almost 100 sets of wheels worldwide
I am sorry but being successful and popular this much is not my fault and I really am happy to serve many people worldwide, but I realy need understanding and patience.
sincerely.
Tony
.
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 17,508
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From: So. Cal (SFV)
My Ride: 2011.5 Alpine White E90 M3 | Black Novillo Leather | Carbon Fiber Leather Trim | ZCP | ZP2 | M-DCT | Navigation | Moonroof | 6FL Mods: TMS 12.5mm spacers all around l Hawk HPS Brake Pads l OEM M3 Edition Grills l Paint Matched Side Gills l Key Hole D
Originally Posted by quad_m' post='598850' date='Jun 9 2008, 08:33 AM
thank you for understanding the situation here, this is exactly whats happening. Since I am the ONLY authorized vendor supplying pre-painted kits on the whole Internet.
I do get many orders from e-bay, internet page and mostly from forum members. Do I make enough money or profit NO. I am just trying to help everybody with the best
prices and fastest shipping (I always ship AIR) but is it appreciate it? NO.. will I continue doing deep discounts? I really dont think so..
I am dissapointed that many people were holding grudge against me and now they are revealing.. but God is always with me and I know what kind of a person I am I will be ok.
just to let everybody know, up to now I sent out around 200 FULL Painted kits , around 150 unpainted kits and another almost 100 sets of wheels worldwide
I do get many orders from e-bay, internet page and mostly from forum members. Do I make enough money or profit NO. I am just trying to help everybody with the best
prices and fastest shipping (I always ship AIR) but is it appreciate it? NO.. will I continue doing deep discounts? I really dont think so..
I am dissapointed that many people were holding grudge against me and now they are revealing.. but God is always with me and I know what kind of a person I am I will be ok.
just to let everybody know, up to now I sent out around 200 FULL Painted kits , around 150 unpainted kits and another almost 100 sets of wheels worldwide
Tony, you seem to be taking this very personally. Bringing your faith into this is both off topic and unprofessional. Stop making yourself to be the victim. It seems the consistent complaint is lack of communication and timeliness to fill orders. If you were doing that in the first place, this thread wouldn't have even been created. Both areas are easy to remedy. It seems no one here is saying anything bad about you, it's your professionalism. You can't keep promising time lines you just can't seem to meet and expect people to understand. If kits are on back-order and it may be a 3-6 moth wait then say so. let the buyer choose. By not telling the buyer there will be delays until after they have paid you then are taking advantage of the situation.
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 3,228
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From: fl,USA
My Ride: BMW 2005 X3 3.0
Originally Posted by geneatals' post='598859' date='Jun 9 2008, 11:47 AM
Tony, you seem to be taking this very personally. Bringing your faith into this is both off topic and unprofessional. Stop making yourself to be the victim. It seems the consistent complaint is lack of communication and timeliness to fill orders. If you were doing that in the first place, this thread wouldn't have even been created. Both areas are easy to remedy. It seems no one here is saying anything bad about you, it's your professionalism. You can't keep promising time lines you just can't seem to meet and expect people to understand. If kits are on back-order and it may be a 3-6 moth wait then say so. let the buyer choose. By not telling the buyer there will be delays until after they have paid you then are taking advantage of the situation.
but up to that time I have orders coming in for that particular kit or part. thats why it creates a problem. NOT that I knew it and did not inform NO.
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Joined: Mar 2007
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From: NYC, Rego Park, Queens
My Ride: 2004 E60 530i, 2012 E70 X5 35i
Model Year: 2004
Originally Posted by quad_m' post='598864' date='Jun 9 2008, 11:54 AM
NO BMW comes up with that info in one day and the dealershp calls you and tells you hey this such such part is on backorder ok? thats it.
but up to that time I have orders coming in for that particular kit or part. thats why it creates a problem. NOT that I knew it and did not inform NO.
but up to that time I have orders coming in for that particular kit or part. thats why it creates a problem. NOT that I knew it and did not inform NO.
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Joined: Mar 2008
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From: SoCal
vendors decide their prices to consumers, that is solely their own decision based on overhead, thier cost, etc. what really gets me steaming is when they set their prices and begin the sales process......they think by selling it to us for a reasonable price, that we "owe" them something in return. such as.....being asked/forced to wait wks/months or even asked to go out of your way to someway.
vendors, you should treat your customers all equally. whether they pay full price, group buy price or a deep discounted price......at the end of the day, we are still your customer!
quad m, my suggestion to you is.....before you make any promises, make sure with all your vendors of their schedule and availability. then and only then, can you make any promises worth while.
vendors, you should treat your customers all equally. whether they pay full price, group buy price or a deep discounted price......at the end of the day, we are still your customer!
quad m, my suggestion to you is.....before you make any promises, make sure with all your vendors of their schedule and availability. then and only then, can you make any promises worth while.
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 17,508
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From: So. Cal (SFV)
My Ride: 2011.5 Alpine White E90 M3 | Black Novillo Leather | Carbon Fiber Leather Trim | ZCP | ZP2 | M-DCT | Navigation | Moonroof | 6FL Mods: TMS 12.5mm spacers all around l Hawk HPS Brake Pads l OEM M3 Edition Grills l Paint Matched Side Gills l Key Hole D
Originally Posted by quad_m' post='598864' date='Jun 9 2008, 08:54 AM
NO BMW comes up with that info in one day and the dealershp calls you and tells you hey this such such part is on backorder ok? thats it.
but up to that time I have orders coming in for that particular kit or part. thats why it creates a problem. NOT that I knew it and did not inform NO.
but up to that time I have orders coming in for that particular kit or part. thats why it creates a problem. NOT that I knew it and did not inform NO.
right, so I could see a big white erasable board in your shop. 3 columns. Kits/parts on order waiting to be filled, Kits in shop in progress, Kits waiting to be shipped/delivered. From there it would be easy to tell who's kit would be delayed due to back-order and even easier to shoot a pm/email to members/customers. Also helps you see how much you've actually got on your plate...
again, just a simple suggestion...GL with all your future business transactions...
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Joined: Jun 2007
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From: Vancouver, B.C.
My Ride: 2008 535i, Carbon Black, Black Dakota, Black Diamond Trim, 6sp Sport Automatic with Paddles, M-Sport Package, Premium Package
This topic is quite refreshing. I have never ordered anything previously from Tony, but definitely considered it. It is amazing how there a bit of a herd mentality to the forum. Everything in extremes. Previous to this topic all of these horror stories were never aired. We just heard how great quad_m was. Now, in the protection of this topic, we hear of all (and only) the horror stories. It reminds me of an approach I have to take all the time. Nothing is as bad as it seems, and nothing is as good as it seems. The truth is usually somewhere in the middle.
My $.02.
My $.02.
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Joined: Apr 2008
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From: Ramstein AB, Germany
My Ride: 2007 525i, mystic blue metallic, black leather interior, dark poplar wood trim, premium package, navigation, iPod, park distance control, voice activation, bluetooth.
Mods: Full M-Tech Kit, ACS Rep Rear Window Spoiler, ACS Rep Rear Deck Spoiler, ACS Rep Quad Diffuser, ACS Rep Exhaust Tips, Remus Duel Exhaust, De-badge, 20% Tint Front and Rear, Umnitza Predator Ice V2, HID fog lights, Clear Side Marker Light Bulbs (yellow when on), Dark Poplar Wood Shifter, Dark Poplar Wood e-Brake Handle, Dark Poplar Wood Steering Wheel Inserts, OEM Steel Pedals, OEM M Footrest, 19 inch OEM 121s (Summer), 18 inch 124s (Winter), Shadowline Window Trim, Blacked-out Kidney Grills
Originally Posted by FRANK970' post='598891' date='Jun 9 2008, 06:43 PM
This topic is quite refreshing. I have never ordered anything previously from Tony, but definitely considered it. It is amazing how there a bit of a herd mentality to the forum. Everything in extremes. Previous to this topic all of these horror stories were never aired. We just heard how great quad_m was. Now, in the protection of this topic, we hear of all (and only) the horror stories. It reminds me of an approach I have to take all the time. Nothing is as bad as it seems, and nothing is as good as it seems. The truth is usually somewhere in the middle.
My $.02.
My $.02.
-Waco
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From: Bay Area
My Ride: 2004 530i - Missing no options
Originally Posted by geneatals' post='598884' date='Jun 9 2008, 09:28 AM
right, so I could see a big white erasable board in your shop. 3 columns. Kits/parts on order waiting to be filled, Kits in shop in progress, Kits waiting to be shipped/delivered. From there it would be easy to tell who's kit would be delayed due to back-order and even easier to shoot a pm/email to members/customers. Also helps you see how much you've actually got on your plate...
again, just a simple suggestion...GL with all your future business transactions...
again, just a simple suggestion...GL with all your future business transactions...
Very well put..
quad_m (Tony) In business it's extremely key to disclose everything. Knowing that you have dependencies with other stakeholders to make your deadline, you should be communicating with all of them on a daily basis for status updates. Once you have your updates, communicate them to all of those that have paid you and update any of your ads on the forums.
During this process you'll be able to evaluate your paint shop and if they can't handle the amount of kits your bringing to them, perhaps find another paint source. Explain to your new paint shop the volume you bring to the table to ensure they can handle your expectations.
Keeping track of your schedule will make it that much easier to communicate timelines to others. It also gives you the opportunity to take a step back to evaluate and possibly find alternative ways to better your business.
If I knew that I would have to wait 12+ weeks for my order, I probably wouldn't have signed up. However I was quoted that it would take 4-6 weeks max. Once paid, I got the 12+ week ETA.
Knowing that all customers are paying you in full, having a weekly status update and full disclosure on ETA's would be hugely appreciated..
Communication is key!
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From: St. Louis, MO
My Ride: 2008 535i - Deep Sea Blue Metallic, Black Nasca Leather w/ Ventilated Seats, Anthracite Headliner, Sport Pkg, Premium Pkg, Cold Weather Pkg, Sport Auto Transmission w/ Shift Paddles, PDC, Rear Side Airbag, Automatic Sunshades, Heads Up Display, Sat, HD Radio, Navigation, Logic 7
Let me say this as my previous posts may have seemed to be written in an angry tone. So I will say this as to not try to make it seem like I was trying to deter anybody from ordering from Tony.
I am happy with the kit and spoiler I got from Tony, I was just very pissed off about the time frame it took to get it to me and the lack of communication as well as the vague answers.
This thread was area to vent. And I was glad to see that I was not the only one who went through this.
I was aware of the fact that I would need to wait since I bought at a discounted price and was cool with that, it was just the fact that it took 4 more months than what I was told that put us where we are today with this thread. I got frustrated with the date getting puched back everytime I tried to get a status update.
I agree with the rationale that regardless of how much you pay, there should not be a discount in customer serice since you paid a discount.
I think if you charged a little more to reduce the amount of orders to a point where you can handle the load better, your customers would be happy and that would be worth it. Then the word of mouth takes over and you will have more business than you can handle b/c you do what you do so well.
Anyway, I will say this and be done with this whole conversation.
As long as you are willing to wait a long time for your kit or other painted parts, then Tony is your man. You just have to stay on top of him. He may not like it, but the squeeky wheel gets the grease.
His heart is in the right place but I have to agree with the other memebers, business is business and in the end, you have to answer to your customer no matter how grim the siutation is.
Tony, I was not attacking you personally and apologize iof you took it that way. Trust me, I wish to see you succeed, since I have the greatest respect for ANYBODY who tries to start their own business. Plus you get to work with the coolest thing on earth all day long...BMW's!!! Ideally the best thing would be for you to get your own body shop/paint booth and start paiting these parts yourself. But that is a huge investment, but may be well worth it. You really could make this thing take off like crazy if it is handled right.
If you start to turn out product in a more timely fashion with less errors, you work will start to speak for itself and hopefully this thread will fade away.
So I wish you the best of luck and hope that things turn around on the positive side for you.
I am happy with the kit and spoiler I got from Tony, I was just very pissed off about the time frame it took to get it to me and the lack of communication as well as the vague answers.
This thread was area to vent. And I was glad to see that I was not the only one who went through this.
I was aware of the fact that I would need to wait since I bought at a discounted price and was cool with that, it was just the fact that it took 4 more months than what I was told that put us where we are today with this thread. I got frustrated with the date getting puched back everytime I tried to get a status update.
I agree with the rationale that regardless of how much you pay, there should not be a discount in customer serice since you paid a discount.
I think if you charged a little more to reduce the amount of orders to a point where you can handle the load better, your customers would be happy and that would be worth it. Then the word of mouth takes over and you will have more business than you can handle b/c you do what you do so well.
Anyway, I will say this and be done with this whole conversation.
As long as you are willing to wait a long time for your kit or other painted parts, then Tony is your man. You just have to stay on top of him. He may not like it, but the squeeky wheel gets the grease.
His heart is in the right place but I have to agree with the other memebers, business is business and in the end, you have to answer to your customer no matter how grim the siutation is.
Tony, I was not attacking you personally and apologize iof you took it that way. Trust me, I wish to see you succeed, since I have the greatest respect for ANYBODY who tries to start their own business. Plus you get to work with the coolest thing on earth all day long...BMW's!!! Ideally the best thing would be for you to get your own body shop/paint booth and start paiting these parts yourself. But that is a huge investment, but may be well worth it. You really could make this thing take off like crazy if it is handled right.
If you start to turn out product in a more timely fashion with less errors, you work will start to speak for itself and hopefully this thread will fade away.
So I wish you the best of luck and hope that things turn around on the positive side for you.