Ckim111

Let me share one of the worst customer service experiences I have ever encountered in my life. I realize that this may not be a positive opinion to some weistec fans but what's a fact is a fact.

This is a bit of a long thread. If you are a fan of Weistec and will defend them to no end, then please stop reading here. I just want to stress that this is the entire truth based on solely MY direct experience with Steve who is the OWNER.

A few weeks ago I purchased weistec's air filter:

http://weistec.com/m156panelfilter.html

Even for me to get a response from them regarding some basic questions that I had, it took 5 separate emails. I wonder if I was inquiring about a supercharger or a tune purchase if it would have taken that many tries to get their time and attention. This air filter costs 179.99. While I was a bit skeptical in thei 5-10 hp gains from a m156 e63 engine just from an air filter, I was willing to give them a try.

I worked with my local tuner Buckhead Imports and had them install my MBH heads, mid and xpipe. Tony also retuned my car and dynoed my car before and after the air filter was put in. Also my charcoal filters had been removed way before this new upgrade, and this was the correct procedure according to weistec.

Honestly I would've been ok even if the car did not produce any gains. However, the car actually lost 2-3 hp on the dyno with the air filter put in. I still told Tony that I will keep it in the car for a few days to see if maybe it did make a difference. When I drove the car out of the shop, car felt a bit jerky. Acceleration was not smooth and it just didn't feel right. I did not want to jump to conclusions, but shortly there after, the infamous check engine light came on, causing my car to go into limp mode.

I bought back my car to the shop, and Tony informed me that the code read a problem attributed to the air filter.

I called up Steve at Weistec who also happens to be the owner, and he went on to say how he would return my money if I sent it back.

That is the type of response I expected, and everything was fine as we started talking about how his tune, mbh setup and air filter would yield on average 95 hp gains from stock. My car on the dyno only showed 58 hp gains. I'm no mathematician but it seems like his setup magically somehow puts out about 40 extra hp gains. When I asked him how, he said that is normal and most other tuners produce similar results. Again I remained skeptical but I did not press the issue.

We talked further, and when I asked him the best way to reach him, he said email. I stated that if it takes him 5 days to respond to emails, something is wrong. He said emails normally goes to his sales team first. I let him know that if it takes them 5 days to send him an email maybe they should be fired.

Ok I said it half jokingly but apparently I guess I struck a nerve. I then asked him what the process would be to have him put his tunes on customer's cars. He said it only takes 1 day. This left me very confused because I sincerely did not know how it was possible to ship it to him and get it back all in 24 hours. When I asked him this, he said that I was being a wise *** and that I have been wasting his time for the past 45 minutes. Meanwhile I asked him a serious question and we were only on the phone for 15 minutes.

At this point, I started getting furious but still kept my cool. I told him that if this is the way he talks to his customers, there is no need for us to do any more business (we talked about getting supercharger for my car), and that I will just go ahead and return the air filter. This was his response "I'm actually glad we won't have to do any more business. I just want you to return the air filter".

So in summary, I can only surmise that he was upset that I discovered his air filter was overpriced and did nothing but cause issues, or he was upset that I said his sales team was incompetent if it takes them 5 days to send my email to him, or because I was genuinely confused as to how he could do the entire ecu programming process in 24 hours. He starting insulting my intelligence, saying I had nothing better to do than to waste his time on a Friday.

I don't know about you, but I don't know any president/owner of a company that talks to his customers that way, and stays in business in the long run.

I realize many have had positive experiences with them. In fact, I don't doubt his other products may be good. But what I do know for certain is that his attitude stinks, and so does his customer service.

A quick search showed that I was not alone in receiving this type of behavior from them.

I will never do business with them again. I'm sure after reading this post, they will come on here to refute everything I said, and that all of this is just made up.

You can make up your own mind. This was not an opinion but facts based on my experience and mine only. I'm always of the mindset to never pass judgement unless I directly experienced it. In this case, I wished that I didn't think this way.

I had to actually ask Steve to stop with the insults. I even told him that there was no need to continue with the wise remarks and direct insults towards me. What kind of backwards society are we living in, when a customer has to ask someone he GAVE business to, to be nice to them in return?

I'm sure because I was a cheap customer to them who only spent 170 on an air filter, and not 15k on a supercharger. But in this day and age with social media, you treat people like this, it always catches up to you in the long run.

I've said all that I have said and will not continue to pour fuel to the fire. Therefore, I will not engage any further in a he said she said battle here. Please feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

And Steve - seriously get over yourself bud. Your level of customer service or lack thereof will catch up to you in the future. Maybe not now, not in a few months or years but it will affect you - not in a positive manner.

Thericker

Hmm after reading this lengthy thread (about a piddly hi-flo air filter?) the 2-3 hp loss & or no actual hp gains can easily be chalked up to the Dyno machine used, or & you could easily cause check engine light + loss of hp due to over oiling the filter, or not letting the new filter properly dry before installing.

Even barring the above problem, hate to say it you sound like 1 of those customers, you admit to taking up to 45 min on 1 call & 15 min on another? & you didn't purchase anything but a $170 air filter? Hmmm ya you flat wasted the mans valuable time, & yes his retorts sound totally rational, he is lucky he dodged the bullet of you possibly buying a $15k Supercharger lol if you can raise this much stink over a little air filter 1 can only imagine the pending apocalypse if you bought the blower..

mainly

hmm, i have emailed them a question on their M157 tune twice on their website and once through their facebook. havent recieved a reply from either yet. (about 3 - 4 days ago)

Ckim111

You apparently don't know how to read do you? Where did I say I had a 45 minute conversation and another one for 15?

I said that we were on the phone for 15 minutes, during one, yes only one phone conversation I EVER had with him.

And again since you don't know how to comprehend basic English, this post was not about me not getting my money back. In fact our argument wasn't even on me insisting I get my money back, because if you knew how to read, I said he offered to refund my money back right away.

I welcome thoughts or even constructive criticism. But when you fail to read, or fail to understand basic English (and it sure sounds like it's your native language) then I'm sorry because I have no idea how to simplify it for you any better. Have a nice day

mainly

"the ricker" appears to be a real nut job.

i think your expectations that company owners shouldnt treat customers like that are valid. and they dont seem to care about getting back to potential customers messages.. as this has been my experience as well.

Ckim111

Exactly mainly. So if they take 3-5 days to get back to us on simple questions, and fail to own up to this by blaming others, imagine what would happen if you bought a 15k supercharger from them and something broke. In fact there's a long thread on here about someone having an issue with a valve they bought from weistec, and surprise surprise their response was interesting to say the least..

Last I checked this is a forum where people share their experiences. I was simply relaying mine and letting others know what they MAY experience. You would think normal people would appreciate that instead of trying to act like keyboard warriors, and be the cool kid by trying to insult others on here. Makes no sense to me but I guess some are just wired differently lol

Thericker

Here's where you suggest you were on phone for the times mentioned*
(how could he mistake a 45 min conversation for 15 min? Though I've wasted less than 15 min on this thread & already feel like it's been hours you have nit picking & ear pharking down to a fine art form sir..

Ckim111

Ok you just confirmed yet again that you maybe just don't have basic reading comprehension. I never suggested anything. I actually checked my phone when he said ice been wasting 45 minutes of his time and we only talked for 15.

You ask how could he mistake the time? It's quite simple. He didn't. He obviously was pissed off and exaggerated the time.

And lastly, it's not about nit picking. But know this. If you are going to go on the offensive, and make incorrect statements, then don't turn it around to me and say I said something which isn't true. So call it ear pharking or whatever else you like to conjure up. You interjected with a ridiculous incorrect statement, and you got called out and corrected. So keep digging yourself a bigger hole or move along.

Thericker

What a joke, now were supposed to just take your word for it that you checked your phn yada yada Enjoy your evening angry little man

RedBullJnky

Ckim111

Lol not only do you fail at reading, you just proved how immature you are. At first I thought you were just not very bright. But it makes sense now. You are young, and live in your parent's basement, while figuring out what thread to troll on next. Seriously, go out and try to socialize with friends instead of trying to pick fights online. The more you open your mouth, the more you come across as being a tool. I'm done wasting more time on you. Go ahead and keep on trolling kid.

mainly

dude, it was the guy from Weistec that suggested(exaggerated) the phone call to be 45 minutes, not the OP.

and do you really think the op is lying about checking his phone? he wouldnt have went to the trouble of this lengthy informative post if he didnt have a genuine gripe.

urbamworm

You are certainly not alone, there are multiple other guys who spent money on superchargers for the M113k that are having all kinds of trouble with Weistec.

As an outsider looking in their customer service sucks a big fat one.

Merc63

Sounds like you got your panties in a knot, posting here and now your first post on the PL regarding this BS.

Steve is a busy man working to develope this platform. Try to talk to any top engine builders or performance guys in the car, bike, hot rod market, you will get the same response.

They get probably 25guys a day emailing them kicking tires all day,while at the sometime they are developing products and trying to run a business.

I'm sorry but you bought some air filters. If you don't like them, return and move on.

These cars are very finicky with filters, everyone knows this. Mine runs like complete **** with aftermarket filters. I even have the charcoals in. However, other guys run KNs with no problems..



A business exists to make money, you can't honestly expect guys flipping 15k blowers to waste more than 15mins selling you some air filters!! Time is money buddy!!

Now I'd like my 15 mins back I've wasted on this post.

Merc63

Word of advice, don't strap on a blower and expect your car to run like it was stock. You better have a real good understanding of your car and mechanics or a big wallet to pay someone who does!

My buddy just spent 20k on a twin turbo for his viper, it blew up 10 days later... Don't get in over your head.

cls55

Agenda?

Ckim111

All I needed to do was look at your signature to realize why you wrote what you did. And if You too read my post, the problem wasn't over the fact that the air filter did not perform. He offered me a refund initially and we started taking about other possible upgrades until he copped an attitude.

Just because I didn't spend 15k, does that mean I should receive less customer service? If you go to a restaurant and you order a flank steak, should you get less of a service than the guy who ordered a filet mignon? I see some serious flawed logic there

And opening up your thread with the panties remark automatically discredit you from having a brain to hold a logical conversation with. So you too can move on because talking to you makes my brain hurt and I'm done with you

RBYCC

True but without customers a business fails to exist.
The customer with the smallest purchase is as important as a customer with the largest purchase.
"Customer is King" is the rule of a successful business...

Merc63

Ckim sounds like your typical tire kicker. Sounds like he was wasting Steve's time and ours with this useless post to get back at Steve and weistec.

I wrote what I did because I deal with guys like this all the time, 600 questions and then they say ok thank you, now I'll move on to my 20th quote.

I've learned a long time ago you can't make everyone happy. Some people just expect way too much. Ya youre a customer, I get it, but you're not royalty either, get a grip on reality.


I'm constantly called a fan boy,be it for MHP headers now weistec lol. I praise what has worked good for ME and been a good experience. I'm very candid about it.

Rafiki

Take it easy guys

urbamworm

Don't make excuses for him/them because that is all you are doing. If he can't handle the heat then get out of the kitchen. Plain and simple if he is not capable of running a business because he has his time busy elsewhere and it should be expected for poor customer service to exist then he needs others to do the work for him or do the customer side of things for him. No ifs and or buts about it. It is a pretty easy concept.

Every single one of these cars already had a blower on them, they all come stock with one and the one that didn't already had a different aftermarket blower on it and it ran 10s on 93 octane so I would say it ran just fine.

Again, quit making excuses for Weistec, it is plain ****ty. There is no way around, they are absolutely terrible when it comes to their customers. People buy their blowers and then can't get tunes from them, others get tunes that don't work and Weistec just keeps postponing to make it right. This isn't an isolated case, this is all over. Enough with the excuses, they need help or something because their business for people other than making pretty parts just plain sucks. Even their biggest customer/fanboy JRCart has said there have always been tons of missed deadlines/heart ache, etc on his experiences with them when trying to get stuff done. Yes in the end his stuff worked how it should but it took more to get there than one should expect.

Steve/Weistec is clearly in over his head and it seems to get worse as each day passes.

Ckim111

Well said urbamworm. I expected the above type of fanboy responses. But what's hilarious is a guy who buys a 15 k supercharger for a c class acting like he is so superior because I chose not to buy 15k worth stuff that many have had problems with.

I could go and list out how I spent 10k on forged rims and attack someone because they spent 2k on wheels and received ****ty customer service. But that would be me stooping to fanboy level status which I refuse to do..

You would think I offended these guy's mom or something. All I have done is shared my experience. Don't pass judgement because your experience wasn't the same as mine. No company, and I mean NO company ever has 100 percent satisfaction rate. But when you start to see and hear a lot of people with negative experiences, then you need to wonder who really is at fault

And before anyone else says I'm the type to complain about a purchase I am not happy about, you need to re read my post again. This was never about me being unhappy about the air filter. That was not the premise of this post. It was about his attitude. And I have spent a lot of money on mods to my car which I gladly repaid for if I was not happy with my initial selection. But when you sell stuff that doesn't work, don't go huffing and puffing and give off attitude like you're the victim

FASN8N

This is good feedback to hear and will require more thought in the future when it comes time to buy a SC upgrade.

When I had my Z06, I met the guys from MTI at Road Atlanta and inquired about some small items. They blew me off when I was not ready to talk about an open checkbook build. Too bad because they lost a lot of business when I had Vengeance Racing do the rest of the build on my Z06.

General business rule of thumb, always take care of the "little" guy, you don't know how deep their pockets are or who they may refer to you.

Also, I don't understand businesses that can't respond to email within a day. I get it, you are busy and don't have time to respond, but hire someone to respond to emails for you.

I answer client emails 24/7. I may not give them a full response initially, but I at least acknowledge their request and give them an idea of when I will take care of their request.

Merc63

No it's not plain and simple, that's what you don't get, who knows his product better than him. Now he's going to try train someone to answer all of ckims 1.2 million questions, then ckim will make a post how weistec needs to better train their staff to answer all my 1.2 million questions. You just can't win with whiners like this.

We aren't talking E55s, he has a E63.


I think we just need to grasp reality more. How much time do you think someone can put towards supporting an air filter sale.. Really? Customer service yes, but the line has to be drawn somewhere, that you can only spend X amount of time with a guy before you must move on..


When I call these guys or email them I have my questions almost answered from taking time on my end to do my research. I'm just looking to clairify a few things.


Try talk to any top performance guys and you will hands down get the same response. Time is money and they have limited time to **** around with cry babies.

Weistec told me a few days for my tranny, it took weeks. I understand ppl are busy, it will be done when it's done. If you're experienced in modding cars, you will learn to have patience lol.


This is why we have mbworld, make some posts, get some answers and have fun.

Merc63

"We talked further, and when I asked him the best way to reach him, he said email. I stated that if it takes him 5 days to respond to emails, something is wrong. He said emails normally goes to his sales team first. I let him know that if it takes them 5 days to send him an email maybe they should be fired. "

If a guy tried to tell me how to run my business that I didnt know over the phone, I would have probably hung up on him!


L