Beware Of Maryland Speed Vendor
07-26-2017, 07:46 AM
#1
Pro
Thread Starter
Beware Of Maryland Speed Vendor
Hi Guys/Gals,
So basically this thread is my personal experience I have had with this vendor. I really want to let people know my experience so they can make a smart decision when purchasing parts. So after a lot of research I decided to add a set of LT Kook Headers on my C7. Along with a matching X-pipe. I glanced over the vendors trying to see who had the best deal. Well like you all have probably seen Maryland Speed had a few post offering huge discounts on certain parts. So like any normal person I decided to save some money and take my business to Maryland Speed. I spoke to Branden Jan 04 2017 inquiring about Kook LT and X-pipe. After my research I decided to go with the Green X-pipe to prevent any CEL issues. Branden asked if I wanted coating I decided to go ahead and add that option. All together my total cost including shipping to Hawaii was 2K. Before we got off the phone I asked when should I expect to receive my order. Branden informed me that I would be looking at the end of March. I was ok with that time frame. So March roles around and I haven't heard anything on the order. I wait until the end of the month to give Branden a call for an update. When I called I was told that the headers and X-pipe would be heading over to the coater at the end of the month. I received an email notification that my header was shipped to the coater on March 23, 2017. Basically I thought everything was on track. Now it is April no update what so ever on my order no phone call no email or anything. I had to call multiple times through the month of April to get updates. To my surprise I was informed that my X-pipe was at the coater and they were expecting a shipment in for my headers. So basically my order wasn't complete at all just partial. So the month of May rolls around and I am trying to maintain my bearing and not loose my cool. I called to get updates throughout the month and received the same BS story still waiting on headers to come in. At this point I wanted my money back. This was the response I received
Branden F. (MarylandSpeed)
May 3, 18:15 ADT
Hello,
As of right now your headers are at the coater and should ship next week to you. The X-pipe is shipping to you today or tomorrow. I understand the delay is frustrating.
The main issue here is the discount. We discounted this order $430, plus were shipping it to HI for free. That makes the value of the discounts near $700. When we discount this much, we can only source the headers on a stock order from Kooks vs. buying from wholesalers. Basically the money to make it right, or fix a delay like this is gone up front. At this point the order is too old and I get that. That is why we got the parts from a wholesaler and took a loss on it. The flipside is, I also know what my competitors charge, and unless you buy something used, our discount has significant value to you.
We are making a number of changes to fix the issue moving forward, which unfortunately also means charging more so we have the wholesale option when an order takes this long. If you have any questions, please contact me @ 443-730-9428.
Branden F.
www.marylandspeed.com
Honestly if I was told in the beginning that I needed to cover shipment I could have. I feel like it was more than just a shipping problem. So after the response above I really feel like I was getting ripped off. So June roles around and I expressed my concern on how disappointed with the customer service I have received. I explained to Branden that weeks go by with no updates. I told him I don't expect to receive a phone call every week, but maybe an email update of some sort just to keep the customer updated. After I expressed my concerns Branden offered to refund my money back if he couldn't get my order shipped by June 16. Once again that time comes and goes and I still didn't get a shipment date. I got an email notification that he tired to call me, but my phone stays on 24/7 due to my job and I rarely miss a call. The email notification stated to give him a call the following Monday June 19 . Basically the update was that there was an issue with the coater and he needs to give the coater a brand new set of headers and X-pipe.
At this point I am extremely pissed and I lose my cool just a bit. I explained to Branden my order is 28weeks old and this is unacceptable. He follows up with I can send you a set of uncoated headers and X-pipe and refund you the money back for coating. I told him that wasn't my original order and I want what I paid for. Then he begins to lecture me on how when he offers to send people headers and they get them coated their self no one wants to do it. I said well thats not the customers responsiblity and you offered a service that you basically are backing out on. I said its not the customers fault and they shouldn't have to comprise on paid orders. I took a few breaths and told him to just ship me uncoated Headers and X-pipe. We fast forward to June 21, 2017 my order was finally shipped out. Branden agreed to give me a refund for the coating. So as a test I decided to see if he would call in reference to my refund check. I received the headers looked them over and there were no issues. Almost a week passes no communication from Branden again. I again had to call him in reference to my refund check. He informed me that he wanted to make sure I got the order and was happy with it. I am sure he could have tracked the order just like I did to make sure I received the order. The refund check was sent out on July 6, 2017. So it literally took me about 6mths to get my order that wasn't my original order and a refund check for coating services.
Honestly the discounts and savings aren't worth the *** pain. Hopefully, this experience will help is making smart choices when ordered parts. After my experience I looked through the forums and found threads containing information of similar issues people have had with this vendor. When it comes to Maryland Speed I would think twice about order parts through this vendor.
So basically this thread is my personal experience I have had with this vendor. I really want to let people know my experience so they can make a smart decision when purchasing parts. So after a lot of research I decided to add a set of LT Kook Headers on my C7. Along with a matching X-pipe. I glanced over the vendors trying to see who had the best deal. Well like you all have probably seen Maryland Speed had a few post offering huge discounts on certain parts. So like any normal person I decided to save some money and take my business to Maryland Speed. I spoke to Branden Jan 04 2017 inquiring about Kook LT and X-pipe. After my research I decided to go with the Green X-pipe to prevent any CEL issues. Branden asked if I wanted coating I decided to go ahead and add that option. All together my total cost including shipping to Hawaii was 2K. Before we got off the phone I asked when should I expect to receive my order. Branden informed me that I would be looking at the end of March. I was ok with that time frame. So March roles around and I haven't heard anything on the order. I wait until the end of the month to give Branden a call for an update. When I called I was told that the headers and X-pipe would be heading over to the coater at the end of the month. I received an email notification that my header was shipped to the coater on March 23, 2017. Basically I thought everything was on track. Now it is April no update what so ever on my order no phone call no email or anything. I had to call multiple times through the month of April to get updates. To my surprise I was informed that my X-pipe was at the coater and they were expecting a shipment in for my headers. So basically my order wasn't complete at all just partial. So the month of May rolls around and I am trying to maintain my bearing and not loose my cool. I called to get updates throughout the month and received the same BS story still waiting on headers to come in. At this point I wanted my money back. This was the response I received
Branden F. (MarylandSpeed)
May 3, 18:15 ADT
Hello,
As of right now your headers are at the coater and should ship next week to you. The X-pipe is shipping to you today or tomorrow. I understand the delay is frustrating.
The main issue here is the discount. We discounted this order $430, plus were shipping it to HI for free. That makes the value of the discounts near $700. When we discount this much, we can only source the headers on a stock order from Kooks vs. buying from wholesalers. Basically the money to make it right, or fix a delay like this is gone up front. At this point the order is too old and I get that. That is why we got the parts from a wholesaler and took a loss on it. The flipside is, I also know what my competitors charge, and unless you buy something used, our discount has significant value to you.
We are making a number of changes to fix the issue moving forward, which unfortunately also means charging more so we have the wholesale option when an order takes this long. If you have any questions, please contact me @ 443-730-9428.
Branden F.
www.marylandspeed.com
Honestly if I was told in the beginning that I needed to cover shipment I could have. I feel like it was more than just a shipping problem. So after the response above I really feel like I was getting ripped off. So June roles around and I expressed my concern on how disappointed with the customer service I have received. I explained to Branden that weeks go by with no updates. I told him I don't expect to receive a phone call every week, but maybe an email update of some sort just to keep the customer updated. After I expressed my concerns Branden offered to refund my money back if he couldn't get my order shipped by June 16. Once again that time comes and goes and I still didn't get a shipment date. I got an email notification that he tired to call me, but my phone stays on 24/7 due to my job and I rarely miss a call. The email notification stated to give him a call the following Monday June 19 . Basically the update was that there was an issue with the coater and he needs to give the coater a brand new set of headers and X-pipe.
At this point I am extremely pissed and I lose my cool just a bit. I explained to Branden my order is 28weeks old and this is unacceptable. He follows up with I can send you a set of uncoated headers and X-pipe and refund you the money back for coating. I told him that wasn't my original order and I want what I paid for. Then he begins to lecture me on how when he offers to send people headers and they get them coated their self no one wants to do it. I said well thats not the customers responsiblity and you offered a service that you basically are backing out on. I said its not the customers fault and they shouldn't have to comprise on paid orders. I took a few breaths and told him to just ship me uncoated Headers and X-pipe. We fast forward to June 21, 2017 my order was finally shipped out. Branden agreed to give me a refund for the coating. So as a test I decided to see if he would call in reference to my refund check. I received the headers looked them over and there were no issues. Almost a week passes no communication from Branden again. I again had to call him in reference to my refund check. He informed me that he wanted to make sure I got the order and was happy with it. I am sure he could have tracked the order just like I did to make sure I received the order. The refund check was sent out on July 6, 2017. So it literally took me about 6mths to get my order that wasn't my original order and a refund check for coating services.Honestly the discounts and savings aren't worth the *** pain. Hopefully, this experience will help is making smart choices when ordered parts. After my experience I looked through the forums and found threads containing information of similar issues people have had with this vendor. When it comes to Maryland Speed I would think twice about order parts through this vendor.
07-26-2017, 08:10 AM
#2
Race Director
that really sucks, and i get your frustration. i ordered my ATAK from them, and they were great... beat everyones price and i had it in 3 days. i agree he should have been better at keeping in contact.
07-26-2017, 08:53 AM
#3
Racer
I've always believed that internet shopping is a double edged sword; When purchasing.. you can get really good deals... sellers undercut everyone they can, to make a sale.... but the profit margin is so small or none just to make a sale that they drag their *** when things go awry.
As a small business owner, there is nothing that comes to bite me in the *** worse than when you try to help someone out and give them a deal, it always turns into a nightmare. It is so much better to make a proper profit and back it up with good customer service.
As a small business owner, there is nothing that comes to bite me in the *** worse than when you try to help someone out and give them a deal, it always turns into a nightmare. It is so much better to make a proper profit and back it up with good customer service.
07-26-2017, 09:24 AM
#4
I too had a very similar issue when I ordered the same thing except that I didn't order the coating. I was originally told 2 to 3 weeks, which would have been perfectly fine. It ended up being closer to 9 weeks. I simply thought that it was a one-off anomaly, but later did some searching on line and found multiple similar experiences noted on various car forums regarding the same vendor. So if you don't mind waiting several months to save some cash, this might not be a bad route, but if you want things in a relative hurry, proceed with caution...
07-26-2017, 10:12 AM
#5
Burning Brakes
I have ordered parts from Maryland Speed 4 times with no issues ... great customer service and delivery was within 2 days...Im pretty sure my parts were in stock so no big deal....I belong to a Camaro club as I have a 2010 SS as well as my ZO6..... My Camaro buddies love Kooks headers ...but I have heard multiple stories about the wait and delays in getting them at a good price due to the minimum order requirements Kooks has for its direct distributors.......so sounds like if you want the best price you have to wait..... but of course they should keep you updated
07-26-2017, 10:17 AM
#6
Team Owner
So basically they advertised something at a certain price/discount, and now are bitching that they have to actually fulfill the order? Absolutely ridiculous. If they're going to screw you over because they now have to jump through hoops to actually sell something that they advertised, they are definitely a vendor to avoid.
07-26-2017, 12:57 PM
#8
Drifting
Definitely sounds like a shady way of doing business. I will avoid them. Thanks for the heads up.
07-26-2017, 03:49 PM
#10
Former Vendor
This order went long, and I can fall on the sword for that. We are working to clean up the C7 header delays especially, and that should be in the next two weeks.
It is important to understand that many of our customers have received large discounts. Additionally we often do coating for free. Many of our competitors do not offer coating. To do this, the parts have to come in on stock orders. We cannot buy from wholesalers or middlemen like competitors. The orders take longer. This is listed on our website in the shipping notes, the order terms, and invoices. If you want something fast and tell us up front..we can do that. We do promised delivery all the time, but it is basically at near website sale price. If you get hundreds off, you get it when it comes in on our stock order. We are not shy that there will be a wait.
This order frankly became a disaster because we were trying to help someone in HI with a great price, but boxed our self in on how the order could be filled.
In this case, the customer received basically a 20% discount and FREE shipping to HI, which is $300-400 in value. Basically, the total discounts had value over $700. On top of that it had coating, and green cats which are special order and take forever.The problem is, this plain limited what I could do. I could not even dropship it because I had to ship it on my UPS account. The green cats were not stocked at a wholesaler for me to fix the issue when it got too old.
When it got too old on one of our last phone calls, he said he did not want to wait for the coating, and could get it locally. I said fine..I will send them uncoated and refund the coating. Now not only did I refund the coating which cost $140..I refunded him another $400(!). Yet now he is complaining they are not coated? I would have been better off coating them than refunding $400.
At the end of the day, he spent $1600 for Kooks headers, and green cats with no coating SHIPPED to HI. Some places sell the X-pipe for that before shipping. Go shop and see how good a deal that is. Like places charge $1000 more for this stuff. I never would sell these parts this cheap but initially I was trying to help someone in HI, and in the end, I plain felt like I would fall on the sword and lose a bit of money to make this right so I would not have someone upset posting like this. I guess I was wrong.
The honest answer is, I would have been better off to cancel his order when he first requested. I did not do that because I hate to see someone wait, only to be tossed out on the street with a refund to spend 20% more somewhere else. It's like going in a restaurant, complaining about the wait, and the staff being like...well you can go somewhere else. I would rather try an offer them compensation and make it right.
Again...in terms of waits..especially on the C7 headers, things are getting better fast. But in this case, despite the wait, anyone can look and see that this customer paid very near 50% of what other places would have charged to get the parts to HI. I did my best to take care of it to the point of losing hundreds of dollars
Lastly, I am sorry for the issue this customer had, and frankly moving forward we will cancel stuff before it gets this old if it cannot be shipped in a reasonable time. However my experience has been..customers who do cancel, and go elsewhere to get them faster do pay but more and end up with uncoated headers because no one else does them at a reasonable price.
It is important to understand that many of our customers have received large discounts. Additionally we often do coating for free. Many of our competitors do not offer coating. To do this, the parts have to come in on stock orders. We cannot buy from wholesalers or middlemen like competitors. The orders take longer. This is listed on our website in the shipping notes, the order terms, and invoices. If you want something fast and tell us up front..we can do that. We do promised delivery all the time, but it is basically at near website sale price. If you get hundreds off, you get it when it comes in on our stock order. We are not shy that there will be a wait.
This order frankly became a disaster because we were trying to help someone in HI with a great price, but boxed our self in on how the order could be filled.
In this case, the customer received basically a 20% discount and FREE shipping to HI, which is $300-400 in value. Basically, the total discounts had value over $700. On top of that it had coating, and green cats which are special order and take forever.The problem is, this plain limited what I could do. I could not even dropship it because I had to ship it on my UPS account. The green cats were not stocked at a wholesaler for me to fix the issue when it got too old.
When it got too old on one of our last phone calls, he said he did not want to wait for the coating, and could get it locally. I said fine..I will send them uncoated and refund the coating. Now not only did I refund the coating which cost $140..I refunded him another $400(!). Yet now he is complaining they are not coated? I would have been better off coating them than refunding $400.
At the end of the day, he spent $1600 for Kooks headers, and green cats with no coating SHIPPED to HI. Some places sell the X-pipe for that before shipping. Go shop and see how good a deal that is. Like places charge $1000 more for this stuff. I never would sell these parts this cheap but initially I was trying to help someone in HI, and in the end, I plain felt like I would fall on the sword and lose a bit of money to make this right so I would not have someone upset posting like this. I guess I was wrong.
The honest answer is, I would have been better off to cancel his order when he first requested. I did not do that because I hate to see someone wait, only to be tossed out on the street with a refund to spend 20% more somewhere else. It's like going in a restaurant, complaining about the wait, and the staff being like...well you can go somewhere else. I would rather try an offer them compensation and make it right.
Again...in terms of waits..especially on the C7 headers, things are getting better fast. But in this case, despite the wait, anyone can look and see that this customer paid very near 50% of what other places would have charged to get the parts to HI. I did my best to take care of it to the point of losing hundreds of dollars
Lastly, I am sorry for the issue this customer had, and frankly moving forward we will cancel stuff before it gets this old if it cannot be shipped in a reasonable time. However my experience has been..customers who do cancel, and go elsewhere to get them faster do pay but more and end up with uncoated headers because no one else does them at a reasonable price.
Last edited by MarylandSpeed; 07-26-2017 at 04:07 PM.
07-26-2017, 04:39 PM
#11
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Vendor has responded and parts delivered, so this thread will be closed per TF rules.