Maryland Speed warning
12-12-2017, 07:47 PM
#1
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Maryland Speed warning
Just a warning to anyone looking for headers or other parts. I ordered headers from Maryland Speed Sept 11, was told to expect them in 3-4 weeks. It’s now over 3 months (13 weeks) they can’t say when it will ship (I’ve been told soon or next one out from coaster for 2 months). They refuse to refund my money. Never had an experience like this with any vendor. I’m not telling you who to buy from. Just don’t buy from Maryland speed. Buyer beware.
12-12-2017, 08:39 PM
#2
Race Director
Member Since: Mar 2001
Location: Bonneville Salt Flats, 223mph Aug. '04
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You might wish to have your lawyer drop them a letter.
After 30 days (as I recall off-hand) it is against the law to not give you the chance to cancel your order, unless when they told you they were back-ordered you "authorized" the delay. Even then, I think they are required to give you the option of cancelling every 30 days thereafter. But, your or our attorneys here can advise/clarify what your rights are. Good luck!!!
After 30 days (as I recall off-hand) it is against the law to not give you the chance to cancel your order, unless when they told you they were back-ordered you "authorized" the delay. Even then, I think they are required to give you the option of cancelling every 30 days thereafter. But, your or our attorneys here can advise/clarify what your rights are. Good luck!!!
12-12-2017, 11:31 PM
#3
This is standard issue practice with Maryland Speed. I have a couple of friends who regretted ordering from them. Their favorite reply to a ETA request is 2 more weeks.
Last edited by Poppacapp; 12-12-2017 at 11:31 PM.
12-13-2017, 12:11 AM
#4
Drifting
Wow, what a bunch of sh1bags!
Why are they allowed to pedal their merchandise here?
Now, that being said, I ordered Kooks for my C6 & C7 from them and did not have an issue.
Given your experience, I won't buy anything else from them.
Wouldn't your CC company be able to tell them to go pound sand?
Why are they allowed to pedal their merchandise here?
Now, that being said, I ordered Kooks for my C6 & C7 from them and did not have an issue.
Given your experience, I won't buy anything else from them.
Wouldn't your CC company be able to tell them to go pound sand?
Last edited by Newton06; 12-13-2017 at 12:12 AM.
12-13-2017, 01:32 AM
#5
Drifting
I agree with all of this ^^^ . I dealt with them once. After 7 weeks of "next week", I filed a dispute with my CC company. Days after my CC acknowledged my dispute, I received my first self-initiated email from them (Maryland Speed) and curiously, my merch showed up ~4 days after my CC acknowledgement--that was prolly 6 or 7 days after I filed online with the CC company. Never again.
Last edited by dork; 12-13-2017 at 01:32 AM.
12-13-2017, 06:30 AM
#6
Sr.Random input generator
+1, I filed a dispute after 3 months of waiting, trying to cancel, ordering something else instead and not getting it, either. Terrible experience.
12-13-2017, 12:45 PM
#7
Le Mans Master
i agree with all of the above. going through the same thing, i could explain what is going on, but i better be tight lipped for a bit. this friday is for wks for me. this morning email says, if it doesn t ship this week will be next week for sure. i can see that dragging on. not going to happen with me.
very poor customer service. if you want genuine details i can what is happening with them in
pm
very poor customer service. if you want genuine details i can what is happening with them in
pm
12-13-2017, 03:28 PM
#10
Former Vendor
How many threads are you going to post?
My response is going to be the same as it always has been. You can get things cheap or fast. Yeah...maybe a manufacturer has something on the shelf. If you want it fast, pay them full retail, or pay our website price. Otherwise if we discount them, you will wait depending on how we source parts. In terms of billing, I am not going to go out and buy $1000 plus headers, and in many cases coat them, only to hope when they are done people pay for them. Most people don't need performance mods, so needs and priorities change on a whim. We cannot sell at the margins we do and be left high and dry because someone changes their mind. Hence the strict order terms, and billing up front.
I personally think it is disingenuous to accept a set of terms in exchange for a discount, then cry all over the internet to try and get faster service.
In terms of the BBB, we have a B rating in complaints where they moderate. They know how we do business and have a copy of our terms on file. The BBB does have a review section, which is not moderated in anyway. People post lies there under fake names all the time and there is nothing we can do about it. I call it the bathroom wall of the internet. If we have processed 110K plus orders and have 20 or so half truthful bad reviews on the BBB I can accept that.
As far as a further explanation I will just repost what I posted here-
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1595487559
My response is going to be the same as it always has been. You can get things cheap or fast. Yeah...maybe a manufacturer has something on the shelf. If you want it fast, pay them full retail, or pay our website price. Otherwise if we discount them, you will wait depending on how we source parts. In terms of billing, I am not going to go out and buy $1000 plus headers, and in many cases coat them, only to hope when they are done people pay for them. Most people don't need performance mods, so needs and priorities change on a whim. We cannot sell at the margins we do and be left high and dry because someone changes their mind. Hence the strict order terms, and billing up front.
I personally think it is disingenuous to accept a set of terms in exchange for a discount, then cry all over the internet to try and get faster service.
In terms of the BBB, we have a B rating in complaints where they moderate. They know how we do business and have a copy of our terms on file. The BBB does have a review section, which is not moderated in anyway. People post lies there under fake names all the time and there is nothing we can do about it. I call it the bathroom wall of the internet. If we have processed 110K plus orders and have 20 or so half truthful bad reviews on the BBB I can accept that.
As far as a further explanation I will just repost what I posted here-
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1595487559
I have been out the office this week because of a close relative passing, and just saw these replies.
The ultimate answer is we can do cheap or fast. We cannot do both. A lot of our competitors do not offer coating, and charge more to buy from wholesalers. The wholesalers have the parts in stock because they charge more for them. So the answer is yes, you can buy somewhere else and often get Kooks immediately. But it costs more. We can do the same thing if don't want a big discount.
The problem we have is every comes to us wanting the best price. That is the need. You mention a wait and they don't care with a big discount. Saving money is the need. As you can see below, we are very clear about how we do business with the discounts.
Then magically after money changes hands, the need turns into "how fast can I get them". Then the longer it takes, the more it turns into "lets turn up the pressure"...with posts like here and so forth. Nobody really wants to cancel, because elsewhere costs $100s more. It's basically an unhappy marriage where no one wants to leave. I don't want to lose a sale, and the customer does not want to pay more.
I make notes when I take orders. And I have people who I tell "Dude you will wait"..and they are like "for that price I don't care". So I note that internal order notes. Then you see them here upset about how long it has been.
Below in the quotes is where we list delays and try and be up front.
As you can see, we tell people up front on their invoices that-
- They will not get updates
- ETAs are not promised
- Do not book an install until you get the parts.
Yet still people complain they did not updates, we did not deliver in the promised time, and they missed two booked installs.
Now this is not every sale. A lot of customers understand and are fine with the wait. Also a lot of customers have their orders ship early. The problem is, even if we hit our 3-5 week ETA on coated headers, that won't impress someone enough to complement us since people expect mail order to be next day now. We have had extended delays on a few parts, but that seems to be clearing. On average though we meet our ETA's.
It is important to understand that we don't go to the effort to disclaim there will be delays and have pretty strict terms like below if we were not trying to be up front. Those terms cost me sales all the time because someone will come in a say that they want a discount...then ask to have it in a week and we tell them no. Also, no other dealer goes to the level we do to express there may be delays.
Listed in every Kooks part in the shipping notes:
Listed on every Kooks invoice along with link to terms. (emailed to customer with note in email to review in 24 hours and reply with any problems)-
Listed in the order terms agreed to at checkout-
The ultimate answer is we can do cheap or fast. We cannot do both. A lot of our competitors do not offer coating, and charge more to buy from wholesalers. The wholesalers have the parts in stock because they charge more for them. So the answer is yes, you can buy somewhere else and often get Kooks immediately. But it costs more. We can do the same thing if don't want a big discount.
The problem we have is every comes to us wanting the best price. That is the need. You mention a wait and they don't care with a big discount. Saving money is the need. As you can see below, we are very clear about how we do business with the discounts.
Then magically after money changes hands, the need turns into "how fast can I get them". Then the longer it takes, the more it turns into "lets turn up the pressure"...with posts like here and so forth. Nobody really wants to cancel, because elsewhere costs $100s more. It's basically an unhappy marriage where no one wants to leave. I don't want to lose a sale, and the customer does not want to pay more.
I make notes when I take orders. And I have people who I tell "Dude you will wait"..and they are like "for that price I don't care". So I note that internal order notes. Then you see them here upset about how long it has been.
Below in the quotes is where we list delays and try and be up front.
As you can see, we tell people up front on their invoices that-
- They will not get updates
- ETAs are not promised
- Do not book an install until you get the parts.
Yet still people complain they did not updates, we did not deliver in the promised time, and they missed two booked installs.
Now this is not every sale. A lot of customers understand and are fine with the wait. Also a lot of customers have their orders ship early. The problem is, even if we hit our 3-5 week ETA on coated headers, that won't impress someone enough to complement us since people expect mail order to be next day now. We have had extended delays on a few parts, but that seems to be clearing. On average though we meet our ETA's.
It is important to understand that we don't go to the effort to disclaim there will be delays and have pretty strict terms like below if we were not trying to be up front. Those terms cost me sales all the time because someone will come in a say that they want a discount...then ask to have it in a week and we tell them no. Also, no other dealer goes to the level we do to express there may be delays.
Listed in every Kooks part in the shipping notes:
Quote:
Kooks headers and exhaust are a handmade specialty product, and in many cases made to order. Once an order is in processing status, we cannot cancel your order. Orders for uncoated Kooks headers can take an estimated 2-4 weeks. Orders for coated headers can take an estimated 3-5 weeks. These are estimates, not promises. Do not book an installation until you have a tracking number. Orders for 2”, stepped, or limited production vehicles may take longer. If you have a shipping time concern, please contact us prior to purchase as we have added cost options for faster delivery. Do not order coated headers if you need a promised delivery date without contacting us first. In order to offer the pricing we do on this line, we must strictly enforce this policy. Kooks headers are sold for off road use only. They are not street legal.
Kooks headers and exhaust are a handmade specialty product, and in many cases made to order. Once an order is in processing status, we cannot cancel your order. Orders for uncoated Kooks headers can take an estimated 2-4 weeks. Orders for coated headers can take an estimated 3-5 weeks. These are estimates, not promises. Do not book an installation until you have a tracking number. Orders for 2”, stepped, or limited production vehicles may take longer. If you have a shipping time concern, please contact us prior to purchase as we have added cost options for faster delivery. Do not order coated headers if you need a promised delivery date without contacting us first. In order to offer the pricing we do on this line, we must strictly enforce this policy. Kooks headers are sold for off road use only. They are not street legal.
Quote:
Coated Orders-
Estimated 3-5 Weeks (Estimated, not promise)- Special Order- No Cancelations- Do not book install until you have parts. You will not receive updates unless you contact us until it ships.
Uncoated Orders
Estimated 2-3 Weeks (Estimated, not promise)- Special Order- No Cancelations- Do not book install until you have parts. You will not receive updates unless you contact us until it ships.
Sent to people after ordering coated headers-
Coated Orders-
Estimated 3-5 Weeks (Estimated, not promise)- Special Order- No Cancelations- Do not book install until you have parts. You will not receive updates unless you contact us until it ships.
Uncoated Orders
Estimated 2-3 Weeks (Estimated, not promise)- Special Order- No Cancelations- Do not book install until you have parts. You will not receive updates unless you contact us until it ships.
Sent to people after ordering coated headers-
Quote:
The entire MarylandSpeed Staff would like to thank you for your coated header purchase! Installing headers is one of the best, most rewarding bolt on modifications available for your car. They will make a true seat of the pants difference in how your car performs!
We understand this may be one of the largest purchases you make for your car. We respect that you have chosen to spend this amount of money with us, and wanted to take a minute to explain up front the process for receiving a coated header from MarylandSpeed.
In your research, you may have noticed that we offer ceramic coating for significantly less than our competitors. In order for us to offer the ceramic coating at the price we do, we have to work with both Kooks, and the coater to get the best price possible in order to pass on. We do not call Kooks and say “Hey, send a header to the coater for this person”. Instead, we place large stocking orders with Kooks to get the best price possible, and then fill the orders as stock shows up. This means that every week, Kooks sends us a large stocking shipment from what they have made. We then use this shipment to fill orders on a first come, first served basis. Because of the handmade nature of Kooks, and high demand, there is often a running backorder on parts. Based on that, we expect your headers to be here in an estimated 1-3 weeks, and then take a week or two to coat. Again, these are estimated times, and your wait may be a little sooner or a little later. You also may receive one part before the other because Kooks makes headers and connection pipes at different times.
You will be provided notification of shipment for your parts to the coater and to your location as each occurs. We cannot however provide running updates because we often do not know what is on our shipments from Kooks until the day they show up. Because of this, and the custom nature of the coating, we ask that you do not book an installation appointment until you at least have tracking for all your parts. It is an even better idea to wait till you have them in hand, and can verify there are no damages, shortages, or defects. The last thing we want is for you to miss an install date because Kooks miss an ETA, or the headers did not get coated fast enough.
While we are set up to provide the coating at the best price possible, we do have added cost options for faster delivery. If you require expedited delivery, or delivery by a set date, please reply to this email explaining your situation. Depending on the part, we may have some options that can make the order move faster, such as dropshipping from the manufacturer, expedited shipping or rushing the coating.
Thanks for your business, and understanding of this process so we can bring you the best product at the best prices!
The entire MarylandSpeed Staff would like to thank you for your coated header purchase! Installing headers is one of the best, most rewarding bolt on modifications available for your car. They will make a true seat of the pants difference in how your car performs!
We understand this may be one of the largest purchases you make for your car. We respect that you have chosen to spend this amount of money with us, and wanted to take a minute to explain up front the process for receiving a coated header from MarylandSpeed.
In your research, you may have noticed that we offer ceramic coating for significantly less than our competitors. In order for us to offer the ceramic coating at the price we do, we have to work with both Kooks, and the coater to get the best price possible in order to pass on. We do not call Kooks and say “Hey, send a header to the coater for this person”. Instead, we place large stocking orders with Kooks to get the best price possible, and then fill the orders as stock shows up. This means that every week, Kooks sends us a large stocking shipment from what they have made. We then use this shipment to fill orders on a first come, first served basis. Because of the handmade nature of Kooks, and high demand, there is often a running backorder on parts. Based on that, we expect your headers to be here in an estimated 1-3 weeks, and then take a week or two to coat. Again, these are estimated times, and your wait may be a little sooner or a little later. You also may receive one part before the other because Kooks makes headers and connection pipes at different times.
You will be provided notification of shipment for your parts to the coater and to your location as each occurs. We cannot however provide running updates because we often do not know what is on our shipments from Kooks until the day they show up. Because of this, and the custom nature of the coating, we ask that you do not book an installation appointment until you at least have tracking for all your parts. It is an even better idea to wait till you have them in hand, and can verify there are no damages, shortages, or defects. The last thing we want is for you to miss an install date because Kooks miss an ETA, or the headers did not get coated fast enough.
While we are set up to provide the coating at the best price possible, we do have added cost options for faster delivery. If you require expedited delivery, or delivery by a set date, please reply to this email explaining your situation. Depending on the part, we may have some options that can make the order move faster, such as dropshipping from the manufacturer, expedited shipping or rushing the coating.
Thanks for your business, and understanding of this process so we can bring you the best product at the best prices!
Quote:
Discount Policy-
While our website already offers great sale pricing, in many cases we may offer additional package or promotional discounts beyond the standard website sale price. We pride ourselves on having the best price, and want to give you the best deals possible. These discounts may be offered on the phone, or through the chat feature of the website as a coupon code.
When we offer these additional package discounts, delivery time WILL be impacted in many cases. As we discount more, where and how we can source the parts for your order is impacted. For instance a 10% discount on a part can eliminate many of the suppliers we can source the part from on price alone. Or for another example, you may be offered a discount because we have a stock order coming in with that part and we got an extra discount. The order may not ship until that stock order gets here rather than being dropshipped as a one off from a wholesaler.
If you need the part by a certain time, PLEASE STOP THE PURCHASE PROCESS NOW and discuss it with the sales rep who is offering you the discount. It is the customers responsibility to communicate any time delivery time needs at the time of purchase as it impacts how much of a discount we can give. In order to keep prices low, we do not cancel orders, or accept non defective returns on orders with additional discounts beyond website sale price.
By accepting the discount, you agree to these terms.
Discount Policy-
While our website already offers great sale pricing, in many cases we may offer additional package or promotional discounts beyond the standard website sale price. We pride ourselves on having the best price, and want to give you the best deals possible. These discounts may be offered on the phone, or through the chat feature of the website as a coupon code.
When we offer these additional package discounts, delivery time WILL be impacted in many cases. As we discount more, where and how we can source the parts for your order is impacted. For instance a 10% discount on a part can eliminate many of the suppliers we can source the part from on price alone. Or for another example, you may be offered a discount because we have a stock order coming in with that part and we got an extra discount. The order may not ship until that stock order gets here rather than being dropshipped as a one off from a wholesaler.
If you need the part by a certain time, PLEASE STOP THE PURCHASE PROCESS NOW and discuss it with the sales rep who is offering you the discount. It is the customers responsibility to communicate any time delivery time needs at the time of purchase as it impacts how much of a discount we can give. In order to keep prices low, we do not cancel orders, or accept non defective returns on orders with additional discounts beyond website sale price.
By accepting the discount, you agree to these terms.
12-13-2017, 04:29 PM
#11
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Member Since: Jul 2000
Location: About 1100 miles from where I call home. Blue lives matter.
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Vendor has responded, closing per TF rules.
Please do not continue to repeat these threads here or in other areas of the forum.
Please do not continue to repeat these threads here or in other areas of the forum.