Issues with Billy Boat Exhaust
#1
Racer
Thread Starter
Issues with Billy Boat Exhaust
I hate that its gotten to this point but, here we go.
As some from the c5 section may know, I had some fitment issues with a PRT exhaust I recently purchased from BBE. I did a fair amount of troubleshooting and adjusting but no matter what the passenger side exhaust was hitting the sway bar and/or part of the body up near the diff. (I could move t around some but it was always hitting one, the other or both).
The long story short is there is something amiss with the passenger side muffler assembly. It is markedly different from the drivers side and after looking at it more I feel as though both muffler assemblies are really poorly assembled. The passenger side needs to pull hard on the over axle pipe to line up with the hanger (forcing the pipe into the sway bar/body). The drivers side fits much better, but is still an issue because I haven't been able to adjust it so the tip doesn't contact the rear facia.
I contacted BBE via email, initially hoping that I could just be sent a new passenger muffler assembly (this is before I discovered the issue with the drivers side tip). Bill himself wrote back very quickly at first, wanting to see some pictures and asking some questions, all of which I provided and answered and then.... nothing.
Turns out the whole team went to SEMA without leaving anyone to field customers concerns for the rest of that week. OK fine, I can wait a little.
Email again on monday, and eventually call. Bill seemed pretty annoyed and said he wasn't even sure if he had another he could compare it to in the shop. I asked if he had a time line in mind of when I could expect a resolution and his response was "Well what do you want me to do? Put it back in the jig?"
At that time I agreed, just to get some momentum going, but I truly wasn't thrilled about sending it back, waiting god knows how long and still have no gaurantee that it will be fixed. After all, it was assembled in the jig, wasn't it?
So after some soul searching I decided I'd be happier to just send it all back and have a refund, move on, find another exhaust. I emailed Bill monday morning explaining what I was asking and why. I didn't expect a reply very quickly given the experience so far. Today I still didn't have anything and I'd usually call but now I want a record of everything thats said, So I emailed again. This was at around 330 this afternoon. I can't help but feel I'm being cast to the side.
I've looked around a bit and I've seen a lot of people with good things to say and a good bit with bad things to say, looks like I got the short end of that stick. I'd just like to move on from this so hopefully someone at BBE will see this and can help get things going here.
EDIT: I also, REALLY have to mention... this wouldn't be as bad if it weren't for the price of the exhaust. I paid around 1060 for it and frankly at that price for an axle back exhaust I expected much better quality and customer service.
As some from the c5 section may know, I had some fitment issues with a PRT exhaust I recently purchased from BBE. I did a fair amount of troubleshooting and adjusting but no matter what the passenger side exhaust was hitting the sway bar and/or part of the body up near the diff. (I could move t around some but it was always hitting one, the other or both).
The long story short is there is something amiss with the passenger side muffler assembly. It is markedly different from the drivers side and after looking at it more I feel as though both muffler assemblies are really poorly assembled. The passenger side needs to pull hard on the over axle pipe to line up with the hanger (forcing the pipe into the sway bar/body). The drivers side fits much better, but is still an issue because I haven't been able to adjust it so the tip doesn't contact the rear facia.
I contacted BBE via email, initially hoping that I could just be sent a new passenger muffler assembly (this is before I discovered the issue with the drivers side tip). Bill himself wrote back very quickly at first, wanting to see some pictures and asking some questions, all of which I provided and answered and then.... nothing.
Turns out the whole team went to SEMA without leaving anyone to field customers concerns for the rest of that week. OK fine, I can wait a little.
Email again on monday, and eventually call. Bill seemed pretty annoyed and said he wasn't even sure if he had another he could compare it to in the shop. I asked if he had a time line in mind of when I could expect a resolution and his response was "Well what do you want me to do? Put it back in the jig?"
At that time I agreed, just to get some momentum going, but I truly wasn't thrilled about sending it back, waiting god knows how long and still have no gaurantee that it will be fixed. After all, it was assembled in the jig, wasn't it?
So after some soul searching I decided I'd be happier to just send it all back and have a refund, move on, find another exhaust. I emailed Bill monday morning explaining what I was asking and why. I didn't expect a reply very quickly given the experience so far. Today I still didn't have anything and I'd usually call but now I want a record of everything thats said, So I emailed again. This was at around 330 this afternoon. I can't help but feel I'm being cast to the side.
I've looked around a bit and I've seen a lot of people with good things to say and a good bit with bad things to say, looks like I got the short end of that stick. I'd just like to move on from this so hopefully someone at BBE will see this and can help get things going here.
EDIT: I also, REALLY have to mention... this wouldn't be as bad if it weren't for the price of the exhaust. I paid around 1060 for it and frankly at that price for an axle back exhaust I expected much better quality and customer service.
Last edited by acuevo; 11-14-2018 at 10:06 PM.
#2
Tech Contributor
Member Since: Dec 1999
Location: Anthony TX
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CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
ANOTHER Vendor to cross off the list! Its SAD that you are being treated so unfairly. You would think that a company that well known would be more customer responsive and helpful. SAD!!
Good luck my friend. Please keep us informed on the finial outcome.
Bill
Good luck my friend. Please keep us informed on the finial outcome.
Bill
#4
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2022 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
St. Jude Donor '17-‘18-'19-'20-'21-'22-'23-'24
Whether it provides a little insight into the delays, Billy Boat has been on the road quite a bit lately. His brother Mike was sales manager for the BBE manufacturing facility in Phoenix, AZ and provided some of the oversight there in his brother's absences from Phoenix. Unfortunately, Mike passed away suddenly on October 7 and his services were held on October 16 (viewing) and October 17 (funeral and interment). Mike's passing does not do away with an apparent manufacturing error with the exhaust but perhaps it provides a little insight into personal issues that affected how quickly Billy replied.
By the way, I have the PRT exhaust, also, and the best advertising I can give is that my wife brags to other C5 owners about the great sound at start up and when pulling hard, yet reasonably quiet and no drone when cruising!
By the way, I have the PRT exhaust, also, and the best advertising I can give is that my wife brags to other C5 owners about the great sound at start up and when pulling hard, yet reasonably quiet and no drone when cruising!
#5
Racer
Thread Starter
Whether it provides a little insight into the delays, Billy Boat has been on the road quite a bit lately. His brother Mike was sales manager for the BBE manufacturing facility in Phoenix, AZ and provided some of the oversight there in his brother's absences from Phoenix. Unfortunately, Mike passed away suddenly on October 7 and his services were held on October 16 (viewing) and October 17 (funeral and interment). Mike's passing does not do away with an apparent manufacturing error with the exhaust but perhaps it provides a little insight into personal issues that affected how quickly Billy replied.
By the way, I have the PRT exhaust, also, and the best advertising I can give is that my wife brags to other C5 owners about the great sound at start up and when pulling hard, yet reasonably quiet and no drone when cruising!
By the way, I have the PRT exhaust, also, and the best advertising I can give is that my wife brags to other C5 owners about the great sound at start up and when pulling hard, yet reasonably quiet and no drone when cruising!
#6
Racer
Thread Starter
Alright we've reached a possible solution. Since ultimately I do love the sound Bill offered to send a round tip PRT. The original one was a speedway tipped version because I love the way they look (kind of an 80s vibe) but Bill was saying they've had issues before with fitments on speedway tips.
So we decided, he's going to ship a round tip prt on monday and I'm going to ship back the speedways. Still a little bummed out about the whole thing but I'll be happy to have something thats going to fit. I will update again as soon as I have the new set installed.
So we decided, he's going to ship a round tip prt on monday and I'm going to ship back the speedways. Still a little bummed out about the whole thing but I'll be happy to have something thats going to fit. I will update again as soon as I have the new set installed.
Last edited by acuevo; 11-17-2018 at 06:41 PM.
#7
Racer
Thread Starter
New exhaust arrived and I put it on yesterday. So far no issues, it fits much better than the first one. Hopefully the weather will be alright this weekend and I can put some miles on it and give a final report!
#9
Racer
Thread Starter
At this point BBE is ok by me, they got me a new set up that fits and provided me a return label for the old set up.
I'm not going to entertain any more replies from you in this thread, so please don't bother.
Last edited by acuevo; 11-28-2018 at 05:04 PM.