I'm not sure if this should go in a different thread. Without going into too much detail, here are the problems I've experienced with RPI over the last several months...

1. Ordered driver's side Z06 style side rocker for my 2025 Stingray. I had issue with the one side and needed just the one...paid half of the 2-piece price.
2. Several weeks later the package arrived. The piece did not fit correctly and had paint problems. I was told to trash the piece and a new one would be sent.
3. Received four large packages from RPI, with the name of a person and company I never heard of. These pieces missed their mark by over 1,000 miles. Three came UPS and one FedEx.
4. Waited around for UPS and Fedex to pick up these packages.
5. Waited another 2+ months and received the side rocker earlier today. Unfortunately, the piece was the incorrect side rocker. It was the standard one, not the Z06- style.
6. Brandy and Tammy, who appear to be RPI's customer service department, are a pleasure to work with, but speaking to anyone higher up is impossible. Josh, the President, appears to be in the witness protection program.
7. The person who monitors the RPI account on this forum has been of little to no use, working as the middleman between customers and company leadership.
8. Overall, I've received little to no empathy by anyone at RPI, and zero apologies.

 

Same. With same z06 style side skirt. Received z51, one side fit up had 1/4 in gap.

I have found a few other similar parts companies with same or similar location as RPI and received stellar service from one of them. I haven’t dug that deep into it, but I had the feeling that a few vendors here are actually the same company or operate inside the others….

 

I had the same horrible experience with Tammy and RPI. Never do business wirh them. In fact, Southern car parts (currently having a quality issue) and other differently named companies are RPI. Buyer beware. They take your money, thats the only thing you can be sure of. BTW, I won my case with my credit card so received my money back from RPI, about ready to do the same with SCP if not resolved soon.

 

Sitting back and watching this thread, as I am in the middle of a RPI failure too..... Tammy has been great to work with, but she's at the mercy of the rest of the RPI team and Management.

I'll give it an another week before I fully dump on them.

Unhappy customer.......

 

Indeed about Tammy. I feel bad that she has to be the point of contact for so many mistakes. Earlier today, when I opened the package and saw the incorrect rocker, I looked around to see if I was on Candid Camera! Clearly, the company has some serious quality control issues. I'm completely done with them once this is resolved.

 

Hi C8broughtmeback,

First, I want to sincerely apologize for the experience you’ve had — both for the delays and the mix-ups with your side rocker order. This isn’t the level of service we strive to deliver, and I completely understand your frustration given how long this process has dragged out.

From what you described, it sounds like there were multiple shipping and communication issues that compounded over time — including a fulfillment error. While these are never intentional, we recognize that it’s our responsibility to make it right as quickly as possible.

Brandy and Tammy truly do their best every day to help customers like you, and I appreciate you acknowledging their efforts. I’ll make sure your feedback regarding communication and escalation is passed along to our leadership team directly.

Please send me a private message here with your full name or order number so I can personally review your case and make sure the correct Z06-style driver’s side rocker is resolved once and for all.

We value every Corvette owner who chooses RPI Designs and are committed to turning this experience around for you.

— Chris
RPI Designs

 

Chris,

After careful consideration, I've decided to purchase a complete set of the side skirts from ACS Composite. In doing so, I'll be removing the one already installed on the passenger side and trashing it. While this will cost me an additional $750, I can't afford to wait another two months and hope RPI gets this third try accurate and of acceptable quality. I calculate that chance at 50-50.

All I ask is for a complete refund of the one side skirt, $194.99, and RPI will never hear from me again.

 

Chris, I also just sent you a PM with the issues with my order mentioned above for my painted Valve Covers.

 

As a follow up to this thread, I did receive a PM from Chris @ RPI a few hours after sending him a detailed private message and photos of my issue with one of my new painted valve covers.

Ironically, the valve cover had been shipped 2 days earlier, but I never received any shipping notice so I had no idea it was on the way back. The valve cover was received in excellent condition. The entire thing was TOTALLY preventable to begin with had they properly wrapped both valve covers and removed the mounting hardware to prevent damage. The original shipment was received with both newly painted valve covers just in a thin white foam sleeve in the same box with no other packaging or even taping the sleeves closed. One of the valve covers was perfect, the other had half the hardware loose banging around on the valve cover and not only chipping the paint in a couple places, but from the 2 valve covers banging together, had gouged one of them. NO bubble wrap, nothing.....

Even after I pointed this out, and strongly suggested that they no longer risk damage by shipping newly painted valve covers with the mounting bolts installed in their holes, but rather wrapped separately in a plastic bag and taped to the inside of the valve cover, or the inside of the box, AND using some bubble wrap, taped shut on the valve cover, my fixed valve cover arrived in just a thin foam sleeve, not taped shut with the mounting bolts installed in their mounting holes. LUCKILY, no damage. Minimal packaging around the valve cover. GEEZ......

My issue is successfully resolved........ praise to Tammy who was very helpful throughout this unnecessary situation, and assured me that she had passed my packaging suggestions to her team members.......

 

Strake, thank you for the update. A couple things sound very familiar. First, the box that arrived from Ohio to Pennsylvania looked like it had gone around the world...twice. I don't think this is because of FedEx handling. I think the RPI warehouse found whatever scrappy box they could find laying around and used it Also, the chances of Tammy's communication being done by those in manufacturing and packaging is less than 50%

I'm waiting for my refund to post, and my ACS pieces arrive tomorrow. No more ordering from RPI. I learned my lesson....twice.

 

A week ago, I was informed my credit card would be credited for the amount of the side skirt that a nightmare to get right. In the end, I chose not to wait another 2 months and pray the 3rd time was a charm

Meanwhile, the side skirts arrived from ACS Friday. Yes, the price was higher than RPI, but the differences in the product, packaging, and overall experience was night and day.

1. Received in 3 days, versus 2+ months.
2. Box arrived in very good shape, even with a plastic handle to prevent damage. Box had ACS name and logo vs. Plain brown box that looked like it had been pulled from a dumpster.
3. Most importantly, the ACS side skirts fit like a glove, with no gap. When I first did a dry fit, my mouth hung open in amazement as to the perfect fit. Even the acceptable RPI side skirts had gaps, with no consistency in fit quality from left to right.

in the end, I blame myself for all these RPI issues and the stress involved. I have always known ACS was top quality, but I chose to go the cheaper route. I bought a $100K car and then looked to save a few hundred dollars. That was idiotic of me, and I will not make that mistake again.