My ripoff happened in June. I ordered a set of custom air ride cylinders for my Honda Civic from "The Drop Zone" Out of CA. They did not have any of the product that I wanted in stock, so they ordered the product from a second vendor named "WEC Air Systems". I paid over $3000.00 for this product. When it was shipped, I should have known something was up because it took forever, not to mention that UPS lost half of the packages for two days before delivering the rest.
When I finally got everything together it looked like it was all there. I waited a few weeks until I could get time to install the kit with some help from a friend and the use of his garage. We started working on the car on a Friday night, and the first thing that was wrong was that one of the bolts did not want to thread on top of the cylinder. I immediatley called and told "drop zone" about the problem. The person I spoke assured me that another nut would be shipped out overnight to my friends home, as I had planned this would take all weekend, I was staying there. We continued to install the kit only to discover that we could not connect the air lines in the front because the fittings they sent were the wrong size. Again, I called drop zone and they informed to goto Lowe's and purchase adapters for the fittings. I said fine, even though I was reluctant to spend more money, after this kit cost me $3000.00 After the kit was in and working and a few more calls concering questions about the kit, which for the most part they were helpful. The next day the nut never arrived. I was somehow not surprised. My friend and I managed to make the one we had work, although it took some serious engineering.
So after the kit was installed, the car would continue to leak slowly down... I called and they said this was not normal and that we needed to use soapy water everywhere to ensure there are no air leaks. We did this several times and could find nothing. This coninued on for several days. Finally we did find one fitting that was loose... However, all this time I have not been driving my car. Not to mention there were still other mysterious leaks. It appeard to use to be the valves. The vavles are the items that allow air to come in and out. I informed them that it appeared the valves were not working properly, and this was discounted by them and they refused to replace or give any more explainantion.
At this point I am frustrated. I am still worried about driving the car, because it is riding on air that is leaking.
Now for those of you wondering what in the heck this is all about, a lot of custom cars have this new feature and I talked to a lot of people who have a kit made by www.blowjax.com that have never had one single problem.in other words, this is not something so new and advanced that it is this difficult. Basically this product appeared to be faulty.
Finally after getting the car to my house I did discover a few other small leaks... But the car still did slowly leak down after fixing them. At this point I determined that it probably was safe to drive since the leaking was so slow. I started to drive my car for about two weeks, then I started noticing strange sounds... Scraping sounds. Creaking... Popping... I called drop zone to inquire about this noise. Oh that's normal. I thought ok could be because cars with hydralics make a lot more sounds than that if you have ever rode in one.
The sounds is getting worse, and now the leaking is back. I called DZ again. I noticed scratches on my front cylinders. They tell me to call WEC. I called WEC speak to "dave" claims he's the owner. I tell dave all my probs up to this point, and dave says nothing i can do call DZ. I said I called DZ they said call you. They got this from you they said you would make it right. Dave says hang on let me call DZ, either he pretends to call, or does call, comes back and says, OK here's what I can do for you, I can sell you a new front set for $500. That's my cost. I said WHAT?! You can sell them to me?! I said I have 3000.00 in this kit, you are kidding! He says 3000? Wow DZ took you for a ride. I sell this kit for 2500. I said that's nice to know! Then I tell him about the noises and that this is not acceptable. He stops me when I tell him about the noises and tell him about the scratches. He says did you shave your spindle? I said no! No one told me I had too! Well you need to shave spindles or they will rub holes into cylinder. So I took the car to my dad the next day and he and I shaved the spindles down so they cleared the cylinder. I guess it was too late...
(As a side note DZ told me AFTER I had paid for and reveiced the kit, there was no warranty.)
So, one day I'm driving home from work, a 1:30 min drive for me, and my car starts dipping down on the driver side... So bad that everytime i hit the air it comes back down... The cylinder is not holding air! So I limp the car home, and call my friend to come yank them out. He comes over the next day and we take them out. I take them to the local custom shop for him to test... It takes him about a day, but he cannot find a leak. So he says we sould put them back in and try that. So I pay him 300.00 to put them back in so that I don't have to deal with it. He cannot find a leak.
So I drive the car for a day, and it was fine, then it started leaking like crazy again.
To make an even longer story short. I called the mfgtr. Of the product and they were saddened to learn that WEC is selling thier product. They offered to replace the valves but not the cylinders because of the nature and cost of them. Which is ver gracious considering they didn't have to do anything! Numerous other calls were made to DZ and WEC. I found out that dave is NOT the owner. And I called to get a hold of the real owner but he was never around. BEWARE OF THE COMPANIES!!!
Www.dzmotorsports.com
1208 West 9th St.
Upland, CA 91786
909.608.00115
Www.wecairsystems.com
W.E.C. Air Systems
12150 Bloomfield Avenue
Suite G
Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670
(562) 864-0448
Let me know if u deal with these ppl [email protected]
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