Nine Ball

iTrader: (38)

Please be informed that Pro Turbo Systems, aka "Pro Turbo Kits" is no longer a site sponsor here at LS1TECH. This is due to a dispute in advertising payments. With this in mind, we will no longer allow any discussions related to PTK/PTS on this site, unless this is resolved.

Thanks,
Tony

Josh@KY-Turbo

iTrader: (120)

This really sucks for the board. I was hoping to hear about some good numbers from their kits. I hope they can get this resolved soon.

StoleIt

iTrader: (3)

They also removed themselves from the Corvette Forum, that can't be a good sign.

mdhmi, you can post any of your results or tech related questions dealing with forced inductions. But if it in anyway turns into a marketing campaign or some type of sales add for PTS/PTK then it will be pruned/deleted/locked/destroyed/thrown into the fires of mordor...

Nine Ball

iTrader: (38)

Jose (JZ) will most likely come back on as a sponsor for himself. He had nothing to do with this dispute.

Tony

Nine Ball

iTrader: (38)

I don't forsee PTK/PTS going out of business, they are quite busy. This wasn't anything related to their business status or their quality of work. Just a payment dispute for advertising here. If they would at least square up with the overdue amount of $750, we would allow their products to be discussed on a technical level here. We can't force people to pay us, but we can control what gets discussed here.

DrTurbo

iTrader: (3)

Jose and Forcedinductions, which is just a branch now of FIS Engineering, are a seperate company from PTS/PTK. Jose and Dalton though are close buddies and I can assure you PTS isn't going anywhere. PTS is selling plenty of kits.

Nine Ball

iTrader: (38)

STS didn't ever owe us money. So, there is a difference between how we will handle PTS and STS. Like I said, if the past due payment is settled, then Jose can talk about PTS all he wants. Until it gets settled, there will be no PTS/PTK discussion here.

BTW, our current rates are $175/month, but PTS had a discounted rate that was a little less.

Frost

iTrader: (45)

My point was that it was fine and dandy for STS to be talked about since it was sold through sponsors. Therefore it mattered not whether the parent company was a sponsor. There are TONS AND TONS of products sold by sponsors in which the parent company is not a sponsor.

Since this is and has-been the case, naturally since Jose's company sold PTK I had to assume that this is and would be the same situation. I looked before I spoke through faqs and stickies to see if there was some delinquent sponsor rule and I found none... but I guess there was one.

Nine Ball

iTrader: (38)

Frost, you are correct. Our sponsors can speak about any items they carry, and promote those products here. There are thousands of products that fit that description. But, when a specific company owes us money, we have the rights to remove any topics about that brand name, that could lead to generating revenue towards that company.

So basically, if you cost us money, we will do our part to eliminate your opportunities for making money from sales generated through this site. Just like any other business, we do not appreciate unpaid invoices.

Nine Ball

iTrader: (38)

There really isn't much technical discussion required for custom tubing, other than "wow, that looks great". Most of the tech discussed here is general in nature, or deals with the actual components or tuning of a turbo system. Not too much focus on the hot or cold piping that hasn't been covered.

Looks like we replied about the same time, read my response above yours regarding STS and other manufacturers.

Bad30th

iTrader: (13)

I sure hope PTS squares up and pays what is owed, they seem like they are a good brand with lots of support from their vendors.

...on a semi-unrelated note, too bad AP Engineering paid their bills here until they screwed over a dozen or so members.

I too appreciate what Nineball and the guys do for us members - thanks guys - it's like a free trade school education on Gen3 motors.

Rob (Bad30th)

Pro Stock John

iTrader: (34)

This can easily become a sticky for a few years too, we are not playing around. The amount owed is also adjusted from a bigger amount!

Nine Ball

iTrader: (38)

Exactly, so why are you commenting?

Lets just say the $750 that we are asking for is a fraction of the total amount that we should have been paid, for services provided here. Its not often that we make a post like this, so you can go ahead and assume this dispute has a little more emphasis for a reason.

Nine Ball

iTrader: (38)

Thanks for your opinion, but you aren't the one not being paid. We posted the amount just to show you how silly it is, otherwise some of you guys would have guessed they owed us 1 million dollars. Conducting business with proper ettiquette also involves getting paid, so consider this a return of the favor.

Jammer

iTrader: (1)

When we as consumers have issues, our stength is to post about them... and the same goes for site management. We have this great site because someone is willing to go through the BS of management and headaches of billing, collections and everthing else that comes with it. Dont bend on this issue guys.

Nine Ball

iTrader: (38)

Thanks Jammer.

Please understand that we are not 'bashing' PTS/PTK. We have made no comments about their quality of work or products. I'll be the first to tell you that they make a very nice system and do excellent work. We are merely stating some financial facts here, and would like to see them resolved. Go look at the thread stuck to the top of the Sponsor Sales/GP forum, you will find a list of companies that have burned us in the past. Feel free to total up the revenue we were screwed out of, and you might understand why we do not tolerate it any longer.

Pro Stock John

iTrader: (34)

I think folks enter the space with great ideas and intentions, and then run into delays, and rather than just simply communicate revised delivery dates they fall into the "two more weeks" trap. Having co-managed a service business since 1997, I can tell you it's better to just 'fess up and then revise the timeline than to say "two more weeks." I deal with companies like GE all the time and they appreciate directness and consistent communication.

Also a number of the FI shops outsource the welding of some parts, and I think they underestimate how much time that will take.

Nine Ball

iTrader: (38)

Joey,

Our rates are normally prepaid quarterly. Sometimes a vendor will pay for their first quarter here, and then ignore invoices for the next billing cycle. Then we send emails and typically get the "check is in the mail" type replies. It is the vendor's responsibility to inform us when they wish to cease advertising or have an address change. Sometimes they don't inform us. We also have several vendors that pay late, but we are working on that too. We really just need a more strict policy, and John and I need to quit playing the nice guy role from now on.

RW99

I would encourage the open and free discussion of any component used in our cars, regardless of the maker's payment status. To do less than that is to deprive every member of complete and uncensored information.

If the company doesn't pay up, absolutely: remove their advertising link, do not allow them to post at all.

But to tell me that I can't talk about my PTK setup? That seems wrong. Doesn't it?

Rich

PS Very funny remark about their delays in paying re: delays in shipping product!

Nine Ball

iTrader: (38)

Rich,
In the course of running this type of business structure, sometimes you have to make examples. We benefit from owning the media resources, and will utilize them to our advantage to get invoices paid. Imagine if we didn't pay our hosting bill, they would simply turn off the switch. If PTS feels that it isn't important enough to have you guys discuss their products on this site, then we do not feel the need to allow it to happen. By allowing things to carry on like normal, there is absolutely no motivation for past due vendors to square up. Why bother, right?