All my suspension parts are UMI, including K member, relocation brackets, A arms, lower control arms, pan hard bar, sub frames, etc and I have been one of their big supporters, because of their price and perceived quality.

That being said, some months ago, I bought a tunnel mount TA for my '00 Camaro. Well I tried to install it last weekend and it wouldn't bolt up to my Moser 9" pumpkin, the bolts were 1/2"too short. I called Ryan at UMI yesterday and he was too busy to speak to me.

Some guy in tech said you need an aftermarket bolt package, for the TA. Cost is $19.99 plus $ 17.32 shipping. This is total bull **** and I am really mad, because it adds like 10% to the cost of their TA when they know the OEM bolts won't fit any of their rear end applications.

I tried to find longer bolts locally, wasted a 1/2 day driving around, to no avail. I found the bolts on Summit for $19.99 and shipping was only $4.32.

Point is UMI fucked me and I won't forget it. I gave them the opportunity to make amends through a phone call yesterday before I started this post and Ryan chose not to respond. To sell a product that won't work for it's intended use, without buying another product is bait and switch, and absurd at best.

UMI you've lost a good customer and supporter, because your product package was incomplete, and your attitude was arrogant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I just went to the local hardware store and bought mine. Just make sure you get grade 8 hardware if you do buy some.

 

Wow that sucks. Last few parts I bought were UMI, guess I should reconsider if they are going to act like that

 

almpst all aftermarket TA's require new bolts that are sold seperate

 

Ive had great luck with UMI, they have always been there to help me out with anything ive needed, that is pretty shady though if he literealy told he didnt have time to talk to you. I had to purchase the hardware kit too....Its not different for anybody with a moser 9". What did you expect them to do? Just send them to you for free? Other then being rude on the phone, they havnt done anything wrong. If you have a fastenal locally, they will have the bolts you need

 

Barking up the wrong tree. The metal is thicker than the stock stamped steel piece. Of course you will need longer than factory bolts. I have their arm and expected it!

The shipping seems nuts (you sure it wasn't $7.XX)? I have my set I purchased with my arm I can work you a deal on if you still need them.


Might as well rain on BMR and Spohn too because I am sure they need longer bolts too. These posts are a little nuts. I feel your pain but damn!

 

Hello David,

Lets get a few things straight here before you bash us over bolts.

First off we do appreciate your business, no one ever said we did not. You were never told "I was too busy to talk to you" that is a lie and I don't understand where you get off saying that? I do not handle sales calls or any calls anymore... I work in a different building in a different area from the sales office. Brad, Jerry and Melody are all in technical support, sales and service and are there to help customers with there needs. Just because I no longer handle sales calls or work in the same office does not mean I was "too busy for you". My attention is dedicated strictly to product design, this is why I no longer do sales other then some internet support.

The torque arm story you are telling is way out of line and I will happy to explain this in detail. Back in May you tried you purchase this torque arm through Byunspeed but it didn't work because Byunspeed would not match a sales price from the weekend before. You then ended up purchasing the torque arm from Speed Inc a few days later. I just spoke with Byunspeed and he relayed to me that he highly recommended you purchase the new bolts, Speed Inc reported they are pretty sure they did too. So you were recommend to purchase longer bolts from both vendors and you didn't purchase them because they were too expensive? Now I and my crew at UMI are getting blamed over a bolt kit because we wouldn't send you a free kit yesterday?? If you visit our website and look at the torque arm you purchased there is an option to purchase the longer bolts and a place where it explains why you need them. We can't control whether a vendor will offer you these bolts to you are not, they are suppose to but I can't control that. If you call in and speak with our sales department they would recommend the bolts to you.

The phone conversation from Brad got heated when you consistently ran our products into the ground. You were complaining about a torque arm on another members car that broke and we replaced it for free. According to Brad you acted as if our product line was junk, nothing we did was right and we were total idiots for not supplying you bolts that are an option to began with. Brad did the best he could but you continued to complain and couldn't do anything to help you, you were not going to be satisfied until you received something for free.

I am sorry for those of you who have to read this. We did the best of our ability to correct the issue. We can't control how vendors sell our products and we can't just send out free items when someone feels they are too expensive. We appreciate Davids business but there is only so much we can do when we felt we did nothing wrong. We strive to offer good service, this is why we are online at all hours of the day. But I have learned no matter what you do not everyone will agree or be happy.

Thanks for all of you that support us, Regards
Ryan

 

Thank you and no like mentioned he was never told anyone was "too busy" to talk him. Melody simply explained to him that I (Ryan) no longer handles sales or techincal support calls and he was put on to Brad. I see nothing wrong with that? Also when Melody asked what the call was in regards too David replied with he "just wants to unload on someone"... so the conversation was off to bad start before it even started.


Correct, all brands will require longer bolts. Thanks for the support and the post.

Another vendor here as a e-mail/IM conversation where David is accusing them of trying to "up-sell" a product when they recommended the longer bolts as an option...

Thanks again everyone,
Ryan

 

Hello I can confirm this.

UMI Performance has had always great support but there are some people that you cannot help and that is that.

Back in May we had a weekend sale. David called over the weekend while we were closed. We called back on Monday. He had a question on whether he needed the longer bolts. He was told he needed it but questioned whether we were just upselling the bolts and he said he'd just stick with the stock ones and it should work.

The problem with us was the sale was over. He wanted the sale price and because he had a question he could not place the order online over the weekend. Well I'm not sure why he didn't when he blantantly told us the stock bolts should work and we were upselling him some bolts he did not need.

So here is the e-mail we get from him:

************************************************** ****************
May 8
Hi Young, I called UMI about your lousy sales practices, Ryan knows what you are doing. I found out last night you pulled the weekend special scam on a friend of mine also, he too told me he would never do business with Byunspeed again. I've done business with you in the past, but never again. I haven't decided yet whether I want to air your business practices on LS1Tech. Trying to squeeze me for $8 on a TA was a big mistake, I had a legitmate question and any honorable person would have respected that. Screw you, what goes around comes around!
************************************************** ****************

David decides to purchase elsewhere.
So some of the vendors here keep in touch for a little chat via IM. Here's ours.

************************************************** ****************
May 8
XXXXXXXXX (11:33:01 AM): saw that
XXXXXXXXX (11:33:02 AM): wtf
XXXXXXXXX (11:49:00 AM): david wayne
BYUNSPEED (11:49:12 AM): yeah
BYUNSPEED (11:49:16 AM): is he complaining yet
XXXXXXXXX (11:49:54 AM): UMI hasn't shipped it yet, NBD but he will make

it a big deal
BYUNSPEED (11:50:36 AM): he is going to complain
BYUNSPEED (11:50:41 AM): that you did not sell him the longer bolts
BYUNSPEED (11:50:47 AM): and will complain that you should ship them for free
BYUNSPEED (11:50:57 AM): once he figures his stock bolts wont work
BYUNSPEED (11:52:00 AM): he was complaining cause i told him it was unsafe to

use the stock bolts
BYUNSPEED (11:52:06 AM): and he thought i was trying to upsell him
************************************************** ****************

You owe Ryan and his crew an apology.

 

https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...ring-rant.html

https://ls1tech.com/forums/drag-raci...rld-sucks.html

https://ls1tech.com/forums/ls1tech-s...ort-sucks.html

I hate people like this. Expect something for nothing every time. Such cheap-o's

 

Pre-called that one LOL

 

For the record I called about two weeks ago and talked to Jerry about suspension and a stage 5 set up for a good half hour.

He was very professional listened to everything I could ask and provided accurate answers and even recommended not going as extreme as I had originally wanted to which would lower my purchase cost. That goes a long way from a sales persons perspective.

I have a hard time believing you were brushed off like that. I do believe maybe one of the reps told you Ryan wasn't able to take your call. Mainly because he no longer takes calls.

The only UMI product I currently own is my on car adjustable panhard bar. It is a beautiful piece that works great. I will be selling it soon to by the double rod ended bar from UMI. I will also be purchasing the stage 5 K-member kit as well as rear lower control arms and their new drag bar.

My point is, they are a great company with great products and top of the line service. I would like to recommend to anyone considering using UMI to take the thread starter's opinion with a grain or two of salt.

 

Unbelievable. UMI has been great to me, as has BYUNSPEED, as has SPEED inc.

Poor soul, a $55,000 dollar Corvette and a $15,000 powertrain in the camaro but he wouldn't spring for upgraded hardware... Doesn't hold much water if you ask me.

And OP, with all due respect, pull your head out of your ***.

 

In the one he said he was 61. Hope I don't get crabby like that with everyone when I get there.


FWIW... When I was in the Buick camp they developed a Black List of customers that fit in this category that none sold to. I remember it like it was yesterday because one in particular had a problem with every single order. It was funny when he ended up having to get others to order his **** for him LOL

 

WOW!
I have used UMI products on three of my personal vehicles and had no problems. The bottom of my 02 TA is covered with their red stuff. I even have upper control arms on the way right now for my wife's mustang.
Everyone can't be pleased. Just do what you know is right and let GOD sort out the rest!

 

Someone's always got to try and steal something for free, and then they get owned

 

FWIW I just bought a Spohn torque arm and they don't supply pumpkin bolts either.
If they are needed IMO they should be included with the TA but then that would raise the price and in my case I already had the appropiate bolts from my previous TA so I would have to pay extra for bolts that I didn't need.

If they suggested you needed bolts then you should have just bought them or got them on your own, either way, this thread makes no sense since they told you you needed them and you didn't get them.

 

I can't stop reading the article about your car in GMHTP man.

We don't even have much in common as far as our builds but I always keeping looking at it for ideas. It is a sick car. Congrats on the feature.

 

I have done business with Ryan a couple times and ordered from Young many times in the past, both are stand up guys.

OP,
They aren't trying to "up-sell" anyone. they give you the option of buying them for case like tektrans where someone may already have them and doesnt need them, plus people may want to pick up their own locally. If you didnt need them and they added them in the kit you would bitch that they charged you for something extra you didnt need.

you just will not please everyone. lol

 

I'd like to throw my recent experience with UMI into the mix just to stand up for what I believe is a great company. I recently dealt with Ryan and Brad via email to order a whole slew of suspension components for my car (i.e. sfcs, panhard bar, panhard bar support, LCAs, STB, Torque Arm...). Ryan and Brad were very professional, responded quickly and even allowed me to make a last-minute addition to my batch order AND honored the previous weekend's sale price on the additional part (because I had ordered the rest of the parts during the Independence Day sale). I easily found comments on UMI's website that stated something to the effect that stock torque arm bolts would be too short to retain the washers on the stock axle housing. That was enough to convince me to spring for the new bolt kit and I'm glad that I did. All the parts fit perfectly, were painless to install and really make the car feel solid. I would highly recommend UMI to any F-body owner out there.

If only UMI offered an engine crossmember for the third gen I'm building next...any plans for the future, Ryan?