EnigmaWmn

I picked up the exhaust last night from customs and emailed Philipp Maurer at Gemballa immediately for the following issues:

1. Invoice states that expected gain is 6HPs, not 13 as on the invoice previously sent to me via email. His response: You have received the right exhaust system with 13HP. It was a mistake on the bill due to a problem with a new IT-system that we use since some days.

2. Exhaust is all scratched up. His response: After consulting our forwarding department the exhaust has leaving here in "new condition". Perhaps people of the customs or from the logistic company open the package and take them out for verification. We are absolutely sure that the exhaust is new.

#2 sounds like BS, because the package wasn't opened by customs and all of the gemballa seals were in tact.

Sent him the photos and waiting for his reply. What do you, guys, have to say about this?

BC

While the coating shouldn't be that "weak" or "thin" it just look slike the bustling from transit and packing.

EnigmaWmn

It was packed very nicely, wasn't "floating around" the box and I know it's hard to tell from photos, but in few places it looks like paint was put over the scratches. Plus, there was really nothing inside that box that could have produced these marks.

User 4221

It looks like shelf wear to me. Technically the exhaust is new, but being shoved around on racks and shelves produces this type of marking.

I'm with Brendan...... Looks like the coating is too thin.

EnigmaWmn

I understand that exhaust will be under the car and none of this will be visible, but I was considering getting black rims from them and what am I to do if there'll be signs of shelf wear on them as well? Speaking hypothetically, as at this point I'm not interested in getting anything from them. As excited as I were to deal with Gemballa, I'm very turned off by the whole experience. Gemballa USA responds to inquiries once a month at best and that was the reason why I ordered directly from germany.

ltc

6hp, 13hp....5500# pig......like you would be able to tell the difference anyways?

Kooser

Absolutely right.
Now, who are you calling a 5500# pig?!?
My bitch ain't no pig. She is a Svelte, Muscular, Nubian Beauty !

EnigmaWmn

We're not discussing your wives here, so please stay on topic and refer to above photos :-D

ltc

Oh, that's a classy thing to say.

Fine.
If the exhaust is 'used', then you should be able to find combustion byproduct in the exhaust itself (i.e. someone bought it, tried it, didn't like it, returned it for refund). Have you done this?

EnigmaWmn

You know what would have been classier? Asking me if I'll feel the HP difference in a thread titled: Will I feel an HP increase after I install a catback exhaust? :-).

Yes, I have. A little dirty inside. They are swearing up & down that it's brand new, but I'm confused because of all of the scratches.

356driver

To be honest the scratches look like wear and tear from handling. It shouldn't be that way but after all it's an exhaust system and it's going to disappear underneath your car. Functionally I don't think it's going to effect anything so I would accept it as-is. (But that's my level of tolerance, yours may be different.)

On the other hand keep your eyes wide open if you are having wheels shipped all the way from Europe. In fact I would suggest trying to buy from a local source if you can find one. Otherwise you are going to have at least as much trouble with Gemballa if the wheels arrive with damage.

Incidentally, there is a business term called FOB (freight on board) that defines when you take ownership of goods being shipped. If it is FOB Origin, then you own the goods when they leave the shipping dock of the supplier. If it is FOB Destination, then you don't own the goods until they arrive are your address. It makes a difference in trying to resolve problems with goods damaged in transit.

Perhaps a subtle but underlying issue is that overall women get less respect when dealing with automotive matters. For instance my wife is highly intelligent and has a professional career teaching college, but gets talked down to by high school dropouts at the tire shop. It's a ridiculous but unfortunate characteristic that women are assumed not to know (or could learn) anything automotive. At the very least, it often puts women in a position of having to establish credibility in case nobody is taking them seriously. So perhaps this is contributing to the problem somewhere along the line.

EnigmaWmn

I'm inclined to think that these scratches won't affect performance, but why should I be accepting of this condition if I'm under assumption that I paid for a brand new item? Especially after 3 different invoices with discrepancies on them from 6HPs to 13HPs to different product #.

They quoted me almost 6k euros for the wheel set. If they accepted credit cards (wire transfer only), I might have gone ahead with it after seeing how this exhaust arrived. But only because I'd be able to dispute the charges and have Amex take care of everything for me. At this point, I am looking elsewhere, but they look soooo goood :-).

I will research this,thank you very much for pointing this out. But it doesn't look like any type of damage could have come from it being in transit.

At this point Gemballa have no idea they're dealing with a woman, because I haven't been able to get them on the phone and because my husband & I have been sending emails from his account lol But ... you've pretty much nailed it. I'm usually the one dealing with everything car related and it's disgusting how most of the time these a-holes assume that I don't know what I'm talking about :-).

MadFox

I feel your pain.. and it is WORSE with the supposedly LIBERAL Europeans when it comes to "smart" women about cars...

Example.. TODAY.. My wife's Acura MDX needed 15K mile service and the power steering isn't working correctly.... She is a good-looking blonde, vanderbilt engineer with a MBA. I asked her when I picked her up (no loaner program -- told her we need to get a new make/model just for that!) did she talk to them about the problems with the power steering. Yes. So, just for grins/giggles, I call out there while she is at a luncheon and, of course: "nothing wrong with it.. we checked the fluid and it was low.. topped it off" In her 2002 MDX the power steering pump fell off the car. replaced it twice for failure.. hmmmm, told the guy did you drive it? Response "NO." In my "strong" voice, I told him my history with the MDX and power steering.. "uh uh okay SIR.. we'll take it out and drive it." Hmmm, just picked it up .. ordered parts so they can replace the power steering pump..

SORRY that you have to put up with that schitzu.. needless to say.. she is ready to strangle a service mgr.

EnigmaWmn

MadFox, I have so many stories .... But luckily I'm not blond. That would have worked against me even more lol

User 4221

:^() ---======<<<<<<

Spewing Diet Coke from my nose!!!!