ECS Tuning Customer Service FAIL

**ThreePines** · 09-12-2017, 07:40 PM

I am an original owner of a '97 M3 Sedan. Every glorious mile has been mine (130K).

I had a cooling system failure in summer of 2015 (car has never been driven in snow), and purchased a cooling system upgrade from ECS Tuning in Feb of '2016.

Took me 'til recently to try to get it back on the road. So, I gather my poor mechanic skills, and dive in.

Eventually, I get to installing the new radiator. Come to find out that the kit's temp sensor and radiator are INCOMPATIBLE.

I go to live chat on the ECS website, and the experience was just dreadful. You folks need to know this to decide if you want to do business with these knuckleheads. I won't be.

The CS rep first (like a cop) tries to get me to "incriminate" myself: "what make and model is this for?". I tell him, and he replies, "yes, I see that".

When he eventually comes back, he tells me "sorry, you bought the wrong kit. That's for a build before mid '96" (Dec '96 is my build month)

I explain that I am sure I specified about my car all they required at time of order. He then tells me this (believe it or not) "I didn't say you specified it was for a '97 M3, just that I see you have one". Riiiiiiiiiggghhhhht.

Back in 2016, I printed their web page with the URL and date in the footer showing that the kit was supposed to be for my car. If I can't let this go, I'll post that, too.

Now, think back to the fact that the kit isn't even a functional kit! They supplied two incompatible parts!

Looks to me like they train their CS folks to LIE.

So, a $500 lesson on whom to NEVER do business with again! Nice to be able to pass it along when you get treated like shite. Go social media!

**bluptgm3** · 09-12-2017, 08:42 PM

E36 six-cylinder radiators for coupe and sedan are all the same. The only question would be is it auto-trans compatible, but generally that can be resolved by drilling a couple of holes for trans-cooler attachment.
As for the fan switch, there may well be differences.

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**drstuess** · 09-12-2017, 08:45 PM

Wow that sucks. Besides slow ship times sometimes, I have had pretty good luck with them. I had a similar situation to you, with a giubo, and they sent me a free one without much prodding. Sometimes it is just luck of the draw regarding who you get on the phone

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**wgknestrick** · 09-12-2017, 09:20 PM

Originally Posted by ThreePines

I am an original owner of a '97 M3 Sedan. Every glorious mile has been mine (130K).

I had a cooling system failure in summer of 2015 (car has never been driven in snow), and purchased a cooling system upgrade from ECS Tuning in Feb of '2016.

Took me 'til recently to try to get it back on the road. So, I gather my poor mechanic skills, and dive in.

Eventually, I get to installing the new radiator. Come to find out that the kit's temp sensor and radiator are INCOMPATIBLE.

I go to live chat on the ECS website, and the experience was just dreadful. You folks need to know this to decide if you want to do business with these knuckleheads. I won't be.

The CS rep first (like a cop) tries to get me to "incriminate" myself: "what make and model is this for?". I tell him, and he replies, "yes, I see that".

When he eventually comes back, he tells me "sorry, you bought the wrong kit. That's for a build before mid '96" (Dec '96 is my build month)

I explain that I am sure I specified about my car all they required at time of order. He then tells me this (believe it or not) "I didn't say you specified it was for a '97 M3, just that I see you have one". Riiiiiiiiiggghhhhht.

Back in 2016, I printed their web page with the URL and date in the footer showing that the kit was supposed to be for my car. If I can't let this go, I'll post that, too.

Now, think back to the fact that the kit isn't even a functional kit! They supplied two incompatible parts!

Looks to me like they train their CS folks to LIE.

So, a $500 lesson on whom to NEVER do business with again! Nice to be able to pass it along when you get treated like shite. Go social media!

I have spent over $3K with them and had only 2 issues; a LFCA that was packaged as a "Right" but was really a left and a set of springs that didn't fit my front tophats. They promptly replaced it and sent it before receiving mine in return (and took a full return on the springs). It's possible that through browsing that you may have deleted cookies (where your car info is stored) to allow the in-proper kit to come up. It also sounds like you didn't install this promptly and may have ventured outside of a return period? I'm not representing them, just stating that (from what little info you provided) you don't seem to be in the clear here to defame them without sharing some of the blame yourself. We've all let parts sit before installing them, but just realize you are taking a risk with this kind of stuff. These cars have all types of different parts installed on them and sometimes it's impossible to know exactly what was replaced/upgraded by POs. The moral to my story is don't let parts in your garage as the return "sand" is running out.

Sadly, you have probably spent whatever remaining goodwill with ECS by posting this story to try to meet them in the middle somewhere for a resolution. Honey gets more flies than vinegar. CALL someone next time at ECS. Getting good customer service first involves you being a good customer.

**ThreePines** · 09-12-2017, 11:09 PM

Sure, there's always the fact you can get a new person on the phone who knows nothing.

That wasn't the case here. "Alex" thought he was a fart smeller, and that he could convince me that pre mid '95 cars REQUIRED parts that do not function together.

Just to be CLEAR - the temperature sensor DOES NOT FIT the radiator's fixture!

The "kit" DOES NOT FIT ANY CAR!

Yes, I know what the caps mean!

**ThreePines** · 09-12-2017, 11:16 PM

Look, its obvious that the kit contained the WRONG radiator. Any imbecile should be able to see that. No, I did not delete any cookies. Repeating myself, I PRINTED the webpage that claims the kit was right for my car.

- - - Updated - - -

BTW, you think ECS goodwill towards ME is in any way important?

Its the other way around!

**MauiM3Mania** · 09-12-2017, 11:22 PM

Moved from E36 sub-forum.

I hope you get things worked out.

**ThreePines** · 09-12-2017, 11:23 PM

Last word - its not the $200 another (proper) radiator will cost me. Its their thinking they can screw with me like this. These days, you have recourse. Good customers are ones who are willing to do repeat business. ECS is obviously "transactional", happy with my 500 bucks (probably negligible margin) and with NO concern for whether they ever get another cent out of me, which of course is a not gonna happen.

**NYY42** · 09-13-2017, 07:47 AM

Originally Posted by ThreePines

Last word - its not the $200 another (proper) radiator will cost me. Its their thinking they can screw with me like this. These days, you have recourse. Good customers are ones who are willing to do repeat business. ECS is obviously "transactional", happy with my 500 bucks (probably negligible margin) and with NO concern for whether they ever get another cent out of me, which of course is a not gonna happen.

I've bought the wrong item from ECS before and there was zero doubt it was my fault and not some computer mix-up. They had no trouble doing an RMA and getting me the right part. I'm going to second what someone else said. "You get more flies with honey." A lot of businesses are moving away from the idea that the customer is always right. I'm not saying this is the case here but sometimes the customer isn't the brightest and can be a dick.

**CblockM3** · 09-13-2017, 07:59 AM

Did you actually call them and talk to someone on the phone? Sounds like no. I've spent a lot of money with them over the years and have had order screw ups, both their fault and mine. Every time I've picked up my phone, called them, and they have been great fixing it. I'm surprised they towed this thread here instead of the vendor forum.

**ECSTuning** · 09-13-2017, 09:45 AM

ThreePines you have a PM from me, I'd like to get a little more info from you so I can review what happened and try to work with you to find a solution.

-James

**drstuess** · 09-13-2017, 10:04 AM

I agree on picking up the phone. Having worked some in a support function, everything seems more accusatory ( in both directions) over chat vs in person/ over the phone.

Additionally, just being nice helps so much in these situations. As others have said, and I said earlier, the only time I have had an order issue I called ECS and they sent me a replacement right away.

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**ThreePines** · 09-13-2017, 10:51 AM

I did try to call. Couldn't get a human. No matter what option I chose on the automated attendant, the transfer just rang and rang (no VM).

Here is how the on-line chat interaction went from my perspective:

Me: The radiator and temp sensor in my kit are not compatible.
ECS1: You bought the wrong kit
Me: No, I am sure I specified at the time of order that the kit was for my car.
ECS1: You bought the wrong kit.
Me: We're not really communicating here - the kit won't work in ANY CAR!
ECS1: You bought the wrong kit. The only thing I can offer you is a return of the full kit for store credit.
Me: Its all installed save the radiator! Come on here! This is crazy. Do you want me to resort to social media?
ECS1: You bought the wrong kit. Too bad for you.

So, I email Sales@ and explain as clearly as is possible in simple English the nature of the problem. I get a reply: You bought the wrong kit, along with a screen cap that shows their website TODAY showing the kit's part number is for pre mid-'95 builds. I ask him to please re read the sentence "The radiator and temp sensor in my kit are not compatible". Answer: You bought the wrong kit.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/zars6us99m...pture.PNG?dl=0

Life is too short to continue to beat this horse. I ordered another radiator from another vendor.

Wgk..... - I am the original owner. No POs involved.

**NYY42** · 09-13-2017, 11:25 AM

Originally Posted by ThreePines

I did try to call. Couldn't get a human. No matter what option I chose on the automated attendant, the transfer just rang and rang (no VM).

Here is how the on-line chat interaction went from my perspective:

Me: The radiator and temp sensor in my kit are not compatible.
ECS1: You bought the wrong kit
Me: No, I am sure I specified at the time of order that the kit was for my car.
ECS1: You bought the wrong kit.
Me: We're not really communicating here - the kit won't work in ANY CAR!
ECS1: You bought the wrong kit. The only thing I can offer you is a return of the full kit for store credit.
Me: Its all installed save the radiator! Come on here! This is crazy. Do you want me to resort to social media?
ECS1: You bought the wrong kit. Too bad for you.

So, I email Sales@ and explain as clearly as is possible in simple English the nature of the problem. I get a reply: You bought the wrong kit, along with a screen cap that shows their website TODAY showing the kit's part number is for pre mid-'95 builds. I ask him to please re read the sentence "The radiator and temp sensor in my kit are not compatible". Answer: You bought the wrong kit.

Life is too short to continue to beat this horse. I ordered another radiator from another vendor.

Wgk..... - I am the original owner. No POs involved.

Well hopefully the PM ECS sent you can get this issued resolved. I think you were a little quick with threatening them with posting on social media after they offered you a refund. You could have returned what wasn't compatible and kept what was. ECS has a pretty good reputation and I believe if you give them an honest chance they will make this right.

**ThreePines** · 09-13-2017, 11:38 AM

The obvious solution was for CS to offer that (return unused components). They did not.

**ThreePines** · 09-13-2017, 11:49 AM

The obvious solution was for CS to offer that (return unused components). They did not.

Apparently, I am still the only one in the conversation who understands that the compatibility issue is between kit components, not the components and my car. I guess I have not made that clear to anyone.

The same failure to communicate that caused the ECS crash and burn is impeding our discussion. I guess calculus is easy, and English is not. I'll have to take responsibility for that.

I thought venting my spleen here was going to make me feel better, but its not working out that way!

Have a great day everybody, including you ECS folks.

**wgknestrick** · 09-13-2017, 11:31 PM

Originally Posted by ThreePines

The obvious solution was for CS to offer that (return unused components). They did not.

Apparently, I am still the only one in the conversation who understands that the compatibility issue is between kit components, not the components and my car. I guess I have not made that clear to anyone.

The same failure to communicate that caused the ECS crash and burn is impeding our discussion. I guess calculus is easy, and English is not. I'll have to take responsibility for that.

I thought venting my spleen here was going to make me feel better, but its not working out that way!

Have a great day everybody, including you ECS folks.

If it smells like shit in every room you go, check your shoe.