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palerider

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 8, 2006
Messages
839
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65
Location
Los Angeles, CA
Hi,

Just getting over my pissed-offedness over having to clean sytrofoam peanut droppings out of my new rear wheel.

Some of you have recommended University Motors in Fargo because they give a discount to FJRForum members. But their shipping dep't practices leave something to be desired.

I just received the FJR rear wheel I ordered. I ordered an entire rear wheel, all parts, and asked that it be assembled and shipped to me in Los Angeles (along with two mirrors). The box arrived today. It was pretty beat up. That was because it was simply a big, non-reinforced, cardboard box with the wheel dropped inside it, not secured in any way, not covered or wrapped, and with styrofoam peanuts dumped on top of it. As a result, there were broken and crushed bits of syrofoam peanuts in every possible nook and cranny of the wheel, exposed gears, axle hole, wheel struts, bearings, and seals, including bits of styrofoam peanuts mixed with the bearing grease packed in under the seals. Also, there's a tire, a Bridgestone Battlax, mounted on the wheel. This is a particular surprise as I didn't order a tire. And now I'll have to pay to have the tire that I don't want removed from the wheel so I can have the tire I already own mounted on it. This was nearly a $1000 order, so you'd think they'd spend $10 on proper packing. Because the box had broken open, there are styrofoam-peanut carcasses all over my yard.

I was originally told that the wheel parts were back-ordered until today, but then I was called and told that the wheel was actually going to ship last Monday. What I think is that they shipped me the rear wheel from a new bike. I don't particularly care about that, except they should have taken the tire off it, and they should have told me they were doing that.

I don't believe I was charged for the tire, which I repeat I didn't order or want. I'll find out Monday. Depending on how they want to handle this, I might have a new Bridgestone Battlax rear to donate to some worthy but poor FJR owner who's willing to pay shipping and whatever it costs me to have it removed. If you're near LA, you can even come by and pick it up once I know what's what.

I stress that I don't yet know if they're going to want it back--it's going to cost them to pay the shipping and packing and the cost of having it removed--but keeping that in mind, if anybody wants dibs on it, let me know.

 
I stress that I don't yet know if they're going to want it back--it's going to cost them to pay the shipping and packing and the cost of having it removed--but keeping that in mind, if anybody wants dibs on it, let me know.
Tire no longer available.

 
I'm sure what ever you saved on that wheel assy was well worth cleaning up a bit of peanuts :) If the box was in that bad of shape you should have refused delivery.

Just my 2 cents, but an air compressor works wonders...

As for the tire, if you didn't order it you shouldn't have been charged for it.

Give Gary or Michael a chance to make it right, I'm sure they will.

-MD

 
Keep us posted - seems like one big Hefty trash bag cinched at the top would have eleminated most of the problem. Like most shipping departments... well, I'll just shut up and not offend anybody. :unsure:

 
It does sound like they couldn't get the parts and packaged a wheel assembly from a floor model bike. It looks like they went WAAAAAYYYY outta their way, the shipping clerk messed up and the shipping company doesn't care.....

By my score meter:

Customer service- 10

Shipping clerk foulup- 2

Shipping Company crushing the box (UPS?)- 5 or 6

 
I'm sure what ever you saved on that wheel assy was well worth cleaning up a bit of peanuts :) If the box was in that bad of shape you should have refused delivery.
Just my 2 cents, but an air compressor works wonders...

As for the tire, if you didn't order it you shouldn't have been charged for it.

Give Gary or Michael a chance to make it right, I'm sure they will.

-MD
I intend to give them a chance to make it right, and I have no doubt they will. But I didn't buy from a 12-year-old on eBay. I bought from a professional outfit, and the package should have been packed and shipped well.

 
Am I the only one thinking that this isn't all that bad? Wheel came ahead of expected time, assembled and undamaged, with styrofoam peanuts to clean off, and a tire on the wheel. In the time it took to post about the lousy customer service, I think I would already have had the tire off the rim.

 
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So you have to pay to remove the $100 tire you got for free? Peanuts everywhere but the assyembly is not damaged and in good shape?

I can remember lots of days that didn't go this well.

 
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UM bonus package. You lucky guy. :yahoo:

Just wear out the bonus then put on the tire you have in storage. Also, get a shop vac and clean up the mess, then smile as you wear out the new tire. :rolleyes:

My 2 cents.

I have received 5 boxes as large or larger from UM with no problem, header, fenders, sub frames, etc., no wheels.

 
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I have ordered a good number of parts from them. I have, without exception, found them reliable, fast, fair, and honest. Everything was appropriately packaged. They even went to the extent of providing warranty coverage for a part (TPS) that I ordered 6 months before the recall came out.

They are a good company. Give them another chance.

 
The attitude about this is understandable for those of us who live above the snow line - after all, we're deprived of our relaxation passion for the next few months. What's your excuse?

So what's the problem? You got a brand new tire (worth more than $100), mounted and balanced, for free. In return you have to pick out the foam from some of the nooks and cranies in the wheel - a very fair trade IMO.

Ride it out (they don't last all that long) - you'll probably wear it out before I next get to ride my bike anyway.

 
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Damnit! I just ordered a left-side FZ-1 mirror to replace the Emgo that's about to give up the ghost. If they send me a free tire I'm gonna go

[SIZE=36pt]OFF!!![/SIZE]

But I'd go for a can cozy or a new hat....

 
Hi,
Just getting over my pissed-offedness over having to clean sytrofoam peanut droppings out of my new rear wheel.

Some of you have recommended University Motors in Fargo because they give a discount to FJRForum members. But their shipping dep't practices leave something to be desired.

I just received the FJR rear wheel I ordered. I ordered an entire rear wheel, all parts, and asked that it be assembled and shipped to me in Los Angeles (along with two mirrors). The box arrived today. It was pretty beat up. That was because it was simply a big, non-reinforced, cardboard box with the wheel dropped inside it, not secured in any way, not covered or wrapped, and with styrofoam peanuts dumped on top of it. As a result, there were broken and crushed bits of syrofoam peanuts in every possible nook and cranny of the wheel, exposed gears, axle hole, wheel struts, bearings, and seals, including bits of styrofoam peanuts mixed with the bearing grease packed in under the seals. Also, there's a tire, a Bridgestone Battlax, mounted on the wheel. This is a particular surprise as I didn't order a tire. And now I'll have to pay to have the tire that I don't want removed from the wheel so I can have the tire I already own mounted on it. This was nearly a $1000 order, so you'd think they'd spend $10 on proper packing. Because the box had broken open, there are styrofoam-peanut carcasses all over my yard.

I was originally told that the wheel parts were back-ordered until today, but then I was called and told that the wheel was actually going to ship last Monday. What I think is that they shipped me the rear wheel from a new bike. I don't particularly care about that, except they should have taken the tire off it, and they should have told me they were doing that.

I don't believe I was charged for the tire, which I repeat I didn't order or want. I'll find out Monday. Depending on how they want to handle this, I might have a new Bridgestone Battlax rear to donate to some worthy but poor FJR owner who's willing to pay shipping and whatever it costs me to have it removed. If you're near LA, you can even come by and pick it up once I know what's what.

I stress that I don't yet know if they're going to want it back--it's going to cost them to pay the shipping and packing and the cost of having it removed--but keeping that in mind, if anybody wants dibs on it, let me know.
:cray: :cray: :cray: :cray: :cray: :cray:

Get over it! Woulda' really been worse if they'd sent the tire w/ NO wheel.

 
Almost every box I get from UPS is damaged in some way. It gets much worse during the holidays, probably because of the increase in volume.

I agree with dcarver, a large plastic bag would have been simple and effective.

 
I too have done biz with UM and never had a problem. Gary is "da man" when it comes to getting you what you want and at a fair price. However, I gotta agree with palerider on this one. Everyone seems to be of the opinion that the extra tire is worth it the hassle, but ummmm, NO. First of all, he hasn't confirmed that he is not being charged for it. He will have to pay for it to be removed. here is always a possibility of damage any time your wheel goes on a tire machine, and finally, if the styrofoam was all busted up in little pieces as he described and in the grease and bearings, then simply blowing it may not get it all. I myself would not feel comfortable without removing the bearings and making sure I had got all of it before putting it on the bike. That is all additional work that he did not plan for. The bottom line is that whoever packaged it didnt just do a piss poor job, they risked the integrity of his $1000 order and that is not what yu should accept from UM.

Palerider, talk to directly to Gary when you call, he is a top notch guy and will work with you in any way he can.......hopefully by getting rid of the shipping guy.

Just my .02

 
I ordered a set of sparkplugs from that guy Gary at University Motors. He said I wouldn't be able to get them until sometime in 2008. But then outta the blue I received a big package by freight truck and son-of-a-bitch... That guy shipped me a Black 2008 FJR with my new spark plugs installed, guess they didn't wanna de-install them. Now I'm gunna have to pay somebody to get those darn plugs out and into my 2003. And wouldn't ya know it that 2008 is covered in styro peanutz! And it's BLACK. O geeze. The embarrassment...

 
That guy shipped me a Black 2008 FJR with my new spark plugs installed, guess they didn't wanna de-install them. Now I'm gunna have to pay somebody to get those darn plugs out and into my 2003.
For a small disposal fee I will haul off the superfluous black FJR. There may also be a nominal decontamination charge, depending on the amount of non recyclable Styrofoam contamination.

:lol:

 
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