Ok. As I write this, I'm sitting in a tent in Afghanistan, so if my typing sucks, please excuse.
Here's the story. Saw this thread
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40356 while lurking one night. It's in response to a question the OP asked if anyone knew of a company that made a "Short Shift Kit for the E92?" I saw Rob's post from VividRacing and decided to look at their web page. I saw they did, in fact have a B&M SSK listed for the E90 AND the E92. To that point, I haven't heard of any SSK for the E92 yet, so I emailed Vividracing to see if the SSK did, in fact, fit the E92. One day, two days, no response. So I call vivid.
I get Mike (Sales) on the phone. I asked Mike if the B&M 45123 SSK fit both the E92. He said it sure did. I told him I wanted to be sure before I ordered it, because I didn't want to try to put the thing on my car and find out that it didn't fit and I ripped the car apart for nothing. Again, he assured me it would fit the E92. I ordered it.
One thing I have to put in here... I told Mike I was an E90post.com forum member and active duty military to see if he had any discounts. He said sure, we'll knock it down to $162, but I'd have to pick up actual shipping costs, which "should only be a few bucks." Unfortunately, at that time, he didn't have the exact shipping costs, but I took him at his word. I ordered.
I received the invoice via email and was shocked to see the shipping was$17.00 (not overnight) and he stuck me with a $2.00 handling fee. WTF? So now the total was $181.00, $6.00
MORE that Rob claimed it cost in a previous post! Thanks for the discount, Mike!
At this point, I said, "to hell with it." I'll suck up the deceitfulness, because I'm getting the only SSk that will fit my E92.
That same day, however, I notice on the invoice, it says nothing about an E92 shifter, only E90. I get curious and realize that I might not want to rely soley on Mike's and Rob's claims that the 45123 B&M SSK will fit the E92. So, I call B&M directly, which is what I should've don in the first place. I talkto someone there in the technical department that says, "Don't put that shifter on your car. It won't fit."
I call Mike back, tell him what B&M told me and tell him I want to cancel. Mike said he wanted to contact someone at B&M and ask for himself. I say OK. One day, two days go by, no call back or email or any contact from Mike or anyone at Vivid. I call him back. Mike claims he left a message at B&M, but nobody has called him back. I told him I was getting close to deploy overseas and I wanted to get this resolved. I didn't need my wife trying to handle the return when she has 5 kids to raise while I'm gone. Additionally, I didn't want to have to sit in a damn tent in Afghanistan writing emails and using my morale call time to try to get a refund from Vivid.......much like I'm doing right now.
I finally tell Mike I won't put this on my car, you gave me incorrect information, stating the SSK would fit my car and B&M said it won't. He said fine, refuse the shipment and when it gets back, we'll give you a refund. I asked specifically if I was going to have to pay for shipping and/or restocking and/or any other fees. He said, "No, not for something that was our mistake."
I refuse shipment, package returned. A week later,after receiving no contact from Vivid, I call Mike. He says the shifter has been sitting there, but didn't know where it came from. WTF?!? I get past the nonsense and finally get him to start the return process. He said, "I'll take care of it." I confirmed again that I would get the FULL REFUND back. Again. he said I would.
Two weeks after that, I get an electronic return invoice showing that, out of the $181 I paid, I only get $105.30 back! Yes, $105.30 out of $181 for their mistake! I have all the proof to back it up!!
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40356
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51441
You can clearly see Vivid claimed the B&M SSK fits the E92.
Not only that-- on their invoice, it states that there's a 25% restocking fee (which I shouldn't be paying anyway), but they're charging me 35%!! Plus shipping!! Plus the service fee!!
By Ordering, you agree to all our terms listed at www.vividracing.com - For a refund, the product must be received at Vivid Racing within 15 days of purchase date, in identical condition you received it in and is subject to a 25% restocking fee. Refused shipments are subject to a 25% restock fee. No returns, cancellations or refunds on Special Order items. Cancelling orders on regular stock items are subject to a 5% fee. Inspect your merchandise BEFORE you sign for it. Do not sign or accept a package if it shows any sign of damage or is open at all as the freight company will not pay full
reimbursement. Vivid Racing
I tell you I can't even believe it. So I called back, got the runaround from Mike, AGAIN. Said he'd email me back. Didn't...again. So I use some more morale time to call Vivid and ask to speak to a supervisor. Randy gets on the phone and says he'd need to call B7M himself to verify the shifter doesn't fit. I say fine. He says he'll email tomorrow. Since I had 5 minutes of morale time left, i called B&M...again. And was told by Joey in Technical assistance at 1230 EST "not to try to install that SSK on an E92. It will not fit."
So where am I at? Sitting in a tent in Afghanistan, waiting for an email (who knows when) from Randy to see if they're not going to try to rape me. I so hope I don't need to go to the BBB and my CC company about this.
I want my FULL PURCHASE PRICE REFUNDED, with shipping costs that I paid for, and your obsurd $2 service fee.
I've tried to be businesslike and polite so far, but I can't devote so much time to this. I hope I get good news tomorrow.
Randy, if you're reading this- give me some good news.
All others, wish me luck.
Jon