Not sure if this is the right place to put this, but here it goes.

I ordered the FD oil pan brace a week ago and just got the automatic order confirmation after I made payments, but no reply to my emails or Facebook messages or anything in regards to when it might ship out.
Anyone here dealt with Chips Motorsports recently and know if he's still in business?

 

Awesome products, but does not know the meaning of customer service.

 

+1 to @TwinCharged RX7 I feel like his business would be transformed if he would hire a front of house person.

I have found him to be semi-responsive via instagram, though.

 

the brace is almost too nice to mount on your motor, rather over the mantle. and yes, cust service might be a challenge. i email him and do get a response.

his brace and studs go on all my motors.

 

I really have to ask, why do we put up with kind of abuse from vendors in our community? I see this time and time again with the big hitters, such as IRP, Chips, and Turbo Source. A customer pays a lot of money for a quality, yet expensive part and gets blown off for weeks or months. I have no idea why we put up with this and I say we, because I recently (a month ago) ordered something from IRP and still have no response (so I am guilty of it too). I think we need to come together to address the issue as a whole. The pandemic is over. Even though the economy is in the toilet, I think blaming everything on supply chains is a lame excuse, especially when most of the industry has caught up.

The only shop that I can count on to be fast and reliable is Banzai, so I try to order as much from them as I need. Heck even RHD Japan, which mind you sends stuff from Japan, is faster than some of these shops.

 

yes.... the answer is YES!

WHY does the community put up with it? i really wish i understood. the shut up and color pack mentality that seems to be going on here is saddening. as I've said before.... just because they cater to a niche community does not put them in a situation to treat us however they want and it doesn't put us in a position to simply say nothing for fear of losing that source. im very grateful for all the options we have but we are still people and as customers that are supporting small business, we DESERVE more respect than what is being given.

im 1000% on the same boat as you homie

 

It comes down to there being very little alternative. Chip makes fantastic products. But I know a guy that paid up front for a dry sump system $8k+ , it's been months but was told a few weeks when handing over the money. And since he has already paid, no real incentive to get back to him because the business can spend the same time talking to a different customer that hasn't paid yet. No sale is lost, if something gets lost in the mix, the business keeps on ticking. If someone really wants a well machined extremely low volume custom part for their rx7, they either pay up and take the bet that even though communication isn't good and it will take an unknown amount of time to get it, or don't get it at all.

In the example above, there is really no other place to get a drysump unless you just get lucky an MFR shows up for sale randomly, so you take the plunge knowing it won't be fun.

That's why shops that do have good customer service really shine.

 

Having been in a 'weak' Supply-Demand position relative to all of the aforementioned RX7 specialists,
It comes down to what TwinCharged RX7 said! Or in more classic terms...

<Donning EOD 'Michelin Man' suit>

"The strong do as they will,
The weak suffer as they must."
- (Economic) Thucydides

 

Have any spare braces lying around by chance? lol

 

I will say that the Banzai Brace it not as pretty, but you will get it next week. I would cancel my order with Chip's. Again, avoid supporting companies that bend you over, unless extremely necessary. We can reward the good ones and punish the bad ones. Just my $0.02

 

As a matter in fact, Chips did cancel and refund my order today. Without me requesting it, and without even a word to it. I tried emailing and asking what's up. But as with all my other efforts to make contact, I got no reply.

Way to greet a potential new customer I must say, I will certainly not try to buy any other parts from them again.

 

Must have saw the post and didn't want to deal with it haha

 

Who knows, might be, haha.
I did not intend to hang them out here or bash them, I was primarily hoping for information, or if anyone here knew them as I didn't get any feedback whatsoever, even after placing and paying an order.

 

Honestly you'll be very happy with the Banzai oil pan brace. I've got one on my FD and my FC, and the part fit perfect and does exactly what it's supposed to do.

 

typical. i'm sure he saw the post and ghosted you. this is why i keep my car stock because i have had brutal experiences with a lot of shops and companies. these stories are all to common unfortunately.

 

Have been on the fence about ordering a dry sump myself 🤔

Been on both sides of that fence though; sometimes responsive, occasionally not. I’d imagine he’s buried under high demand now. If you understand anything about what the post Covid world is like now; then you understand that some delays are beyond a downstream vendors ability to control. Yet I’ve complained plenty about this for other companies too. Why did Johnny Depp marry Amber Heard? The same answer for the question posed here is in there somewhere …

Love his work though and in general have great appreciation for his mastery. Same for Thucydides.

Suffer it to be so …
.