I Gave up on Coastaletech today... BAD Service..

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ecojosh @ Sep 21 2006, 09:44 AM) [snapback]322771[/snapback]</div>

Well, I would guess they are a small business.. Most mom & pop businesses have a don't call you back for defective products & have a policy for problem-avoidance. :lol:

Although they could have been on vacation...

Be sure to paste your post under any Coastal product topic thread. this way the warning doesnt go un-noticed heck you may even find others who have had a bad time with them also.

Try Sigma, Good Luck!

 

This has been a common complaint with Coastal, unfortunately. The customer service isn't good. If they'd just hire someone part-time to answer emails and the phone it would go far.

I have their EV mod, door lock mod and NAV kit (back when it was called the "NAV Enhancement Kit"). All work, but it took from April '05 to September '05 to get the lock, and from April '05 to January '06 to get the NAV kit. Only 2 weeks for the EV mod.

When I posted that I didn't get the door lock on one of the Yahoo groups I did get a reply from them. I think they monitor that site. I even got a complaint from Coastal Dave himself when their site was down in March '05. I said that I hoped they weren't the kind of company that took your money for airware and ran, and that I'd be reluctant to order from them until items were shipped. You should've seen the responses against me, wow.

 

Inventing a cool idea is fun and exciting. Getting that cool idea installed is kind of tedious, but it's fun to see your idea making it out into the world. Dealing with Customer Service phone calls, everyone of which you must be suspect because even the most knowledgable-sounding caller can turn out to have no idea what they're talking about, is absolutely terrible, and can make you wish you never tried this cool idea in the first place.

Not that I have any experience with this sort of thing ;o)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SoopahMan @ Sep 22 2006, 04:51 AM) [snapback]323295[/snapback]</div>

Since the door lock kit is really so inexpensive, is it possable to make one yourself? Has anyone taken it apart to see what makes it work? I know the always-on power outlet kit is not much more than just bypassing a circuit.

Joe

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PeakFinder @ Sep 22 2006, 09:47 AM) [snapback]323329[/snapback]</div>

Check this out. I'm thinking about trying it too.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ecojosh @ Sep 21 2006, 06:44 AM) [snapback]322771[/snapback]</div>

-Being CAREFUL with them- are words to live by.... I posted this TRUE STORY several times approximately a year ago and I quote:

>
I actually talked to Coastal Dave on the phone March 25th (2005) who informed me that the ViewTech 2005 units were finally on their way from Europe (where they were being assembled) to Florida. They were passing through California -as we spoke-. I jokingly said, -Too bad they couldn't drop one off at my house on the way through.- He laughed... He then told me it would be shipping in about two weeks.

I of course believed him and purchased a JVC KD-DV5100 GigaMp3 DVD player to attach to the ViewTech. At this rate it will be out of warranty before I find out if it is even compatible.

I proceeded to talk to Kelley (Dave's wife) almost everyday for the next few months to find out WHEN is it shipping REALLY. She told me in early June that it would be two weeks or less. (She has since told me that she was just trying to keep my -hopes up-.)

I've been told more than once that I'm the first one on the list. I feel so much better knowing that.
<
(Unquote)


To continue:

THEY apparently read and responded to IT at least - by eliminating me from their Customer List! Did I mention every word was TRUE? Does the truth hurt Dave? Then fix it!

Of course now they've removed the Viewtech from their site altogether and substituted the -LOCKPICK- series. I attempted to order the UNIVERSAL about two months ago. Got no product; no reply; nada. Now when I attempt to purchase ANYTHING from their site, a webpage pops up telling me I have -NO PERMISSION- to access their order page. >THEY ACTUALLY BANNED ME FROM PURCHASING ANYTHING FROM THEM< (a blessing in disguise I'm sure).

After the lies they told (back when they used to answer the phone) and the greef they put me through, they've got the NERVE to eliminate me from their customer list.

Did I mention, BE CAREFUL when dealing with these folks. They're not right in the head. I guess that's allowed when you have close to a monopoly on any particular product. Thank God for SoundGate and the like.

By the way, THANKS DAVE & KELLY for being such sweet people - NOT!

 

Someone needs to change the thread title to Coastal Tech Complaints & Horror Stories..

Again they sound like the mom & pop Citizens Band radio shops of the 70's & 80's. They would offer radio kits to boost the radio watts (some kits worked some didn't) If you called to complain they would screen their calls and wouldnt call you back.. Everyone would say thats bad business! But they kept a following of new customer by word of mouth, because again some kits worked some didnt. :mellow:

Its good that people post their warnings, service problems & horror stories so that others can be warned.
Any store thats going to lie to you, to keep you interested in a non exsistant part and let you buy a possible compatible item just to make some money sure sounds shady to me. :angry:

 

I had good customer service from Coastaletech.

I ordered a tow hitch and EV-mode kit from Coastaletech a couple months ago. I received the the package with a large hole in the box (UPS). When I opened it, there was no EV-mode. Kelley emailed me back the next day and told me the EV-mode kit should be with the instructions. I replied back that I looked everywhere and did not find the EV-mode kit. Kelley replied the same day that they were going to send another one out to me. It was shipped that same day.

 

It's kinda sad that customer service has taken a backseat for a lot of businesses. It's critical for the small business because nothing can make/break your business like word of mouth.

I've been doing the customer service gig since starting in retail 10 years ago. I did my own business, as well, for a little while selling currency in Everquest. I would say 50% of my business was repeat business. They came back because of my service. There were tons of other people selling currency for a bit less, but my excellent service is what brought them back again and again. Keeping the client up to date is something that doesn't take much effort. If I had crap service, I would imagine that my earnings would not even be half of what it was.

I can't read a thread about Coastal Tech without a post pointing out their crappy service. How much potential business has been lost because of this? Get on the ball, Dave.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Presto @ Sep 25 2006, 05:55 PM) [snapback]324945[/snapback]</div>

The only thing that turns around crappy cust. service is reduced sales from an organized effort on the part of the consumer. If people keep buying regardless of bad press then cust. service stays status quo. I personally won't even consider spending my money there unless I see some better posts on them. Maybe we should start a poll and see what others think. Polls are easy and don't take up time vs. typing out a post. Just a thought...

Later,
ITW

 

Polls won't garner any larger quantity of answers than simply letting
people comment on this thread [and the many others like it].
.
Dave had a booth at Hybridfest last summer, where he actually came
out and appeared in public. Did anyone go up and ASK him what
was up? [I didn't, I haven't bought anything from him.] If you want
to see what he looks like, search back near the end of last July
for the pic I posted.
.
_H*

 

They were OK by me - no problems at all.

 

Here's a copy of an email from July:

If I ever get an email back from these guys, it goes like this, and then the site is never updated.

 

I am really bummed to read all these horror stories. One of the things I was excited about when we bought our Prius last Saturday was some of the add-ons that Coastal tech has. I was interested in the tow hitch, the EV mode, power adapter, and the viewtech thingy. I wish I'd seen these complaint threads beforehand so I'd have known that I have to find some of these items elsewhere...

You guys have definitely scared me off of using Coastal for anything. Months delayed for shipping? Deliberately not answering phones, email, etc? That's just not acceptable, and being a pretty consciencious consumer, I just can't justify even taking the chance.

On that sad note, can somebody at least tell me what the alternatives are for getting:

1. A tow hitch
2. EV mode
3. Always on power plugs

Thanks,

Vince

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(VinceDee @ Oct 4 2006, 07:18 PM) [snapback]328188[/snapback]</div>

You might want to do a search about this...the reason I mention it is that I recall some people were having problems with an aftermarket hitch (I think it was this one). A support bar passes really close to the exhaust outlet, deflects the hot gasses toward the bumper, and melts the black piece at the bottom.

Wish I could tell you more more conclusively, but at least this might be a starting point.