Bad experience with coastal tech

For the record, I've made 2 purchases with coastal (ev mod then lockpick3) and they've both been very smooth. Thought I'd post something positive.

 

Hobbit,
What's up with the map?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RaleighMatt @ Feb 21 2007, 09:59 AM) [snapback]393930[/snapback]</div>

I installed my $99 lockpick yesterday. First time I got an error message. Went back to stock configuration and everything was fine. Tried a second time and got a very different error message. Again, stock config worked. Installed the lockpick a third time and everything works as advertised, at least everything I tried worked OK.

As an electronics professional with 40+ years of experience, I am 100% sure I didn't botch the first two tries. There is magic going on somewhere! (Software A interfacing with Software B = magic - or sometimes disaster!)

In any event, my purpose here is not to attack nor defend Coastal. But turning out such a device, in modest quantities, is not easy for $99. It is not just a piece of plastic with a couple of wires. Those two connectors are expensive, the PC board isn't free, there are obviously several components including probably a microcontroller, and more than a dozen wires. Then there is software development, assembly, testing (including the necessary test equipment and jigs), packaging customer service (well, maybe) and hopefully at the end there is a profit.

Having done it for many years, I can tell you that $99 is a bargain. Provided it functions as advertised, of course.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RaleighMatt @ Feb 20 2007, 06:57 PM) [snapback]393561[/snapback]</div>

Wow. That's a lot of emailing. Have you tried the a brief but polite phone call to the company instead? At least you'll know when you have gotten a hold of someone.
I called their phone number and got through twice today. No problem.

If badmouthing a company is your only contribution to PriusChat, that kind of concerns me.
I sympathize that you have had a bad experience with CoastalEtech.

I've heard you.

I get it.

You might want to consider a cooling-off period before emailing or posting again. Better judgment is easily blurred by anger and frustration.

 

Don't like it, then don't buy it.

The joys of Capitalism.

Vote with your wallet.

Me, I'm ordering a freaking Lockpick 3..

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(pre-cbs @ Feb 21 2007, 11:17 AM) [snapback]393944[/snapback]</div>

What's missing is someone who has had a positive experience when they required customer service. <_<

if someone has a positive there, that's what I would like to see otherwise can't imagine why i should give money to a flaky group. all I see on here is posts about bad or no customer service. if you order something and it happens to be in stock you might get it and not need so called customer service. that's nice but doesn't exactly change my opinion.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(pre-cbs @ Feb 21 2007, 11:17 AM) [snapback]393944[/snapback]</div>

I've bought three times from Coastal without any problems regarding customer service. I've always ordered using ground shipping. Perhaps my patience with a small mom and pop company has paid off.

September 2005: Bought EV mode, door locks, mud guards and original nav/bluetooth override kit. I was aware that the nav/bt kit was back ordered. Everything else came in within a week. nav/bt kit arrived in January 2006 when the product was released.

July 2006: Bought EV mode, door locks and mud guards in anticipation of getting a new Prius. Everything came in within a week.

February 2007: Bought the Ultimate LockPick 3 Plus. Came in within a week.

February 2007: The EV mode and door lock kits I bought in July 2006 fail to function on installation at my dealer. Both items replaced within 10 days after a polite exchange of phone messages and emails between my dealer and Coastal and between me and Coastal.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(AnOldHouse @ Feb 21 2007, 06:11 PM) [snapback]394222[/snapback]</div>

whoa whoa whoa - your dealer installed the EV mode kit ???

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SteelersXL @ Feb 21 2007, 06:18 PM) [snapback]394230[/snapback]</div>

and the door lock kit and the mud guards and the Ultimate LockPick 3 Plus on the 2007.

Also did all the same installs on the 2005.

All the installs were done complimentary at either delivery or at a regularly scheduled maintenance service.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ericbecky @ Feb 21 2007, 03:17 PM) [snapback]394099[/snapback]</div>

Kinda what I've been thinking myself, Eric. Thank you for expressing it so well. I couldn't agree with you more!

 

Hay Matt;

call the consumer protection division of our attorney general's office. if they still havn't credited your credit card, there may be a few things there one of Roy Cooper's Assistants may be interested in....don't let this eat your lunch man, they're not worth it.

Also, if you do make your own lockpick, let me know, i'll buy one!... later

 

@RaleighMatt:

Your initial email to coasteletech was curt, demanding and deserves the kind of response it got. You reap what you sow!

So, stop yer whinging about whatever shipping option should or should not be available. They operate off a very simple online ordering solution that doesn't automatically handle, well, pretty much anything.

Some of you really need to learn to be patient. Good things come to those who wait.

That of course should still be no excuse for their lousy customer service. I'm still waiting on a response to a sales email from 4 weeks ago...

- Balt

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Balt @ Feb 24 2007, 09:22 AM) [snapback]395844[/snapback]</div>

In that case, I probably shouldn't even ask them about a tracking number for what I ordered yesterday (the basic Lockpick). It took the money from my debit card, so presumably they have the items in stock (or near enough to arrival) that I should be receiving the item within a week (2 weeks, a month, etc.?)

Anyway I took a chance, since the second order I made (EV mod kit) arrived in about a week.

Dave M.

 

I ordered the EV mode option and a tow bar for my bicycle hitch. Both came in just a week and work great. I love the EV mode switch. Easy to install and very cool. I just wish I could add more battery capacity for more EV driving.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jstack @ Feb 27 2007, 08:46 PM) [snapback]397658[/snapback]</div>

So far, I'm having the same experience as someone earlier in this thread. I ordered the basic LockPick online, and they charged my debit card immediately. The tracking number (since Monday a.m.) on U.P.S. has been giving the message "Status: Billing Information Received". There's been no indication of a pickup yet.

I'm not especially upset, as I'm certain I'll get it eventually. But it would be nice if they didn't claim a Monday the 5th delivery (ground), which they originally said, and it hasn't even been picked up yet. This is from Florida? to Washington State.

I think they could hire a college student part time to keep them up with email, phone calls, etc. Make an honest statement that it's out of stock and when it's actually expected.

Dave M.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RaleighMatt @ Feb 21 2007, 10:59 AM) [snapback]393930[/snapback]</div>

I would like to add my experience with coastal if I could. I ordered the EV mode switch on Tuesday night and received the kit Thursday with a free bag of jelly beans, granted I only live 200 miles from their facility. Also the instructions are very easy to understand and comprehend. Just my 2 cents

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mooniac @ Mar 2 2007, 09:22 PM) [snapback]399351[/snapback]</div>

I also want to post a positive experience. I received my ultimate lockpick 3 this week within 7 days of placing my order. It's already been installed, is working great, & I love it. It did take them 4 days for UPS to pick up the package (or for them to drop it off) once they had printed the label. However, I've been waiting for over 9 months for someone to find a workaround for the navigation lockout. When I found out last week that this product was available, I sure didn't mind waiting a few days for them to ship it. Their product works great & I would definitely buy from them again.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(cpagal @ Mar 2 2007, 05:52 PM) [snapback]399356[/snapback]</div>

Mine isn't quite as good as yours, but similar. I ordered my basic Lockpick last Friday evening. Monday morning I got a tracking number and have been checking it all week. U.P.S. has indicated only "Billing Information Received". I've tried calling Coastal several times with no luck. However, when I emailed them this morning, I got a reply from Kelley this afternoon indicating she planned on shipping early next week.

This is actually the first time I've gotten a response by email or phone from them. I do take that as a good sign.

Dave M.