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View Full Version : rbracing - or how 2 get refund from scammers


eric2
06-07-2004, 03:24 PM
Or another example of why k100 performance mods
and plastic combined with a high credit limit never work.
I hesitate to bad mouth a vendor on-line but at this point
i have nothing to lose anyway, and the vendor deserves
it for the crappy service.

Sad story: Paid $4k for a turbo kit
in Feb of '02 from these folks; at the time this kit was advertised as shipping; now it's just "fully developed"

http://www.rbracing-rsr.com/bmwturbos.htm

Now over 2 years of unanswered emails, un-returned phone calls
and hundreds of $ in LD calls I still don't have a complete turbo kit, and I don't care to wait any longer...

Up until a year ago the only thing I had received was the modified
oil pan and cleaned injectors, then after a few weeks of unreturned phone calls I got a hold of Bob and told him to ship me my order or give me a refund.

Well, I got most of the kit, but it turns out it's never been
tested or installed, the turbo interferes with the cam cover,
there's no mounts for the intercooler, nothing is painted,
etc, etc. Here's a snip of the next to last email I got from these ..........folks


>>We are going to have to buy a K100 to check all this out. We ar still finishing the K1200RS and LT series and Have a 1100S and a 1200C to work on.

We will be mailing you the gauge and a new spring for the scavenge next week. >>>

Thats funny, the web site sez this:

"Kits are fully developed for K100RS/RT, K1000, K1100RS, R1100RS models."

I think the MOA magazine also mentioned these folks in
a Xmas issue a few years back as a nice present.

Here is part of the last email i got from them.

"Ship the bike to us and we'll install the turbo kit."

Again, they're web site says this can be installed with
regular hand tools, and after 2 1/2 years I don't
think i should have to take my bike to CA from TX.
Almost forgot to mention, this guy has broken numerous
promises with me on when this stuff would be ready,
so I would be an idiot to leave it with this guy given
his level of comittment so far; why should I expect
him to follow through now?



So my question is, before i really tell this story
on ebay and other sites then dump it ; how do i get
my money back from these people? I've asked nicely in emails and angrily over the phone, and it prolly isn't worth it to
sue the guy. They do hve a bad rap with the BBB
in CA already.

One thing's for sure, from day 1 ;
once they got my money they stopped
corresponding and refused to provide any updates
on my kit. They've also been able to come out
with a few other products, including the aptly
named "black hole" exhaust.; a better description
of where your money goes, than finish my order.

On Vic's k12 site, there's a few folks that
bought stuff for their k12rs from them as well.
One guy got the fancy injectors and exhaust,
gained about 5 hp for $2500. Another
got an exhaust that failed, blocking the exhaust
and killing the O2 sensor.

This has by far been the worst retail experience
in my life, and I come here seeking wisdom
on how to end this unfortunate chapter. Pics
of it can be seen at http://www.ofoto.com
logging in as k@kwhiner.net and use k as the p/w

TIA!

jdiaz
06-07-2004, 04:26 PM
This is awful, especially considering how many pages of the RB Racing website are dedicated to badmouthing people they have done business with over the years. Maybe they were the bad apples all along?

dzimbric
06-07-2004, 06:20 PM
One of the really nice things about plastic, if there is a nice thing, is that you can contact your credit card company and protest the bill.

Contact them and they will ask you to document your claim.

They can and will take the money from this guy's account. I have protested charges for poor service in the past and they have gotten involved, usually on the side of the consumer who is their customer.

Grab him by the wallet, usually the heart and mind will follow.

Good Luck

LICK MY BRICK
06-07-2004, 09:28 PM
Sounds like you might have to go pay a little vist,and give somebody a little SMACK for their poor service. I'm sure they will deal with you properly then:p

I'm so bad:evil

BradfordBenn
06-07-2004, 11:40 PM
You could always call the Postal Inspectors cause this is now a federal case as it goes across state lines. Plus there is truth in advertising.... well you get the idea. Usually between the credit card company and a letter saying you are investigating your legal options, including the attorney general's office, things can get worked out.

Hope that helps.

eric2
06-10-2004, 09:13 AM
Thanks guys, I have contacted
the credit card company before
but didn't follow up in hopes that
rbracing would deliver.

I'm thinking of taking a trip to CA
to personally ask for a refund. If
he balks at that I think a lengthy
ad on ebay outlining the issues
would be just desserts for him;
and a good lesson for me to never tempt
fate by trying this on my bmw again. :banghead

turbo kits for the asian bikes are much cheaper
anyway:bliss

dzimbric
06-10-2004, 09:18 AM
I would stay away. As personal as this would be with me if this was my bike and money I would probally get unpleasant and it would all be downhill from there.
Call your credit card company, you would be amazed at how fast they can debit his account. They pay people to make other people miserable, turn em loose on rbracing.

Just my .02

kbasa
06-10-2004, 11:52 AM
I'd work through the credit card company. While your desire to "share your thoughts" is nice, the real goal is to get your money back. The credit card company can do that. Finally, you can always take them to court. The legal system offers remedies for situations like this.

The suggestion by Brad that this can constitute mail fraud is an interesting one. You may want to talk with the US Attorney General's office in the city that their located in. If it turns out that there are a series of incidents like this, they may be liable.

I'm not a lawyer, nor do I play one on the web. But I think the goal is to get your money back and, as a bonus, keep these guys from ripping anyone else off.

lorazepam
06-10-2004, 06:59 PM
Once you get your money back, if you go on Ebay and tell the truth, including how to get your money back, he could do nothing to you at all. He just might close shop.

dlearl476
06-10-2004, 09:38 PM
>I'm not a lawyer, nor do I play one on the web.

I like that, and I'm in the same boat but if I'll play devil's advocate if I may. I think you might have a problem disputing the claim with the CC company after two years. I may be wrong.
I also think I'd stay mum on any public forum about the troubles. After all this, the last thing you need is for these jerks to get hold a lawyer willing to file a slander claim against you, forcing YOU to defend yourself.
I think your best bet is to find out if you can find a government attorney willing to persue mail fraud charges against them. Good luck, when I tried the AG told me that unless it was a B2B issue, I had to deal with it in civil court.

Grey Matter
06-13-2004, 09:47 PM
I know what it is like to get ripped off. Remain as cool as you can & see if you can get an official legal request for a refund, explaining the contractual issues i.e. they agreed to send you X for Y amount or money.... More the better if this letter is on a legal firm’s letter head.

I am sorry for you man. Good luck & let us know how it turns out. I hate it when people get screwed.

eric2
06-20-2004, 10:24 PM
thanks for all suggextions folks, the best plan of attack seems to be:

1) dispute plastic charge
2) one last request 4 refund fm vendor
3) Calls to CA & TX atty generals' offices
4) Ebay and world-wide web whining

I'll post the result :brow