Fab9 EFR vs TrackSpeed EFR
#21
+1 to sticking with the Trackspeed kit.. I am having similar communication problems with Fab9 currently (ordered their EFR kit on 7/20, currently no shipping information 5 weeks later!).
If I were to do it over again I might have gone with the Trackspeed kit, considering what I now know about Fab9's history.
I had ordered several things from Fab9 in the past (brake pads, thermostatic sandwhich plate, etc.) with success and great communication. One time I made a mistake and ordered the wrong rear brake pads for my car, and Bryan exchanged it at no cost in a very timely manner. We had talked on the phone multiple times, and he was always very helpful. It's just annoying now that I ordered something far more expensive the communication has been lacking.
If I were to do it over again I might have gone with the Trackspeed kit, considering what I now know about Fab9's history.
I had ordered several things from Fab9 in the past (brake pads, thermostatic sandwhich plate, etc.) with success and great communication. One time I made a mistake and ordered the wrong rear brake pads for my car, and Bryan exchanged it at no cost in a very timely manner. We had talked on the phone multiple times, and he was always very helpful. It's just annoying now that I ordered something far more expensive the communication has been lacking.
I would cancel the order, charge back, give money to TSE instead.
#33
UPDATE!
As a courtesy, I sent an email to Fab9 explaining that I was not going to wait any longer in the dark and I had canceled the order.
Bryan IMMEDIATELY (~10 min) gets back to me saying the downpipe is complete and going to ship directly to me. He then says he has no missed emails from me, even though the email I sent was in the same thread of my previously unanswered emails.
He has now sent me ~3 emails explaining his fab guy was sick, email doesn't work, etc. etc.
I guess it takes canceling the order to receive any answers?
This puts me in a weird spot--I've already canceled with the bank, but now he is trying to ship to me.
As a courtesy, I sent an email to Fab9 explaining that I was not going to wait any longer in the dark and I had canceled the order.
Bryan IMMEDIATELY (~10 min) gets back to me saying the downpipe is complete and going to ship directly to me. He then says he has no missed emails from me, even though the email I sent was in the same thread of my previously unanswered emails.
He has now sent me ~3 emails explaining his fab guy was sick, email doesn't work, etc. etc.
I guess it takes canceling the order to receive any answers?
This puts me in a weird spot--I've already canceled with the bank, but now he is trying to ship to me.
#34
If bank has already cancelled funds, then he doesn't have money, so i'd point that out and say that it wouldn't a wise business decision to give away parts for free.
I'm conflicted on this. Bryan is a super nice, very smart, and great guy to hang out with in person. And he makes really nice stuff. I, too, have seen a turbo kit of his or 6.
I've ordered from him a couple times and haven't had a problem, though i suspect what i ordered was drop shipped and took no effort on his part.
But if you're trying to run a business and you have a recurring problem of emails and phone calls disappearing into the ether, then maybe you need to figure out another provider to get email and phone calls through. Or they're there and you're just not answering them. Either way, it's something he needs to address.
I'm conflicted on this. Bryan is a super nice, very smart, and great guy to hang out with in person. And he makes really nice stuff. I, too, have seen a turbo kit of his or 6.
I've ordered from him a couple times and haven't had a problem, though i suspect what i ordered was drop shipped and took no effort on his part.
But if you're trying to run a business and you have a recurring problem of emails and phone calls disappearing into the ether, then maybe you need to figure out another provider to get email and phone calls through. Or they're there and you're just not answering them. Either way, it's something he needs to address.
#36
If bank has already cancelled funds, then he doesn't have money, so i'd point that out and say that it wouldn't a wise business decision to give away parts for free.
I'm conflicted on this. Bryan is a super nice, very smart, and great guy to hang out with in person. And he makes really nice stuff. I, too, have seen a turbo kit of his or 6.
I've ordered from him a couple times and haven't had a problem, though i suspect what i ordered was drop shipped and took no effort on his part.
But if you're trying to run a business and you have a recurring problem of emails and phone calls disappearing into the ether, then maybe you need to figure out another provider to get email and phone calls through. Or they're there and you're just not answering them. Either way, it's something he needs to address.
I'm conflicted on this. Bryan is a super nice, very smart, and great guy to hang out with in person. And he makes really nice stuff. I, too, have seen a turbo kit of his or 6.
I've ordered from him a couple times and haven't had a problem, though i suspect what i ordered was drop shipped and took no effort on his part.
But if you're trying to run a business and you have a recurring problem of emails and phone calls disappearing into the ether, then maybe you need to figure out another provider to get email and phone calls through. Or they're there and you're just not answering them. Either way, it's something he needs to address.
I've tried to be very patient with this order, but the day I ordered he said he could ship the very next day! The only thing that was going to delay this was my request for the compressor housing to be purple (lol).
He said he had a batch of parts going in for the same annodizing, so this wasn't going to push out the lead time too much.
I feel bad having to cancel this order, but enough is enough. I shouldn't have to cancel an order to hear back from a vendor.
#38
I agree, he seems like a good guy. I've talked with him on the phone a few times and he was very helpful. I also ordered parts from him in the past with success--which is why I ordered his kit in the first place.
I've tried to be very patient with this order, but the day I ordered he said he could ship the very next day! The only thing that was going to delay this was my request for the compressor housing to be purple (lol).
He said he had a batch of parts going in for the same annodizing, so this wasn't going to push out the lead time too much.
I feel bad having to cancel this order, but enough is enough. I shouldn't have to cancel an order to hear back from a vendor.
I've tried to be very patient with this order, but the day I ordered he said he could ship the very next day! The only thing that was going to delay this was my request for the compressor housing to be purple (lol).
He said he had a batch of parts going in for the same annodizing, so this wasn't going to push out the lead time too much.
I feel bad having to cancel this order, but enough is enough. I shouldn't have to cancel an order to hear back from a vendor.
I've seen Andrew wreak havoc on the track with his Miata. It's really changing the way Miatas are viewed here in NorCal. Nobody and I mean NOBODY has more time and development invested into a Miata turbo than he does. Going back 5-7 years I remember him cutting teeth on the old gt2871 setup. **** did not stay together then! The current Trackspeed kit is about as bullet proof as you could ever hope for in a Miata. The best part? It will actually ship when it's suppose to!
#39
Former Vendor
iTrader: (8)
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Broken Arrow,Ok
Posts: 1,185
Total Cats: 57
I've had experience with both vendors with good results. Unfortunately along with the good, I've also had some less than ideal communication and delivery experiences with Bryan at Fab9 that seem to ring similar to several others here. It's hard to go wrong with anything that Trackspeed puts their name on.
#40
Andrew runs a one man show....If you have ever started a small business you will understand the unenviable position he is in.
He speaks the truth, calls a spade a shovel, and only puts his name (company name) on products that work superbly, or products that are the best currently available.
Andrew has twice sent me to other vendors, because he didn't feel his product best suited my needs, or that there was only one logical choice for the product I wanted.....Honest to a fault.
There is a reason most people here are running Andrew's turbo gear or wish they were running his stuff...
IMHO I would rather have a plain vanilla log manifold kit over the setup you are looking at. At the very least you would get nice throttle response....
Take the money and run
My advice
EDIT: Congrats on getting Married Andrew!
He speaks the truth, calls a spade a shovel, and only puts his name (company name) on products that work superbly, or products that are the best currently available.
Andrew has twice sent me to other vendors, because he didn't feel his product best suited my needs, or that there was only one logical choice for the product I wanted.....Honest to a fault.
There is a reason most people here are running Andrew's turbo gear or wish they were running his stuff...
IMHO I would rather have a plain vanilla log manifold kit over the setup you are looking at. At the very least you would get nice throttle response....
Take the money and run
My advice
EDIT: Congrats on getting Married Andrew!
Last edited by nbfather; 08-30-2017 at 08:44 PM. Reason: Congrats!