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      04-29-2022, 06:46 AM   #1
fortythirtyfive
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Bilstein's customer service is shocking

4 weeks ago I stripped the B16 kit off my car as I had found the rear shock adjusters had seized, one spring had snapped and the other was pure rust on the contact points.

The vendor came straight out next day to collect them but then I heard nothing for around 2 weeks, I began calling asking for an update and was told to wait a week. 1 week goes by I hear nothing so I ring again and I'm told there's been some complications on Bilsteins behalf, however the returned parts had now left their warehouse to Bilstein, I am also advised that they are typically pretty quick and I should hear about a return later in the following week.

A week goes by and nothing, so I chase again, I'm told the system notes have gotten very confusing and that their rep will need to chase Bilstein for an update. That leads me to today, they call me.. "the returned parts have left our warehouse for definite" but I'll need to wait until the second week of May now before I can chase for any further updates.

I dropped over £1600 on this kit as I was sold great reviews of build quality and customer care, however they're everything but that on both points. I managed to find the UK phone number for Bilstein and was rudely hung up on when I mentioned my case number, so they clearly have an ongoing issue.

How 6 weeks can be seen as acceptable just to authorise replacement parts (never mind the shipping part) is beyond me. I'm £280 into taxi fee's and now having to arrange a hire car for my grandma's funeral so that I can get myself and others there.

Whilst I don't expect them to cover those costs their response when I made them aware was "how unfortunate, you made the decision to spend on travel though so we won't be covering any costs if that's what you're thinking of".. just the general language from Bilstein has been utterly poor.

So there's my experience, personally I'd avoid Bilstein going forward.. next time I'm in the market for coilovers I'll probably look at KW.
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      04-29-2022, 03:51 PM   #2
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My experience of aftermarket parts manufacturers (mentioning no names, yet, but I'll be posting some detailed reviews during the coming weeks) is that even the big names are a) incompetent, and, b) rarely want to solve a problem if it'll reduce their profits on the initial sale.

Your experience is unfortunate, but I think it's quite common.
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      04-29-2022, 05:42 PM   #3
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Most of the aftermarket suppliers are pretty poorly run by people who got into it as a hobby and through luck rather than judgement have made it a successful-ish business. I say successful, what I mean is they've come across a product that people want and then mix this demand up with being successful. Class acts many are not, it makes you wish Amazon did car parts if only for their excellent customer service. It's also why I've got no great desire to modify my daily, despite the obvious performance/handling benefits etc.

Six weeks for parts which could be on a car which, like yours, is needed for commuting etc is taking the piss but they won't care. If the parts are under warranty then I assume they're less than 12 months old. If you bought them on a credit card I would at this point be speaking to them to see what recourse you have. It sucks that it puts the onus on a relatively innocent party in the retailer but ultimately your contract is with them and they are the ones who should be chasing and dealing on your behalf. You are far from the only person I've heard criticising Bilstein in this country though. It sounds like they've got someone managing customer services who is still in the Stone Age. Have you tried googling their UK MD's email address? Might be worth a punt emailing and explaining the situation, as well as the attitude from the CS twonk when you called and gave your reference number.
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      04-30-2022, 12:15 AM   #4
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Seized billies? Say it ain’t so. Sadly seems to be all too common an occurrence.

It’s why I went KW.
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      05-01-2022, 10:36 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Onizukachan View Post
Seized billies? Say it ain’t so. Sadly seems to be all too common an occurrence.

It’s why I went KW.
I called them out on instagram after them putting the phone down on me.. only to receive an apologetic dm in my inbox.

According to their social team they're having a global part shortage and have never heard of seized adjusters before.. they're also trying to claw back a little on "who fitted the kit".

I'm presuming by your message you've heard of this before then?
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      05-01-2022, 10:42 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ennoch View Post
Most of the aftermarket suppliers are pretty poorly run by people who got into it as a hobby and through luck rather than judgement have made it a successful-ish business. I say successful, what I mean is they've come across a product that people want and then mix this demand up with being successful. Class acts many are not, it makes you wish Amazon did car parts if only for their excellent customer service. It's also why I've got no great desire to modify my daily, despite the obvious performance/handling benefits etc.

Six weeks for parts which could be on a car which, like yours, is needed for commuting etc is taking the piss but they won't care. If the parts are under warranty then I assume they're less than 12 months old. If you bought them on a credit card I would at this point be speaking to them to see what recourse you have. It sucks that it puts the onus on a relatively innocent party in the retailer but ultimately your contract is with them and they are the ones who should be chasing and dealing on your behalf. You are far from the only person I've heard criticising Bilstein in this country though. It sounds like they've got someone managing customer services who is still in the Stone Age. Have you tried googling their UK MD's email address? Might be worth a punt emailing and explaining the situation, as well as the attitude from the CS twonk when you called and gave your reference number.
You've hit the nail bang on the head.

I stupidly took a 6 month 0% finance agreement out to spread the cost at the time, whilst that would have been beneficial as I could have contacted them I paid it off early as I had less bills to pay for than I thought I did, so they won't give a damn now.

I was quite fortunate to be on a Ferrari test drive day with JCT last weekend, the instructor is a Challenge driver who knows both staff at Demontweeks and someone supposedly high up at Bilstein.. I might give him a shout to get the contact details.
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      05-01-2022, 06:07 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fortythirtyfive View Post
I called them out on instagram after them putting the phone down on me.. only to receive an apologetic dm in my inbox.

According to their social team they're having a global part shortage and have never heard of seized adjusters before.. they're also trying to claw back a little on "who fitted the kit".

I'm presuming by your message you've heard of this before then?
Several times here and YouTube.
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      05-02-2022, 07:17 AM   #8
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Wow, you really can't defend that type of customer service.

I've also got the B16 PSS10...but on my Z4MC.

They've been on there for over 5 years and 50,000 miles...and not had a problem with them at all.

I adjust mine regularly (cranking them up for trackdays and softening them for road driving), and they are 'serviced' every year to ensure they're in good condition.

But even when I bought them new, there was a 3 month wait for them.
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      05-02-2022, 07:41 AM   #9
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I ordered my b16s a month ago (definitely scared with stories like this)
I wont receive the package until August. Story sounds about right that they are taking a long time...just sucks they wont communicate better about it.
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      05-02-2022, 10:17 AM   #10
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Im sorry to hear that, OP, they are probably understaffed and are having issues with material shortages, which are making your experience with them even worse
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      05-02-2022, 02:36 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BeFitty8_F32 View Post
I ordered my b16s a month ago (definitely scared with stories like this)
I wont receive the package until August. Story sounds about right that they are taking a long time...just sucks they wont communicate better about it.
I just noped out of that.

Called ECS and swapped out the B16s for the KW street comforts. Will ship this month.
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      05-02-2022, 06:01 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mike@x-ph.com View Post
Im sorry to hear that, OP, they are probably understaffed and are having issues with material shortages, which are making your experience with them even worse
Totally - maybe it's just me but clarity around communication is key, just be truthful and if it's going to take a month or two be straight up and say it.. that way the customer knows what to expect and doesn't need to become a pest for updates ha.

Quote:
Originally Posted by BeFitty8_F32 View Post
I just noped out of that.

Called ECS and swapped out the B16s for the KW street comforts. Will ship this month.
Sorry to have worried you out of the order, you won't be disappointed though from the comparison reviews I have seen.
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      05-03-2022, 12:16 PM   #13
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Quote:
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Sorry to have worried you out of the order, you won't be disappointed though from the comparison reviews I have seen.
No worries at all. I have seen quite a few posts that state the Bilsteins are great initially. Down the road, not so much. KWs have a little better rep right now. And I need the coilovers a lot sooner than august. Two leaky rear shocks. Who knows when they will go out fully.
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      05-03-2022, 12:27 PM   #14
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Don’t forget to buy new upper mounts all around and new accordion boots for the front. The later took me by surprise, and delayed my install. You cut off the accordion and just use the rubber isolator ring part of it as per KW install directions.

Since you bought from ecs, they do offer kits with mounts and all new hardware. Mine was in ok shape but I did the kit anyway…

Meant I could pull them as an assembly amd install as an assembly. Worth it not to dick with disassembly and reusing parts.

If you don’t want to go lower than 1” rear,or stay stock height, keep the SC spacers on rear adjusters. Bottomed out with spacers in I’m at 1” lower.
If you want to go the full 1.5 down in rear that front can safely go… or even 1.25 you will need to remove those and set the adjuster appropriately. I wish I had. Now I get to disassemble the rear suspension again and pull the springs to remove the spacers to get the extra .25-.33 of rear low. Which is why I haven’t done it for the last year.
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      05-07-2022, 01:47 PM   #15
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Update: had a delivery on Thursday just gone with rebuilt shocks and x1 new spring, the other spring which was badly rusted and rotten almost all the way through was sent back �� I guess that'll be another fight when it eventually goes.
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      05-07-2022, 05:13 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fortythirtyfive View Post
Update: had a delivery on Thursday just gone with rebuilt shocks and x1 new spring, the other spring which was badly rusted and rotten almost all the way through was sent back �� I guess that'll be another fight when it eventually goes.
If you know what the rates are it might just be easier to buy one, they're not usually particularly pricey. Glad to hear you've got the struts back though!
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