TxTitan

+1
One should be more concerned about their reputation with the community. If the community starts to believe the forum is biases to paying vendors then all is lost.

kcobean

iTrader: (2)

You guys just don't get it do you? Read back through this entire thread and quote one single sentence of mine where I defend this vendor or ANY other. In fact, I have OPENLY stated multiple times that I have had similar problems with this vendor, and as such, I choose not to order from them anymore.

You all just can't seem to get it through your heads that I am not defending any vendor that provides this poor a level of customer service, 350zforums.org or otherwise. That's not why I'm here and if you'd read my previous posts, you'd understand that. I am merely trying to clarify that you misunderstand the role of my350z.com in your purchasing process. To say it as simply as possible, my350z.com is an advertising medium for any company that wishes to pay for the service. It is not the role of the forum to then police the services of those vendors any more than it is your local TV station's to police the actions of it's paying advertisers (again, as long as those actions are LEGAL). Read that sentence one more time and look for ANYTHING that is me defending the vendors. If anything, I'm a moderator who has publicly and repeatedly said that these guys have problems. Again, I CHALLENGE you to find any reference from my previous posts in which I defend IPDG or any other vendor.

As for the repeated statements that negative vendor feedback was deleted, I don't know one way or the other. I am only a regional moderator for the mid-Atlantic section and have no authority outside of that section so it's not possible for me to do that. In fact, you'll notice that the "vendor feedback" section doesn't exist anymore. While I can't say with any authority, one of the reasons is probably because the majority of visits to that section were to complain and rarely to give praise. That doesn't really provide a clear picture of a given vendors overall service level. The general forum is the appropriate place for these types of posts.

I really recommend you stop using this forum in protest of it's policies if you feel this strongly about this. At a minimum, you should also PM the administrators or owner and recommend changes or voice your discontent. I can't guarantee that anything would change, but at least then you can say you're not just in here belly-aching to each other and that you've tried to do something about it.

I'm done trying to get these points across to all of you, so we'll let this thread get back on the topic of the OP's purchasing experience with IPDG.

Peace.

kcobean

iTrader: (2)

I notice you're not a premier member. If this forum pisses off or "bans" all the vendors because they haven't performed to 100% of the communities expectations, who is going to pay for the recurring costs of this sites' operation? Apparently not you, you're busy enjoying the site for free. Become a premier member and THEN come here and say that the money shouldn't matter....and bring the other thousands of members with you whom you've also gotten to pick up the slack.

Don't get me wrong here....I'm a Z owner too and I get pissed off just like you do when I get screwed by a vendor. I just don't see it as a reasonable course of action to expect this forum to do something about it. That's what the FTC and the BBB are for. Those are organizations that don't have to worry about their own revenue, so they can afford to be idealistically neutral. Additionally as this is a PUBLIC forum, I share my experiences with the community, just like is being done in this thread (still here...not deleted)

Fletch69z

iTrader: (50)

I agree with everybody in this instance. It's obvious that my350z.com is a business and depends on ad revenue to exist. I appreciate my free membership and am extremely grateful for access to all the info I can get here. When I'm older and making more money to be able to afford to I will be a premier member and pay my dues. Everyone that is upset about the site "backing" a bad vendor is not looking at the whole issue. Now, if it is true that negative feedback has been erased then I agree that that is wrong. However, if that is not the case then everyone has the right to state their opinion and I know that I'm for damn sure not going to use this vendor and I'm going to do a careful search on all vendors I use, but that should be common sense any ways. So, I guess we should all just learn from this to do a search and ask questions before ordering something from the internet. Just my 2 cents.

350Zforums

iTrader: (5)

This will be my last formal post on the boards so bare with me I do tend to ramble:

I have been a member of this board as a vendor for Three years now. In that time many things have evolved for the 350/G35 and we have been there for them all. I have met many of you guys and girls and through happy and difficult times they have still been a great three years working for you.

My wife was diagnosed with cancer 14 months ago and it changed my life and how we live forever. The day I found out I shut my shop down and had to really focus on the import issues in life. Since I was pretty much a one man operation taking care of her meant that my IPDG companies had to suffer some. That meant a strong backlash from the public for not getting parts out on time BUT never failure to deliver.

The last year I felt like I had gotten the ship back into steady waters but my wifes condition took a turn for the worse again 4 months ago. I began looking for a replacement for me at the company so that last summers problems would not repeat themselves.

I have found such a replacement in Ryan Borderlon and Chris Cullum and they are now the proud owners of IPDG's 350zforums.org, EVO8.com, G35garage.com, 350zforums.com and many other sites that make up IPDG. They inherit my bodykit division, R&D parts and everything else that made us unique to the boards.

I chose these gentlemen because they are dedicated to one thing and one thing only: Your satisfaction on every order EVERYtime. They can work the long hours that is needed and they can field all the calls you make to us without delay. Where I couldnt be here they will, where they follow up better where I coud not and so on.

IF you have ever had a great experience with IPDG, its going to be better with these guys. IF you had a bad experience with them, show them the history and problem..they want to earn your business back AND they showed me how they'll make that worth while for you in terms of value for your dollar.

I depart the boards a little beaten down and a little upset by the actions of a few people that did some things on the personal front that will haunt me for a bit. Things said to me and my family that were unnecessary and very rude. I will remember the better times however and I look forward to seeing the evolution of this board as the years pass. I know many of you personally and to date have sent back and forth over 10,000 PM's on this board to over 1900 members!

In the end guys all you have is the love of your family when the day is done. I love my family dearly and I am doing only what is best for them. I think of many of you on this board the same exact way and my departure from the company I founded I think is the best thing. I am taking a job in the engineering field in August and with a little luck you'll all see my 350z on the boards and me chatting just as a member soon. I hope you all can forgive and forget, give the new guys a chance to shine like I know they will and most of all just be good to yourselves.

God Bless and take care,

David Stoner
former owner IPDG

kcobean

iTrader: (2)

Hey Dave,
Good luck to you, and best wishes to you and your wife. I can't imagine how hard that all must be. Hope to see you 'round the forums as an owner and enthusiast sometime soon. Take care.