agreed.. any good bodyshop always and i mean always test fit a kit i.e. bumper on a car before painting...

i honestly believe that it is the bodyshops fault ...

if the kit was damaged/warped or did not fit.. the bodyshop has teh responsibility to test fit the bumper on the car before painting.. if they test fitted it they would have know already if the bumper was no good..

SO NOW THE QUESTION IS...

DID THE BIDYSHOP TEST FIT IT BEFORE PAINTING N INSTALLING IT?

nad if they did test fit it and it did not.. was doug notified of this..

or did the bodyshop paint it and jsut install it..?

 

Doug, I'm very surprised by the # and content of the responses. I don't understand why there is such an emotional response to your thread? Anyway...It is absolutely possible for the materials to "warp" or actually come out of the mold deformed. Almost all manufacturing processes can be affected by numerous factors (raw material variations, machine settings, environmental factors, etc), there is also the possibility that the materials "warped" in transit or storage. (I am actually an expert on the components of variation for engineered materials including polymers, composites, and carbon fiber).

 

I know this seems to be the very obvious question that does seem to place fault on my shop. Until someone shows me otherwise, this is the only place I really my shop and I will keep an open mind if someone shows me otherwise.

As I stated 5 pages back, the issue was very subtle and perhaps only 1 in 10 people would actually notice it until it is pointed out. I looked at the car for about 2 hours (1 at the shop while the were detailing and 1 at the alignment shop while waiting to get it on the rack) and I never noticed it until I got home and looked through some photos emailed to me of the bumper.

This photo looked like the bumper around the lip area bulged out to far. After seeing the photo, I went and looked (physically examined) again and sure enough, it was out about 2 to 3 inches at the lip compared to the other side.

Again, it is very subtle and I could definitely see how someone could be driving around with this and not really notice it until pointed out.

I had 10 to 15 other pictures of the front end from different angles where you don't see this issue.

 

I re-read the post...what part of full refund and installation costs don't you understand ? Or is the point that a sweeter voice needed to tell Doug that it was on the way ?

My point is that Ruf ARE going above and beyond, yet Doug is still pissed. What am I missing here ?

I doubt it will cost Ruf a thing...most reasonable people on this thread realize that they made an excellent effort to rectify things, and their reputation is not about to suffer.

As far as IQ test and MCAT scores, congrats...

 

To loyal customers, Ruf can do no wrong. The implication that Ruf put out a defective bumper seem to be an insult to them as well as the company. Hence emotional responses. As for me, even though Hans was ready to set it straight, it sounded a bit like "pulling teeth". I just didnt like his tone of voice (or post rather).

 

Would you have liked it better if he had said no refund in a nice tone of voice ?

I'm tired of this pointless thread....

 

first off..... the bumper looks pretty f'ing good man.... compared to stock the ruf bumper it is awesome...so forget those ideas you metioned about going back.

second....2-3 inches off???? if my bumper is 1/4" off there is something wrong and I cant sleep at night until it;s right.
If it is 2 inches off then it aint a RUF problem. They wouldnt ship something that far outta whack no way no how..... and if it was I assure they would want to know why and correct it ASAP.
Darren had that bumper ...you ought to ask him for some advice.

I can say for damn sure RUF or any other reputable shop isnt going to ship something that far outta spec.

My best advice, relax a bit , chill out, have a glass of wine it will all work out. Call Ruf apologize, explain you were a little worked up and you got excited and ask them to help you figure it out, sound slike they are more that willing.

 

I'd like to thing that Im a resonable guy.
After this, I'd actually think twice about buying their product. Not so much for the warped bumper, but if Im going to spend money with someone, I'd actually expect my experience with them, to be a pleasant one (call me crazy). Now if Doug is pissed I'm afraid Ruf didn't go "above and beyond". And yes this is a blemish on their reputation.

 

doug did the bodyshop test fit it before they painted it n installed it? if they did why did they not notify you when they saw the buldge...


or did the bshop just paint the bumper then installed it?

knowing this info is very important... bec. you will be able to figure out what happened... or who istruly at fault a bad install or a defective product..

but in my opinion. if the bodyshop did not test fit it is the bodyshops fault and theirs alone..


i understand that buldge bothers u..i personally am not **** and i wouldnt bother me one bit..

 

I am stuck in the middle as to be expected. I only take my shops side because I have examined the seams and that bumper is dead on and the seams around the hood, the lights and the front fenders look perfectly even. If the SEAMS were even a TINY bit off, I would be inclined to believe installation.

But everything matched up and when personally looking at the bulge, it just looks like the material warped during cooling or set up with a warp around the lip area.

The only other explanation I know of is that the radiator was not moved in far enough on that side, but then again without Ruf chiming in on whether the side radiators are moved and if that could cause the bulge, I dunno. I do know we were able to push the lip in which makes me believe that the radiator was not pushing the lip out. I hope the radiators are more secure than that.

It is funny how emotional this stuff gets. Assuming the bumper is an anamoly or messed up, its just a bumper and in no way means Rufs' cars or their parts are trash. It is a brand new item and every manfucturer is subject to teething issues.

I said in my original post that even though the bumper did not align it was much better than any other after market bumper I or my shop had dealt with. I also said I would only buy Ruf or OEM. My biggest gripe is Ruf's attitude.

My plan is to live with the bumper and convert back to stock before I sell it. I welcome Ruf to come and look at it and try to realign it, but I will be surprised if they do. I would never accept a refund, especially after all this. I guess they made me feel like a free loader and I don't want to give them the pleasure of confirming their beliefs so I am willing to eat the money even if I convert back to stock. I don't want anything from Ruf except I would like for them to look at it and try to align it just once.

 

Hello again RufMD,
Why do you insist on being so condescending? Some of the most prominent md's and great minds I've met were very humble.

To answer your question, yes using a "sweeter tone of voice" or rather talking to your customer in a professional and likeable manner usually does the trick. I think Doug would agree.

Ps this is not a pointless thread, on the contrary, I think this is what this forum is for.

 

I REJECTED the refund so that is a non issue. What he said is something to the effect that they didn't want their bumper on my car and to send it back and they would give me a refund and refund my shop bill. Didn't ask if they would reimburse the cost to get new brackets and redo radiators, redo plumbing and all the work necessary to return to stock and the details were unclear, because I told him NO.

I did not think that was fair to them and for some reason I am now the bad guy.

Interesting how you guys argue about what was discussed and you don't know. You also still have refused to answer the questioned I posed, but still want to act negatively toward me. I can assure you I have no anger or ill will toward Ruf.

I basically care less about this than you guys do, but for some reason feel the need to defend myself.

 

Doug,

actual what was said is that i didn't want anyone driving around with a RUF Bumper that is defective or doesn't look right, i never even discussed the possibility that the Bodyshop might be at fault, i was alerted by numerous people about your posting via email and phone calls Monday morning, i immediately emailed you and asked to speak to the Bodyshop, which didn't get us anywhere
than when we spoke in Person i never argued with you, i immediately offered a new Bumper and i offered to pay "you're Bodyshop"to paint it again without any Argument, however reading your Post and you're own Poll about returning the Bumper i offered a full Refund incl the Bodyshop bill, also Doug, please read the emails I sent to you, maybe you can post those on this Thread, i do not know how to this, but you have my permission,
Gentleman to put a stop to this, we at RUF do this because we love Cars and we love RUF, heck i would do this without pay,
My Sole intention all this Time was to take care of Doug, unfortunately he took it the wrong way and without calling us or
emailing us posted on this Board,
Unfortunately this has gone to far !

 

Its b/c when people make a post of a well-known manufacturer and they are not satisfied, it just brings everyone in..

Remember the HRE is banned thread? As an example.

 

This looks like an installer problem. Stop slamming Ruf. If the part was warped, they offered a fair solution. Close this thread!!!