Do not buy from Panda Garage!

[DeclareYrWar]

Well, I paid for a vlsd with axles from them on October 2. After a week I still had not received a tracking number so I called. They said the diff was packed up but hadn't gone out yet. I called every couple days from then on getting a new excuse every time including, but not limited to, "it was raining here for the past couple days and ups didn't come pick it up" finally on the 12th I received a tracking number stating that ups had received my shipping info but not even that it was picked up.

Got the diff/axles and noticed immediately that one of the axles was blown and grease everywhere in the packaging to the extent that it was obvious it was already like that when they packed it. Didn't happen during shipping. "Oh well" I thought, I'll just work with it and replace it when I can. Went to install it and after getting all my s*** out I noticed the axles they sent were too short on both sides by an inch or two and upon further inspection noticed one of them is marked "ECR33" in paint pen like a junk yard would do so obviously these axles are f*** wrong. I called em up and was NICE AS f*** (as I was when trying to find out about a tracking number and throughout this entire process. Even as far as thanking the guy and telling him I understood they were busy and appreciated all of his help EVERY TIME WE SPOKE) and just told them they were wrong and all. They asked me to email pictures which I did IMMEDIATELY. Did not hear from them at all that day nor the next. Finally I called them back and asked if they received my email and the guy said "oh, so sorry, haven't had time to check my email today." Finally get a response from him 2 DAYS later and he tells me the picture doesn't show the size difference clearly enough so I'd need to send more pictures. I did so, again, THE SAME DAY and another couple days go by.

Finally called and reminded him and he claims he never got the email. I check my outbox and it definitely sent so I forward the message to him again twice for god measure. 2 days later I call him again after no response and he says "Oh, so sorry Zak (we're on a first name basis at this point and he knows my voice right when he answers...sad), forgot to reply back. Those are definitely the wrong thing so I'll just need you to send them back and I'll get the right ones sent out as soon as I can." Knowing this would mean my car would sit on jacks for at least another 3 weeks by the time they get their s*** together and send me another set of blown ones that are the right length I offered up the idea of me just going to a junk yard and purchasing some 6 bolt output shafts (this diff is 5-bolt) to swap into the diff, I'd just use my stock axles and he could just refund me the cost of just axles (their price difference between a diff w/ and w/out axles is $40 which is all I asked for). This would not only make things quicker for me (despite the huge amount of extra work for something they screwed up) but would be cheaper for everyone because we wouldn't have to pay shipping as well as them be out a pair of axles. (Oh, at this point I have had time to look closer at the diff and also notice that one of the output shaft flanges is f*** bent anyways so I was going to have to replace it regardless)

He tells me he'll have to discuss it with his manager as he is not allowed to authorize refunds of any kind so he'd call me right back. Never heard from him. I call him the next day and at this point I tell him that the loaner car I have will only be available for another week so I need to know something as soon as possible. He tells me his manager is gone but will be back by 1 (it was 11 o'clock their time) so I told him just to call me at his earliest convenience once he talks to him and he agreed. Again, don't hear from him so I call him and he tells me he's closing the store right now and his manager is gone for the day but he will text him and see what's up and email me from his phone immediately. So much for that, didn't get a response until around 3 o'clock this afternoon informing me that all sales are final and I wont be receiving a partial refund. Didn't even mention the previous arrangement of me sending these axles back not to mention that wont work anyways because I need my car running this week!

Thankfully, unlike some companies, Bank of America has wonderful customer service and were very happy to take care of the claim I've been forced to file against Panda Garage for my goods not being as described as well as being damaged upon receiving them. I'll have the money in my account tomorrow morning and will have notice from B of A once they have settled everything in full to let me know it's alright to ship the parts back Panda Garage so requests.

Just thought I would share this will the masses here on CN so that, hopefully, no one else will have to go through everything that I have with this horrible excuse for a company. I've never in my life had to deal with anything like that EVER. I might understand on some level if I was a f*** a** hole to them the whole time and them being douches and dragging their feet but I was so f*** nice. Thanked the guy every single time I spoke with him and told him I understood they were busy and appreciated all his help. Even if I knew he had just told me a stupid f*** bs lie about why it was taking so long. Just don't understand how places like that stay in business. It's sad and so f*** unfair to the few companies out there that actually try to do legit business and take care of their customers. Makes it that much more difficult to justify spending the extra cash to buy stuff from shops and thus, the legitimate business will continue to suffer losses to individual sellers and ebay.

[OriginalWheelman]

I gotta ask, did you bother to read this page?

http://www.pandagarage.com/policy.html

"REFUNDS: All sales are final and no refund shall be given on any returned merchandise."

"WARRANTY: Other than product manufacturer's warranty, no warranty is expressed or implied by Panda Garage."

"All items purchased from Panda Garage will be shipped out around in 2-3 business days (if item is in stock). We may have item delay for shipping if we get many orders in the same time.
Any items that are not in stock will be shipped when it arrives at our warehouse."

"All packages must be inspected and accepted (signed for) if everything arrives in satisfactory condition. If it looks damaged, DO NOT SIGN FOR IT. All items that leave Panda Garage are used unless otherwise noted.
If you receive a damaged item from the delivery driver, please call the shipping company immediately and make a damaged goods claim. This is YOUR responsibility, not ours. Once it leaves our warehouse, it is between you and the shipping company. All packages are provided with insurance free of charge."

Did you check that the axle was in stock before you ordered? Did you inspect the package before you signed for it? Did you try to make a claim with the shipping company?

[DeclareYrWar]

The package was shipped without insurance and was therefore not required to be signed for. It was leaking oil all over my door step when I got home from work. I ordered the parts over the phone and everything was in stock and I was told it was a direct bolt in for my vehicle. I understand that there is no warranty but the parts are not as described and they were damaged upon receiving them in such a way that was obviously not a result of shipping. Thanks for the reply though.

That policy page is just their way of trying to stick people with the poor quality parts they sell.

[OriginalWheelman]

Nothing personal here, just playing Devil's Advocate.

If you had a bent flange and it was leaking oil, the diff could easily have been dropped during shipping. I sincerely doubt a shipper would have picked up a package that was leaking oil. The fact that the oil was still there to leak out on your porch is actually indicative that the damage occurred during shipping. I assume the package was in shipping for a few days, during which UPS/USPS/FedEx would have noticed it leaking. Did you even attempt to call the shipping company? Also, if it was dropped hard enough to bend a flange and make the oil leak out, there is probably internal damage as well. I'd bet money that diff is shot now.

While I agree it seems you got the wrong parts, they did offer to make it right. From the company's perspective, an exchange is different than taking someones word for it and sending them money. When you send them the parts back they can verify that it was their mistake, and fix it. They can also sell those parts again. If they send you money, they get nothing.

If the package was shipped w/o insurance I would have brought that up, as they claim to insure every package.

That policy page was probably up there when you ordered, and is clear about shipping. If it hadn't shipped out after a week, I would have asked for a refund then and there.

With that said no business is perfect. Mistakes do happen, and when they do they must be dealt with. It seems like they tried to fix it, even if it wasn't what you wanted from them. Sending an R33 axle out instead of an S13 axle isn't that hard to fathom, as both look quite similar, especially when out of the car and sitting on a shelf.

[AZ89two4Tsx]

Wow. Panda Garage is pretty big in So cal. Surprised to hear this.

[Alfador]

Supposedly they insure every package. If they require every package to be signed for they should have had that too (these are not always the same option). Honestly, with regards to turnaround time, their customer service doesn't sound bad from a fairly small company. Even large companies usually take 24-48 hours to respond to a lot of issues.

No offense but your expectations on getting a new item sent out to you is kind of unrealistic. I have never delt with any company that had any business sense at all that would send out a replacement for something worth more than 50 bucks without getting the old one back first or taking a deposit that they held until they got it back. It may seem like a pedantic and neurotic way to look at things but they have no way of knowing if the pictures you are showing them are really the part they sent you until they have the part in hand. It seems like by the third paragraph there you had already decided that nothing they did was going to be satisfactory.

I've had good experience with them, but sometimes good companies make mistakes. There is no such thing as a company that has had every single customer walk away happy. Ironically, I've actually had terrible customer service experiences from Bank of America.

[simmode1]

Wow. Panda Garage is pretty big in So cal. Surprised to hear this.

This is the 1st bad thing I've ever heard about them... EVER.

[flohtingPoint]

Rule of thumb, dont buy from a place with a stupid name.

[Amays U G37S]

Panda garage has been around for awhile, and is a big name. Im sorry you had this experience with them, but like infiniti_lineup said, you should of never opened the box, immediately took pictures, and called them.

Not being rude to them, just to get the point across that this is whats going on. I know you wanted to get the car together, yes, but there were other measures you could of taken to satisfy your needs.

Frankly, I am on a lot of forums, and this is the FIRST instance of Panda Garage messing something up.