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#205472 - 09/12/04 09:22 PM Re: Calmini refuses to refund my deposit
XmtbX00 Offline
Member

Registered: 06/05/01
Posts: 270
Loc: Denver
Ok let's try this again....

Video of my obviously defective idler arm:

Idler arm on my X

Idler arm off my X

My letter to Calmini:

Calmini Products, Inc.
6951 McDivitt Dr
Bakersfield, CA 93313
November 9, 2004

RE: Calmini Nissan Xterra Steering System

Attn: Steve Kramer

This letter is in regards to the above referenced matter. On 3/21/03, I purchased a Calmini Steering system for my Nissan Xterra. I paid $489.95 for a heavy-duty steering system that was advertised as more durable than the stock Nissan Xterra steering system. In April of 2003, I installed the steering system and by June of 2003, the bushings on the idler arm developed noticeable play. I called you in regards to this problem, and you requested that I have Ian Firth inspect the bushing because you did not feel that the bushing could be defective. After doing so, Ian called you and agreed that the bushing was defective. Shortly afterwards, you sent me a replacement idler arm, which I installed, and returned the defective idler arm.

Within 3 months, the bushing in the replacement idler arm developed play just as the original bushing had. I called Calmini and spoke to David, who told me that he would send me a replacement bushing but not the entire idler arm. The bushings were supposedly on backorder and I had to wait a month or so to receive them. David advised me that the replacement bushing would be a press fit and I would have to have someone press the bushings into the idler arm. In February 2004, I installed the replacement bushing. I noticed that the bushing did not require pressing at all. The bushings slid right into the idler arm with no force whatsoever. I called and spoke to David again to ask about the loose tolerance between the bushing and the idler arm. I mentioned what he had previously stated about a “press fit.” He told me “not to worry about it, and that it would be fine”.

The replacement bushing only lasted 3 months before developing noticeable play. I called and spoke to David again about this ongoing problem. He informed me that if I wanted a replacement idler arm, I would have to pay a $279.95 deposit, which would be credited back to my credit card once I returned the defective idler arm. I decided to pay the $279.95 plus $21.25 for shipping and waited for it to ship. The new idler arm finally shipped on 6/17/04. I received it a few days later, installed it, and sent back the defective idler arm via FedEx on 7/3/04. It has been 4 months now and I am still waiting to receive my deposit. Additionally, I had attempted to contact you every few days for 6 weeks after 7/3/04, and your employees continuously told me that you were unavailable and would return my call. As of 11/9/04 I have not heard from you.

The idler arm I returned to you is clearly defective with the exact issue that the first 3 idler arm/bushings suffered from. Numerous people on Xterraownersclub.com who have purchased your Calmini Xterra Steering System have also experienced the bushing failure, and have been posting complaints about it. One of your customers claims they were sent 3 idler arms and 4 sets of bushings over the course of 1 ˝ years.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX credit my credit card account $307.74. This is the total I paid for the deposit ($279.95), plus the shipping to my apartment ($21.25), as well as the shipping I paid to return the defective idler arm to your company via FedEx ($6.54). XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Please contact me at 303 XXX XXXX for my current credit card information.
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#205473 - 09/12/04 09:23 PM Re: Calmini refuses to refund my deposit
Anonymous
Unregistered


Atta' boy [ThumbsUp] , good night. [Too much XOC]

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#205474 - 09/12/04 09:25 PM Re: Calmini refuses to refund my deposit
XmtbX00 Offline
Member

Registered: 06/05/01
Posts: 270
Loc: Denver
Quote:
Originally posted by DBAX:
Atta' boy [ThumbsUp] , good night. [Too much XOC]
Happy Holidays to you too [Too much XOC]
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#205475 - 10/12/04 01:17 PM Re: Calmini refuses to refund my deposit
XmtbX00 Offline
Member

Registered: 06/05/01
Posts: 270
Loc: Denver
Shouldn't this topic be in the Manufacturers Row? Since we're doing everything by the book. I don't see any flaming in here.
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#205476 - 10/12/04 01:28 PM Re: Calmini refuses to refund my deposit
XOC Offline
Admin
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Registered: 16/08/00
Posts: 17103
Loc: Minneapolis, MN
Quote:
Originally posted by Ramness:
Why does it matter if he still owns the X? He still paid a deposit and it wasnt refunded.
It wasn't refunded because Calmini deemed the part was dry, not greased, so not warrantied.
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#205477 - 10/12/04 02:22 PM Re: Calmini refuses to refund my deposit
XmtbX00 Offline
Member

Registered: 06/05/01
Posts: 270
Loc: Denver
Quote:
Originally posted by xoc:
Quote:
Originally posted by Ramness:
[b]Why does it matter if he still owns the X? He still paid a deposit and it wasnt refunded.
It wasn't refunded because Calmini deemed the part was dry, not greased, so not warrantied.[/b]
The part is defective and Calmini owes me my deposit back.

Keep up the good work Ian, protect your buddy and continue your parts flow.
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#205478 - 10/12/04 02:54 PM Re: Calmini refuses to refund my deposit
BoneCrusher Offline
Member

Registered: 04/02/03
Posts: 809
Loc: In a Bar near YOU!
If you dont follow the directions in caring for your toys.... i.e. greasing them. Than why would you complain when it breaks?

Thats like having a pet fish and than getting pissed when it dies cause you didnt feed it.

Basically im seeing calmini did nothing wrong here. Their only crime is having a sterring system that needs more work.

XmbtX Look at it form calmini's standpoint. They stand behind their product, when its maintained properly. Thats not poor business right there. That's common sense.

You never told us if you maintained the bushings with grease or not. SO i'll ask straight up.

Did you or did you not maintain the bushings with grease?
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Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms should be a convenience store not a government agency

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#205479 - 10/12/04 03:01 PM Re: Calmini refuses to refund my deposit
XmtbX00 Offline
Member

Registered: 06/05/01
Posts: 270
Loc: Denver
Quote:
Originally posted by BoneCrusher:
If you dont follow the directions in caring for your toys.... i.e. greasing them. Than why would you complain when it breaks?

Thats like having a pet fish and than getting pissed when it dies cause you didnt feed it.

Basically im seeing calmini did nothing wrong here. Their only crime is having a sterring system that needs more work.

XmbtX Look at it form calmini's standpoint. They stand behind their product, when its maintained properly. Thats not poor business right there. That's common sense.

You never told us if you maintained the bushings with grease or not. SO i'll ask straight up.

Did you or did you not maintain the bushings with grease?
The bushing went bad in just over 2 months. Everyone else who has had a bushing wear out has been sent a new one or a complete idler arm assembly free of charge.

I maintained the system with the zerk fitting and it still developed play. Just as it did for the numerous others complaining about it on XOC and other boards.

Aren't you the same person that said I shouldn't worry about the $300 because I don't own my Xterra anymore? Brilliant.
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#205480 - 10/12/04 03:10 PM Re: Calmini refuses to refund my deposit
BoneCrusher Offline
Member

Registered: 04/02/03
Posts: 809
Loc: In a Bar near YOU!
I never said you shouldnt worry about it.

Im wondering why you would sell a built up truck when everything on it isnt done.

Now thats brilliant.

so you shafted the guy you sold it too?
I hope you told the guy that bought it that you shafted him.

And if you took the steering kit off why not send the whole thing back and ask for the 300 back than.

I guess you answered my question about greasing it.
_________________________
.:SpaceMonkeyMafia:.

Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms should be a convenience store not a government agency

99% of democrats give the rest a bad name

Liberals are constantly Inflaming the culture war. They seem to forget which side has all the guns.

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#205481 - 10/12/04 03:33 PM Re: Calmini refuses to refund my deposit
XmtbX00 Offline
Member

Registered: 06/05/01
Posts: 270
Loc: Denver
My truck was done, I sold it with the squeeky Calmini UCA's and the brand new idler arm I installed. How is that considered "shafting" someone?

More brilliant concerns, thanks.
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#205482 - 10/12/04 03:45 PM Re: Calmini refuses to refund my deposit
TremorX Offline
Member

Registered: 12/09/01
Posts: 1960
Loc: Waycross, GA
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#205483 - 10/12/04 03:48 PM Re: Calmini refuses to refund my deposit
BoneCrusher Offline
Member

Registered: 04/02/03
Posts: 809
Loc: In a Bar near YOU!
yeah
I'm still not convinced Calmini did anything wrong. And you insulting my intelligence does nothing to help your position. Personally I dont think anyone is gonna know the whole story. SO whatever im done.

Seriously I wish you all the luck in your dealings with Calmini.

Merry Christmas
_________________________
.:SpaceMonkeyMafia:.

Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms should be a convenience store not a government agency

99% of democrats give the rest a bad name

Liberals are constantly Inflaming the culture war. They seem to forget which side has all the guns.

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#205484 - 11/12/04 07:54 AM Re: Calmini refuses to refund my deposit
XmtbX00 Offline
Member

Registered: 06/05/01
Posts: 270
Loc: Denver
Quote:
Originally posted by TremorX:
Nice :p
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#205485 - 11/12/04 08:04 AM Re: Calmini refuses to refund my deposit
XmtbX00 Offline
Member

Registered: 06/05/01
Posts: 270
Loc: Denver
Nine pages? plus the XOC pages, looks like I'm not the only one who experienced problems with Calmini's steering system or their customer service.

More....
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#205486 - 11/12/04 08:27 AM Re: Calmini refuses to refund my deposit
Anonymous
Unregistered


I just don't think it is fair to generalize the entire calmini steering system because of nine pages on another board which seem to be only 4 people exchanging stories. In the last year I have gone out wheeling with multiple people who own this system and wheel it hard for example one guy has been to GOX a couple of times, another has had multiple trips to GOX, Moab and the Arizona Run, they consider this steering bullet proof. If you going to bash the system, you should have a count of those who have it and love it (huge number) and those who constantly have problems besides a squeaky bushing which is really more of an annoyance (small minority). You have drawn this out too far and now people are annoyed with the whole thing, go back to complaining about XOC on the other boards.

And one more thing... [Wave] Hi look at me I'm an attention whore!!

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#205487 - 11/12/04 09:34 AM Re: Calmini refuses to refund my deposit
XmtbX00 Offline
Member

Registered: 06/05/01
Posts: 270
Loc: Denver
Quote:
Originally posted by Gbizzle:
I just don't think it is fair to generalize the entire calmini steering system because of nine pages on another board which seem to be only 4 people exchanging stories. In the last year I have gone out wheeling with multiple people who own this system and wheel it hard for example one guy has been to GOX a couple of times, another has had multiple trips to GOX, Moab and the Arizona Run, they consider this steering bullet proof. If you going to bash the system, you should have a count of those who have it and love it (huge number) and those who constantly have problems besides a squeaky bushing which is really more of an annoyance (small minority). You have drawn this out too far and now people are annoyed with the whole thing, go back to complaining about XOC on the other boards.

And one more thing... [Wave] Hi look at me I'm an attention whore!!
Every person that has this system has worn out the bushings and continues to do so. Do you even have the system?

You seem to be confusing two separate issues. The squeaky bushing is a UCA problem.
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#205488 - 11/12/04 10:33 AM Re: Calmini refuses to refund my deposit
Anonymous
Unregistered


Nope no steering system for me, and yes the bushing wear is a problem that Calmini is sending replacements for. And as for you implying that I don't know about the steering system because I don't have it on my X, all I can say is you don't need to own a 4wd to know that suspension products need to be maintained in order to work properly and have a life of more than 2months. My $.02. Send me your address and I will send you a box of Kleenex. Peace out ninja. [Too much XOC]

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#205489 - 11/12/04 10:57 AM Re: Calmini refuses to refund my deposit
XmtbX00 Offline
Member

Registered: 06/05/01
Posts: 270
Loc: Denver
Quote:
Originally posted by Gbizzle:
Nope no steering system for me, and yes the bushing wear is a problem that Calmini is sending replacements for.
So it is a problem? Thanks for backing me up on this. [ThumbsUp]
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#205490 - 11/12/04 11:06 AM Re: Calmini refuses to refund my deposit
wmtrout Offline
Member

Registered: 24/02/01
Posts: 41
Loc: Oregon
Ian is just a Calmini $$$ Whore!!

Money talks and Calmini is paying Ian.
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#205491 - 11/12/04 11:10 AM Re: Calmini refuses to refund my deposit
socalpunx Offline
Member

Registered: 24/08/01
Posts: 6327
Loc: The land of losers and liberal...
Ian's made two simple posts on this whole thread.

What's this have to do with him?
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#205492 - 11/12/04 11:29 AM Re: Calmini refuses to refund my deposit
DocNo Offline
Member

Registered: 01/10/01
Posts: 3153
Loc: NoVA
Quote:
Originally posted by socalpunX:
Ian's made two simple posts on this whole thread.
What's this have to do with him?
He didn't "tow the party line" of the original poster :rolleyes:

Something occurred to me earlier when I was reading this thread - there have been lots of folks talking about having send parts back or exchange parts with Calmini (hey, shit happens) but this is the first time I can remember anyone reporting they wanted a deposit before sending an exchange. Usually there are reasons why people do what they do. We'll probably never know the full story, but there is enough in this thread and others on the board for me to draw my own conclusions...
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#205493 - 11/12/04 12:11 PM Re: Calmini refuses to refund my deposit
Anonymous
Unregistered


Quote:
Originally posted by DocNo:
Quote:
Originally posted by socalpunX:
[b]Ian's made two simple posts on this whole thread.
What's this have to do with him?
He didn't "tow the party line" of the original poster :rolleyes:

Something occurred to me earlier when I was reading this thread - there have been lots of folks talking about having send parts back or exchange parts with Calmini (hey, shit happens) but this is the first time I can remember anyone reporting they wanted a deposit before sending an exchange. Usually there are reasons why people do what they do. We'll probably never know the full story, but there is enough in this thread and others on the board for me to draw my own conclusions...[/b]
Ditto

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#205494 - 13/12/04 10:59 PM Re: Calmini refuses to refund my deposit
Anonymous
Unregistered


Quote:
Originally posted by wmtrout:
Ian is just a Calmini $$$ Whore!!

Money talks and Calmini is paying Ian.
[Save the fine unicorns] [ThumbsDown] Go crawl back under that rock you came out from underneath so we can climb all over it and bury you in the earthen ground you came from!!

I'm with Socal on this one....Ian has NOTHING to do with this other than being the board's architect.

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#205495 - 13/12/04 11:00 PM Re: Calmini refuses to refund my deposit
Anonymous
Unregistered


I don't think it was ever mentioned if the parts were properly maintained with the proper lubricatants!!!! So? Were they? If not, you don't have a snowball's chance in Hell, of getting ANYTHING out of Calmini!!!

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#205496 - 14/12/04 08:00 AM Re: Calmini refuses to refund my deposit
Lightning Offline
Member

Registered: 07/03/01
Posts: 1004
Loc: High Point, NC
Quote:
Originally posted by Hawk:
I don't think it was ever mentioned if the parts were properly maintained with the proper lubricatants!!!! So? Were they? If not, you don't have a snowball's chance in Hell, of getting ANYTHING out of Calmini!!!
Quote:
Originally posted by XmtbX00:
[QUOTE]
I maintained the system with the zerk fitting and it still developed play.
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