My experience with JDM (Timeline)

[bmaxwell]

I've read bad things about them on here as well and this is just another reason why i won't be doing business with them. Ever. The son will probably come on here and in an assertive manner defend his ass and his company, then we will rag on him for it and then he will reply back with a less assertive apologetic comment that he should have said to start with.

 

[AnotherS197GT]

You have far more patience than I do. That order would have been cancelled so fast.

 

[luckychance]

Damn bro i have to give you props for being patient..i would have cancelled the order after the first month...and even after all the backordering bs you were still loyal to JDM...i would only hope that JDM would see that and appreciate the $$$ and loyalty of such customers and make an effort to appease them and make their order a priority. excuses is one thing but come on..not taking care of orders cause the tuner got butt hurt and threw a hissy fit!!..thats fn unprofessional. i heard too much of this kind stuff from JDM when i was going through my build so i stayed away..glad i did otherwise i too would still be waiting.

 

[Drex]

My experience with JDM was very similar to the OP's. I ordered a TVS (complete kit) from them. I went with JDM since they were a vendor willing to ship the parts overseas via Airfreight. Jim III was very cordial and considerate, but JDM was anything but timely about shipping the parts. I called them (on my dime) several times during the transaction and eventually, I received the parts. I can't remember exactly how long it took from the time I paid for the TVS till I received the parts, but it was several weeks.

I was supposed to receive a tune with the parts, but that didn't happen. I requested them build and send the tune since it was part of the deal..several times, but never received. That's not stopping me from enjoying the TVS -- I had it dyno tuned for driving conditions here in Germany. The car runs amazing.

 

[Timmbo]

Wow, this blows. After seeing UPR's new video of their Vert with the JDM powerplant I was impressed. Would love to have such an engine in my car someday. Thanks for posting your experience. Now I really have to think about it.

 

[DirtyDogOfTheDesert]

Not surprised by this at all.

Good luck getting past this.

 

[v8venomgt]

He's got balls as big as basketballs if he can keep you waiting for 4 months for the motor and another month for the startup tune and still charge you for it after the fact.

this! apparently loyalty to a vendor doesnt always pay off. id rather give my money to mmr

 

[rayS197]

Seems to be a lot of unhappy JDM customers these days. Kinda crazy and a great way to lose business. One can defend or make so many excuses for one customer and clear things up but when you have a lot of the same stuff happening to several customers it makes you think twice.

 

[KungFuHamster]

i think perhaps some of these business' start down this path after they get successful because they lose focus on the customer. they want to be competitive as businesses and as racers and thats 100% ok. however, most people who spend their money on a place like JDM understand racing and what comes with it.

like Corey said, had it been explained in the beginning (i.e. within the first month) that 'tis the season for racing and the machine shop is backed up, they're having logisitical issues, etc it could very well be 4-5 months, he would've said no problem and sat back and waited and there would be no issue. that said, however, after that 5th month a shortblock better be arriving in a brown truck.

i agree with some of the prior posts about just turning someone away. If JDM had been up front about the possible timeline, then ok Corey buys a shortblock from Livernois, but all the other stuff from JDM. I'd bet that was still several thousand dollars in parts. So they dont really lose a customer and all is good.

i dont think there's a person on this board who wouldn't respect the honesty of being told "no" because a shop is overworked and undermanned (if you're in the military you're familiar with that).
trust me, i understand shit happens. JDM tried to convey that, but it was a little too late. if problems were being encountered in the very beginning it should've been put out there immediately and a refund offered. if the consumer declines the refund, then they're stating that they're willing to wait it out and its on them from that point on.

 

[Brezick]

Sucks to see this, I was planing to get the JDM block, but after seeing this and the cost rising to other pure engine builders, I think I am going to consider Livernois or DSS now...

 

[Jim@JDM]

Corey this is Jim Sr. here,

Im not going to give you any big fancy story why this delay on your shortblock and tuning occurred. Its been a really bad year for me health wise, I was out at the beginning of the season for a busted vein in my right leg, a couple months later I was out for a hernia operation. We do have enough employees here that can handle pretty much anything. But I am the type of owner that likes to have hands on everything that goes in and out of the building. Ive been in the building 7 days a week, 12 hrs a day, keeping a few employees overtime to try and get caught up on this really bad year. In fact Ive canceled alot of in house work to get caught up on jobs that have been here for almost a year now. I just delivered a car to Florida, the car was in my shop for 10 months. It was a 08 Shelby for a 4R100 automatic tranmission swap, a customer who has been racing with me for years and has become a really good friend. This swap is not an easy job and should have taken 2 months tops, the transmission tunnell needed extensive modifications, all cross members, mounts, brackets, dip stick tube, custom 5r55 shifter assembly, driveshaft loops were all hand fabricated. As well as a custom rack and pinion, custom trans lines and cooler, relocating the alternator to the passenger side of the engine, New timing chain cover, valve covers, resealing all 4 of his bogart rims because the inside weld seams were leaking on one. I had 3 days left just to finish up the wiring...everything else was done and he pulled the car out of here. Not only was he a good customer but he was a good friend. If I didnt want to dissapoint anyone it would have been him. Thats how bad of a year its been for me here with health issues and just trying to get caught up. I do appologize to you and everyone else, that is why I will be canceling all work so I get caught up for the 2012 year and things can get back on track.

Jim@JDM

 

[Aandf1978]

Good you spoke up and said something Jim, and sad to hear about your health.

I don't want to be a dick here, but you contridicted yourself, you DID give a fancy story about why the shortblock and tuning was delayed, in a round-a-bout way talking about other work and jobs getting delayed, and important customers, I thought the right business metality is/was EVERY customer is important!!

I think he is over all that shit, and just wants results, so I think a simple response of:

"Yes we here at JDM fucked up royally, and I Jim SR, as the owner am fully responsible!!! What's done is done, your issue WILL BE fixed on (not by) XXXXX." Would have worked out insanely better and been worth millions to him at this point.

See where I am going here....

 

[ILW84U]

OP, you beat me to the punch on posting a thread like this. I ordered a short block from JDM on June 20. I was told 2-3 weeks delivery which was why I chose to order from them. Livernois delivery was 4-6 weeks and with the short summers we have in Canada I wanted my car up & running as soon as possible. My mistake.

After several emails and phone calls with broken promises on delivery I threatened to cancel the order and my shortblock was finally shipped on September 23.

On October 8 the shortblock was in the car & running and as my luck would have it, on October 13 the motor blew while on the dyno. At this point I was so pissed with my car as this was the second built motor that went on me this year that I have only pulled the motor out of the car and have not torn it apart to assess the damage or try to find the cause. I am not blaming JDM for the failure at this time as I do not know what went wrong. That will be in a thread on a future date once I get thing taken apart.

I surely hope the OP has better luck with his motor. JimIII, I have read all the excuses but they are just that & don't hold a lot of water. Extremely poor customer service will not keep customers loyal, honesty will.

 

[stkjock]

Rick the reply was from Jim Sr. not Jim III

 

[Drex]

Jim Sr and Jim III,

FTR, I am not worried about the tune. Would I have liked to have it--yea, it was part of the deal when I purchased the Roush Stage 2 TVS. It's obvious you guys have more work than time. Must be a rewarding but uncomfortable position to be in.

Trey


A country worth living in is a country worth fighting for.

 

[06whipple]

Hate to hear stuff like this...hope things get worked out.

 

[JimIII@JDM]

Jim Sr and Jim III,

FTR, I am not worried about the tune. Would I have liked to have it--yea, it was part of the deal when I purchased the Roush Stage 2 TVS. It's obvious you guys have more work than time. Must be a rewarding but uncomfortable position to be in.

Trey


A country worth living in is a country worth fighting for.

Trey I havent heard from you in a while, the tune provided in the TVS Phase 2 kit you purchased is supposed to be from Roush. We can build you a tune if you need still? Please let me know if we can help.

We have spoken with Corey (mustang1200) and had his tune made last night before we saw this post. It was emailed to him this morning and my father has spoken with him over the phone, we have helped him every part of the way like he said but its just taken entirely to long, which we own up to and openly admit. Corey is understanding and just needed to share his feelings which is fine, and quiet frankly why we have these sort of forums to discuss these matters. We are here, and willing to help, thats the bottom line.

 

[GOTTORQ]

good friend. If I didnt want to dissapoint anyone it would have been him.Jim@JDM

Im sorry to hear of your health issues, you guys are a well known mustang shop. But this just sounds like bad business to me. You cant have your hands in everything and you need to trust your employees. But atleast you didnt disappoint your buddy, but you disappointed a lot of people on here.

 

[stkjock]

I had 3 days left just to finish up the wiring...everything else was done and he pulled the car out of here.

looks like the buddy was disappointed too.....

 

[mustang1200]

I did speak with Jim Sr. this morning and he expressed pretty much the same as he did in his post above. Jim III did also reach out to me and they both were very apologetic and explained they are trying to turn around the exception issues.

I do want to clarify that I've never been unhappy with the products or the services after I have received them from JDM. Jim III has always been very responsive to my questions and concerns.

I did receive the tune last night and loaded it today.

My personal opinion is if they turn around the setting exception thing they could earn my business again even after all this mess.