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DO NOT BUY ST COILOVERS - Horrible experience with KW/ST

FiXXXerX

FiXXXerX

Ready to race!
Location
Orlando, FL
Recently I found out that the front struts on my car were blown, I'm using ST Coilovers that are a little over a year old. Downward compression is good, but when the shot moves upwards there is no resistance what-so-ever. I send in all my warranty info to KW, who, initially approve the Warranty. However, I go and get an e-mail a day later letting me know that my warranty has been rejected due to my car being 'To Low'...

Now, let me tell you, my car is the farthest thing from a slammed car... I lowered it slightly more than H&R Super Sports let me go, but nothing crazy.

Picture of my car before removing the struts for Warranty

I had over 7 threads left on the front struts and STILL my claim has been rejected. I'm not sure what I was supposed to to with height adjustable coilovers, but I assume it was leave them at stock ride height according to KW.

:mad0259: Holy SHIT I'm pissed off right now. :mad0259:

Am I crazy for thinking they should warranty the product??
 
HeartMyVeedub

HeartMyVeedub

Ready to race!
Location
Socal
No not at all. That's poor customer service right there. Who in their right mind expects a customer to leave ADJUSTABLE Coilovers at the stock spec. Might as well take the collars and threads off. Good luck getting this worked out. I'd be pissed and I feel your pain dude.
 
Crispy21

Crispy21

Banned
Location
Central Jerzz
Car(s)
2008 VW GTI
Wow rejected for being "too low" ?! You bought an adjustable suspension meant for lowering your car. What the hell is wrong with companies anymore..
 
ChattMkv

ChattMkv

Level 80 Procrasturbator
Location
Chattanooga, TN
Car(s)
2007 VW GTI
HeartMyVeedub said:
That's poor customer service right there. Who in their right mind expects a customer to leave ADJUSTABLE Coilovers at the stock spec. Might as well take the collars and threads off. Good luck getting this worked out. I'd be pissed and I feel your pain dude.
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100% agreed. People go much lower than you (clearly) and don't have issues with coilovers blowing out in less than a year. Complete BS excuse for a warranty denial.
 
RSMark5

RSMark5

Go Kart Champion
Location
Jacksonville NC
tomshouse516 said:
FK warranties shocks for lifetime even when 90% of the mkv users take the helpers out.



Fail on ST/ KW IMO
Click to expand...



Lol, been saying that for years. Gotta love when their best marketing pitch is how they're knock offs of another product, which turns out is a knock off of another product. Reps of reps of reps. Only, not with wheels.
 
FiXXXerX

FiXXXerX

Ready to race!
Location
Orlando, FL
I received a response back from KW's management:

"I have taken the opportunity to review your information and I fully support the technical department and their assessment of your vehicle being set at a ride height that is outside of our allowable range. We base our allowable product ride heights on specific vehicle requirements involving TUV standards in Germany and always with your safety in mind. We do not base ride heights on “wheel or finger gap” nor any reference to the number of threads that may be available on your housing. We cannot offer warranty support for any products that have been used outside of our range"

They then offer me the opportunity to have my Struts rebuilt for $135 a piece.

I'd heard of people having weird issues and there being a recall for the setup at one point, but didn't think anything of it. Every company has problem with equipment from time to time so I didn't worry about it. I'd even heard that the dampener makes noise in the morning when it cycles, No big deal, its only a few feet until it goes away.

But never in my life did I think that they would deny a warranty claim when the equipment is so blatantly faulty. I always had a certain level of respect for KW and that's why I ended up with the ST's.

I know that there are A LOT of people on here that slam their cars and find themselves comforted by the fact that they have a warranty to back them up, but when it comes to ST's and KW's, that warranty does not and will not apply to you. You are essentially on your own after you purchase your coils with no guarantee on the product because it would appear that the quality level is far below industry standards.

I'm mad. Sure. But the reality is that these products are not as high a quality as the community may have thought. And KW's treatment is even more egregious, its almost as if they are talking down to the people that MOD and lower their cars when they say things like "We do not base ride heights on “wheel or finger gap” nor any reference to the number of threads that may be available on your housing.". When the reality is that they know full well what the product is used for. If the company doesn't want people lowering the car more than 2inches (Which is what the technician said was the limit... which I'm over by 1/2 an inch or 3/4 of an inch at most) then they need to take the threading off the housing and only let it go as far down as they are designed for the BS safety claims they are making. And people need to re-evaluate whether or not they need coil overs for $1000 that will only lower the car as much as H&R Super Sports.

Bottom line, no one I talk to, no one in my local community or the car club I run or anyone who asks in passing will ever hear anything positive about KW from me ever again.
 
Crispy21

Crispy21

Banned
Location
Central Jerzz
Car(s)
2008 VW GTI
FiXXXerX said:
I received a response back from KW's management:

"I have taken the opportunity to review your information and I fully support the technical department and their assessment of your vehicle being set at a ride height that is outside of our allowable range. We base our allowable product ride heights on specific vehicle requirements involving TUV standards in Germany and always with your safety in mind. We do not base ride heights on “wheel or finger gap” nor any reference to the number of threads that may be available on your housing. We cannot offer warranty support for any products that have been used outside of our range"

They then offer me the opportunity to have my Struts rebuilt for $135 a piece.

I'd heard of people having weird issues and there being a recall for the setup at one point, but didn't think anything of it. Every company has problem with equipment from time to time so I didn't worry about it. I'd even heard that the dampener makes noise in the morning when it cycles, No big deal, its only a few feet until it goes away.

But never in my life did I think that they would deny a warranty claim when the equipment is so blatantly faulty. I always had a certain level of respect for KW and that's why I ended up with the ST's.

I know that there are A LOT of people on here that slam their cars and find themselves comforted by the fact that they have a warranty to back them up, but when it comes to ST's and KW's, that warranty does not and will not apply to you. You are essentially on your own after you purchase your coils with no guarantee on the product because it would appear that the quality level is far below industry standards.

I'm mad. Sure. But the reality is that these products are not as high a quality as the community may have thought. And KW's treatment is even more egregious, its almost as if they are talking down to the people that MOD and lower their cars when they say things like "We do not base ride heights on “wheel or finger gap” nor any reference to the number of threads that may be available on your housing.". When the reality is that they know full well what the product is used for. If the company doesn't want people lowering the car more than 2inches (Which is what the technician said was the limit... which I'm over by 1/2 an inch or 3/4 of an inch at most) then they need to take the threading off the housing and only let it go as far down as they are designed for the BS safety claims they are making. And people need to re-evaluate whether or not they need coil overs for $1000 that will only lower the car as much as H&R Super Sports.

Bottom line, no one I talk to, no one in my local community or the car club I run or anyone who asks in passing will ever hear anything positive about KW from me ever again.
Click to expand...
Absolutely rediculous, i hope it all works out
 
DanSan

DanSan

meerkat
Location
LI, NY & PA
Car(s)
06' TR GTI/09 UG GTI
tomshouse516 said:
FK warranties shocks for lifetime even when 90% of the mkv users take the helpers out.



Fail on ST/ KW IMO
Click to expand...

Incorrect tom, the only FK's that have a lifetime warranty now i believe are the silverline X's. All others are 2 year warranties, because people were blowing shocks left and right being slammed

Crispy21 said:
Absolutely rediculous, i hope it all works out
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this. nobody is going to buy your coils when you refuse warranty items on coils that you engineered to be able to go below your own "allowed heights". such a pile of crap, and why bother even buying their coils if their allowed height is just as height as springs. makes no point what so ever.

ive never heard of anyone denying claims based on height, and if that was the case every FK owner would be fucked hard core
 
FaLLeNAn9eL

FaLLeNAn9eL

JESUS HATES FLAT TIRE
Location
Narnia
FiXXXerX said:
I received a response back from KW's management:

"I have taken the opportunity to review your information and I fully support the technical department and their assessment of your vehicle being set at a ride height that is outside of our allowable range. We base our allowable product ride heights on specific vehicle requirements involving TUV standards in Germany and always with your safety in mind. We do not base ride heights on “wheel or finger gap” nor any reference to the number of threads that may be available on your housing. We cannot offer warranty support for any products that have been used outside of our range"
Click to expand...

That's fucking bullshit. If they don't want you to go that low then why have threads that go down that far to begin with? It's not like you modified them to go lower than they're supposed to.
 
FiXXXerX

FiXXXerX

Ready to race!
Location
Orlando, FL
Well apparently that's how they roll... They'll take your money and then fuck you over when the stuff breaks.

It appears as though they give you those extra threads and allow you to lower it farther down just so that you can hang yourself in the end.

But what I love about the Management guy's response is that its apparently for 'Safety', which begs the question: If KW is so worried about the 'Safety' of its drivers then why allow them to operate their products in an unsafe fashion?
 
DanSan

DanSan

meerkat
Location
LI, NY & PA
Car(s)
06' TR GTI/09 UG GTI
FiXXXerX said:
Well apparently that's how they roll... They'll take your money and then fuck you over when the stuff breaks.

It appears as though they give you those extra threads and allow you to lower it farther down just so that you can hang yourself in the end.

But what I love about the Management guy's response is that its apparently for 'Safety', which begs the question: If KW is so worried about the 'Safety' of its drivers then why allow them to operate their products in an unsafe fashion?
Click to expand...

if its for "safety" then threaten to sue them for making a product which has the potential, was designed, engineered and capable to endanger its users through normal use lol.
 
MKVDave

MKVDave

Ready to race!
Location
Chilliwack, BC
Exact same situation with my friends 240sx. He bought a brand new set of KW v3's. the body of the strut snapped. They said they wouldn't cover it because he was too low aswell.. Which is complete BS.
He was slammed and drifted his car, still.. shouldn't matter either way.
They also offered to repair them for him. For some stupid price, plus he'd have to pay shipping..
Hard to believe that such a well built company would refuse to offer and extend a helping hand.
OP your shit should be covered, any plans on taking action on the situation?
I also agree the quality has deceased in this company. They used to be top notch, well built. Seems like now they've just sold themselves out. Outsourced manufacturing and overpricing products once they're well known seems to be a common trend these days.


Anyways, Sorry to hear OP.

What're you buying next? :)
 
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