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      05-27-2010, 09:13 PM   #1
///Morgan
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Buyer BEWARE: Berk Technology.

Dear 1addicts:

I would like to resume the worst experience I've had as a customer.

Already a year ago, I bought a Berk Technology (Muffler delete) Cat-back system. I was really happy with it till it started to get rusted. Because of that, I contacted Berk Technology (and answered Bryan) and they told me not to worry, that other customers were experiencing the same problem, so they were building a Stainless Steel version, and that the customers who had bought the afected items, will recieve this SS version as a replacement.
I was happy to hear that and waited till the new system was ready (they told 2 months).
As all this process of making the SS version was delayed like 6 months, they offered to send me the new system with no cost at all, and they told me that I wouldn't have to return the rusted system to them.

Continuing with the expiration of other several estimated dates in which Bryan promised to send the new system, he suddenly stopped answering my emails.
After sending like 7 e-mails to him, I decided to contact Berk Technology. Then Laura answered my emails expressing that she was very sorry, but as Bryan was the R&D and race engineer he was not the best person to deal with. (What?)
She was very gentile and promised to send right back the system with the same terms that Bryan stated before.
2 weeks later, the people from customs contacted me and told that my package from Berk Technology has arrived. Went to get it and found out that I had to pay the de-consolidation of the package that cost USD170... I send an Email to Laura expressing that I thought it was unfair to pay specially if they promised to send the stuff with no cost at all. After some e-mails she told me that she would talk to the people of the carrier by herself and that she will keep me updated.
That was the last time I recieved any message from her, so I decided to go and get my exhaust and pay.
When I went to customs I realized that I had to pay another USD200+ on taxes and USD50 for storage. (Are you KIDDING me??)
To make this story short, 2 weeks ago I recieved the exhaust and installed it.
On the instalation I realized that the clamp that attaches (where you bolt) the catback to the OEM midpipes was smaller that on the previous system, so this new system was not fitting correctly + bumping against the rear exle + making an horrible trumpet noise while accelerating.

So, after waiting a year for a warranty replacement, I finally ended paying 420 USD (more than the value of the exhaust itself) on the process and recieved a new SS system that doesn't fit correctly.
I have emailed Laura several times to keep her updated onto this situation but again, she is still not answering any of my emails.

I really feel robbed, and the customer care from Berk technology really makes me feel sick. Plus, they are making a new system that doesn't fit well on our OEM midpipes.

As reference, a couple of years ago I had a problem with a Borla cat-back system for a Cooper S. I contacted Borla industries and they send right away a warranty replacement part that arrived 1 week later to my door. They took care of all the process/payments. Well, thats how I think this should work.

Hope this experience help everyone who is in the doubt on buying a Berk Technology system.

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      05-28-2010, 02:26 PM   #2
TunedM2C
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      05-30-2010, 05:50 PM   #3
escobar929
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wow man, thats terrible

you would think you would get A+ treatment after the one they sold you started to rust
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      05-30-2010, 06:43 PM   #4
Jaguar66
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Did you have to pay customs on the first system?
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      06-01-2010, 07:30 PM   #5
///Morgan
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Rob: Yes, I also had to pay customs on the first system.
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      06-01-2010, 08:13 PM   #6
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I'm sorry to hear that. I ordered a full street system over the phone with Bryan this week, and he was nothing but helpful. I even had a credit charge issue (problem w/ the bank), and he spent almost an hour with me trying to help.

I am sure glad I didn't get the first gen exhaust tho!
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      08-04-2010, 01:27 PM   #7
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Hi ///Morgan,

I have sent you a PM. I personally apologize for the inconvenience and mix up you received with your transaction and will do everything in my power to rectify the situation.
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      08-04-2010, 02:34 PM   #8
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I feel that your expectations are quite high and slightly unrealistic given that you are in a foreign country. How you could expect to not pay for customs or duties is completely ridiculous and totally unrelated to the vendor.

For devils advocates sakes, as a business in order to cover the costs of warranty for this exhaust they need to make a certain margin. In order to cover customs/duties costs (as you are apparently requesting above) Berk would need to charge an additional margin. Berk doesn't jack up the price of the exhaust just because they are shipping to a foreign country?

Berk offered a replacement which is about as good as you could possibly expect. Maybe you should consider purchasing locally if you don't want to deal with customs hassles. If I were you I'd factor these (potential) costs into any future purchases you make with any foreign vendors.

Good luck
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      08-04-2010, 08:47 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Purgatory View Post
I feel that your expectations are quite high and slightly unrealistic given that you are in a foreign country. How you could expect to not pay for customs or duties is completely ridiculous and totally unrelated to the vendor.

For devils advocates sakes, as a business in order to cover the costs of warranty for this exhaust they need to make a certain margin. In order to cover customs/duties costs (as you are apparently requesting above) Berk would need to charge an additional margin. Berk doesn't jack up the price of the exhaust just because they are shipping to a foreign country?

Berk offered a replacement which is about as good as you could possibly expect. Maybe you should consider purchasing locally if you don't want to deal with customs hassles. If I were you I'd factor these (potential) costs into any future purchases you make with any foreign vendors.

Good luck
arguably the most useless comment ever.
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      08-05-2010, 09:28 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 135burner View Post
arguably the most useless comment ever.
I kinda agree with the guy... granted it should have been mentioned by them, but I kinda agree....
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      08-27-2012, 10:27 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Purgatory View Post
I feel that your expectations are quite high and slightly unrealistic given that you are in a foreign country. How you could expect to not pay for customs or duties is completely ridiculous and totally unrelated to the vendor.
Vendors can write "sample" "replacement" or "no value" on the packages to help customers that have to pay expensive customs and duties..
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      08-28-2012, 09:01 PM   #12
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Why revive a 2year old thread .
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