extreme terrain- buyer beware

[vacaedzzr1200]

I have ordered several items from Quadratec recently with no problems.
But I'm new here and don't plan on doing thousands of dollars in suspension upgrades.

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[RHINO79]

Most made in China, I find that everything from China takes some tweaking to fit or work, nothing like oem.

 

[WNEWTON_kid]

I might get flagged for piling on... but I stopped using ET because of their return process. I had to send 6 pictures of the item I was returning for "approval" (which took 2 days) and then ET deducted the shipping costs from my refund. Additionally, the Go Rhino running boards I bought were damaged and it took forever to resolve that one. Many emails unanswered and service reps without answers. I'm done with ET - there are many other good options out there for the Jeep stuff.

 

[pharmfrank]

Geographically I'm close to both Quadratec and Extreme Terrain and use both, until this Spring
shipping was never a problem until FedEx lost an order. I did receive it a week late. An issue I have
had with ET is with my bank credit card. The order is placed and received, my card is charged and
then the bank freezes the account. This only happens with ET and I have to make an appearance at
the bank to clear things up, the fraud folks say it's 'suspicious activity. When I placed the last order
the sales agent said they all worked from home on their PC's, at least since Covid. My guess is
variable IP's set off the fraud alarms. So now, while I won't say never, ET can expect less of my
business. And thanks to outsourcing dealing with my bank online/phone is nearly impossible.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

In my experience, Rock Auto is a mixed bag. You can find some decent savings with them if you know how to manipulate their shipping system to minimize multiple location shipping charges. Sometimes it is cheaper to get the additional part from the same location by just upgrading to a premium line for few bucks more but save in the long run by not incurring a second or more shipping charge.

I would never recommend though using Rock Auto if one is in a time crunch should a issue of wrong or defective part is sent and resolution of that and the associated down time is impacting and workarounds cannot be had.

There are some things for my cars RA is about the only choice - brake parts, mostly.
They've changed their shipping methods and policies since I used them last - it used to be if you ordered a set of upper and lower control arm bushings, and one of their suppliers didn't have all of them, you got three boxes of parts in a week, and paid through the nose for UPS shipping - 20 bucks on a box that would cost 7 via USPS. Shipping was a killer, and there were times I could buy the parts CHEAPER locally if I factored in shipping. they used to do only UPS, and it was a crazy high charge for the smallest lightest parts. Maybe enough people complained?

Still, after they screwed me over twice saying "our vendor says that's the correct parts, sorry" when I could prove to them using actual part numbers and pictures, I said screw this crap - I can buy Amazon or locally just as cheap without any hassle.
Steering stabilizer - I pulled it out of the box and before I got it clear out - knew it was very wrong. It was huge! I took pictures of the old and theirs, measured, sent them dimensions - sorry, our suppliers says that is the correct part - you can return it AT YOUR EXPENSE.
Same for a TF 998 selector shaft seal - what I got was a tail shaft seal. 5 times the size!
I showed them - "sorry, our supplier says that's the right seal". It would have cost as much to send it back as I'd have gotten back from them - screw that crap.
If it's their mistake, they'll make it right. If it's not - "sorry, our vendor says that's the correct part".

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I have ordered several items from Quadratec recently with no problems.
But I'm new here and don't plan on doing thousands of dollars in suspension upgrades.

For some things, Quadratec is pretty pricy............ and when I went to buy the Synergy springs for my 2022 JT, there was a sale on them. The next day I went to order and they said sorry, sale price is no longer valid. That's odd - because Synergy still has them at the sale price - so I bought from them. Not sure what the thing was, why Synergy (and actually another vendor with close ties to Synergy) still showed the sale price, QT didn't.
I pick and choose what I order from them. Some things like their sill guards - I like the fit, look, and the fact they actually go up and over the top of the pinch weld area, unlike most others.

 

[GeneralMaximus]

I live like 25 minutes from their main offices and warehouse and know some people closer to the source there.

It is the typical family business story of when the kids take over fresh from having fancy new business degrees and bright ideas, they abandon the old guards way that made them successful in the first place for short term gains and profits.

While they have not been taken over by a Hedge Fund Capital Management company, they are acting in the same style.

On the flip side, you could say that the Old Guard’s way was not sustainable in this age of Amazon and Temu. Both of which never existed when Quadratec first started. We, the consumers wanted the lowest prices and brought about this Drop Shipping and outsourced Customer Service trend. Its a race to the bottom and we have none to blame but ourselves.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

We, the consumers wanted the lowest prices and brought about this Drop Shipping and outsourced Customer Service trend. Its a race to the bottom and we have none to blame but ourselves.

Yup.

I try to buy from where the best service and support is for many things - even if it costs a bit more.
Like my wife says - support them or they disappear and you are stuck with nothing - or being forced to order online. She only buys quilting supplies online if it just can't be found locally and even then, she buys from quilt shops with an online presence, not Amazon and so on. It might cost her a tad more, but once they are gone..........
The crap sold as fabric at walmart is laughable - you can read a magazine through the stuff.

There are times you can't get car or Jeep parts any other way, but if there's a 10 or 15 buck difference on a $100 part - I'll go for the small shop, the local people and pay the extra.

 

[yankcanuk]

Extreme Terrain is owned by "Turn 5" that is the parent company of multiple brands like American Truck and American Muscle. They have not changed ownership multiple times but you are reaching a centralize customer service location for all three brands.

You are not the first nor will be the last to have this experience with them. I won't say I will swear them off, but they are a last resort if I can avoid it.

They are a glorified drop shipper of other brands and their house brands are not stellar quality either many times.

I'd been looking at Aliexpress tonneaus grabbed a cheap one from Extreme Terrain exact same specs as the aliexpress even came wrapped in the chinesium yellow tape.

 

[Gvsukids]

Ordered the wrong thing and they made it right.

Unless the part is installed and found out to be wrong, they won't return the part.

Further reading about et, https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...rain-com-legit-where-do-you-shop.43041/page-1

 

[Artsifrtsi]

Another option, is to buy from local shop. I just replaced the stock drag link and tie rod with the RockJock set. Pricing everywhere online was about the same, but most still were charging shipping... RockJock didn't even have it in stock to order... had a 6 week backorder. (the ones that were offering free shipping were more expensive) I got the parts from a local shop for close to the lowest prices, with no shipping... and it was ready for picking up 2 days after the order.

 

[Janster]

Something I don't hear too much about... Is "OK4WD"

I remember them from back in our earlier wheeling days. A friend of ours worked there. He did a lot of product testing. At that time, they sold a lot of stuff. Now? It looks like they sell more overlanding equipment. That wouldn't surprise me.... the guy we knew was big into overlanding. One day, he packed everything up and went cross country as a way of life. He lived & breathed it.

Makes me wonder what he's doing today.... He was married and had a boy (who's an adult now).

 

[pharmfrank]

I agree that 'In Stock' often is inaccurate with several vendors, some will do a warehouse check
but even that may be imaginary. Interesting how premium shipping speeds things up if you are
willing to pay.

 

[northwind79]

Been using Rough Country primarily. My nerf bars didn't come with the bolt kit, they couldn't ship me just the bolt kit, so I've got an extra set of bars in my garage now. The headlights I purchased had a weird issue since I installed them. They shipped me replacements after using them 7 months (within warranty). Customer service there has been top notch so far.

 

[AustyPosty]

Northridge4x4 is my go to, If I can't find it there I just go direct to manufacturer. Sometimes NR44 can order parts for you even if they aren't listed on the site, its worth contacting them!

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