Bad experience with coastal tech

[pre-cbs]

For the record, I've made 2 purchases with coastal (ev mod then lockpick3) and they've both been very smooth. Thought I'd post something positive.

[ericbecky]

Hobbit,
What's up with the map?

[TonyPSchaefer]

Hobbit,
I removed the map you posted. I will investigate to see if that's the physical address of a brick-n-mortar storefront or the owner's home. If I find that it's the store, I will reinstate the image.

[edit]
The address provided on Coastaltech.com front page is 615 Valley Road · Montclair, NJ 07043-1403
The map previously posted was not of that area. Unless you can provide a valid reason to put the map back up, I'm leaving it down.
For the record, the reason is that it is unwise to post pinpoint locations of people's homes on the internet.
[/edit]

[darrylp]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RaleighMatt @ Feb 21 2007, 09:59 AM) [snapback]393930[/snapback]</div>

I'm thinking about that too, I'm a computer programmer and my dad is an electrical engineer. From what I see they've got a couple wires and piece of plastic that they're charging $99 for. The no response/no customer service/rude response if any comes free with any purchase.

I might have to talk to dear old dad about a little doohickey we can put togther and sell for $50 bucks. Way I see it all we have to do is make the Prius think it's moving.....
[/b]

I installed my $99 lockpick yesterday. First time I got an error message. Went back to stock configuration and everything was fine. Tried a second time and got a very different error message. Again, stock config worked. Installed the lockpick a third time and everything works as advertised, at least everything I tried worked OK.

As an electronics professional with 40+ years of experience, I am 100% sure I didn't botch the first two tries. There is magic going on somewhere! (Software A interfacing with Software B = magic - or sometimes disaster!)

In any event, my purpose here is not to attack nor defend Coastal. But turning out such a device, in modest quantities, is not easy for $99. It is not just a piece of plastic with a couple of wires. Those two connectors are expensive, the PC board isn't free, there are obviously several components including probably a microcontroller, and more than a dozen wires. Then there is software development, assembly, testing (including the necessary test equipment and jigs), packaging customer service (well, maybe) and hopefully at the end there is a profit.

Having done it for many years, I can tell you that $99 is a bargain. Provided it functions as advertised, of course.

[ericbecky]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RaleighMatt @ Feb 20 2007, 06:57 PM) [snapback]393561[/snapback]</div>

I thought I would update everyone. I have e-mailed Coastal 3 times since their rude, obnoxious e-mail yesterday.
[/b]

Wow. That's a lot of emailing. Have you tried the a brief but polite phone call to the company instead? At least you'll know when you have gotten a hold of someone.
I called their phone number and got through twice today. No problem.

If badmouthing a company is your only contribution to PriusChat, that kind of concerns me.
I sympathize that you have had a bad experience with CoastalEtech.

I've heard you.

I get it.

You might want to consider a cooling-off period before emailing or posting again. Better judgment is easily blurred by anger and frustration.

[desynch]

Don't like it, then don't buy it.

The joys of Capitalism.

Vote with your wallet.

Me, I'm ordering a freaking Lockpick 3..

[SteelersXL]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(pre-cbs @ Feb 21 2007, 11:17 AM) [snapback]393944[/snapback]</div>

For the record, I've made 2 purchases with coastal (ev mod then lockpick3) and they've both been very smooth. Thought I'd post something positive.
[/b]

What's missing is someone who has had a positive experience when they required customer service. <_<

if someone has a positive there, that's what I would like to see otherwise can't imagine why i should give money to a flaky group. all I see on here is posts about bad or no customer service. if you order something and it happens to be in stock you might get it and not need so called customer service. that's nice but doesn't exactly change my opinion.

[efusco]

In the past, and I can't confirm any recent reports, they were quite good with the technical support side of customer service. If you called and left a message with an installation issue they'd get right back to you and walk you through the process to fix.

I can't confirm if they still are good about that or not.
Further, they've been excellent about returns and replacements and, in general, have been honest about issues that arise.
The main problem is contacting them about placed/pending orders...in that arena I've never heard a good story.

[AnOldHouse]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(pre-cbs @ Feb 21 2007, 11:17 AM) [snapback]393944[/snapback]</div>

For the record, I've made 2 purchases with coastal (ev mod then lockpick3) and they've both been very smooth. Thought I'd post something positive.
[/b]

I've bought three times from Coastal without any problems regarding customer service. I've always ordered using ground shipping. Perhaps my patience with a small mom and pop company has paid off.

September 2005: Bought EV mode, door locks, mud guards and original nav/bluetooth override kit. I was aware that the nav/bt kit was back ordered. Everything else came in within a week. nav/bt kit arrived in January 2006 when the product was released.

July 2006: Bought EV mode, door locks and mud guards in anticipation of getting a new Prius. Everything came in within a week.

February 2007: Bought the Ultimate LockPick 3 Plus. Came in within a week.

February 2007: The EV mode and door lock kits I bought in July 2006 fail to function on installation at my dealer. Both items replaced within 10 days after a polite exchange of phone messages and emails between my dealer and Coastal and between me and Coastal.

[SteelersXL]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(AnOldHouse @ Feb 21 2007, 06:11 PM) [snapback]394222[/snapback]</div>

I've bought three times from Coastal without any problems regarding customer service. I've always ordered using ground shipping. Perhaps my patience with a small mom and pop company has paid off.

September 2005: Bought EV mode, door locks, mud guards and original nav/bluetooth override kit. I was aware that the nav/bt kit was back ordered. Everything else came in within a week. nav/bt kit arrived in January 2006 when the product was released.

July 2006: Bought EV mode, door locks and mud guards in anticipation of getting a new Prius. Everything came in within a week.

February 2007: Bought the Ultimate LockPick 3 Plus. Came in within a week.

February 2007: The EV mode and door lock kits I bought in July 2006 fail to function on installation at my dealer. Both items replaced within 10 days after a polite exchange of phone messages and emails between my dealer and Coastal and between me and Coastal.
[/b]

whoa whoa whoa - your dealer installed the EV mode kit ???