KW coilover boxing sloppy?
 

I ordered a set of club sports from 86speed and the packaging the coilovers came in look strange to say the least. Every other video of unboxing online the boxes are nice and relatively flat compared to the box that got delivered. And there’s no plastic straps, only tape holding it together. Is this normal? Or should I be worried of authenticity?


Links to pictures because I cant upload big images.

https://imgur.com/a/r64Na3G

I don't own any coilovers for the matter, so take my advice with a grain of salt.

I did watch a video of an unboxing of the KW clubsports. It could be a possibility, that someone else bought these, opened the box, but didn't end up using them. Then taped up the box, and hence the reason, no straps on the box.

The delivery guys rarely ever handle packages with care, so boxes that don't look in the best condition aren't a surprise to me, ever.

Did you actually open the box, and check the contents inside?

If you're still unsatisfied or unsure about the product after you open the box, then contact 86speed at that point, and voice your concerns.

Well, you did step one right. Taking pictures before you open the box. As so "this is how it was delivered".

Second: Open them up. Inspect the parts. If they looked damaged then talk to the customers service. Then go from there.

I just got regular V3s, but mine came in a much more "normal-looking" box, IIRC. It was just the "pretty part" of the box in your photos.

So I did open the box, the coilovers are on top of each other separated by cushion, which isn’t that bad. But the coilover them selves seem damaged or not aligned. The nut on the top hat is somehow lodged under the opening and it’s making the whole top hat slanted. Is this normal?

Pics to opened package and top hat :

https://m.imgur.com/a/DGH73ng

Did your coilover top hats look like this?

https://m.imgur.com/a/DGH73ng

The bolt is somehow lodged under the tophat

Did you buy "reconditioned" parts? Cause it looks to me like they just put new top hats on them.

Can't really see the bottom part where it connects to the struts but it looks scratched. Or unless it's super shiny?

My box looked pretty beat up as well. The coilovers are HEAVY and the box really has it rough.

No I didn’t, they were advertised as new. :/

The V3s don't come with top hats, but if they had, I'd have been pissed if they looked like yours do. I'd definitely be having words with the seller over those "new" coilovers.

I received my KW's last week my top hats do not look like that. Looks like shipping damage. Mine were double boxed with plastic straps holding it all together. Do have any shipping paperwork?

I have those same marks on my camber plates, from me using a screw driver to slide them over when adjusting them.

Look like they have been mounted to me. Other pictures are not detailed enough to tell.

No I only have the invoice for my order. Should I ask for shipping paper work?

If the torx locator bolts on the camber plate are stripped that's not acceptable. It's hard to tell for sure but the one looks pretty chewed up.

- Andrew

Hmm, but hard to tell IF they are stripped, last pic looks fine to me, maybe previous look worse due how light reflects & due worse taken quality of pic?

Coming from ST XTA coilovers (Same camber plates), yours definitely look they have been "manipulated" (mangled torx bolt head + marks on the camber plate, presumably from a screwdriver for adjusting camber).

https://i.imgur.com/6QaTfRL.jpg
This on in particular screams that they couldn't get one of the torx screws loose and stripped it out, then pried the camber plate against the tophat to get the plate back in the center.

https://i.imgur.com/6QaTfRL.jpg
This on in particular screams that they couldn't get one of the torx screws loose and stripped it out, then pried the camber plate against the tophat to get the plate back in the center.

Last summer I purchased the clubsports from 86speed and my box was in rough shape as well, but the product itself was in good shape. I did have the straps holding it all together, but the box was beat up. Like others have said, I’d have some words with them for how the top hat looks.

These have definitely been opened up and played with before, maybe even mounted in a car. Definitely needs an explanation, replacement and/or discount.

One of your pictures shows the top hat with what looks like damage from a tool on it.

Looks like whomever that had it previously tried to stall/adjust but ended up damaging the Torx head as well as the top hat itself.

86Speed needs to take these back or swap with new ones for you. You also need to protect yourself by documenting the sale and all associated links/posts from the vendor and make sure that you have enough evidence to protect yourself in the case of a dispute.

this worries me because there are many red flags.

1. the item wasnt shipped until three months after order because they claim they were out of stock and KW was making more and that they'd ship it directly to me. (ok i guess?)

2. they give me a timeline of mid march yet a few days after calling them about it they gave me a tracking number. the tracking said it was coming directly from their warehouse. (i thought it was from KW?)

3. the box comes in. it doesnt look like its directly from KW. for being a reputable company, i doubt their packaging would be as sloppy as the one i've received. damage on box or wear and tear? thats normal. but the packaging sucked. This is a minor detail, but the box cover doesnt look like any on unpackaging videos of KW clubsports either.

4. when I asked them for shipping paperwork from KW, they completely ignored my question.

5i have tried calling them three days in a row, multiple times throughout the day. no answer or call back.

Update:

I returned these and were told I would get a new set. The second set comes in with the same sloppy boxing and this time no labels or logos. Just a blank box. I asked if they gave me refurbished or used ones and they claim they never sell used. "EVER"

so I opened up the box and same bs again. This time the rear pieces had wear and tear on them. discolored nuts on the top (i think they're nuts?) and scratches around the bottom of the coilover where it connects to the shocks.

Link to pics of second set:
https://imgur.com/a/bIJugHG

im getting a refund now but my experience with them is shitty.

Wow. I will be looking mine over with a closer eye. I got an invoice from kw with my coilovers taped to the box. Glad to see your getting a refund. Still sucks to have to waist your time.

sounds like a bad company.

Yeah, those definitely look like they've been mounted before.

Diffidently mounted before. Demand refund.
Ge the set from an actual KW retailer like RCE,ect.

List of KW dealers.
https://www.kwsuspensions.com/dealersearch

I'd also send KW an email letting them know what 86Speed is doing.

I totally agree with getting a refund. However use this to realize kw are not good any more. Go with a company that actually cares about the 86 community like RCE or CSG. Both have reasonably priced options that we know are actually good.

Why shift blame to KW as manufacturer or to their products if some retail shop decided to pull quickie on selling reused or refurbished product as new? And you do know that at least RCE's shocks are produced by KW by their custom specs/valving?

Any suggestions?
I will most likely buy from CSG and I’ll check out RCE

Not sure. Either way I need to make an update:

86speed reached out to me to verify their products through KW.

Gave KW a call and they verified they distribute to 86speed under a different distribution center.

The boxes can vary and KW says they ship them out as is. Though 86speed does rework and check over ones that are damaged from shipping.

There are several distributors that resell KW to other shops. Any distributor that KW authorizes to resell can be considered a "dealer", just not direct with KW...

Options, Turn 14, Motovicity, and frankly anyone at the WD level of pricing. Some people get lowest possible price by buying direct, but they resell like crazy or move volume via secondary companies (selling under MAP) to achieve the quota requirements to maintain WD pricing.

Plus, looking at the list of dealers that is on the KW site, there's several that I can list that are outdated. Seems like the KW dealer network isn't updated.

This has nothing to do with KW quality or performance. This has to do with someone sending back used/installed products, then the seller resells it as "brand new".

To throw KW under the bus for something they have zero control over is absurd.

*cough you should look at RCE Tarmac 2 Clubsports instead of KW Clubsports cough*

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...aebdc9fe_o.jpg

- andrew

You are right, you should throw KW under the bus because they stopped caring a decade ago and now just coast on their name. For the 86, they are not good at all in any way.

Why do you quote and tell that he is right when it's opposite to what you say?
And please post actual facts that KW doesn't care about this platform and their products are bad, to justify vendor bashing. (and no, shady retailer that KW has no influence on business practices of, cannot be blamed to KW. Just as if it had been some private seller here in classifieds or eg. on ebay selling used set while lying that it's new/unused).
AFAIK eg. KW V3 were well spoken of mid-budget offering of good quality and performance. Club Sports are higher end then V3 and more track oriented, thus less common choice, but i don't recall people posting bad reviews on them too. Not caring means what, that in very later years no new products released in lineup for platform? Maybe that means that old are good enough? Will original design date suddenly make them worse then eg. some BC based cheap shocks just because later are released less long ago? By this logic Bilstein i guess are no good either, as no new products from them came either. Same about Ohlins. Or eg. RCE offerings that were designed longer ago, and only very latest one is good.

...and what does this have to do with OP getting used/returned items that were sold "brand new"?

Who gives a shit if KW stopped caring. This has nothing to do with OP's issue about purchasing new product.

of course it does. He now gets to make a better decision.