Doug Thorley Warranty issues BUYER BEWARE

[Macross]

Hello I'm a new member here, but i'm not new to this forum. This forum has helped me on a few occasions with my projects and I feel as though sharing this problem I had with Doug Thorley could potentially benefit someone here. I've been into cars for over 17 years, I've been a mechanic , service writer, and manager.

I purchased my second 95 hardbody sev6 4x4 automatic last year and have spend the last few months restoring the underside of the vehicle, patching the frame, all new fuel system including lines, all new suspension including control arms, leaf springs etc. I'm very particular to say the least. I always look at the pacesetter headers on my previous hardbody as a mistake, it took a long time to get the y pipe leaks sorted out. They were $250. This time around I went after a set of Doug Thorleys generally hearing better things about them compared to the woes of pacesetter. Well I was sadly mistaken, however this time I paid $600.00.

Simply put the y pipe collector flange was warped about 1/8". The day came to install the headers which I did, I then made the 13 mile journey to the exhaust shop whey I was getting a fully stainless 2.25 custom cat back made. They call me the next day to inform me of the bent flange. the only solution is to unbolt the two y-pipe pieces from the headers and sand the flange true on a belt sander... seeing as it was already at the exhaust shop, and I don't own a belt sander, and I needed the truck, I paid $150 to have the parts removed, fixed, and reinstalled. Thinking I would be covered by DT's lifetime manufacturers guarantee. Well I was sorely mistaken.

I called DT shortly after receiving the pictures from the exhaust shop and needless to say the conversation did not go well. I spoke with a guy named Mike and he was quick to point me in the direction for DT's official warranty policy which mandates that no part of their products may be modified in any sort of way. Just so that it was clear for me, he broke down the warranty process for me, which if your curious requires you to remove said problematic part, pay for shipping to them where they will then inspect the part (in a jig he said haha), and then they will then ship out a new part if they have found the old one to have fault. Basically weeks to months runaround best case scenario. I've since done a google search and low and behold I'm not the only person this has happened to. I'm sure this isn't the case on most of their stuff, but be ready if you end up having issues. I asked Mike as a human being the call he would have made, vehicle at the exhaust shop, warped flange, 150 buck and two extra hours of time vs, weeks of waiting "best case scenario" and he just reiterated the warranty policy and then said that he would not be answering my question. To which I responded that his silence was a good enough answer for me. Another thing to note is at the time I ordered these, which was about 5 or 6 months ago they didn't have any in stock and pointed me to a distributor that had a set in Florida, from whom I purchased them from. So they may have actually had to make another piece to send to me.

It might have cost me $150 extra bucks but if it helps any of you, then i'll consider it well spent.

 

 

Is there a way to attach images? I do have before and after pictures.

 

Thanks for your time.

 

 

 

 

 

[Citron]

There is a sticky in the photos and videos section that tells you how to attach pics. You need Photobucket, imgur, something like that.

[Blue109]

Gotta be honest here....I don't know too many companies who would reimburse you for having work like that done without prior approval. First issue is the price you were charged for the work seems excessive. Second issue is they may have had a better solution if they could have inspected it. Maybe not, but the policy protects them from being liable for customers mistakes. Seems like your hand were tied this time and you did what you had to do to get on the road, but I can understand them not cutting you a check based on some photos.

[adamzan]

Does it leak now? I still the think pacesetters were worse. Mine came with egr bung not in the right spot, warped y pipe flange, and I ended up welding the y pipe to the header tubes because no clamps could stop the leaks.

[LittleFR]

I see your in Kentucky. Welcome.

 

If I were DT I wouldn't refund it either.

I've never bought a header that didn't take a little heat and beat at the least. And in a few cases home-made gaskets to even get a seal.

 

The shop should have put a torch on it and straightened the flange or cut and welded a new one. That would have maintained the integrity of the flange.

 

It sucks but at least it's fixed.

[Macross]

The thorley headers are four pieces with the y pipe being two. The two parts can't be removed individually thus it's a good amount of labor to remove and reinstall. The flange is just above a cross member so not easily accessible. At this point I wish I had gone pace setter. Al least my expectations would have been lower and I would have paid significantly less than half of what I spent on the thorleys even prior to fixing them.

 

 

Even if the exhaust shops labor rate was high, thorley should at least partially cover their mistake. This wasn't years later, and it wasn't me in my own garage. I have pictures and receipts, neither of which they even cared to see. It seems to me like thorleys warranty policy is pretty much useless. Any glaring flaw, Thorley would hopefully catch, however, small flaws like my flange won't be caught until the time of the install, which at that point the customer will have to pay more money to ship them the part wait for them to get it, wait for them to inspect it and then wait for them to ship it back. Most people would make it fit as you suggested with gaskets, heat, or sanding, etc. which means their warranty is basically a sham. Sure, if you're willing to jump through all the hoops they'll warranty stuff. I just don't see that happening, and frankly, for their prices, you shouldn't have to. I've had Chinese eBay parts fit better and cost less than half the price, and ironically have had less hassle when there was a problem too. All in all I think this sort of mentality leads to sloppy fabrication on their part. They know that when people are in a jamb, they'll fix the factory mistakes rather than spend money shipping them the parts and waiting weeks to months for the parts to come back, simple as that.

..

[Bunchie]

One thing you have failed to take note of: They already have ur money!! They could care less about ur problem now. They sound like a lot of insurance companies; if they can pass the blame to anyone but themselves, they've WON. No one wants to take responsibility for ANYTHING these days. That being said, I, for one will NEVER buy ANY products made by these clowns, simply bc you had such a crappy experience w/them & their product. I'm sure ur not made of money, so I'm sorry this was such an expensive lesson for you!! I have learned from your painful experience...

[nunya]

Not to be that person but they have a warranty policy, and you chose not to follow it. I wouldn't personally refund without having the unmodified part in my hand to see it wasn't installer error and indeed an error on manufacturing end (not pointing fingers at your shop you used). Inconvince? Sure, but I don't see too many companies just randomly sending new parts out over a cell phone pic.

 

(And I'm victim of Rockauto's complete lack of caring after taking your money even when following there warranty steps)