Zstory exhaust delay

Hi chaps

To sum up, the rear silencers and exhaust lines I'll have mid-May : definitive but regretfully the manifolds not until the end of July.
This is what I posted up on my FB page, copied here in case you don't do FB,

My sincere apologies for the unexpected delays.

Kind rgds,
Sean

ps still having to sleep +12hrs a day from Covid-fatigue - I bloody hope this wears off quickly !

--------------------------------------

My latest exhaust production batch – the news !


My last batch arrived in late October last year, already overdue by a month due to Covid-related delays and almost immediately sold out ! No problem I thought, I’ll start an order immediately to have more stock available from February and promptly sent off the deposit of £12000 – the parts originating in the UK.

Asking for updates and progress reports in December, I start hearing stories that they’re short of staff and they were even closed down for at least a month but I’m being reassured that I’ll have my goods early March at the latest !

Then I’m being told that they can’t get the raw materials in but it will definitely be ready before April…….then it becomes April itself………and then I discover that they are bankrupt and into receivership ! Oh merde !

Basically due to Covid last year, production had dropped and they WERE having trouble getting the steel raw material and then this latest wave made things even harder but the real blow was Brexit which in one swipe deleted more than half of their client list ! They’d had a lot of big orders from these bigger-than-I clients and my (relatively) small order dropped down the priority list.

Whatever, the damage is done, the time lost and my money is blocked, probably lost whilst the receivers manage the companys’ assets and check through the accounts.

In a way, I’m not entirely depressed because I’d had recurring problems with parts leaving this company which I discovered recently was due to them taking on temporary staff and giving them no guidance ; just ‘do this and do that’ which resulted in solved issues reoccuring and new ones appearing but I feel lied to and cheated now ! In any case, prices were rising and transport too with new import charges levied where before there were none !

The good news is that I have finally managed to recover my prototypes after a lot of haggling (I was on my Covid hospital bed on oxygen whilst arranging this)and I’ve just shipped* them to another production company I have used before.

I used this company early last year to make a batch of mufflers and all went smooth and well, no-one notice dany difference in quality and indeed, some clients remarked on the high welding quality.

From this feedback and very satisfied with my new S30 period competition replica wheels, I have effectively moved my entire exhaust production to China ; please don’t scowl, your mobile/cell-phone is probably made there too and functions perfectly !

The trick is not to insist on so cheap a price, I’ve been preparing this for twelve months - it was on the cards to move but not so early and not in such circumstances.


Exhaust lines and mufflers :

So, going back to February, I had decided to place a Chinese order as a back up and when the UK parts arrived, I would simply have more stock. Now I’m grateful for the foresight and the exhaust lines and mufflers will be with me mid-May – that is certain.

Exhaust manifolds/headers :

*this is the sensitive part ! They ‘en route’ now, to be inspected and replicated, then I’ll need to see them (shipping back to me) to confirm their conformity with, hopefully, no issues and then production can begin. The production time and then maritime shipping of 6x weeks (manifolds/headers take up a lot of volume and air-freight is simply not an option) plus unloading, customs and land transport to me means that I won’t have them until the end of July at the earliest !

This will be an intolerable delay to some of you, outrageous, holding you ‘to ransom’ and I’m very deeply, sincerely sorry for the disappointment – it’s been an awful 6xmonths for me and catching the Corona virus last month and still leaving me very tired and with migraines was just the cherry on top !

Refunds :

And I regret to inform those loyal clients of mine who wish to be refunded that I don’t have any remaining treasury ; I have financed a second exhaust line and muffler order plus a new manifold/downpipe order – the missing £12k to which I have no access and have probably lost most if not all has left me with empty-pockets. I worked bloody hard for ten years to pay off my initial credit and I’m almost back to square one.*

I took out the credit back in 2010 to continue production after being let down by a partner and whose only words were ‘we declare ourselves bankrupt and as a Private Limited Company we’re not liable’…..except that existing and new friends had paid for and expected their exhausts ! That’s not my way of doing things ; I didn’t let them down then and I have no intention of doing so now however, as before, I do ask for your patience and comprehension.

I hope to be able to make some form of commercial gesture to those adversely affected whether that be a part-refund or higher value in parts but none of this I can do before the end of Summer – all will be noted on my books !

*I have a meeting with my bank next week for a substantial business loan, already agreed in principal to enable me not only to produce and ship in enough stock to always have parts on the shelf - no more waiting but expand the exhaust range and other parts too - heater cores, lightweight door and hatch hinges and revised front diff supports to combine with another pet exhaust project;)

This has been probably the hardest message I’ve ever had to write and I can understand and will accept the backlash of disappointment and frustration…to all of you I apologise for the lack of response over the past several weeks ; simply, I was still optimistic in finding the solution to have all the parts available this month of April and everything was so fluid, it was impossible to report anything and I’d already passed several ‘ready-by’ dates !

With hindsight, I believe that the company was on the rocks last year (perhaps following Covid-19 ?) and Brexit was perhaps the 'coup de grace', whatever, I shall rebound from this stronger and reward those loyal customers.

I remain at your service and disposition.

Kind regards,

Sean

Ps I shall be continuing to enlarge my range of exhausts, hopefully finishing this year with my period-looking twin-centre exit line with built-in heat protection for stock fuel reservoirs. My 280ZX exhausts need upgrading too and I have a plan for track-only racers, again – a period style exhaust line – I have plenty to keep me busy !

What part of the exhaust was coming out of the UK? Which company? it'll be useful to know to avoid if they setup under a new name.
 

status

Well-Known Forum User
T shirt as well,I wasn’t so lucky and I took tne French bloke out a couple months back oi oi
 

SeanDezart

Well-Known Forum User
T shirt as well,I wasn’t so lucky and I took tne French bloke out a couple months back oi oi

You drove me, I paid ! Buy an exhaust customers and get a T-shirt goldie.

Sorry guys, I've not been active on any forums and hardly at all on FB etc so as to concentrate on getting the exhausts shipped. I have a day-job, kids so these get wrapped each evening and weekends. Coupled to that I 'lost' a week having to come over to the UK to deal with some family affairs however I did bring with me five exhaust orders for those who live on my route so not entirely wasted time.
I wondered why I was hurting so much (I remember a stairs fall at the end of January but all seemed fine despite the bruising), had a scan last Monday and I've fractured my L3 vertebre.....just kinda slowed me down so now, with some extra help employed, boxes have been moving.

Here is what I've finished since Thursday...most of the remaining European orders which will leave this Tuesday at the latest.
 

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SeanDezart

Well-Known Forum User
I did buy an exhaust,it’s on tne car,perfect fit
Yes you did...3x years ago.....before I started with T-shirts.....you come to LMClassic, tell me your size, colour and design and there'll be one here waiting for you honey.
 

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SeanDezart

Well-Known Forum User
What else is new ?

240Z / 260Z and 280Z downpipe kits (conceived to fit between the stock cast-iron manifold and my exhaust line)

2" - 2.5" adapter pipe kit (so as to fit one of my silencers on a smaller diameter exhaust pipe)

Better, more professional packing of interior parts : gaskets*, nuts and bolts.

*carb and EFi versions supplied free upon request.

Zstory weldable ID plates (automatically present on pipework)

And progress on the 2" and 2.5" diameter noise muffler prototypes.
 

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SeanDezart

Well-Known Forum User
The forum/club.
So, you're the club now - congrats on having finally coughed up the m-ship fee.:hurray:

Potentiel customers will buy from Japan (like yourself) or buy from other established exhaust sellers including myself and those retailers in the USA. The third option is to have custom parts fabricated and my advice is to seek references and a specific price estimate before a committment.

My exhaust parts are lifetime garaunteed :

Failures replaced 100% FOC
Customer-damaged parts replaced freely with postage at their cost

Buy with confidence !
 

Russell

Club Member
Mine is due on Wednesday. I am really looking forward to getting it fitted.

Have heard nothing but praise for quality and fitment (other than the fact that my downpipe is the wrong side)

Appreciate all your effort Sean, great going as its not your main job.
 
So, you're the club now - congrats on having finally coughed up the m-ship fee.:hurray:

Potentiel customers will buy from Japan (like yourself) or buy from other established exhaust sellers including myself and those retailers in the USA. The third option is to have custom parts fabricated and my advice is to seek references and a specific price estimate before a committment.

My exhaust parts are lifetime garaunteed :

Failures replaced 100% FOC
Customer-damaged parts replaced freely with postage at their cost

Buy with confidence !

Which company is it in the uk that folded and let you in the lurch? How come you went from everything from China back to the uk for a part of it?
 
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