autopartswarehouse.com SCREWED ME!

[MoldySpore]

So yea. Read this chat log from their 24-hour live salesperson chat:

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info: Live chat is always open. A sales professional will be with you shortly. Sales support is also available 24 hours a day by calling our toll free number. We look forward to providing you outstanding customer service.
info: You are now chatting with 'Dennis'
Dennis: Hello, how can I assist you today?
moldyspore: im looking at these toucan strut bars for my 1997 toyota camry
moldyspore: V6
moldyspore: I had a bad experience with ordering a strut bar off ebay. the holes for the bolts didn't match up. this toucan strut bar (upper tower strut bar) will definatly fit?
moldyspore: SKU: T009BA
Dennis: Please Stay Online, I will Look up the part for you..
moldyspore: thx
Dennis: I will assist you in placing the order effectively and safely.
moldyspore: unfortunatly the strut bar is $35.02
moldyspore: so no free shipping right?
Dennis: Ground Shipping:$5.50.
Dennis: Order Total: $40.52
moldyspore: yea ok.
moldyspore: so it definatly fits on my car tho?
Dennis: Yes, it will fit for your vehicle.
Dennis: I will make a quote for you with the parts you are looking for, you can retrieve this quote from our Website just by clicking the Option " Retrieve Quote “and you will be able to add parts or change parts and finish the order from there You can also chat with us with your quote number if you have any questions, we will be able to assist you with your online order.
Dennis: This is your Quote Number: ######.
moldyspore: sweet. thanks a lot!
Dennis: Thank you for visiting our website. Please take the time now to add us to your favorites. It has been a pleasure assisting you and please remember live help is open 24 hours a day to assist you.
moldyspore: k. have a nice day

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Obviously i was too nice, because i recieved the strut bar, the sku on the box was crossed out with black magic marker (original screw was for the 4cyl camry). With the strut bar in place, it rests against the headers and the metal post (not sure what it is for) just behind the throttle, where a intake connects. whenever i brake, accelerate, shift, etc it makes a horrible scraping/crunching noise.

me? mighty pissed off. Can someone link me to a strut bar that actually FITS from a reputable site? I'm hoping 3rd time is a charm, cause this will be the 3rd strut bar in the hole if it doesn't fit. jerks want a 20% restocking fee too, even after showing them the chat convo

[userlain]

http://www.ebay.com/

[CrawlingEye]

http://www.arospeed.com

whiteline makes one too, but it's more expensive.

[kenny1773]

moldyspore - if I were you, I would show that converstation to my credit card company and protest the charge. I refuse to pay a restocking fee or return shipping when the company I bought from screwed up and not me.

[whocares04]

my ractive strut bar sometimes hits the intake plenium from the engine twisting/moving under hard driving...(i have a gen 3 V6 1MZ-FE) and i've had it since the middle of last summer and other than the occasional bumping (which you CANNOT tell while driving) i've had no problems and it helps quite a bit.

check out www.cardomain.com ...where i got mine and don't pay as others suggested

[yosh]

TRD Is obviously your best option and if you went with with them you would know that there will be no fitment issues.

[amerikim]

No shit yosh. You got a part number and site for a Gen 3?

[Silver Streak]

I had the same problem with my strut bar for my 92 V6, what I did was reverse the mounts. Everyone had this problem actually years ago, we all reversed the mounts and it gave us some more room.

Like so:

[Your Uncle Moe]

Originally Posted by whocares04

my ractive strut bar sometimes hits the intake plenium from the engine twisting/moving under hard driving...(i have a gen 3 V6 1MZ-FE) and i've had it since the middle of last summer and other than the occasional bumping (which you CANNOT tell while driving) i've had no problems and it helps quite a bit.

check out www.cardomain.com ...where i got mine and don't pay as others suggested

Exactly. Same problem here. If you dont torque it right, it will sag low and hit the intake. Make sure your have it set right.

[MoldySpore]

I did reverse the mounts, but it then sits across this plastic plug. it would surely break if i tried to drive with it on there. i used a torque wrench to find the exact amount of torque they used at the shop when i did my struts/shocks recently so they are perfect.

Problem is i dont use a credit card. i use a debit card. the money is already gone out of my account. sure i could call visa, but it would almost be more trouble than it was worth since i was just $40...might have to chalk it up to experience i guess...

I am very pissed. a TRD strut bar seems so expensive for such a minor suspension upgrade.

[whocares04]

it may be minor until u get it...i can take this certain turn now a 45-50mph (60mph tops) w/tires screaming instead of 35-40mph (tires screaming) w/o the strut bar!!!

[MoldySpore]

http://www.racingdimension.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=450&strVarSel =&strCompare=


well? yes or no people. my own judgement has been flawed up til now.

[Luckynumber5]

haha, my $20 ebay strut bar rubbed against my intake, a good solution is to shim it up with some washers, i put two under each tower bolt, then i put the bar mounts on, then the nuts and it no longer rubs the intake, try that. just use reagular metal washers

[yosh]

Originally Posted by amerikim

No shit yosh. You got a part number and site for a Gen 3?

Huh? TRD doesn't make a STB for the gen 3 but it might be possible...

[MoldySpore]

Originally Posted by Luckynumber5

haha, my $20 ebay strut bar rubbed against my intake, a good solution is to shim it up with some washers, i put two under each tower bolt, then i put the bar mounts on, then the nuts and it no longer rubs the intake, try that. just use reagular metal washers

that wont hurt anything? seems like they make them to work the way they come id kinda rather get one that fits without ghetto rigging it...