Mustang and Ford Performance Forums banner
Status
Not open for further replies.

UPR products...............

6K views 36 replies 17 participants last post by  Hammer 
#1 ·
#2 ·
I just read it. An eye opener for sure. Makes me appreciate the company I work for (not mustang related, but a great company none the less).

JT
 
#3 ·
Doesn't surprise me at all!! They have tried to pull a lot of crap with me. They wish they had the quality parts that MGW sells. Their customer service blows also. They love to make you think that the parts are in stock.
 
#4 ·
I know that the owner Joe has a reputation in Florida for his tunes being on the ragged edge and blowing stuff up.
 
#8 ·
But if what you wrote was the truth, wouldn't you leave it up so that others can be warned still?

Or was your only motive resolving your personal conflict and not helping others?
 
#10 ·
snkypete said:
But if what you wrote was the truth, wouldn't you leave it up so that others can be warned still?

Or was your only motive resolving your personal conflict and not helping others?
Well, it was both, part of our resolution was that the site was to be taken down. from 5 am this morning to 5 pm this afternoon there was over 1100 unique visitors, I'd say that informed quite a few people.

cj
 
#15 ·
I read a large portion of it, and the site described the vendor as being manipulative and underhanded, and who routinely copied the competition and sold cheap and inferior imitations to the unsuspecting public.

The website owner was a former employee who obviously felt wronged by the vendor. To me it appeared that the website owner's motivation was a combination of revenge and to recover all or part of the money he felt owed by the vendor. Perhaps this portion of the ploy worked, since the site is now now gone.

I have a UPR shift quadrant, but won't be buying anything else from them.

Bill
 
#16 ·
A quick summary was that he accused them of copying most of their items from other companies, of not paying him(and his compensation for tuning was extremely low $10-25 per car when customers were charged thousands), stealing his laptop, not paying his tax withholdings......This all of course was 'his words'.
 
#18 ·
2kbill said:
and sold cheap and inferior imitations to the unsuspecting public.
Never did it say they were cheap and inferior items. I've have and still use lots of thier parts and they hold up to plenty of abuse as well if not better than some other companies pieces. If you really think that no other company has taken a idea from someone else, made some changes to it and sold it as their own you are blind.

Bill
 
#19 ·
Bill Putnam said:
Never did it say they were cheap and inferior items. I've have and still use lots of thier parts and they hold up to plenty of abuse as well if not better than some other companies pieces. If you really think that no other company has taken a idea from someone else, made some changes to it and sold it as their own you are blind.

Bill
I think the point they were trying to make is that UPR doesn't make any changes, they just flat out copy them and market the piece as their own.

This isn't the first I've heard of them doing it either. If it was an isolated incident fine, but when it involves most of their product line you have to wonder.

From personal experience, their customer service flat out sucks. When I wanted some of their products I refused to deal directly with them again. I found a reseller who actually understands what customer service means....shipping on time, charging a fair price for shipping....what a concept.
 
#20 ·
snkypete said:
I think the point they were trying to make is that UPR doesn't make any changes, they just flat out copy them and market the piece as their own.

This isn't the first I've heard of them doing it either. If it was an isolated incident fine, but when it involves most of their product line you have to wonder.

From personal experience, their customer service flat out sucks. When I wanted some of their products I refused to deal directly with them again. I found a reseller who actually understands what customer service means....shipping on time, charging a fair price for shipping....what a concept.
On the contrary they do make changes to parts (in the past when they first started some stuff was nearly carbon copy) and now have a good amount of orginal parts mainly billet interior stuff that are of their own design that are being copied by others. Not saying they are saints but fact is just about every company out there is guilty of this at one point or another.

Bill
 
#21 ·
What changes were made to the Kmembers?
What changes were made to the timing adjuster?
What changes were made to the stainless bumper letters?

I'd be happy to review their site for other examples if you'd like.

Most other companies? Hardly. Only those who are not intelligent enough to make their own products or at least make significant modifications before marketing them as their own.

Sure they make some of their own products now that they have profited from the creativity of others.

Personally you would never catch me in a car that had their Kmember just from a structural standpoint, business ethics aside. They have their place in the market - one can only hope that a company will come along and copy their billet ideas and market them as their own.

If only half of what was written about them was true, they are a disgrace to the mustang community IMO. It shouldn't take creating a website to get problems like that resolved. But I guess there will always be companies like UPR and CPR who think that they can screw people over and not have to deal with the ramifications of doing so.
 
#22 ·
What changes were made to the Kmembers?
The rear bars are moved further outwards for more clearance around headers. The motor mount perches were changed to accept different type of mounts from different years.

What changes were made to the timing adjuster?
The adjuster that moves the crank position sensor back and forth was changed compared to the Steeda version. Same idea behind it but different look to it. They also have a new timing adjuster that is currently in testing that works with every type of pulley not just stock or Steedas.

What changes were made to the stainless bumper letters?
If you are going to there then maybe Scott should be answering to the companies that made viynl lettering for Mustangs. Sorry different materials but still same design. Everybody makes these just because he used different material doesn't change things. Even if you did want to make that arguement a friend of mine back in the mid 90's had a 91 foxbody that made a set of stainless letters for his rear and front bumper using a waterjet and a CAD file used by the shops that made the bumper lettering.

I'd be happy to review their site for other examples if you'd like.
And I'd be happy to review their site for products that are their designs but really what would that do...nothing. Like I said some of their earlier stuff was changed very little just enough to be able to sell it without being sued by the vendor.

Most other companies? Hardly.
Really why don't you look up Steeda AC knobs which they took from UPR, who took theirs from MGW all they did was slap a Steeda emblem. Or maybe ask Steeda where half of their hardcore racing products were based off of. Sorry but their are plenty of examples out there of shops taking others ideas. If shops didn't take these ideas and offer them at a cheaper prices we would all be paying out the rear for parts. Look at cams I suppose we should all go attack everyone except for SHM for coming out with billet cams since they came out with them originally.

Personally you would never catch me in a car that had their Kmember just from a structural standpoint
That's your choice I've had mine in my car for a year now, 25K miles and made the trip back and forth 2500 miles to the shootout...I was in the blue GT, MM100, right next to you when paying to get into the shootout. I've yet to hear of a case of one failing on anyone.

Maybe you have nothing better to do that argue with someone I don't. My point was simple they don't make inferior quality parts their parts are cheaper in price and just as good if not better quality than the originals. They made money from it big deal like I said that has been happening since the dawn of time and about every company around has done it at one time or another.

Bill
 
#23 ·
I agree that Steeda and UPR are both huge into copying other people ideas. Difference between the 2 companies IMO is the customer service. Steeda gives me decent service and UPR flat out blows. JMHO.
 
#24 ·
Funny, you're the one starting the argument with inaccurate statements saying that all companies copy items, then use faulty data to try to make your point. No one was arguing here until you came on defending their BS practices and then lying saying that 'every company has done it'.

"Plenty" of companies doing it is a far cry from 'about every' company....my problem is with your gross generality, not the fact that some companies choose to do it. There will always be companies who copy others. We as the buying public have a choice whether to support the company who did the R&D or the company that bought one and duplicated it.

What proof do you have that their bars have been moved? Just your defense of them? That is not enough in my book.

As for Scott's letters - last time I checked stainless steel was not the same material as vinyl...call me crazy. Did your friend market the letters back in the mid 90's? How did he have inserts for a 99 car back in the mid 90's? That is interesting...I'd love to hear how he did that since the car wasn't even a concept then.

You should attack companies if they offer billet cams in the same grinds that SHM offers - that is stealing. If they use the same material but duration/lift are different then it does not apply.

25k miles on a suspension and you're bragging about it? Next you'll be bragging about the D&D Kmembers I suppose. The reason why you don't hear of failures is because no one is naive enough to run them in an environment where they would actually be stressed. Why is it they are not used on the road race circuit and the only parts regularly used are Griggs and MM? The UPR, D&D and other 'knock off' front ends are structurally inferior to Griggs/MM....who cares if they can be used in a drag race situation, try putting a real load on them and see how they perform.

Your point was not that...you've attempted to successfully twist it into that. The point was they have built a business by using ideas and concepts from other companies. You mention Steeda - they built their business in the road race world and have several unique items (whether I agree or as to their functionality). They test their parts on the track and bring them to development for consumers.

Again, let's say half of what this guy said is true, is that the type of company you want to support and represent our sport?
 
#25 ·
Good point Brian....

I'm not bashing UPR's quality on their accessories, I have more than my share of their product - but only because they are the only one to make certain items. I would much rather support MGW if they made the same items, but they don't.

I guess I just expect too much from companies.
 
#26 ·
Funny, you're the one starting the argument with inaccurate statements saying that all companies copy items, then use faulty data to try to make your point.
You are impossible to talk with because you don't read what I'm saying. 2kbill stated their parts were inferior items and I defended the fact that they weren't. I never justified how anyone handles their employees or even agreed that everyone should just go out and copy others but fact is that is what happens and UPR isn't the first and sure as hell isn't the last ones.

No one was arguing here until you came on
Actually no one was arguing until you called BS on my post which was 100% fact. Companies have been copying others ideas since the dawn of time and it will never stop.

"Plenty" of companies doing it is a far cry from 'about every' company
Please show me how to quantify "plenty" and "about every"? I generalize because it's true if your that blind then pick up a copy of MM&FF 90% of those advertisers didn't sit down and design what they sell from scratch. Some may improve on the parts more than others and some might have started from questionable backgrounds. UPRs has been brought to light by this incident does that mean that everyone else is squeaky clean?

What proof do you have that their bars have been moved? Just your defense of them? That is not enough in my book.
I deal with them on a regular basis and help them test out some parts I've seen the two versions of the K-member side by side. Sorry if you don't trust my opinion I guess I'm just this big BSer with no reputation worth listening to. No offense but I'm not some 15 year old key board ricer I'm out their racing my car regularly and plenty of people from the modular community know I don't spew BS. My only affliation with them is that I've known Jeremy since high school and Joe just as long. I help out when I can with some modular stuff and that's about it.

As for Scott's letters - last time I checked stainless steel was not the same material as vinyl...call me crazy. Did your friend market the letters back in the mid 90's? How did he have inserts for a 99 car back in the mid 90's? That is interesting...I'd love to hear how he did that since the car wasn't even a concept then.
Here's that selective reading again. That is obviously what you did because otherwise you would see I was making a comparison, something you couldn't do by draw the lines between the two. My friend made stainless steel bumper letters for his fox body the idea was no different from that of the new cars the year of the car is unimportant. Fact is Scott's idea was not new and he didn't come up with the ultimate idea that no one had thought of. He did however make it into a small business and applaud him for it but someone else took it. I'm surprised it wasn't done sooner.

My friend didn't market them because he didn't see a reason to give away an idea that made his car unique at car shows and stereo shows. Fact is the way the letters are cut out on vinyl is no different that it is with stainless just a different material. The same file that is used for cutting out bumper letters can be made into a CAD file for a laser or water jet to cut metal or any other material. If I start making a carbon fiber shifter tomorrow based on the UPR shifter does that make me the orginator or just someone that took a design and made it out of a different material?

You should attack companies if they offer billet cams in the same grinds that SHM offers - that is stealing. If they use the same material but duration/lift are different then it does not apply.
Sorry your contradicting yourself right there. Your saying it's okay to make a product that is slightly changed...exactly what UPR is doing. UPR does not sell carbon copies of anyones copyrighted products otherwise they would have been sued 10 times over.

I personally do not care what works in the road race world I'm not road racing I drag race. Fact is I put my car through hell so yes 25K miles with zero issues works for me. If it fails tomorrow I'll be the first to admit it but I've seen the D&D failures and at least one PA failure to date.

As to how UPR runs this business with employees that's his business I don't get involved. Sorry for what happened to Chris but fact is he openly admited that he shouldn't did most of the things he did. First and foremost walking away from a perfectly good job that was his first and biggest mistake and I'm sure he agrees their. I'm sure before the next company he works for he'll get something in writing. As for supporting them yes I still will. I'm sick and tired for over paying for parts from all these companies if I can get a equal or better part for less I'm all for it. Does UPR have a bad history...it sounds like it but that isn't going to stop me from moving forward with my car or supporting other shops that would rather come out with parts twice the price just because they cornered the market on them.

Bill
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top