Beware: Bx Built out of business

Same. If you have that lead time, you ask for a deposit, not full payment. I've lucked out with stuff in the past, but I've seen these threads too often to risk it again.

 

Lighting, bumpers, anything at all. I'm not paying up front for the chance that they might get it done. If I ever did, I'd make it really clear that I wanted updates on the regular and a lack of updates would result in a chargeback. Too many dirtbags in the world.

 

I was talking to some friends about this the other day. King for example is like a 40-50 week lead time apparently. I'd be surprised if you deleted all of their 50 week orders if they still had the money to operate correctly and aren't using all of this money thrown out them to fund orders they're building today, but maybe I'm wrong. Lots of companies with huge lead times and they want you to pay everything up front, and I know plenty of companies (and as we have all seen plenty of times) where they are operating in the negative the whole time but have so many orders they don't even realize it until it catches up to them and now all their backlog gets screwed.

 

Something as well established as King or Icon is a bit different. True, all businesses like that are dealing with shipping/material troubles after the shutdown BS, but before that they weren't as bad. Lots of places don't charge until your stuff ships as well. IDK about suspension stuff as I only ever hopped on the one group buy for Falcons. Doing suspension once was enough for me. I don't want to mod anymore. I'm happy with my Taco being stock.

 

I really wanted to order some tractor implements from a company on the east coast, but went a different direction after they would only put me in the 6-9 month line after full payment. We’re not talking a couple hundred bucks here; these things are thousands.

I went elsewhere. I don’t care how good the company is, I’m not fronting the money for long lead times so you can remain afloat. This would likely put me at risk of losing all of it, as I’m sure a credit card company can tell me to pound sand if I try to contest a charge that is many months old.


I’ve ordered hydraulic cylinders from a small shop in San Diego. He’s a one-man operation that is often 20-30 weeks back-logged. He’s up front about it, makes no excuses for it, and has proven to be pretty accurate with his estimated lead times. He also calls when you’re next in line for building parts, and lets you know he’s gonna charge your card now. He tells me when it’ll be done (a day or two) and everyone is happy. If I cancelled at any time before my parts are built, I simply help the next fella in line to get his sooner.