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Do not buy from www.jdmtigerjapanese.com!

  #1  
Old 05-07-2013, 01:29 PM
ethanw's Avatar
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Thumbs down Do not buy from www.jdmtigerjapanese.com!

Do not buy from Home page!

I know that I made a mistake of ordering from these people, so save your typing, I’m not here to get flamed, I’m here to try to save someone else from doing what I did.

Without doing proper research, I recently purchased a JDM D15B Vtec motor and transmission from Home page. I ordered on April, 16, 2013. I had not received any shipping confirmation 7 days later, so I called to check on the status of my order. The representative informed me that the item I had ordered was out of stock and would ship as soon as it became available. I finally got shipping confirmation on April 30,2013, and the engine arrived later on in the week.

Bear with me as I share how twisted this company really is.

A little Background:
The item I purchased was JDM D15B Vtec Engine and Transmission: D15B SOHC VTEC Engine & Manual 5 Speed Transmission 92-95.
As you can see in the listing of the item for sale, the picture shows a complete motor that has been removed from a vehicle and has no damage. Tiger claims that “Tiger Japanese prides itself on offering engines of excellent quality. All our engines pass a Multi-point inspection & Compression test to ensure great quality engines. We only ship engines with positive compression test results.”

I cannot say for sure whether or not there was a compression test done on my engine, but if I was going to guess, I would say no, because the spark plug wells had oil in them, which tells me that the plugs had not been removed, and 2 of the 4 spark plugs were so tight that I thought I was going to break something when I got them loose.

Also, in the listing, it states that the engine comes with the following:
(Which I assume that since they mention that they are included, they would be in working order)
Complete Block Alternator
Complete Head Oil Pan
Intake Manifold Spark Plugs
Exhaust Manifold Valve Cover
Throttle Body Vtec Solenoid
Power Steering Pump Manual Transmission
Injectors Clutch
Fuel Rail Fly Wheel
Distributor Starter

From the FAQ section of the site,

What Parts are included with the engines?
Each engine is different: some engines come with the transmission and ECU (computer), as well as the axles, engine mounts and half shaft. Some engines will only come with the engine alone and some will only have the engine and transmission. You can view each engine description for a list of parts included. Each engine does come with the following parts: distributor, intake manifold, exhaust manifold, alternator, sensors, throttle body, fuel rail, complete cylinder block and cylinder head.

How do I cancel or change my order?
All orders are electronically processed and forwarded to the warehouse immediately after the order is confirmed therefore, the window of opportunity to cancel an order is limited. No orders can be canceled after payment has been confirmed, as the order will be immediately processed for shipment. All orders placed from Friday after 5PM EXT-Monday 9AM EST cannot be cancelled, as they are processed over the weekend for shipment. Please note that a 5% processing fee will be charged on all orders cancelled by the customer. (So, you can’t even cancel your order without a penalty.)

What does Tiger Auto Parts LTD. Do to ensure that no problems occur?
We inspect all our engines before shipping out to ensure there is no damage or broken parts. We take compression tests of all our engines, but not provide. We do not sell engines with bad compression so you are guaranteed to get a good product. We are not out there to screw people over; we simply want to offer a good and legitimate product and friendly service. We have built a good reputation in the last 25 years and we plan to keep it that way. (As you can see in the pictures below. There are A LOT of broken parts)

From the Warranty Page:
C. ITEMS AND CONDITIONS NOT COVERED BY THE LIMITED WARRANTY.
(As you can see on line item 1, nothing is covered by the warranty except the block & head)
1. Flywheel, clutch and pressure plate, water pump, timing belt, tensioner, crank pulley, seals, thermostat, belts, rotors, hoses, oil pan, sensors, used distributor, wiring harness, torque converter, ECU, used drive shafts, engine mounts, half shaft, lubricants, filters, coolants, emission control devices, spark plugs, tune-up parts.

2. The cost of labor required to remove and install a repaired or exchanged engine/parts to the vehicle.
3. Any damage caused by abuse, neglect, accident or natural perils.
4. Loss caused by the engine/parts being improperly installed.
5. Shipping & handling, border fees and all other admonition costs.
6. Loss caused by overheating. The warranty does not cover oil leaks, blown head gasket or any other engine damage due to overheating caused by poor water circulation, clogged radiator, stuck thermostat or a faulty water pump.
7. Decrease in performance of any covered part due to normal wear and tear (unless actual breakdown occurs), having regard to inherent manufacturing faults in some engine/parts models.
8. Loss caused by any modification or use of the engine/parts for which it was not originally designed.
9. The engine if it is used for competitive driving or racing.
10. Loss caused by the failure of a part or parts of the engine that are not covered by this limited warranty.
11. Deterioration or pre-ignition damage.
12. Repairs performed without prior authorization from Tiger Japanese.
13. Loss caused by defective timing belt.
14. Loss caused by modification or forced induction (NOS, turbo supercharged) for which the engine was not designed.

F: RETURNS POLICY:
(this policy makes it pretty much impossible to return something once you pay the restocking fee plus shipping both ways)
1. Used JDM engines, transmission and parts must be return within 10 days from receiving date.
2. 25% restocking fee applies for all returns. Shipping and Handling both ways are not refundable.
All charges must be prepaid by a bank deposit.
3. Returns must include original items undamaged, unpainted all original paper and packaging and must be in re-saleable condition.
4. Aftermarket parts must be return within 90 days from the sticker date printed on the part to return and you can return up to 10% of your total monthly purchases without any restocking fee. Returns more than 10% monthly allowance will face 20% restocking charges and that will be automatically applied to your monthly statement. Return parts without sticker date and beyond 90 days time frame will not be accepted.
5. No replacement will be sent until our staff have inspected and verified the returned. All missing parts will be charged to the customer. If we found the return item is not ours, we will simply send the item back at your own cost.
6. Returns without RMA will not be accepted please file a claim to get RMA.
 
  #2  
Old 05-07-2013, 01:29 PM
ethanw's Avatar
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ON TO MY MOTOR

When I received the motor, it was on a pallet with metal straps holding it into place. There didn’t appear to be any damage from shipping because it was neatly wrapped in plastic that had no punctures or tears anywhere in it, so the damage on my motor was like this before they shipped it to me. I noticed that it was very dirty, like it had been pulled from the bottom of the ocean. This is not a problem since I will be doing some general maintenance anyway, and I can hit it with degreaser and pressure wash it before I install it. The more I looked at it, the more problems I found with the motor. It looks like it was drug down the street behind a truck. There is more stuff broken than there is not broken.

Vtec Solenoid Broken

Crankshaft Pulley Broken

Broken Vacuum line on throttle body and 2 crushed sensors


Broken oil Cap

Broken air tem sensor on intake manifold

Crushed fuel pressure regulator

Distributor cap shattered

Distributor wires Cut, no plugs

Broken O2 Sensor

Slave cylinder bracket and line crushed

2 out of 3 Transmission mount holes stripped


Thermostat and cooling system corroded beyond repair.






I could be wrong, but this does not look like a 35-45K mile engine. It looks like a 245K Mile engine with some pretty extreme damage. I called Tiger about the damage that my engine had, and told them all of the things listed above with pictures. They told me they couldn’t do anything, that I had to file a claim at JDM Tiger Japanese Claims System which I might add is a painful process. you are limited to something like 100 characters and you must wait on their response. The conversation is below

Item received, but has external damage:

Vtec solenoid Broken Broken Crankshaft Pulley Broken vacuum line nipple on throttle body Slave cylinder bracket and line crushed 2 broken sensors on throttle body/intake manifold Crushed Vacuum port on intake manifold Distributor Wires cut/plug is gone. Distributor has been hit so hard that cap is shattered Mangled Bracket on throttle body Broken O2 Sensor Broken Oil cap See Pictures Here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/usi3w4bcq1q6qgu/pSrKwbvqz1

I originally asked for $800 back of my $1200 and figured I would keep the motor and make it work. Once I did a little more digging into the engine, I decided that wasn’t good enough.

Date Added Status Comments
2013-05-03 3:15 pm Case Open Claim Filed
2013-05-06 1:57 pm Customer Replied Customer Comment:
Upon further investigation of this engine, I am completely dissatisfied. Coolant lines are rusted and clogged as seen in photos. I ordered a 40-50 thousand mile engine. This engine looks like it has 250,000 miles on it. I want a full refund. Unacceptable
2013-05-06 2:28 pm Tiger Replied JDM Tiger Japanese Comment:
The sensors are not included in the price nor they covered by our warranty. In order to issue the refund the merchandise must be return in the same condition as it was received. Please return the merchandise to 112 Sinnott Road, Scarborough, ON, M1L4S6. Your RMA is 4258TTB
2013-05-06 6:57 pm Customer Replied Customer Comment:
The sensors are not the only thing damaged on the engine. The following are broken: Throttle Body, Cooling System, Vtec Solenoid, Oil Cap, Crankshaft Pulley, Fuel pressure regulator, distributor, slave cylinder, and trans.. Site says sensors are included.
2013-05-06 7:00 pm Customer Replied Customer Comment:
This engine is not as described. It is not functional as the website says that you sell. The website also states that sensors are included with the engine. I will post these pictures and info to the online community. I have filed a suit with paypal.
2013-05-06 7:42 pm Customer Replied Customer Comment:
This claim is not in concern with problems that were incurred during shipping. This engine was defective before it left tiger auto parts. the site states that engines are inspected before they are shipped. This engine has damage from before it shipped.
2013-05-07 9:21 am Tiger Replied JDM Tiger Japanese Comment:
That is all right sir, please return the engine and we will send you a replacement as soon as we get the other one back. You have 10 days to return the item from today\'s date.



So, in other words, I have already paid $230 for shipping. To return the motor, I have to pay another $230 for return shipping, plus pay a 25% restocking fee ($250), So I am out $710 and I still have no motor if I follow through with that. Not to mention that once you send it back, they claim that they do an inspection of the engine, and then I am guessing that they say that I damaged everything and get no refund. Not a chance. I have filed a claim with paypal and tiger escalated the claim to let PayPal Decide who is in the wrong here.

Please pass this information on to anyone and everyone you know who could be sucked into trying to work with such a sorry company.
 
  #3  
Old 05-07-2013, 02:32 PM
ethanw's Avatar
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Default Re: Do not buy from www.jdmtigerjapanese.com!

Update, According to Tiger, the item at JDM D15B Vtec only includes the block and head.
 
  #4  
Old 05-07-2013, 03:29 PM
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The corrosion is what would concern me the most. Likely the internal water passages are in similar condition because someone has used very tired old coolant, or even plain water, in the cooling system. Take the water pump off and see what is in there. Also you can remove the valve cover and look for sludge. Hook up the starter (put some oil in first) and test the compression yourself. Any doubt about this engine (and there are many), send it back and get your money back. They gave you that opportunity.

But it is standard practice everywhere that the warranty on a "used engine" covers only the block, head, and internal parts. Any other parts that may remain attached to the outside are "for your convenience" and may or may not be usable. You are not going to get anywhere complaining about them.

Deal locally whenever possible to avoid this.
 

Last edited by mk378; 05-07-2013 at 03:32 PM.
  #5  
Old 05-07-2013, 06:29 PM
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Looks like straight water got in there, or was used in the motor before as mk said.

Tigerjapanese or w/e it is called is infamous for issues. I am shocked you actually got the motor. Return it if possible. Hmotorsonline has a great reputation if you feel like giving it a go again.

In all honesty, that is some major crap if you have to pay for the restocking fee. If they admitted fault in anyway, they should be paying for return shipping, waiving the restocking fee, and refunding you (minus the original ship charge).
 
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