Wits End Order Issues / Joey Romero

[lazy]

yep, but the strange thing is that I've made other orders of items and received every one of them except the quarter panel mount. That's what I've been "patiently" waiting on since may.

Just clarifying, you didn't purchase a turbo in May, just a QPM?

Regardless of what you bought, I would do a charge back if you still can. Some of my cc allow for 180 days.

I would also urge caution with the attitude of, "but he's delivered before..."

 

[concretejungle]

Just clarifying, you didn't purchase a turbo in May, just a QPM?

Regardless of what you bought, I would do a charge back if you still can. Some of my cc allow for 180 days.

I would also urge caution with the attitude of, "but he's delivered before..."

correct, no turbo just the rear quarter panel mount. Paid in full, still have the receipt to remind me. But in the mean time I've ordered hoses, hood gaskets and other various parts and have received everything I've ordered.

However, I did just email him (we have exchanged emails in the past) and am waiting to see if I get any response.

I'm not loosing my cool yet, but it's getting close.

 

[ChargedSHOTaco]

correct, no turbo just the rear quarter panel mount. Paid in full, still have the receipt to remind me. But in the mean time I've ordered hoses, hood gaskets and other various parts and have received everything I've ordered.

However, I did just email him (we have exchanged emails in the past) and am waiting to see if I get any response.

I'm not loosing my cool yet, but it's getting close.

Good luck getting your QPM. There are a ton of people who ordered before you, and have been waiting longer.

 

[PDXDave67]

I believe the QPM folks have gotten screwed "almost" as hard as us turbo guys...

The fact this lying little s*** is still openly doing business after completely ghosting an entire group of turbo preorders is infuriating.
Ninety plus thousand dollars into the aether and zero accountability.

I've given up on any financial recovery, but but his day is coming and Wits End will hopefully be Wits Ended.

 

[ryaneddy16]

Why hasn't anyone stopped by his business?

 

[CenTXFJ60]

I’ve followed this (and other threads on Witt’s end) thread more out of curiosity and interest in learning how not to conduct business. Have never purchased anything from this company. I met the owner once (spent a few days around him at the 2022 Stripper party in Poncha Springs) but can honestly say I hardly had a conversation with him. My take away is you can’t have a conversation with this type personality as you can’t get a word in edgewise. And having beers around the table at the end of the workday he owned the conversation amongst all of us in attendance. Some topics covered I have little to no experience (so can’t judge), but he hit on some subjects (HJ61’s) which I have in-depth experience with. All I can say is it was obvious he was speaking out his a** on this topic. Unlike family…we can pick our friends. My takeaway from that encounter was he’s not someone I would choose to spend my time with. That typically translates into who I do business with when it comes to cruisers. I recognize he has some niche produces in the 80 world so it’s a true shame things have become what they have. And my heart goes out to all that have been screwed over.

 

[WesG8]

Sadly I am adding my name to this list! I bought two separate shipments earlier this month, one for a few dollars and the other a few hundred. The smaller one was delivered immediately, thank you Joey! The second was to be ready for shipping by the 8th of September. I haven't had any updates and like y'all he isn't answering emails and the only phone number I can find (also quoted above) appears to be disconnected. A simple response would be sufficient.
I am trying to be reasonable, if his wife has cancer I can only imagine how much stress it is causing on their personal life as well as the business, and I imagine they really need the business to help cover medical bills etc. However, listening to some of the horror stories above, seems to me that after taking what I said into consideration, it appears that there is no business! If you are happily taking money off your "customers" on an upfront basis then there absolutely needs to be communication in the event that complications happen, or even at check out a note that states that due to circumstance we should expect delays. None of this is happening so therefore it is not a business but a charity and since all of us have not donated our money willingly, it is a fraud. I have a number of items sitting at a freight forwarder waiting for this shipment so that they can all be shipped to Africa together and I have a deadline. After reading the above I am likely going to miss my deadline if I ever receive my shipment at all, which is unacceptable really. My message to Joey is to deliver the goods and if that can't be done, communicate. sadly he has taken no heed of that advice from anyone else.

 

[Astott]

I happened to drive by it yesterday while running errands and couldn’t help but slow down and look to see if there were Cruisers outside. It was a Sunday but there was one, a built up 100 Series, light gold maybe.

I don’t have any skin in the game as a customer but I don’t like seeing anyone get fleeced. I had a brief email exchange with him in March about installing a winch and LRA tank on my 200. It took a few weeks to get a reply to my initial inquiry and he said his shop had 9 builds going currently and wouldn’t have openings until Summer. He was helpful in advising me what to consider and I never followed up as there are a variety of options available for reputable installers. I would have kept him filed as an option but it was shortly after that I began seeing rumblings about poor business practices and legal issues. I’m sure there are folks on here that have a sense of what’s going on with him, southern Oregon doesn’t have a huge LC community but there are some and he is a presence here and online. I only learned of him via a past customer/old friend from whom I almost purchased a 100 Series last winter. Maybe he’s spiraled and can’t manage anything anymore, maybe he’s lawyered up and the advice is to not say a word, maybe it’s something else. Sure does suck for anyone out hard earned money and left in the dark. I’m sorry for y’all. Being so close to his shop I have followed this all unfolding with interest and hope that it works out for those out their money. My only thought is to pool some resources and find an attorney local to SO to funnel all communications (digital, written, in-person) through (everything on the record) and have them attempt to make contact and advise on further steps.

Please feel free to contact us/me directly if you haven’t bought your tank yet and need a recommendation for an installer near you. We have 200 series stock coming end of November early December.

Please feel free to reach out to me directly and I’ll be happy to help. For those who don’t know I am one of the owners of Long Range America and would be happy to help anyone who has any tank Inquiries or questions.

Cheers,
Aidan Stott
2089062411

@astott_overland

 

[OldCarSmell]

Please feel free to contact us/me directly if you haven’t bought your tank yet and need a recommendation for an installer near you. We have 200 series stock coming end of November early December.

Please feel free to reach out to me directly and I’ll be happy to help. For those who don’t know I am one of the owners of Long Range America and would be happy to help anyone who has any tank Inquiries or questions.

Cheers,
Aidan Stott
2089062411

@astott_overland

Thanks, Aidan. I bought my tank through a group buy here and had it installed by Mike’s Custom Toys in Grants Pass, OR. They did a fine job and everything is working beautifully six months into use. Huge difference maker in our use of the 200, total game changer product. Thanks for making these available in the states. I emailed someone in ID and offered to make a testimonial about my positive experience, never heard back though. If that’s something that would be helpful I’ll remain willing.

 

[haganLX45096]

Man..I didn't realize this was going on. Anyone know of a similar part you can get similar to wits rear view mirror bracket.

 

[PDXDave67]

Man..I didn't realize this was going on. Anyone know of a similar part you can get similar to wits rear view mirror bracket.

Oh I'm sure he'd sell you one...
Whether you get it or not is a completely different story.
The way I hear it, the web site is still up and he's still selling stuff, whether he has it or not.
I have the mirror mount myself and it's a slick part, it's a damn shame Joey turned into a bag of dicks.

 

[haganLX45096]

Oh I'm sure he'd sell you one...
Whether you get it or not is a completely different story.
The way I hear it, the web site is still up and he's still selling stuff, whether he has it or not.
I have the mirror mount myself and it's a slick part, it's a damn shame Joey turned into a bag of dicks.

It's overkill but it is a sexy looking rearview mirror arm. I was actually on the website trying to buy something and you can't even check out anymore or at least that's what happened to me

 

[PDXDave67]

Interesting...
I just tried to "buy" a speedo luber that shows in stock and it won't let you get to the pay page.

Probably better for his legal defense this way.

 

[Francis K]

Interesting...
I just tried to "buy" a speedo luber that shows in stock and it won't let you get to the pay page.

Probably better for his legal defense this way.

Sounds like he finally lost his CC processor, I'm sure he'll find a way around that soon enough...

 

[PIP]

If anyone's looking for a deal on an e-commerce website with a scratch and dent reputation nows the time to make an offer!

 

[Feldrian]

If anyone's looking for a deal on an e-commerce website with a scratch and dent reputation nows the time to make an offer!

I actually hope that if all of this does reach its natural conclusion that Joey sells his IP to someone who can continue manufacturing for the community. It sucks that people are out money. It also sucks that it looks like we'll lose a source of some cool stuff for our trucks.

 

[PIP]

I actually hope that if all of this does reach its natural conclusion that Joey sells his IP to someone who can continue manufacturing for the community. It sucks that people are out money. It also sucks that it looks like we'll lose a source of some cool stuff for our trucks.

It does suck.

From the outside looking in the business almost made enough for one guy to break even paying for (and not paying for) machine shops making parts for him and a lease on an industrial building.

This business would be well suited to someone with great customer service skills who is also a skilled machinist with a small, fast cnc mill and lathe at home. If you cut out the industrial building lease and paying a fortune to job out small quantities of machinework a person could probably make an OK living after investing a small fortune into building up inventory.

Once you had slashed overhead and shelves were fully stocked and word was out that Witsend sold stuff AND delivered it and the whole s***terie was profitable, then take on more burdensome products like turbo kits.

AND DON'T SELL STUFF IN BATCHES AND PREORDERS!!!!! IF ITS A PRODUCT WORTH PRODUCING USE YOUR OWN MONEY TO DO IT!

 

[FJ60Seth]

It's overkill but it is a sexy looking rearview mirror arm. I was actually on the website trying to buy something and you can't even check out anymore or at least that's what happened to me

The beauty is that you can get a mirror that incorporates a display for a backup camera.

 

[jht3]

It also sucks that it looks like we'll lose a source of some cool stuff for our trucks.

this is what really bums me out. after being in the car hobby for a while now, there are SOOO many cool parts lost to time. usually one-off parts made by a guy in his garage, not an entire catalog from a business like wits end. more than once over the last few years i've considered just buying all the unique parts he sold, just in the case of this exact thing....but didn't....figuring this was a solid business that wasn't going away anytime soon. or it was out of stock at the time.

saddened i didn't scoop up a mirror mount or that angled cubby adapter.

 

[haganLX45096]

this is what really bums me out. after being in the car hobby for a while now, there are SOOO many cool parts lost to time. usually one-off parts made by a guy in his garage, not an entire catalog from a business like wits end. more than once over the last few years i've considered just buying all the unique parts he sold, just in the case of this exact thing....but didn't....figuring this was a solid business that wasn't going away anytime soon. or it out of stock at the time.

saddened i didn't scoop up a mirror mount or that angled cubby adapter.

100% good afternoon project parts that just allow for a beer and wrenching time.

He got the original mount idea from someone else, maybe he'd sell some designs but from the sounds of it he probably wouldn't make buying them easy.