Do You Have A List Of The Hoffman Companies ??

tennis, anyone?

 

Thats the spirit. And by the way have you seen the crappy clothes sears is selling now, thay have to be made in china. You should see the thread on the Hokey ass Department store message board

 

I was pissed to hear American Shifters was part of this mess. Someone on here did a side-by-side comparison of American, Lokar, and Gennie, and the American came out on top, in function, installation, and adjustability. I've been hearing a few bad stories lately of the Gennies (missing parts, poor customer service, etc.), and Lokars (rattling, bad fit and finish, that damned button) and I really wish there was another company that can produce a good, solid "street rod" type tall auto shifter that's made here in the US.

 

I'll add real data. I sell made in USA bear claw style latches. I can't say how many exactly, but I have sold numerous sets of latches to customers as replacements for poor quality made in China latches that were not working good. Probably at least 10 as replacements. Doors popping open when the car hits a bump, not opening as they should, and more complaints. Customer put my latches in and the problems went away. The only variable was the quality of the latch. You can draw your own conclusions.

Now for a plug for me and the latches I sell, out of nearly 1000 sets I have sold over the past several years, I have had ZERO returns for any problem. Sell a quality part, made in USA, at a price better than typical chinese latches and both the customer and I win. Sorry if this sounds like shameless self-promotion. I have heard too many bad stories and I want to make sure my fellow HAMBers have a good option for the door latches

Here is an example of the shady business practices of Hoffman Group. They trademarked the term "bear claw". So only they can sell "bear claw" latches. Even though they did not invent that term, they claimed ownership of it. So I can only call mine bear claw style latches in order to keep from getting in their legal shorts. I personally feel they give bear claw latches a bad name As a very small home based side business I am working to give high quality products a chance.

 

<HR style="COLOR: #e5e5e5; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #e5e5e5" SIZE=1> <!-- / icon and title --><!-- message -->
Quote:
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=alt2 style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset">Originally Posted by ronotron
Perhaps you should enlighten us all as to WHY this is Personal? Do you have an interest in the company? Or a relationship to someone who has an interest in the company?


Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad
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His son works for them.
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If this is true, he just answered someones question. If not, then just as you said.

 

funny how roadstar, finally has nothing to say .. Hoffman is crap !

 

I recently ordered a B & M Megashifter from Summit to replace an old one that was giving me problems in my OT truck. The box containing the new unit was marked "Made in China". Fortunately for me the problem was the shifter cable, not the shifter itself, so the new one went back to Summit for credit and the 20 year old "Made in USA" Megashifter is back in service.

B & M is now "a member of the BM Group of companies" .... B & M, Hurst, Hurst Driveline Conversions & Flowmaster. How much of their product lines are outsourced ?? Can't say....

 

Has anyone used there Braided spark plug wires. They are supposed to work ok with pertronix etc ignition and yet have vintage look. Cannot find them anyplace else.

 

^^^The search function is your friend....

www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=516714
www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=722464
www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=704535
www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=259156
www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=133037

 

Been there done that!

 

A few years ago I had some experience with hoffman group, and I promised one of thier salesmen I would tell my story every chance I got, so here it is...
I am in the Air Ride suspension mail order business, and I frequent many forums. On one forum (an OT S10 forum) one of their reps showed up and was showing off an air bag controller they just came out with. He was telling how good it was, blah blah blah. Well a couple guys called him out on it as BS. When he replied with more BS, I then questioned him. Well he called me (my company logo was my avatar) and offered me one to try out. I said OK, and he asked how I wanted to pay for it. I told him I wasnt paying for it because I knew his claims were false. Well skip forward a coupe months... I get another phone call from them inviting me to come visit them at sema. I already had my trip planned, so why not stop by and see what they have. So I did, the guy I wanted to talk to was busy, so I looked around the booth while I was waiting. I noticed all the air ride parts they had there, with the exception of thier controller, were from AIM industries. If you dont know air ride, AIM is the absolute worst in the business. I questioned another sales guy about it, and he said their stuff wasnt done, so they brought someone else's parts. He also said a lot of their helix parts were the same way. Thiers werent done so they were showing someone elses parts. At that time I was building a T bucket, and one of the things that caught my attention was their wiring kits. I needed a kit so I got all the info on them, sounded good. When I got home I called and ordered some. I had to buy 4 to get a good price. What they sent me were 8 circuit add on kits. They were not a complete kit. I called and was told "I've seen your work, you can make it work". And sure I could. But I also could have bought what I wanted some where else cheaper (and I ended up doing so from rebel). But what about the other three I had ? I certainly couldnt sell them and tell me customers to make it work. Researching on thier site, showed they had the kits I wanted, and at the price I paid, but they sent me the wrong ones. The sales man told me the parts on the website I wanted were discontinued, so I had to make due with what I had. I threatened a credit card dispute if they didnt take them back and refund my money. So I returned my kits (after waiting 40 minutes on the phone for a return auth number). I got my refund minus shipping. I called and told the story, and said I explained what I wanted to the sales person (and named him by name), and was sent parts that didnt do what I wanted. I should not have to pay shipping to find out their sales guy is an idiot. They would not refund my $15, so I told them I would tell of their clueless-ness every chance I got.
Another shorter Autoloc story... I purchased a fan temp sender from one of my suppliers (actually ordered two) One didnt work right out of the package, I thru it in the trash. The second went in my car. Three weeks later I was letting my car warm up and the sender stuck, fan didnt come on, car got hot, and the radiator puked, blew off the hose to the overflow tank, and sprayed dirty water all over my car (freshly built & nicely detailed T bucket). Took me several hours to clean it. I told that story on another forum. Someone that worked at auto lok (that I knew from another air ride supplier) Contacted me and offered to replace the switch for free If I would stop bashing their company. I literally LOL and told them that switch cost me less than $10. If they really wanted to make things right, I have 3 hours in cleaning my car from that, and I have a shop rate of $75 and hour. Reimburse me for that ! Said they couldnt do it...
One last one... A very prominent air suspension wholesaler, that is an autoloc/ hoffman distributor, just last week sent out an email to their delaers that they are blowing out all their autoloc/ hoffman products. getting tired of the BS of dealing with the shit ? I wouldnt doubt it

 

my autoloc bearclaws would open when I hit a bump. Not fun with suicide doors... I had to put in a safety latch.... absolutely horrible garbage.

 

sounds like you buy nothing but SHIT.
Everyone from around here knows to stay clear of Hoffman products , you will find their crap everywhere at the shops around here because of high profit margin but not in our shops because all my friends go to the wrecking yards or make our own. The only reason for buying Hoffman shit is that your in a hurry to get things done and for that you strike me as lazy or not of the pride in doing and making it yourself.

 

I have sold several sets of my USA made latches to replace Autoloc problem latches. High quality latches solved the problem, it was not an installation issue. Same problem as yours, a bump and the door would pop open.

For suicide doors you should have a secondary catch though regardless.

 

I first became aware of this problem during a short stint at Car Custom, (remember them?) in early 90s. Doors popping open on NICE cars, same fix. Who makes the higher quality latches, cause can we always believe the advertising claims of Made in USA?

Since Roadstar got so silent, can we ask that you at least pass along our disappointment with the Hoffman policy? Companies get so close, after going to the trouble and expense of making a product, my question always is: Why not take the final steps to make them fit AND work? You are NEARLY THERE, HOFFMAN!! You could achieve that goal with far less energy than having to answer all the contacts about bad products. AND quality products with very few defects would eliminate the need for your poor customer service department.

 

Did you work at Car Custom in Azusa?????

 

The hot rod store, after they closed the truck store and combined the two. Loved that place. What a store.

 

PM sent

 

When a BRAND NEW tilt-column sold under the Hoffman name totally collapses before the car is even on the road I sit up and talke notice.

(the piss-poor plastic linking bush at the top of the column shore apart when the car was being manoeuvred at slow speed - total loss of steering)

 

Here's the link to that thread ...

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=799535&

 

Ho Lee Shit!



I have had my run ins with their stuff, nothing as catastrophic as that!

Something had to be set up wrong to cause that plastic trunion to split OR the plastic trunion is just absolute crap... Either way, still scary as all get out.

 

One more first hand experience.
Have a set of Hoffman Aurora gauges. Bought before I read all the bad things about them. Decided to give them a try, since I already had them. Wrote to their customer service about how wiring the speedometer to my T-56 transmission. Service guy clamied had never heard of any 6 speed GM transmission. Found out about it myself. Fuel gauge only randomly work. Have double checked the gauge and sendning wires With no result. Haven't bother calling their customer service about it.

 

Thanks for the heds up..a bit billetry for my taste

I like taking 60+ year old shit and making it fit my needs , so im glad my cheap ass has saved me from this crap.

Tilt? a tilt column in a hot rod? really?

this is the HAMB right?
dam thought i got transported into a parallel universe or something

 

About sums that up.

 

Back before I knew any better, I bought lower control arms to lower my chevy pickup from Helix.
One side bolted up fine. When I got to the other side, the width between the pivots/mount was off by 1" and impossible to bolt up to the stock mounts on the truck.
I called Helix and the nice man said that 1" (one whole entire damn inch!) was still 'within their manufacturing tolerances' and therefore there would be no remedy coming from them.
He actually suggested beating it with a sledge hammer until it lined up.

 

Ha ha ha ha. Beat HIM with the hammer to line him up......

 

I think you could throw all the pieces in a pile like you were playing jacks with them and get them closer than 1"

 

Thanks for the warning re the Hoffman companies, I had no idea....I was about to order a bunch of parts and will check through them before placing it.

As for the BS from Roadstar on page 2, just goes to show the number of posts a person has made means NOTHING.

Again, thanks for trying to warn people of potentially dangerous products....

 

I'm glad you guys added to my post. I think the info is helpful to anyone without Hoffman experience -- or to anyone who didn't know all the Hoffman brands.

 

I interviewed with the Hoffman group about 2006 for a job in their marketing group. I was suprised that their whole marketing group was a bunch of kids with ties and slacks that problably couldn't find the hood latch on their own tuner car. I asked several technical questions and the interviewing manager couldn't answer them. I began to grow leary at this point.
They said they travel to "street-rod shows" to support their dealer network and sell products. He also mentioned that they have large margins because they have their own facilities in China and are the manufacturer for their own products.
Look at the evidence and decide for yourself, you get what you pay for. Go with the companies that provide good service and a quality product even if you have to pay a little more.