Okiewan

Was excited to get the Trendz grill last night.. 30 minutes later it was on. Up close and on inspection off the car, I didn't notice it. Then, from about 10 feet...

Anyone had t deal with Stillen customer service? They good about this kinda stuff? I'm REALLY hoping they'll send another one so I can just swap them rather than go thru the hassle of putting the stock one back on. I guess if I have to, I'll buy another and then send this one back for credit.

Like I said, bummer!

Boovila

I would contact and let them know.

Okiewan

Yeah, just waiting for California to open.

rabenoja

iTrader: (2)

Can't you just bend it back into shape? I know that most billet grills sometimes come with the bars a little off. I usually just bend them back to where they should be and that's it.

Good Luck either way.

04BlackMaxx

Right on the piece of paper that is provided by Trenz, there is a warning that says the grille may need to be bended because of shipping, or to make it fit the car..I would just bend that metal bar down, it will be easy.

Automonjama

Stillen's customer service is good I have delt with them

Okiewan

Yup, I read the notice about bending.. however, this gap is right at one of the vertical "braces" on the back. Giving them a call now.

Update:
I'm satisfied with the service at Stillen... just sent them the pic posted above, they are sending a new one... yeah, I've got to pay for it, but they will credit my card as soon as UPS picks-up the defective one. Can't expect more than that.

Fingers crossed that the new one is straight

04BlackMaxx

Oh i see, thats good...yeah i got a good one...

Okiewan

Update 2... well, the CS guy said he'd call me back with info, which didn't happen, I'll wait a day or two to see if the new grill shows-up, then call again.

Mystery

I notice you don't have the trenz emplem on your grille. Did only the newer ones come with that and can it be removed? I think it looks cleaner without it.

SilverBelle04

The TRENZ emblem comes off very easily. Heat a little with a hairdryer and peel off.

Bob

Okiewan

Update:

After 2 days and no call back (to confirm, as promised), UPS showed-up to pick-up the bad grill. Uh... the grill is still on the Max, because I didn't receive the replacement as promised (that I agreed to pay for, getting a credit when the bad one got back to Stillen). Sorry UPS dude, there is nothing to pick-up.

Called Stillen with a "what's up?". After checking into it, all day, Trevor calls back to say all they can do is issue a return for the grill, as all 30 in stock are made the same (bad) way as the one I have. He said that the grill wasn't "bad, they are just made that way", I asked; it's normal to have the one big gap like that?" "Yes." Okay, whatever. He finally says something to the effect that they (all the stock they have) were made wrong.

So I ask to be sure I know what I'm hearing:

"You are saying all of the grills you have are made wrong, like the one I have?"
Yes is the answer.
"We won't get any new ones until this stock (30) is gone".
Me: "So you are going to sell grills you know are bad"?
Stillen: " mumble/mumble, uh, yeah we have to sell these grills before we get more"
Stillen "Would you like to choose another grill, we have a nice billet grill by T-Rex that looks great".
(check out cardomain for pics with similar/same grill, looks good)
"Okay, I'll take the billet one"
Stillen "we'll ship it tomorrow" (that's today).

When I bought the Trenz grill it was a toss-up between it and the billet one, so no problem there, it was just a really odd phone call, lol. I can't believe what I heard. So, just an FYI for anyone thinking about the Trenz (no logo cut-out) from Stillen.

Now, we'll see if the rest of it goes okay, like; will they actually ship the new one today and will I actually get a credit when I send the bad one back.

us024077

All you have to do is straighten that bar. Mine was the same way. A little tweaking in a couple of minutes, you couldn't tell.

Did you even try and straighten it or just call Stillen and complain????

Okiewan

Did you even read this thread or do you just want to complain?

As I said above:

It is CUT wrong, not bent. You can't change the shape (narrow the gap) of the grill in that location. Make sense?

Okiewan

BTW... it's not unusal for someone to produce a defective part (in this case trenz), happens often. The real issue I have is that they (Stillen) are going to sell product that is admitadly not right. While the return/customer service was not entirely professional or as good as it could be, it wasn't bad (took more calls and days that it probably should have)... a new grill will be here Monday.

us024077

Yeah...it's real obvious that the defect is by the upright when your arrows points to the middle of the right hand side, and that's where the biggest gap is...

I bet if you get your micrometer out all of the gaps will be different sizes...

wsu

I totally agree with your issue. It is unacceptable for a business to sell a product that they know has compromised quality. Did you attempt to go "higher up the food chain" beyond customer service? I would hope that management would intervene favorably on your behalf with the faulty grille. If not, you could tell them that you won't do business with them and that you will recommend to other car/Maxima owners via the internet that they not do business with their company. Let them know that their business practice is not only unethical, but that if you cannot appeal to their business conscience, if they insist on selling all of the faulty grills before selling their higher quality inventory, such practice will ultimately impact profits well into the future.

I have considered an aftermarket grill. If I even thought about purchasing one from Stillen, given what I know from your experience, before I exchanged money I would insist on a written response (likely via e-mail) that if the grille bars were not evenly spaced due to faulty manufacturing (and couldn't just be bent back because of the metal behind the grille bars) that I could return the unit for a full refund.

Okiewan

Please look closely at the image posted. Just slightly above and to the left of the "arrowhead point" you can see the upright. The wide gap starts there. The grill was machined (CNC'd) wrong. IF the gap was not where it is, yeah, a monkey could straighten it. You want to settle for that quality level, be my guest. I'm not out to make it "not noticable", I'm out to buy a product that's mfg'd correctly.

If you elect not to see it, that's your choice, not sure why you're bagging on the complaint I have, I think it's rather obvious that the grill is defective. You can also continue to disregard the fact that Stillen ADMITS THERE IS A PROBLEM... and continue with your comments.. whatever fly's your flag.

Funny that my wife noticed it within 10 seconds of seeing the installed grill for the first time and you suggest a need for a micrometer... guess she has a better eye for mods than you do LMAO.

Okiewan

Short answer. When Trevor called back to tell me they couldn't exchange it for a (same model) grill without the defect, there was someone in the background bascially telling him what to say... to the point that when I asked a question, Trevor said "did you hear that?" (meaning the person giving the answer to him, ie; "do I need to repeat it"). I can only assume it was a "superior". As he (Trevor) did pretty much all I could expect given the situation, I didn't see a need to go above his head.

Having been told striaght-up that the stuff they had left in stock was no better, I took his suggestion to go with a different grill. He did mention that the Trenz with the Logo cutout didn't suffer from the same issue, but I'm going for a "clean" look and elected to go with the logo-less T-Rex grill.

Trevor called me eariler tonight to tell me the new grill would arrive Monday, I didn't have to call him... yeasterday he said he'd call when the new one shipped and he did.... that's cool. Seems that yeah, I've paid for two grills to get this new one shipped, and will get a credit when they get the bad one back (no problem with that at all) .. I just didn't want to play musical grills waiting on the replacement.

Okiewan

Update...
New T-Rex billet grill arrived, just as Stillen promised. Very happy with the product, installed, looks better imho than the Trenz would have even if it wasn't whacked. Tomorrow amking the call for the Trenz pick-up and credit.

Gotta say, I'm happy with Stillen and the customer service, hopefully thay wont let me down with the credit.

Okiewan

The T-Rex billet grill, me likes!

msoemax

What does this say about all the maxima issues?
Sorry just had to take a crack at it

Okiewan

Could be that QC on something like a grill may be simpler than a whole new generation automobile? BTW; 8K miles and not a single issue with my 05. I DID have problems with my BMW and her Jeep GJL in the first 8K.

pae1215

iTrader: (3)

new grille looks great!

rabenoja

iTrader: (2)

I like the billet grill better than the other one anyway! Looks good!

Jayzmax04

Awesome

2004 Smoke

Dude - lose the front advertising licence plate! Detracts from your nice grill!

04BlackMaxx

My liscence plate had a big ol ad on it, one inch tall letters on bottom..yeah...thats gone..