Reflections on GTM over the years

DEpointfive0

I don't think it would've been this bad, lol
But they had other issues, manifolds, etc...

And I'm right there with you on the last statement.



I am actually really sad the ride is over... It's been over for a while... Just more amazing that it's actually for sure on it's last legs

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dmhenderson

Also last, and most importantly:

*in your opinion*, did Sam take money for the TT kit group buy knowing he could not/would not fulfill the orders? Did he plan on the bankruptcy tactic ahead of time?

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DEpointfive0

Damn your questions are tough for the poor guy...

May I ask your question in another way...?


*In your opinion* Does Sam continue to sell products to generate income so that "Peter can pay Paul," meaning, does he take money to process refunds on old orders/does he talk new orders to fund old projects/other customers' cars?

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Infiniti370z

Sorry guys I tried reading it all but I'm at work, did mike answer this question directly???

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dmhenderson

Looking at their bankruptcy balance sheet, that appears to be exactly what he was doing. He had several lines of credit maxed including a $60,000 amex bill (lol)

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Mike@GTM

Sasha,

Thank you for your response. I accept responsibility for having been a part of GTM and having supported the company. I believed in the products and sold them willingly despite Sam's shadiness. As a passionate enthusiast, it is undeniable that the product was solid for the most part. Passion is why I stayed. There is simply no other company within a 30 minute drive of where I live that could even hold a candle to the positives of working at GTM. The negatives, however did motivate me to look elsewhere for employment on multiple occasions. I went so far as to apply to Stoptech in Compton, but since GTM was a commercial customer of theirs, it may have seemed to be a conflict of interest to them. So, yes, working for GTM has definitely been a detriment to my career. That said, I am not above admitting that some of my bitterness and frustration may have shown through in my interviews with other performance companies. It could also be that the companies were hesitant to hire someone that lives over an hour away without traffic. California traffic can easily add an additional hour to a one hour drive and punctuality is important no matter who you work for. Also, with a wife and two kids, it is not as easy to up and move for a new job unless it is very compelling...especially when the cost of living where most performance companies are is almost double compared to where we live.

That all said, I am extremely passionate about automotive aftermarket performance and there are a lot of guys that would give their left nut to work in this industry. That passion is what drives me to bust my *** wherever I work. Hell, my old boss in Seattle has invited me to move back up there and start a new venture with him, especially since my name is untarnished in the Subaru community up there...I just really, really, hate the rain. Seattlites can keep their 40 days straight of rain. lol

I digress. I have to say Sasha that what you do is nothing short of amazing. For you to work full time and come home and weld those beautiful welds, deliver outstanding customer service and put up with the flak and BS you got from GTM shows that you have the kind of drive and passion that few can even understand. I respect you greatly and was really disappointed that Sam wanted to see your hopes and dreams crushed under his boot. There is more than one way to mod a car and while I get that, Sam couldn't tolerate the thought of someone else outshining him in any way.

In all honesty, I don't have an answer for you. There is simply no way for me to truly predict Sam's actions or motivations for doing what he does because the story always changes. It makes it very difficult to discern the truth when you listen to him...even when he's right there in front of you. He's just that skilled with his delivery.

VQStryker

Thank god you got out of there Mike! I hate Sam, so you going to start your own thing...maybe go back to "mud hole state" Washington?

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dmhenderson

Well, that's why I added the "in your opinion" bit. I don't want him to put himself at risk. I mean, if there's no love lost there I would love to know the answers to the questions I asked but I also understand if he doesn't want to answer.

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dmhenderson

Also he used a personal sickness (brain surgery) and a death in his family as excuses for not shipping my kit. Was that true or just horseshit?

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DEpointfive0

I'll let Mike reply, but everything needs Sam's god blessing, so it's not surprising that if while he was out, the shít hit the fan and they just didn't ship anything

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Mike@GTM

Actually, while Sam was gone Pablo and I were able to get a little more organized and bust out some kits. I was actually able to give accurate lead times based on what we actually had in inventory, what was in the queue and prioritize accordingly. Don't get me wrong, once Pablo and I got things organized we realized what a colossal cluster fuch things were and not being able to order turbos or superchargers (due in part to Sam's unwillingness to let us handle business and partly due to the fact that our account was on hold due to the massive debt he had not paid) made it especially challenging. Nevertheless, we made some things happen.

Once Sam got back, everything went back to "business as usual", only worse because he hadn't really taken the time to recover from his surgery and was practically useless through no fault of his own. His short term memory was gone. I mean, he couldn't remember a conversation he had 30 seconds ago. I don't know if he has recovered from his short term memory loss or not, but someone that is mentally handicapped to that degree shouldn't be running a business and most definitely not be responsible for other people's money.

dmhenderson

Wow, so the brain surgery/death in the family stuff wasn't bs after all. I would have bet against that.

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dmhenderson

So wow. Yeah, he knew that the kits would never be built. Ok well, there's your legal action folks. I don't think his LLC will protect him from a fraud charge.

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09nismo498

Wow, I don't even know what to say... other than I'm glad I got my refund. Everything makes sense now though, and Mike, thanks for that. I have also talked to Mike several times, and Pablo as well. For about a month straight I talked to pablo on a daily basis. That being said, I do believe Mike and Pablo, as well as all other employees at gtm are great, knowledgable guys. The only problem was Sam, and thats unfortunate. I wish all gtm employees the best, and anyone that still has money tied up with Sam, I truly hope you get what you are owed one way or another.

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Kingbaby

That's dedication IMHO....

I'd have sold my house though, to have my name last!

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