My Unfortunate Issues with Z1Motorsports.
 

My Z1Motorsports story.
(But first a little about me, I live in the NYC area the Z is my weekend car at best usually only put about 4-5k miles a year on it. I park in a private parking garage but I can do small simple jobs at my parents driveway, ie regular maintenance. For anything else I go to Real Auto Dynamics or Sideways Motorsports both of which are excellent shops with much experience on Nissans.)

My first order with Z1 was back in August of 2013. It was oddly enough for a Z Speed Aluminum undershroud. There was only a small hiccup and but Shanna at Z1 did a stellar job communicating the shipping delay and gave me a 6% refund because it took 6 weeks to ship out.

My next order was in January 2014 when I was upgrading my brakes for future track days. Carbotech XP10s all around and stainless steel brake lines. Received everything quickly but once again there was a small issue that Dustin at Z1 corrected as quickly and effectively as anyone could expect. The issue was that the front brake lines that were originally shipped were for the incorrect model and one of the rear brake lines was leaking. He next day shipped the replacement and payed for return shipping on the original parts. I was a bit annoyed still because there was a QC slip in the package and even though the correct parts were ordered the incorrect ones were shipped. So I had to pay to have my mechanic reinstall my old lines and then install the replacements. But accidents happen and it was just bad luck.

My next order was in October 2015 where I ordered more pads, fluids, and new Z1 slotted rotors. Everything look great and worked fine.*

My next order was a big one, it was in April of 2016. And I thank Rod at Z1 for helping me, but it was where everything started to fall apart.
1. Z1 Clutch flywheel combo with standard full face disc, medium weight flywheel, and Z1 CSC elimination kit.
2. Quaife Differential with side bearings and seals, whiteline diff bushing kit
3. And a whole bunch of fluids and the nismo pilot bearing.

The differential and clutch combo were excellent. The Z1 CSC elimination kit was crap, it's worse then the OEM CSC. I got about 1k miles of driving, NYC driving out of it before it went out of adjustment and wouldn't disengage the clutch. Mind you I got about 35k from the OEM CSC of NYC driving and it was still going.

So I had to get toed back to my mechanic wondering if he had done something wrong and it' shouldn't be going out this fast. I have been working with him for awhile so we looked over everything together and noticed the instructions were different from the ones we both saw when he originally installed it, those instructions were Rev1 while these were modified, I wish I could give the number but it's no longer on their site and there is no revision history in the current manual I believe it was rev2 but I can't recall. We went through to try and find the changes and readjusted the clutch to the tolerances in the instructions. This lasted another 2k or so miles and again the clutch wouldn't disengage. Once again a tow back to my mechanic and we find the slave cylinder has completely failed (3k miles to failure).

Replaced and working again I went to a track weekend and by the second day the clutch was again having trouble disengaging. Thankfully I was able to nurse it back home, 120miles away thanks rev matching, and then tow it to my mechanic the next day. The cylinder wasn't blown so while he was dropping the transmission I was getting the instructions again from the site and they had a new revision out with an appendix of more information. Not small clarifications, new method of calculation for spacing and min and max tolerances. At this point I was pissed, they made something that doesn't work and are trying to fix it through changing the instructions. So I call them up explaining my problems and they nicely told me well your just an idiot and can't follow instructions. How am I supposed to follow instructions that keep changing! I was told those changes in instructions are for clarifications but when I asked how are different calculations and different tolerances clarifications they told me I should go to an experienced mechanic for the job. So my mechanic went ahead and followed the new instructions and it has been working fine now for over 4k miles and a track weekend but if there is ever a problem with it again I am just throwing it in the trash where it belongs and getting the Z Speed one. This is strike one for me of Z1 saying go **** yourself it's not our problem.

*So now it's March 2017 and after an advanced HDPE single day event I noticed my front driver side rotor missing one and a half slots. So it's been a year and a half or so, lets say 7k miles and 2 track weekends HPDE1 and the single day event in HPDE2 mentions previously. I think maybe I was being bad on my brakes but they still have plenty of width and all other slots are fine. Except the 2 that were machined too shallow. So I decided to send Z1 an email detailing all my constant issues in the past and maybe they could do something with this one defective rotor.



They quickly called me back and told me that since I do track the car they can't replace anything but they would credit me on a future order and would put a note on my account. Ok, this was fine with me since I knew I could still use the rotor being mindful of the difference and when I need new ones I would get some credit for this issue.

So now June 27 2017 I call up to order a 2015 Nismo Front fascia kit and front fender liners. They put my order together and total everything up and I ask them isn't there any note on my account for future credit? Nope nothing on my account or past orders. WTF! So I send in my prior emails and pictures and orders and this whole history of problems and they say I paraphrase but “Were sorry but there's nothing we can do but from the what you tell us it looks like you need a new master brake cylinder and/or piston rebuild kit, that's what seems to be causing your rotor problems we can give you a discount on those”. Really my master cylinder and piston and causing 2 specific slots on 1 rotor to wear at a different rate. I said no thanks to this and they asked me is there anything else you are interested in ordering that I maybe eligible for a discount, that's when I realized they were just trying to sell me more stuff and squeeze every penny out of me. So I just said no thanks, hung up and put the order in like any other costumer, my front bumper was kinda messed up so I wanted to fix, I shouldn't have been lazy and just found the OEM Nissan parts to do it and get it from Fontana Nissan, but I was and am paying the price now.

So my Z1 2015 fascia is delivered to my installer (Friday 6/30/17) and the box is in good condition except for one superficial scrap and he signs for it, I would have done the same. He opens the box and the bumper is scraped and scuffed like it was used and portions of the grill that should not be painted are discolored. He emails me the pictures and I call up Z1 today(7/3/17), I was away on the weekend, and they tell me it's not their problem, they are just the distributor and I can send it back at my cost, and they will credit me the cost of the part, essentially I am out 320 dollars on a 490 dollar part. So at this point I say a bug F.U. and hung up. Which I am sorry for, it's not the guy working the phones to deal with this crap but with the polices of the company which is why I am making this post. I liked Z1 they are one of the very few out there that dedicated time and money to the Z platform. I wish I didn't have to post this but they have gone very wrong for me in the last few years. I know they have served many Z owners with dedication in the past and present but they have really been apthetic to my constant issues of late and I feel it's at the point where it no longer serves the benefit of the community to keep this between Z1 and myself.

Please comment, I look forward to hearing all your opinions.

Reserving Pics

That's really out of character for them. Sorry you had that happen to you. They've had minor issues very occasionally in the past, but never anything like that.

I suggest that you escalate the issue and speak to a supervisor, manager, VP, etc. Let them know you and your friends on this forum are long time Z1 customers.
In no way should any reputable company, let alone Z1, leave you 'out to hang' in this manner. I do believe you probably spoke to a junior pencil pusher who was just quoting the standard company policy on customer service/complaints. He cannot make the final decision based on one call. You need a resolution and one that will be acceptable by both parties.
Remember to be nice but be firm with your demands.

Thank you I will do that on the 5th.

I want to like Z1 they were amazing. I will try and escalate this, hopefully I can delete this whole thread but this is where I am at.

Wow. Sounds like a string of bad luck as far as the part conditions upon arrival and install, but at the same time it's issues poorly-handled by them.

I have turned to them as a resource, and can't deny their value to our community, but I can see how you were pretty stung by their deflection about the bumper and going into selling you a master cylinder, etc.

Sorry to hear about your experiences, OP :(

FWIW, Z1 messes up something on pretty much every order I place. It's never been major and has always been resolved satisfactorily for me, but still it seems like there is always some hassle to deal with when I use them. But I can't say I've had a lot of issues with their products. Other than a few cylinder failures (thank goodness no need to drop the transmission again), the Z1 CSCEK has been OK since I installed it several years back.

Another problem I've found is it can sometimes be hard to speak to the right person. They usually tell me who I need to speak with, but I generally have trouble getting a hold of that person and have to send an email asking for a return phone call (and usually have to wait a few days).

More and more of my orders are being placed through ZSpeed these days. Joe has the best customer service out there.

Wow, here I was getting ready to order a few items and thinking of trying Z1Motorsports. After reading this, I think I will give ZSpeed a shout.

I have spent over 3k w/Z1 over the past 2yrs. & the only failed part i received was an air filter with a minor defect,,,it was replaced quickly.
I've alway's had good result's from the team there & I know error's are subject to happen.
I also have come to know that it's hard to find good customer support these day's & these people will help you to the best of their ability.
Sorry to hear about the issues in the opening post,as i would recommend speaking with someone further up the ladder.
Have a Happy Independence Day Folk's!

Well,

I am fairly new to the mod game with the Z, but I did order f/r 2 piece rotors, lines, fluid and there were zero issues with the order/shipping/install/reliability. $1100 well spent, finally the stupid thing stops consistently (whomever @ nissan decided the "sport" brake pads/fluid was good enough should be tazed 117x and punched in the face about 12x).

With respect to your post: I think it seems like it's a symptom of employee turnover/employees nolonger caring, or simply the effort being diluted through offering too many products over too many platforms. This is exactly why I gave up on tuners in Oregon. It's literally a new kid working every time you go in, just like when you go to deposit a random check at your local bank = always new people that are not experts, but they say "hi" when you walk in because they're told to do so. By the way, tellers AND the bankers behind the desks are the last people you EVER want to give you mortgage or financial pointers, they have to "know" about 80+ products the bank offers, so they're not experts at any one of them. Beware!

I'm sure someone here can chime in on business cycles / employee retention/expertise vs. pay, but it's got to be tough as everyone online is shopping on price, so where do you make the cuts? how do you gain economies of scale while not alienating your loyal customers?

It seems like it's a common occurrence once a company sheds the original employees whom made it what it is, and/or becomes too large and loses control of itself as profit takes a priority over the customer experience. This just happens over and over especially in retail/food, we continually have the 'flavor of the week' brand for 5-10 years until the product goes to crap and then it's someone else that's all of a sudden the new flavor, repeat...

Sorry about the Woes, hope they choose to do the right thing, but it's too bad that it takes a thread/media to get involved for companies to all of a sudden experience a change of heart.

Which makes me wonder: What if you had spent $10k? $50k? $100k? is there a price at which they would all of a sudden treat you differently, and if so, why? This is what I told Nissan when they chipped my wheels, what if it was a GTR? how much money does one have to spend for the worker bees to care? do they have to make $150k per year to not come to work hungover and actually take pride in their jobs? Just open thoughts as I get older and wonder about things like this.

I think at a certain point once the business owner has the nice house/nice set of cars/fake boobs for the wife/kids in college, I think they sort of hand the business over to people whom are simply not as emotionally invested, but keep the owner in the dark about it until enough customers go crazy at which point the owner finds out and then heads roll...

I think there's just a physical limit whereby a company can actually be ran efficiently, just like you want the right size avocado, too small = tastes bad/too big = tastes bad. Where are our coveted business majors on here?

Again, I hope they work things out for you!!! Sip a few beers and try to enjoy the 4th!!! :driving:

Z speed is the way too go regarding the Slave

Interesting.

Credit Back:
I don't see why they wouldn't offer the credit if you had it specifically called out in an email somewhere (the decision seemed to have already been made to credit you back at some time in the future).

I have nothing but really positive things to say about their customer service. It sounds like they have worked with you along the way. Hopefully, you both can find a mutual agreement.

-Justin

Sorry to hear this and I hope they take care of you.

I can say that, in my personal experience, Z1 has delivered great customer service with me - specifically Spencer@Z1. I have spent about $2k in the last 18 months or so with them thus far and have only had one real problem in that time. In the resolution they accepted an exchange for some ES diff bushings that I had already installed but found it absolutely impossible to work in conjunction with the Z1 diff cover which has an extended mounting boss for the rear bushing. Z1 insists that it is possible to install both, though I disagree. The point here, though, is that even though they believe my issue to be installation error, they still took back a part that I had installed in the car already.

As a side note.... don't get the ES diff bushings if you plan on running the Z1 diff cover. Your life will be a lot easier during installation if you go Whiteline.

I haven't ordered anything from Z1 yet, but i will be soon. Thanks for the information.

Now, about your brakes.... judging by the pictures, both rotors have been overheated and are heat checked. Which points to a potential problem with calipers or possibly a lack of lubrication on the pad where it contacts the sides of the caliper. Just my opinion, I could be wrong.

That pic are the day after the March '17 track day when I contacted them about the disappearing slots.
Surface cracks are all through out, I told them I track the car, and I do not expect them to be replaced by Z1 just some sort of acknowledgement that there was an issue with the machining of the slots.

I've ordered a few things through Z1 in the past and haven't had any issues personally. A friend of mine ordered a Z1 clutch/flywheel combo and he received a DE flywheel for his 370 lol, but they did a good job in correcting the issue.

As far as shipping woes go, Z1 has a pretty big catalog to choose from and they ship out a lot of product on a daily basis. Mistakes are going to happen, but you know that.

I would call up there and talk to Joel, Rod, Spencer, or Jon. They have always been pretty pleasant to deal with in my experience.


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Customer service is a higher priority for me than even price. I was about to pull the trigger on an oil cooler kit from Z1 but have changed my mind as a result of this thread. In the real world , stuff happens. The foundation of a company's reputation is based on how well it treats those customers which are the reason for its very existence. Some companies think that there are no consequences for inadequate or indifferent customer service. In this age of social media, I beg to differ. <end rant>

I think a safer bet is if you have a shop that you know has a strong reputation with Z1. Such a shop can likely get their attention and more immediate business better than a regular customer, and they'll go through the trials of handling mishaps for you, although it can cost you downtime.

I want to +1 with this whole post, I have gotten a few things through z1, their poly mounts and whitline diff bushings, silicone hoses ect. they do have a lot of good product for the Z but every time I call I get an annoying vibe like im bothering them and the tone of voice is always rushed and how fast they can get me off the phone, so I have never been fond of the way phone calls are handled it always seems to be the same person or they all just hate working there because that's how it seems to convey through the phone. It makes me hesitant to lean to their products because of that. Maybe I'm just used to talking with fast intentions where I can't get them off the phone lol. I wish everyone held up to the quality and customer service of fast intentions it's top notch and enjoy every phone call I make with them.

Whoa! I'm shocked by the way Z1 handled your issues... I've always gotten great customer service from them (specifically Jon and Spencer). Though this post makes me want to double check my SS brake lines I got with my brake kit (didn't have them installed due to the place I dropped my car off with taking 4 hours to just do the rotors/pads but that's another story in itself :barf: )

Hopefully Z1 sees your thread on here and makes things right for you OP.

Guess i'll start specifically asking for them for now on, because i would still like to get ahold of the 2 piece lightweight rotors

I had a bad experience with Z1 at the end of last year when I had to buy a replacement 4.08 diff gear set and they didn't package it properly. The way they packed it caused the pinion to hit the crown wheel and damage each other! After much stuffing around, emails, photos etc, it was all replaced and the next set was packed better and was ok. I was still a few hundred dollars out of pocket for the extra shipping costs which I had to wear, let alone the extra time all this took so I didn't have a car.:shakes head:

Im very surprised Z1 has not already came in here to explain their side of the story.

Personally I've had nothing, But good experiences with all my purchases not one issue.

I can frankly say this current issue is not like them and can hope it gets resolved.

I will leave this open up until there is some solution.

I too have ordered the 2015+ nismo fascia from Z1 and also had some tears in the packaging only to find a couple dings and scratches on it. Only difference is my paint and body guy says he can fix it.

Could be the individuals packing the orders and haven't had proper training on what to and what not to do?

Bought a used ac compressor with clutch from them. Asked them if it was working, was told it was just pulled in working condition. Came to me without the holes plugged, so contaminates got in. Doesn't compress cold air. bit the bullet for labor charges. I just drive around without ac now.

Replaced it in the first place because AC clutch was partially engaging (not spinning with the serpentine belt) causing it to burn.

I don't think they frequent this form at all. I've posted questions in 2 of their sale posts and even sent PMs and have never gotten a reply back. :(

Gotcha!

I just sent John a PM as he is the only active sales person on here.

I can't promise anything for the Op but at least I tried. :ugh2:

I have held off placing my order with Z1 until I see some sort of a response from Z1. I am flabbergasted that they have not responded or even taken care of this yet.

Good thing I went with the CMAK system, having the Z1 kit you have to adjust manually (said Z1)...F that!

Also very surprised by this. I've had nothing but good experiences with z1. They're one of the biggest and well respected players in the z game for good reason

Their service for me has been impeccable. But I wouldn't advise anyone to buy their Front upper control arms, the ball joints snapped off on mine and several other people's. They told me they were going to do a recall when they had enough replacement pieces in stock. But I haven't seen it yet so if your running them beware!

that is unacceptable, its ridiculous.

More and more the dark side comes out...

I like the parts that Z1 offers and what they do for the Z community. This being said they should be more responsive on their customer service side and as a re seller offer some damn discounts once in awhile. Atleast lower their shipment costs.

Looks like the folks at Z1 have been far too busy making youtube videos to answer the questions and concerns of their customers. :shakes head:

John@Z1 did message me last on 07-18-2017, 10:44 AM saying he is looking into it.

Just fixed a few days ago, my Z1 clutch/flywheel kit that I purchased ~10,000 miles ago had an issue when I was having my CMC replaced (issue was masked by CMC going out).
After the CMC replacement they couldn't get more than half the clutch back even after extensive bleeding. They had to remove the transmission and found that 4 of the pressure plate bolts BACKED OUT!
I go to a VERY respected transmission shop in Oregon (Columbia Transmission Co. | Serving Portland for for over 45 years) this place has solid reviews on angies list and their service is very akin to Fast Intentions.
They had to loctite and re-torque the bolts which makes me wonder if the material of the bolts are proper for this application. Thankfully they didn't charge me for the trans pull as they were the ones that installed the clutch.
I'm not 100% if the issue is bolt material but knowing who works on my car does make me lean in that direction.

@Nismodean did you report this to Z1? Whether they follow through or not, you may want to alert them to ensure they have a chance to look into it. I am also running a Z1 clutch/flywheel kit.

I had purchased Z1's upper control arms about 1 year back and had the bolts back out twice, they came up with a solution sent out new bolts and upgraded locktite that kept the bolts from backing out. Then the ball joint snapped off. They gave me full purchase price back and sold me SPL arms at cost and paid for them to be replaced. I was satisfied with the out come.
Now another issue with them Arrgh!!.
I needed to replace my rear diff bushings and though what the hell I'll upgrade the diff cover also. I bought their rear diff kit with upgraded cover, Motol oil and Whiteline bushings. I also bought their bushing replacement tool. After removing all the necessary parts to get to the bushings exhaust, diff etc., we find out they have sent the tool incomplete! I was missing a crucial part.
Its a large washer you use to remove the rubber center piece, at that point we rigged up a solution not happy after spending $120 and several trips to the hardware store.. It made the removal harder not easier.
Needless to say I am done giving my hard earned money to Z1.
Apologies only go so far!!!

Sigh...my control arms just got on island, picking up tomorrow. I hope they resolved ball joint breakage issue.