Lil' Viv's Shifter Situation

Here's the situation: Bryce Danna was offering a group buy on his short shifter to list members so long as ten or more members signed up. I looked at the deadline he proposed on the shifter, and it seemed reasonable. I realized I had some time and told Bryce I'd put myself at the end of the line before the deadline was up. As it turns out, Bryce had made a mistake. He wanted the deadline to be earlier, but he posted the wrong deadline (an honest mistake). After a bit of conflict, he agreed to give me the shifter at the group buy price. I sent him my check, he sent me the shifter (Received: 9/29/99). I did not have time to install it right away, so I mentioned it was OK to cash the check. I installed it later (10/12/99), and I noticed the shortness of the shifter, and I was pleased. However, the shifts were not crisp like they were supposed to be. I felt the shifter in two of my friends' cars, one of which was a '97. It felt far better. I knew something was wrong with mine, and they felt mine and said something was wrong. It seemed to be hitting the gate. Kean posted the problem with my shifter to the list, and Bryce replied with

Kean

Just make sure it isn't in backwards.  If it is in correctly, then send it back and I'll give him a full refund.  That shouldn't happen, I tried each one out in my car before shipping, hmmmm.

Bryce

So, we started E-Mailing privately, I've never spoken to him on the phone. He offered me this in an E-Mail:

Vivek,

If you are unhappy with the shifter, send it back and I'll give you a full refund.

If your clutch is on it's way out and dragging a little, that will make gear shifts grind, and you can feel the teeth meshing, but it won't make it ambigious, that's all in the shifter and how it finds the gates.

Bryce

I really wanted a properly working shifter, so I asked him if I could get a replacement one. Shifters were backordered, so he was going to order one. I would have to wait. This was fine with me. After a bit, here is what he sent me . . .

Viv,

That's fine.  I can send you a replacement as soon as I get one, and you can send me your's back when you get it, that way you don't have any downtime.  I'll keep this post as a reminder.  I've got more shifters on order from toyota already.

Bryce

More than one month later, I E-Mailed him back asking what was going on. He had this to say:

Vivek,

I remember saying I'd refund your money, but I don't remember saying I'd build you another shifter.  I don't believe I even owe you a refund, since it's been at least a month or two before you even told me you had a problem.  The refund deal was meant to be a limited time offer.  You get the shifter in, if you don't like it, immediately pull it out and send it back to me and I'd tear up your check.  You didn't do that.  I'll refund your money even though there has been such a time lapse.  If I build you another, it's going to cost $50 for my efforts and mailing.  It's up to you.  Either send me the shifter back and I'll refund your money or send me $50 more plus the short shifter and I'll build you another.  Actually I've got two ready to go, so as soon as I get your $50 and the short shifter, I can get another in the mail to you.  Or just send me the short shifter and I'll refund your money.

I'm not trying to be a dick, but the shifter worked fine on my tranny.  I try each one out before I ship them, so I'm confident it's not the shifter.  You raped me on price on the first one due to a misprint on my part, but I still honored the misprint.  You have a 97 right?  So you can put your 97 shifter back in while we get straight on the short shifter, but I'm not mailing you another until I get the one you have back.

Bryce

I was very upset, at this point. However, I looked . . . there was another message from Bryce in my Inbox. Here's what it said:

Vivek,

Looked through some old e-mail and once again, I made a mistake.  I guess I committed to sending you a replacement shifter so I will.  I still need the other one back first.  Just send me the short shifter, and I'll send you a replacement.  No money involved, just an even up swap.

bryce

A little calmer at this point, I asked why the previous offer which involved "no downtime" did not still stand. That E-Mail went unanswered. I wanted to join my friend, Andi, in a trip to Houston to see Bryce. This way, there would be no additional shipping charges, and he could make sure the shifter worked properly. He asked Andi to come alone because he did not want to upset his wife with caravans of people coming in, etc.

I tried out Chris's shifter, which was had the reverse lockout plate installed backwards, and it still shifted beautifully.  He corrected the installation, and it shifted beautifully once again.  I was planning on reinstalling the shifter, but never did.

For a long time, I planned on just leaving this as is and being stuck with what I felt was a bum shifter.  But, then, I planned on attending the TX2K1 meet in Houston, TX.  Bryce was running the dyno. day, so I decided to ask him about it there, and he agreed to take a look at it.  The shifter felt fine to both of us there, not sure why the problem didn't duplicate there.  In any event, Bryce was a total gentleman and kind at this point.  I don't think he remembered anything about our scuffle described above.

I have gotten used to the shifter as is, and it seems to perform fine on occasion, now . . . or maybe I've just gotten used to it.  In any event, that's the situation.  =P

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©Vivek K. G.; 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005.