Ulitimate Hobbies
 

Well this is just a rant thread. Stopped by Ultimate Hobbies today to pick up a Cylcone S--they had one in stock. Could NOT get the "kids" in the car dept. to figure out IF they had different springs to run on the car or not for tuning!! Took an HOUR to lead them through their own catalogue--get them to look up the springs and find them--and THEN---they wouldn't let me compare them with the springs in the Cyclone box!!! Nothing on their website would compare them--- I just wanted to "feel" their stiffness but could NOT take them out of the package unless I bought them first!!! I tried to get the manager to come out to help---he couldn't be bothered!!! I told them---then leave the springs-- I also wanted tires--bodies etc.---but after the total run-around with NO knowledgable people to help---and refusal to let me compare springs-- I gave up--told them to tell the manager that's the LAST time I'll shop there--took my Cyclone purchase and LEFT!!! I can't stand their attitude---let the buyer beware!! DON'T TRY TO BE HELPFUL!!! It's the store policy!! Whatever!!!:deathstar:weird:
T

Is this the Ultimate Hobbies in Orange?

Yes--Ultimate in Orange.

I would have handed back the cyclone as well.

"Customer no Service"
 

Don't feel like you've been singled out, because they are like that with most customers especially in the RC car dept.
I go there when I am so desperate for a part and they have it in stock. If it's not about helicopters, planes or nitro cars your pretty much out of luck. Most of the time the customers are more knowledgeable then the staff. I can't tell you how many times I've stood at the counter which seems forever and not get any help. They seem to cycle through employees like their inventory and not very well at that.
Yes, it's a crapshoot when you go there but most people know this from experience. :cry:

dang you are the one that bought it lol i was going to go tomarrow and pick one up.

but yeah i always go there and wait for hella long before i get any help. even the owner doesnt want to come out if you ask for him

save yourself the trouble... go to speedtech (www.speedtechrc.com) up in san gabriel, jeff has everything you need.

then afterwards have dinner at Indian :sneaky: :D :nod:

I'll be at Speedtech on Sunday--I"ll check it out. I left him a voicemail for a part I need for the Cyclone. Hopefully, he got the message and I'll be able to try something new on Sunday!!
CYA AT THE TRUESPEC RACES!!!
T

Nice pick

Orange is too far

Speedtech in San Gabriel on Sunday, you may just go to the Rose Bowl for parking lot racing. Speedtech hold races out there. Try Gizmo's in Burbank, on Burbank Blvd. Then try Chili John's on the corner of Burbanki Blvd accross the street from Gizmo's. I know its a drive from Trabuco Canyon. San Gab to Rose Bowl 8 miles, Rose Bowl to Gizmo's 18 miles. I use to live in South Pasedena. Gizmo's a great parts stock of Serpent part in LA region, and other known parts of Mugen, Hpi, Traxxas etc. And Skateboard.

hey, i too sick and tire of their attitude myself , there plenty of choices out there for your parts, like the guy mentioned , visit speedtecrc.com in san gabriel, the owner jeff is nice and courteous , and very helpful in getting parts for me:nod: whenever i needed

Tag!! That place on Las Tunas Blvd and Templa City St. still There?? I forget the name of the hobby & craft shop there. For Xray parts Gizmo's in Burbank is the first place I'd shop at if Speedtech dosen't have it.

My online and phone help wasn't any better. I wanted to order a kit online but, their site wasn't secure. I decided to phone in the order and got put on hold for what seemed like an eternity. Then after trying to order the kit, the dude gave me the price and it was $50 more than the online price. After arguing with the idiot trying to figure out why the price was more, and them not budging on the price, I told them to keep the kit.

I ended up buying the kit from Speedtech. Much better service.

I visit the shop one time, ..... I didn't like it.

Low price and friendly service, that's the place I spend my money.

Or simply I go online shopping from reputable company, low price no talk.

Been dealing with ultimate 4 a long time...They mostly have kids working there so, dont expect too much..And for the topic starter, Not many stores will let you open A box to inspect a product...The wait there is crazy sometime!!!! A lot of times they get people new to the hobby with a ton of questions and that takes time..The owner is not always the friendliest guy:(.. Smaller store=better service....

Mike at Ultimate is about the only guy that will be helpful. He's the guy with his arm sleeved and a goatee. The wait is too long for me not to complain. Speed Tech or HKS do it for me. HKS is right up the street from Jeff on Mission and is owned by a guy named Alan. HKS is open from 3pm-9pm so it makes it easier for me to get there after work. He also uses the can't open protocol, so you're out of luck on the hands on comparisson. Just my 2 pennies.

Didn't I tell you to go to Speedtech, Tim?!?;)

I may be the only one with a good online/phone experience with Ultimate. I placed my order, and I realized the next day that I wanted to change one thing. I called them in the morning, someone picked up right away, transferred me to the shipping department. I talked the the shipper and he said my order was packed and ready for shipment, but he could reopen it and change whatever I wanted. I told him and he worked out the paperwork and payment and shipped my order an hour later. It arrived the next day and all was well. I guess it is just the luck of the draw I guess. Good luck with wherever you take your business.

Naw Mark----what your describing is "mail orders" and good service. Apparently that's how they want to run their store!! That's okay---but I can order off the internet from any of dozen's of stores--- I want experienced help when I walk into the store LIKE I got at Speedtech with Jeff!! Jeff--was very helpful with what I needed for my Cyclone--and my mini--AND---had MOST of the items in STOCK!!! Thank you Jeff---next I'll check out HKS when I"m in the area---but these guys at least TRY to help you---Ultimate--which should have the resources to do the same---treats you worse than Walmart!!!:rolleyes::D
I'll prefer the smaller helpful customer oriented stores thank you!!:nod::D
T

Well that sucks then, I have never been there and probably will never go there if in-store service is that bad. The only reason I ordered online from there is because at the time, the Cyclone S kit w/Mazda body was only $119.95. I snatched it up since the next cheapest I could find online with over 20+ stores was $159.99. Unless I can find a killer deal there again, I may go elsewhere.

Yeah--that's another thing too---the FIRST Cyclone S I bought there--$119--this last one was $129--which matched the cost from some other sources but NOT the same price they gave me the first time 3 weeks ago!! Now that they are popular again with the Truespec series --- they've raised the price!!
T

id rather pay more knowing that i get good customer service from Speedtech than save a few bucks and waste my time. :nod: :nod:

EXACTLY----plus IF you can get good reccomendations--it will SAVE you money in the long run!! The Ultimate guys comment was--"well buy it and tell US how it worked"!!! yeah --right!!!:deathstar

Wow, glad I read this before heading down there. I was going to buy two new Tamiya m05 minis from Ultimate because they are advertised at $104.99. I'll give Speedtech a try even though they are higher.
Thanks.

Jeff at Speedtech will be VERY helpful with your mini's!!! He races them himself-- and can order any parts you will need. We pretty much bought him out of everything but the kits last Sunday at the races!!! You'll like him--- tell him Tim Sent you!!!!:D:D

Ultimate Hobbies' reputation for poor customer service has been around for along time.:nod: It is because of this that there has been a segment opened for other retailers to make money, such as SpeedtechRC. As for nitro, they're just as bad in that department as well. If you ever are in need of nitro goodies, go to Kamikaze.
In the past, Ultimate used to be the only place to go to for all the hot RC items at very low prices. That time has been gone a long time ago. If I were you, I would have left everything behind and shopped elsewhere.

I was buying my foams there for my f1 for quite awhile... until I walked in to stock up for some last minute parts to race at TCS regionals the following weekend.

They had marked up their foams $15 from what I had been paying for almost a year. Price gouging or coincidence?!? :rolleyes:

That's right...go to speedtech. Jeff has been very helpful and give a lot of good insight. I love buying hop ups...and there times that Jeff tells me that I don't need them...LOL. I've been to ultimate hobbies and experienced waiting for a long time to get help. I understand the wait since there were many people...but their lack of knowledge are dissapointing. One time I asked for a tire sauce and the sales guy doesn't know what I'm talking about. Then I told him its provide better traction. He said there are no such thing. I had to find it myself and it was sitting on the shelf near him.

Go to Speedtech!!!