Originally Posted by Vegaslegal

Wow, I'll likely take some heat for this one. The company engineers an after-market part for our car. It then answers questions submitted by you describing their product and addressing you politely. They don't hide anything, let you know what is offered, and forthrightly disclose a fact that they necessarily would be viewed as a negative. You respond:


"So there is no way to mount the upper grill without drilling the bumper cover?"

This sentence, in and of itself is accusatory and insulting. Connotations include "Why were you guys so stupid to design such a product," etc.

Next, you state, "[W]hy not use these so customers to not have to drill?" The question marks at the end of these sentences do not bespeak a friedly suggestion, but rather, a challenge to the integrity of the manufacturer. The business does not exist to give interviews as to why its product is not up to snuff in your opinion, but that is the import of your query.

You follow with: "This will be the third aftermarket grill I have had on my XF, and all the others were bolt on, no drilling required. . . . I would
highly recommend you figure out a way to use the OEM mounting system. If you do, please let me know, and I will be purchasing a grill." Again, translated into normal understanding, especially following the preceding statements, this reads, 'You're selling a POS that I will not buy until you do what I say."

After all of this, your curt "Thanks" in closing simply smacks of sarcasm.

Yes, the seller's response was over the top for someone seeking buyers in a narrow market, and was surely recognized by the sender as closing you off as a potential customer. You simply p'd someone off and his fuse may have been a tad short. Still, when they made their part do you think they did not recognize the existing attachment points and performed a cost/benefit analysis to the engineering and production costs vs. price. If they had, which is likely, your letter could only have been taken as an insult. You should not be so insulted that they were insulted.

I have nothing to do with Grill(e) Technologies, and, as noted, will probably suffer some flames with the perspective given. But I get similar attitude all the time from potential clients/customers trying to tell me how to do my job, and, although in a gentler fashion than what you went through, I do let them know that I don't care about their opinion, and they will not be represented by me. And yes, when somebody not in my business presumes to tell me I'm doing something wrong, I am insulted. You did not make a mere suggestion, you challenged the company's integrity and intelligence. There's too much money to be made and people to satisfy and help with what I offer, and likely likewise with respect to Grill(e) Technologies offers, to suffer through such rigmorole.