ADV Production Modular Hardtop!

[BAUS67]

A “substantial purchase” is obviously completely relative… I make purchases all the time that I’m sure many in the world would consider substantial to them. For me - laying out $5-8k for anything is substantial.. and would thus warrant some time spent on reading reviews, forums posts and otherwise familiarizing myself with the current state of affairs and what people are saying.

I don’t like that anyone was duped and sincerely hope they got their money back but in this case - if you ordered it within the last year then there was substantial evidence as to why you shouldn’t

I'm bad that way. I search EVERYTHING. Even when I look for a tool. I search what is out there. See if people have had luck with the one I'm buying. Over the years I've pissed away more than my fair share of $$$$ on the whim that something was good stuff.


Now you know why I question every vendor that comes on here and says how great a product is.

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[LOSTXGOLD]

I am really sorry for everything that happened and for the people who are potentially losing their money. I am glad I made that decision. Now I am not missing the summer and I am able to take all the trips I was dreaming of!

Which roof top tent is that?

 

[RC Bronco]

I'm bad that way. I search EVERYTHING. Even when I look for a tool. I search what is out there. See if people have had luck with the one I'm buying. Over the years I've pissed away more than my fair share of $$$$ on the whim that something was good stuff.


Now you know why I question every vendor that comes on here and says how great a product is.

Preach. Research, research, and more research. It’s a bit of a pain, but it can save you a lot of money and headache in the long run

 

[MNBigfoot]

Let’s face it- MOST buyers aren’t frequenting forums like this. Those who don’t are in for a rude awakening. Those that are on these forums and didn’t heed the warnings-

Yeah after hearing all this, I'm giving them just one more month to deliver, before canceling.........

 

[pakrat]

4.4 million is in the neighborhood of 700 tops. Wonder how many actually requested a refund. ADV is in a serious hole financially if all that money passed through to APG and they were giving refunds until recently. I imagine their employees are all looking for work if they are smart.

On another note, I told my wife about all this and now she thinks she is a genius and I need to listen to and do everything she says since she bugged me to get a refund starting 8/22 and I waited until 10/22 to get it. I’m never gonna hear the end of it!

 

[604Bronco]

On another note, I told my wife about all this and now she thinks she is a genius and I need to listen to and do everything she says since she bugged me to get a refund starting 8/22 and I waited until 10/22 to get it. I’m never gonna hear the end of it!

Have you not learned anything throughout all of this?! If you don't tell her and hide all the details, you wouldn't be in this situation!

 

[mattymik]

Oh, ADV ...

 

[pakrat]

Have you not learned anything throughout all of this?! If you don't tell her and hide all the details, you wouldn't be in this situation!

I know I know just was bragging and tooting my own horn about how fast we got a TOR top after we bailed on ADV. Then she sees that angle! Women I tell you.

 

[351W-Bronco]

So how long before a "new" comany, with years of experience wih fiberglass hardtops, jumps into fhe market with the same design?

 

[Fordified1]

I tend to believe ADV. They have delivered lots of fenders and hoods to satisfied customers. I believe APG took them for a ride.

 

[broncos_and_such]

Advance Fiberglass Concepts are fraudsters and will not have a business anymore at the end of this.

I browsed the legal complaint they linked to and I'll let it tell part of the story.

"Over the course of approximately two (2) years from February 2022 through March 2024, Plaintiff paid Defendants nearly $4.4 million to produce and ship hundreds of Hardtops in quantities identified and types described in various APG invoices."

"All Plaintiff received for the millions it paid to APG was a handful of hardtops in late 2022 for the Las Vegas car show which had quality issues and twelve Hardtops in April 2023 which were completely defective and useless as a result of warping caused by pressure from injected foam."

Are the folks at ADV idiots or do they think we are? They continued selling hard tops for years with this going on?

It gets worse. From todays letter:

"Since learning of APG’s deception, we have also exhausted every possible option to try and manufacture in-house and deliver this product to you without APG’s involvement."

This letter is dated July 29, 2024 (page 19)

How long have they known? That 35 page legal complaint didn't come together overnight. How long did they spend "exhausting every option"? Notice the legal complaint only quotes payments through March 2024, which means they haven't sent money to APG since March. Why might that be? It seems to me they've known for months that they weren't going to be able to deliver and yet they continued to take orders.

"I am sorry to tell you that due to this, the hardtops ordered will not be delivered, and we have removed them as a product offering on our site."

When did they remove the hardtops from their site? I bought one in April, after, it would seem, they had the sense to stop sending money to APG. Where did that money go? If they sold me an item they knew they couldn't deliver on, that's fraud. And where'd that very recent money go that they can't refund it?

"If you purchased a hardtop, you may try to contact your credit card company to see if they are able to assist. Unfortunately, Advanced Fiberglass Concepts is unable to directly assist."

It gets worse still.

I emailed them on July 31 for an update, and received a reply the same day:

Your order is cruising through production. We're expecting a September completion, but I'm keeping a close eye on it and will send you an update as soon as we have a firm shipping date (3-5 day range).

John Advanced Fiberglass Concepts

See above, the legal complaint is dated July 29, two days prior to this email.

John, if you read this, you're a bold face liar and a fraudster.

Maybe you were duped. But you duped me, and many others in return.

I filed a chargeback today and with any luck my purchase was recent enough I will get my money back.

I'm also talking to a lawyer.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

This is why I said on day one, do not give companies like these a dime of your money before they have an actual product. I am not comfortable pre-paying for anything that is not actually in production.

Next up will be Archetype Racing. They have actually produced product, but good luck getting anything from them currently.

I seem to recall being berated when I sounded the warnings about this type of shit back on day one.

Sorry, not sorry.
Ignore all the red flags and this is what happens.

 

[GreenMtnBronco]

4.4 million is in the neighborhood of 700 tops. Wonder how many actually requested a refund. ADV is in a serious hole financially if all that money passed through to APG and they were giving refunds until recently. I imagine their employees are all looking for work if they are smart.

On another note, I told my wife about all this and now she thinks she is a genius and I need to listen to and do everything she says since she bugged me to get a refund starting 8/22 and I waited until 10/22 to get it. I’m never gonna hear the end of it!

how many tops do you think they actually took orders on? I think there is no way they gave all the $ to APG. They had to cover their own marketing, time, rent, etc on this as well. I am willing to bet they had orders for 2-3000 tops. could be more, and could be less, but I think they still have a ton of cash from this.

 

[Ninjak]

how many tops do you think they actually took orders on? I think there is no way they gave all the $ to APG. They had to cover their own marketing, time, rent, etc on this as well. I am willing to bet they had orders for 2-3000 tops. could be more, and could be less, but I think they still have a ton of cash from this.

According to the doc, I believe 800 orders?

 

[American Sender]

4.4 million is in the neighborhood of 700 tops. Wonder how many actually requested a refund. ADV is in a serious hole financially if all that money passed through to APG and they were giving refunds until recently. I imagine their employees are all looking for work if they are smart.

On another note, I told my wife about all this and now she thinks she is a genius and I need to listen to and do everything she says since she bugged me to get a refund starting 8/22 and I waited until 10/22 to get it. I’m never gonna hear the end of it!

I would imagine it was north of 700 tops if they had enough to front APG $4.4 million over the last three years while also giving refunds to customers who requested it. We also truly do not know how much they still have banked away.

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