ADV Production Modular Hardtop!

[Belle]

I e-mailed ADV in June asking for a status update; they told me July. E-mailed July 8th for another update and got this love note:

“Great news! Your order is cruising through production right on schedule. We're expecting an August 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 available. The anticipation is real – this is going to be worth the wait!”​

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Later that night I asked, “How many more times is this going to get pushed back? May I get a prototype top?,” followed the next morning with a refund request.
That afternoon I get:

“I completely understand the delays are less than ideal. I will however say that all the delays come warrantied with reasons. Majority of those reasons were to increase the quality of the product. Now that all R&D is finished, we are simply working through production. Our manufacturing plant is dealing with labor shortages but within the last couple weeks, we have been making solid PROGRESS. Our business partner was at the manufacturing plant last weekend and containers will be loaded closer to late July. I would strongly urge giving us a couple more weeks so we can provide more content of production as well as shipping tops in the next 4 weeks.”​

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I replied in sarcasm font to that, but in the interest of not posting a book, basically told ‘em refund my money; it’s one less top you need to build, and we can call it a day. My refund is in process. I noticed on their web site there are 250 reviews—how can that be if no one on here has gotten a top?

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[604Bronco]

I noticed on their web site there are 250 reviews—how can that be if no one on here has gotten a top?

Sadly, it’s not that difficult to create fake reviews. We’ve seen it in this thread where the owner‘s (?) wife posted a positive review.

 

[Snowdogyyz]

If you’re still holding out for this top after that response- something is wrong with you. Are you glutton for punishment? Just want to lose $7k for a good story? Why on earth would you still believe you are getting a top? I’ll make an even nicer CAD drawing for you- send me $3500 and it’s yours.

 

[Boomer75007]

Im following this thread only because im curious to see what happens. im currently trying to sell my hard top (i want a soft top, so i guess im a unicorn?) and i've had 2 deals fall through because ADV has been calling customers for the last week or two.

Seems like people are still holding on the ADV and the Armadillo tops.

Is your hard top a 2, or 4 door? What are you asking for it?

 

[SierraBronco]

If you’re still holding out for this top after that response- something is wrong with you. Are you glutton for punishment? Just want to lose $7k for a good story? Why on earth would you still believe you are getting a top? I’ll make an even nicer CAD drawing for you- send me $3500 and it’s yours.

They probably figure the money is already spent and it’s not hurting them to wait for it to be right. ADV has been around for a while (unlike Armadillo, for example. And I’m saying that simply for comparison as I ordered an Armadillo top. Might be much riskier to go with the unknown guys) and before this debacle seemed to have had a good reputation. I’m very happy and impressed with their fenders. Stands to reason the top will be of high quality. I seem to remember a huge vehicle manufacturer that ended up rushing the process after Webasto ran into issues making their tops and they had a lot of very unhappy customers.

 

[Snowdogyyz]

They probably figure the money is already spent and it’s not hurting them to wait for it to be right. ADV has been around for a while (unlike Armadillo, for example. And I’m saying that simply for comparison as I ordered an Armadillo top. Might be much riskier to go with the unknown guys) and before this debacle seemed to have had a good reputation. I’m very happy and impressed with their fenders. Stands to reason the top will be of high quality. I seem to remember a huge vehicle manufacturer that ended up rushing the process after Webasto ran into issues making their tops and they had a lot of very unhappy customers.

Well from what I remember reading on here- ADV was once another company and closed up shop and changed their name without warning. Who’s to say they won’t do the same again?
Yes-Ford upset a lot of people for awhile but there was only $100-$500 tied up in returnable deposits/reservation fees. The correct comparison would be paying for 100% of the bronco up front- based on engineering designs and drawings. That is what people have done with this fiasco. $6-7k up front based on a CAD drawing- not an actual product. I don’t think people would be nearly as upset had they put a deposit down. As of now they are honoring refunds to customers- but for how long? It’s a risk to stay in the game. It wasn’t a risk to pre-order a bronco,

 

[SierraBronco]

Well from what I remember reading on here- ADV was once another company and closed up shop and changed their name without warning. Who’s to say they won’t do the same again?
Yes-Ford upset a lot of people for awhile but there was only $100-$500 tied up in returnable deposits/reservation fees. The correct comparison would be paying for 100% of the bronco up front- based on engineering designs and drawings. That is what people have done with this fiasco. $6-7k up front based on a CAD drawing- not an actual product. I don’t think people would be nearly as upset had they put a deposit down. As of now they are honoring refunds to customers- but for how long? It’s a risk to stay in the game. It wasn’t a risk to pre-order a bronco,

Armadillo isn’t any different in that regard. They have the prototypes running around, but no official manufactured tops out there yet. It’s not uncommon to pay for stuff up front before it’s built. Whether it’s too much to risk is different on a case by case basis.

And don’t get me wrong-two years is insane! There’s gonna be people that forgot they ordered the top and already moved on to a different vehicle by the time their top is delivered

 

[j_marinelli]

I will say that where Armadillo and Adv differ is Armadillo has been constantly posting updates/progress on social media. ADV seemed to stop with updates when it was determined the tops are made overseas.

 

[Docindahouze]

ADV be like

 

[SierraBronco]

I will say that where Armadillo and Adv differ is Armadillo has been constantly posting updates/progress on social media. ADV seemed to stop with updates when it was determined the tops are made overseas.

I’ve given Fabian props on that. Told him it was very smart and probably decreases their calls as we all see the updates and don’t have questions on progress.

I guess the big thing I’m getting at is not denigrating those that haven’t bailed on ADV yet. It’s not like they’re buying products from broncbuster

 

[Justin_Kane]

While I really liked the look and features of the ADV hardtop I ordered back in May of 2022, I finally had to bail out in February of this year when I received another delay notice. In February I got on the wait list for a TOR hardtop and It seems like I made the right decision for me, since I just took delivery a couple of days ago. It took me and a buddy about 25 minutes to remove the soft top and install the TOR top. I Love the color and look and while I really wanted an ADV top with more options, I am very happy with my purchase. It looks great, and the built in sound deadening is a huge upgrade for highway driving. Shout out to Todd McNulty at TOR for all his help in getting me a hard top, finally. Also, I saved about $2000 overall from the ADV top I originally ordered.

 

[CTwaterfowler]

While I really liked the look and features of the ADV hardtop I ordered back in May of 2022, I finally had to bail out in February of this year when I received another delay notice. In February I got on the wait list for a TOR hardtop and It seems like I made the right decision for me, since I just took delivery a couple of days ago. It took me and a buddy about 25 minutes to remove the soft top and install the TOR top. I Love the color and look and while I really wanted an ADV top with more options, I am very happy with my purchase. It looks great, and the built in sound deadening is a huge upgrade for highway driving. Shout out to Todd McNulty at TOR for all his help in getting me a hard top, finally. Also, I saved about $2000 overall from the ADV top I originally ordered.

when in feb did you sign up. i am a late feb signup with a scheduled shipment of 8/19. Todd is on vacation , but get with me Monday and said he would get me the details. I'm pumped

ORIGINAL EARLY BATCH ONE FOR THE 1 PIECE ADV HARD TOP

 

[userdude]

I’ve given Fabian props on that. Told him it was very smart and probably decreases their calls as we all see the updates and don’t have questions on progress.

I guess the big thing I’m getting at is not denigrating those that haven’t bailed on ADV yet. It’s not like they’re buying products from broncbuster

There's a whole thread behind this attitude that's 230 pages long. I don't know what's going on, but it ain't pretty.

 

[SierraBronco]

There's a whole thread behind this attitude that's 230 pages long. I don't know what's going on, but it ain't pretty.

I certainly didn’t read it all, but it seems like the gist of the thread is

“ADV said the tops are delayed again”

“Oh dangit. I’m very bummed out by this news”

“I think I’m going to get my money back and cancel this order. It has been X months X weeks X days and X minutes since my order”

“Yeah that is understandable. I’m going to wait”

Repeat for 229 pages until

“Anyone that hasn’t cancelled is an asshole and hates their mom and the USA. They’re traitors to all that is good and probably a communist! I pray that our lord in heaven sees it fit to infest their crotch with a plague of locusts unseen by this earth”

“That seems a bit drastic. Maybe it’s not that big of a deal for them to continue waiting ”

I could be wrong

 

[userdude]

I certainly didn’t read it all, but it seems like the gist of the thread is

“ADV said the tops are delayed again”

“Oh dangit. I’m very bummed out by this news”

“I think I’m going to get my money back and cancel this order. It has been X months X weeks X days and X minutes since my order”

“Yeah that is understandable. I’m going to wait”

Repeat for 229 pages until

“Anyone that hasn’t cancelled is an asshole and hates their mom and the USA. They’re traitors to all that is good and probably a communist! I pray that our lord in heaven sees it fit to infest their crotch with a plague of locusts unseen by this earth”

“That seems a bit drastic. Maybe it’s not that big of a deal for them to continue waiting ”

I could be wrong

I don't advocate calling anybody an asshole, but until further notice, these tops are vaporware. And ADV may have some products people like, but the people behind the company have done shady things in the past with other companies.

Whoever said that, they're a prick. You didn't see me upvote that comment. But there's wreckage here, it ain't like it's barely over the line. They've held onto 100% payments in the thousands for years.

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