Chassis number 1340

[33fromSD]

Factory five is definitely dropping the ball big time on customer service

I'm not sure I would classify what you're experiencing as a "customer service" issue, verses more of a change in the stage-kit policy which if it was changed should have been highlighted up front when you bought your stage 1 kit and even in FFRs stage kit definitions.

I can't say if there was a change to the stage 1 kit or not, but I do know the reason I bought the complete kit in June of 2020 (received in Sept of 2020) was because at that time I was told if I planned to go-kart the car, the stage-1 kit would not get me to that point. There were several items not included in stage 1 that would prevent that. I had the storage room, so I bought the complete kit.

Regarding FFR's "customer service", at least when I was doing my build was nothing short of awesome. They were very responsive, never questioned any issue I had, they either helped me through it or they shipped out replacement parts immediately. They even made custom/one-off door striker plates for me since there was an issue with how the body bracket was welded in at the factory preventing the plates that come in the kit not to fit.. Like any other business after the pandemic they have had some turnover, so perhaps it is not the same as it was 2-3 years ago, but even today on the forum I don't see many folks complaining about FFR's customer service.

Heck, even 2 years after my build, I took my 33 out of storage last spring (spring of 2022) and the signal light in the LED headlights stopped working and I called FFR just looking for the model & p/n of the LED headlight to buy it myself thinking there was no way FFR would replace it after a couple a years, and not only did they send me one LED headlight free of charge, they sent me the pair at not charge (parts or shipping). That's is great customer service.

Sorry for your troubles, I know it's frustrating & maddening, but customer service doesn't set the kit policies, they just try to help whenever and however they can. I have a customer facing role in the high-tech world so I'm a little sensitive to everything getting pushed back as a customer service issue, when a lot of time it's not but their role is the one that gets blamed for every company or product issue.

Good luck with your build.
Jim