Frequenty Asked Questions

• How do I contact you? What are your business hours?

  The IPD Group is a real brick and mortar business.  We employ a helpful Customer Service staff to answer your questions and take your order. 

  Give us a call during business hours: 888-773-1212 (or 503-257-7500.)

  You can also send email to sales@rallitek.com and we'll answer your questions as quickly as we can.

  Our business hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM (17:00) Pacific Standard Time. 

  The current date and time at our location is Wednesday, May 22, 2013 - 2:18:12 PM (14:18).

• Does the RalliTEK have a store where I can buy or pick up merchandise?

  Yes we do.  Here is a link to Google maps.

  Click here for more information about our facility.

• Shipping Information
  • How much does it cost to ship this item?
    We get lots of emails asking us to quote freight.  It is faster if you do it by using the real-time freight calculator on our website. 
  • How long does it take to get my parts?
    This really depends on how the item is shipped.  See the freight calculator on the website for transit times.
  • Why won't you ship my large item by postal/mail?
    In May 2007 the United States Postal Service imposed new dimensional limits on packages.  The new limits mean that we can't ship large items like our sway bar kits and aluminum skid plates via Parcel Post any longer.   This has definitely created problems for APO/FPO addresses and many International customers.
  • Do you ship Internationally?
    Yes, we ship worldwide.
  • What shipping companies or couriers do you use?
    We primarily use UPS, USPS (Postal/Mail) and BAX (Burlington Air Express.) 
  • Can you ship my stuff cheaper?
    Maybe but it really depends on what we are shipping.  Small shipments (under 50 pounds) really aren't worth shopping around as the savings is small.  Bigger shipments could potentially save some money using BAX over UPS.
  • Are duties and taxes included in your shipping quotes and charges?
    No. Taxes and Import duties may be collected by the carrier upon delivery
  • Can you mark the items at a lesser declared value or as a gift for customs so I can avoid paying taxes and duties?
  • Absolutely not.  You don't stay in business for over 40 years by disobeying the law. In order to continue exporting products and avoid fines, we will not break the law.
  • How long does International Shipping take?
    This of course depends on the method used.  UPS Worldwide takes 3-7 days depending on priority.  Postal Mail can take up to a month depending on the mail system in the destination country.
• Returns and Warranty Information
  • What is your return policy?
    We guarantee your complete satisfaction or you can return the product within 90 days.  No refunds on books, digital media (like DVDs) or installed electrical parts.
  • Can I return a product if I change my mind and it has been over 90 days?
    Yes, but depending on the condition of the product and the current market value, we may not refund you the full purchase price of the product.
  • Is there a restocking fee?
    After 90 days we may charge a restocking percentage for products that are returned for non-warranty reasons.  Items that are not in resaleable condition will also incur a restocking fee.
  • What is a core charge?
    Many rebuilt products have a refundable core charge associated with them.  This means that we may be able to credit you for the core if it's in rebuildable condition and you return the old used part in the box we sent you the new one in.
  • How do I claim a warranty?
    The best way to start this process is to contact one of our Customer Service Representatives.
  • Who pays for shipping on a return?
    This depends on the reason for the return.  If you changed your mind and are returning a product, we will not cover the shipping. If we made a mistake or a product failed under warranty, then we will cover the shipping.
  • What do I need to do to prepare my return and where do I send it?
    You will first need to contact our Customer Service Department and get a (RRN) Return Reference Number. They will instruct you on where and how to return product. You can call or email sales@rallitek.com
  • What is a RRN (Return Reference Number?)
    We use the RRN to help ensure that your return gets refunded to you.  It is amazing how many packages we get back with no documentation or information as to where and who it came from.  You can simply write the RRN on the outside of the box and we will know who it came from and why it was returned.
  • How will you credit me back for my return?
    We usually credit back using the method that the product was originally paid for.  So if you paid with a credit card, we will issue the credit to that card.  You can request an alternate credit method.
  • How long will my return/refund take to process?
    This depends on the nature of the return.  A simple returned product is usually credited within a week of it arriving at our warehouse.  Warranty credits can take longer depending on the situation (for example shock refunds are dependent upon the manufacturer's evaluation of the failed product.)
• Shock Absorber Warranty Information (Bilstein)

  99% of all shocks and struts we submit for warranty to Bilstein, Koni and Sachs for noise issues are rejected and returned to us because there is nothing wrong with them.

  If your suspension starts making noises soon after replacing your shocks, it would be a good idea to check for other worn out suspension parts. New shocks will increase strain on other parts of the suspension. Please don't assume the shocks are going bad because they are the most recent suspension part you had installed.

  Shocks and struts rarely fail in such a way as to make noise. Squeaking noises are usually caused by swaybar or other bushings that are worn or need lubrication. Clunking noises are almost always worn out bushings, upper strut bearings or even swaybar end links.

  Condition		Warranty Status
  Coating of film on shock body or piston rod. A completely normal occurrence, not defective		Normal condition, no replacement necessary.
  Signs of abuse, improper installation, broken or bent rods, collision damage or modification. Also, shocks used for racing or in race cars.		Warranty has been invalidated.
  Unbroken piston rod is separated from shock body.		Include note describing problem, return for evaluation.
  Compression depth seems off--check by fully compressing shock and comparing distance "x" to that of a new shock, same part number. If variance between old and new shock exceeds 3/8" (10mm), old shock is defective. Exception: Strut cartridges must compress to their internal bumpstop.		Include note describing problem, return for evaluation.
  Clicking noise, plus pronounced endplay--when piston rod is held downwards, compressed halfway, then quickly moved up and down an inch or so in each direction.		Include note describing problem, return for evaluation.

• Do you keep my credit number on file? How secure is my personal data?

  We are committed to safeguarding your personal data.

  Our web site only stores your credit card number until we pull your order from the web server.  While the number is temporarily stored on the web server, it is stored with 256-bit encryption in a secure database.  Our web server meets PCI compliance and is scanned daily by McAfee Secure.

  Our web site is not hosted by a web hosting service.  It is not a shared server running hundreds of other sites.  It is our own server running only our own web sites and we know what software is installed on it. Our server is a self contained application server and does not use any external systems for data storage.  Direct access to this machine is extremely limited and the machine itself is sitting in a secure data center. 

  Our internal order processing system utilizes user security and limits what users can do on the system including access credit card numbers.    Once a customer service representative has entered your card number and closed your order, the card number is no longer visible to them.  You will need to give us your card number each time you place a new order.  A very small number of employees have access to your card number after initial order entry.

  We have two layers of firewall protection shielding our internal network from the Internet. All web inbound traffic is filtered and all our Windows machines have current anti-virus/ant-spyware software. All Windows machines are continually updated with current security patches and our users have limited access permissions. We also actively encourage the use of Firefox internally for web browsing.

• Do you share my personal data? (email, address, phone, etc.)

  We are committed to safeguarding the privacy of our customers.

  We will will ask you to supply various personal data when placing an order, such as name and address, credit-card information, email address and what vehicles you own.  We use this data only for the purpose of filling an order or communicating with the customer or supplier about the status of an order.  We also use email and mailing addresses for sales promotions.

  We treat this customer information as private and confidential, and we will not disclose this information to other individuals or organizations unless required by law.

  We will not distribute any customer information to be used in mailing lists, surveys, or any other purpose other than what is required to perform our services.

  We DO NOT sell our customers lists.

• When does my credit card get charged for an order? Can you charge me in advance?

  We do not charge credit cards until the products on your order are confirmed as shipping.  Your card only gets charged when your order hits our shipping system.

  Here is the step-by-step process:

  1. You place your order.
  2. When the products are available to fill your order, your order is allocated against our warehouse stock.
  3. Allocated orders have the credit card charge authorized (reserved but not yet captured) for the items on that allocation.
  4. Parts are pulled and packed by warehouse staff.
  5. Packed orders are scanned in to our shipping system
  6. Shipping system notifies our main system that the order has shipped.
  7. Card funds are captured (charge is finalized.)

  You may cancel your order any time before it ships and your card won't be charged.

  We cannot charge your credit card in advance.  This can only be done when using PayPal as a payment method.

• I don't see a part I am looking for on your website. Do you have it? Can you get it?

  Our website may not have all of the products we sell because we have so many part numbers, but we are working to make the website as complete as possible.  Our website is far more current and complete than our catalogs and we are adding new items almost daily.

  If you are seeking a product that we have not sold before or currently do not have listings for, we may be able to source it through one of our various suppliers.  We recommend you contact our Customer Service Department for special order items.

• Your website shows a part as out of stock. When will it be available?

  That really depends on a variety of factors. We list a lot of products that we do not actually stock because it is simply bad business sense to tie up cash with slow moving stock.  

  We try not to list any items that are not readily available from one or more of our wholesale suppliers.  Typically, anything we don't currently have in stock is available to ship to you within a few days.

  If there are no commitments against a slow moving product, we may not bring it in until there is a commitment against it. 

  Our website shows purchase order estimated arrival times, but that does not guarantee we will have stock available for new orders by that date.   We may only have enough product coming in to satisfy the current demand.  If you really want the product, we recommend you place an order for it so we know there is demand and can get the appropriate quantities coming from our supplier. We will notify you if the item will be back ordered and you can always cancel your order.  You don't need to worry about us holding on to your money because we never charge your credit card until the product actually ships.

• Does RalliTEK offer free shipping if I buy a certain amount of product?

  Generally, we don't offer a free shipping purchase level, but there are times that we do have free shipping promotions that last for a limited time.  We typically send out post cards and emails stating when this will occur.

  That being said, there are times that we will reduce or eliminate the shipping costs of large orders or for repeat customers.

• Does RalliTEK offer volume discounts on products?

  Not normally, but anything is possible.  Please contact our Customer Service Department to find out.

• Does RalliTEK offer a Club/Forum/Military/Senior discount?

  RalliTEK does not have a set pricing discount for forum/club members but we frequently run sales promotions and sales on our products.   We do keep the prices on our maintanence and repair items very competitive.  Please contact our customer service department with any questions regarding this.

• Will adding aftermarket performance products void my car's factory warranty?

  U.S. Federal law sets forth requirements for warranties and contains a number of provisions to prevent vehicle manufacturers, dealers and others from unjustly denying warranty coverage. With regard to aftermarket parts, the spirit of the law is that warranty coverage cannot be denied simply because such parts are present on the vehicle, or have been used. The warranty coverage can be denied only if the aftermarket part caused the malfunction or damage for which warranty coverage is sought. Disputes in this area usually boil down to arguments over facts and technical opinions, rather than arguments over interpretations of the law.

   

  1.The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (15 U.S.C. 2302(C))

  This federal law regulates warranties for the protection of consumers. The essence of the law concerning aftermarket auto parts is that a vehicle manufacturer may not condition a written or implied warranty on the consumers using parts or services which are identified by brand, trade, or corporate name (such as the vehicle maker's brand) unless the parts or service are provided free of charge. The law means that the use of an aftermarket part alone is not cause for denying the warranty. However, the law's protection does not extend to aftermarket parts in situations where such parts actually caused the damage being claimed under the warranty. Further, consumers are advised to be aware of any specific terms or conditions stated in the warranty which may result in its being voided. The law states in relevant part:

  No warrantor of a consumer product may condition his written or implied warranty of such product on the consumers using, in connection with such product, any article or service (other than article or service provided without charge under the terms of the warranty) which is identified by brand, trade or corporate name... (15 U.S.C. 2302(C)).

  2. Clean Air Act Warranty Provisions (42 U.S.C. S 7541 (C) (3) (B))

  The federal Clean Air Act requires vehicle makers to provide two emissions-related warranties -- a production warranty and a performance warranty. Theproduction warrantyrequires the vehicle maker to warrant that the vehicle is designed, built and equipped so that it conforms with emissions requirements at the time of sale. Theperformance warranty requires the vehicle maker to warrant that the vehicle will comply with applicable emissions requirements as tested under state vehicle emissions inspection programs for the warranty periods specified in the law (for model year 1995 and later vehicles, the warranty is 2 years/24,000 miles for all emissions-related parts and 8 years/80,000 miles for the catalytic converter, electronic emissions control unit and on-board diagnostic device). The performance warranty is conditioned on the vehicle being properly maintained and operated.

  Like the Magnuson-Moss Act, vehicle manufacturers may not refuse warranty repairs under the Clean Air Acts performance and defect warranties merely because aftermarket parts have been installed on the vehicle. The only circumstance under which the vehicle manufacturer can void the emissions warranties is if an aftermarket part is responsible for (causes) the warranty claim.

   

  Additional Information:

  http://www.sema.org/main/semaorghome.aspx?ID=50096

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnuson-Moss_Warranty_Act

  http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode15/usc_sup_01_15_10_50.html

  http://www.lemon-law-explained.com/magnuson-moss-warranty-act.html