What we need is a
forum to warn other people about companies who rip off the consumer. I won’t mention the company’s name due to their insistence in using a lawyer for remarks made about them in 4X4 forums but this is what happen to me.
I have been considering installing a tuning module into my Hilux. At the time I had two choices DTRONIC or TUNIT. I decided on the Tunit due to the added value of the self-adjustment if I decide to modify the vehicle in the future and be able to use it on other vehicle models (only my personnel view for those who have a Dtronic).
To see if I could save money I looked on EBay first. I was in luck there was one in the UK but for a Nissan Patrol. So before I place a bid on it, I contacted the then Australian distributor of Tunit to find out if I could install it into a Hilux (but not telling him the Tunit unit was from the UK). He said it can be but needed to re-program to suit the Hilux. So I bought the unit (the unit came with the original invoice, installation instructions and wiring loom).
I sent the unit to the Australian distributor of Tunit. A short time later the Australian distributor of Tunit contacted me telling me, that they are having trouble programming the unit and ask where I bought the unit from. After I told them from EBay, I was informed that there are cheap European copies which have this problem and also that Tunit Australia were having quality problems throughout the Tunit range and are going to be bring out their own brand soon.
(I have looked on their web site recently; both of the units look identical)
I received the unit back. I decided to cut my losses and re-sell the unit back in UK on EBay (thinking it can’t be re-programmed in Australia). Anyway another person in Australia bought it and tried to have it fitted to his vehicle this time by an authorised D#%#%p distributor and because he could not get the unit to work it was sent to D#%#%p (the old Australian distributor of Tunit) to be checked.
He was told that the board was a cheap copy, an incorrect model for his vehicle and was faulty. As you could guess he wanted his money back. I told him that it was only D#%#%p rhetoric because of there dispute with Tunit in the UK. As I sent him the original invoice and instruction manual which proved the unit was correct for his vehicle as
well as not being a fake but he insisted on a refund. So I gave him his money back.
Believing the unit only needed to be reprogrammed I had the unit sent to Tunit via a friend living in the UK.
Tunit contacted me informing me the unit was faulty and asking if I was sure if the unit was fitted to a Nissan Patrol because it is the incorrect type for that vehicle. I told them yes it was and they can verify this because I sent a copy of the invoice with the unit. Tunit reply said the invoice and the serial number on the case matched their records and where for a Nissan Patrol but the board marking was for a common-rail engine and were not compatible with a Patrol. Also they asked if I was from Australia because they think that it board was from an ex-Australian distributor (as my only contact was through my friend’s UK email server I don’t know how they could of know where I was from).
I believe there is only one place the board could of be exchanged but you can make your own conclusions:-
• Not in the UK, I’ve seen a picture of his Patrol and why exchange the board, if it was damaged the unit was still under warranty so it could be repaired (So Unlikely)
• Ex- Australian Tunit distributor who had falling out with Tunit (UK), who would have faulty boards
• My EBay buyer, where would he get a faulty board from? (So Unlikely)
• Tunit (UK) I was told the board was incorrect and faulty before I sent it. (So Unlikely)