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Hugo Stiglitz
Samba Member
Joined: August 07, 2009
Posts: 782
Location: Southern California
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 Posted: Tue May 29, 2012 4:49 pm Post subject: George Ades - https://www.cr8-one.com - CR8APL8 |
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Wanted to get this out there for anyone looking to buy a plate from this guy. His site has come up in threads a couple of times, but I haven't heard of anyone actually buying a plate from him. Simply put, this guy is a joke.
I will let the correspondence speak for itself:
I got an email back with 4 or 5 computer renderings of the black CA plates. That didn't really answer my question, so I replied back:
| I wrote: |
| Thanks for the reply, but it is still hard to tell from the pictures. Is it painted to look like it is stamped? Or is it a true stamped plate? |
I read here on TS that the plate that was received was metal with an image of a license plate painted/airbrushed on, certainly not something I would want to spend money on. If I'm going to do it, I want to make sure I'm buying the real thing. This was the response I received (I am not editing any of this).
| CR8APL8 wrote: |
| Sir: You are an immature kid. You are possibly a total moron. You better get glasses on those eyes. You can't be for real or you live inside a comic book. And for sure, for sure, you can't read. Please no more emails until you get laid at least once. |
My response:
| I wrote: |
| You just lost my business a** hole. Go f*** yourself. |
Then the emails started going back and fourth:
| Quote: |
CR8APL8: "I do. At least twice a day. In the lobby of the bank. 400 orders a day. NO one has a problem, ever once. But you. Chief we know our customers and you're not one of them. Someone who really really needs and wants one just buys."
Me: Thought you'd be doing better than 400 orders a day. Must be losing business to licenseplates.tv. Too bad you've got your head so far up your a** you can't see how out of touch you are you old Grecian bastard. |
It was then that I realized licenseplates.tv wasn't making plates for CA any longer.  But I was dead set on having a custom black/yellow plate for my restore. So I waited a few days, buried my pride and ordered a set from CR8APL8.
I placed the order on 4/11/12. A note on the confirmation page stated 1-2 weeks turn around time for plates. I waited 2 weeks before making a phone call, when I did the phone was answered by a crusty voice stating "Let me guess, wanting to know where your plates are? They'll be another two weeks!" *click* (I didn't even have a chance to say hello). I waited another 2 weeks and called back, same crusty voice answered, but this time he was decent (sarcastic tone) "Thanks for calling cr8apl8..." I told him I ordered the plate a month ago and still hadn't received them. I then got a quick response of "Their shipping in 5 days" *click* He didn't ask for an order number, confirmation number, email address, anything. Clearly just a cookie cutter answer he feeds to anyone who calls looking for an ETA.
It's now 5/29/12. I called again today after the plates still hadn't arrived in the mail. Actually held a conversation with him, but again got a generic answer of "they're shipping in a couple of days..." However, he did mention that the plates were made in Costa Rica and just arrived in San Pedro. So who knows when I'll get them. Nice to have $200 tied up in limbo. I'm also waiting on them to get in so I can put my tags on and actually drive the car on the highway.
I'll update this thread with any additional correspondence. My $0.02, avoid this guy like the plague.
Here's a few links with reviews. The BBB has him rated with an F. Wish I would have searched prior to ordering.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/cr8apl8-com-tustin
http://www.la.bbb.org/business-reviews/Automobile-...-100019672
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jeffh355
Samba Member
Joined: January 14, 2005
Posts: 51
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| Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2012 3:44 pm Post subject: |
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| Did you ever get your plates????? |
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Hugo Stiglitz
Samba Member
Joined: August 07, 2009
Posts: 782
Location: Southern California
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| Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 2:15 pm Post subject: |
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I did eventually get my plates.
I will have to get exact dates when I'm back home on when I received it, but short of the long is there was some legal issues with the State of California holding the plates at customs for an extended period of time.
They sent a poorly written letter explaining in vague details what could be expected, then a couple of weeks later I got an email stating they had the plates in hand and wanted to know if I still wanted them shipped to me.
If I'm remembering correctly it was late June/early July before I got the plate. Apparently, they were given a cease and desist order effective July 2012 for CA plates. But you're still able to place an order for one on their site to this day...
Can't be certain what was the truth and what was a lie to cover up shoddy business practices, all I can say is I'm glad I got the plate and I'm satisfied with the quality.
Will I ever do business with them again? No. Would I recommend? No.
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jhicken
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Joined: October 24, 2003
Posts: 9480
Location: Fallbrook, CA
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| Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 2:54 pm Post subject: |
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So, was it a metal or plastic plate? I went through the same crap with the guy, he assured me that they were identical to the originals and that an expert couldn't even tell the difference. I told him that I was looking to replace a missing original CA black plate and he told me the same line about thousands of happy customers. So I pulled the trigger and ordered a new set. Two months later when I got them they were plastic. I was pissed. I went through a series of emails with a similar tone as yours and I told him I wanted to send them back. He told me couldn't take them back because they were custom made. I told him he mis-represented the product and on his website he said that there was a 100% satisfaction guarantee sent him a screen capture]. He said tough shit. I told him that I'd contact my credit card company and he then told me that there was nothing even they could do.
So I called my credit card company, forwarded the less than professional e-mail chain, and i got my money back. The dude is a dick.
I'll admit that from 10ft away they look ok, but these were not metal and not worth the price I paid.
-jeffrey
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Hugo Stiglitz
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Joined: August 07, 2009
Posts: 782
Location: Southern California
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| Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 2:22 pm Post subject: |
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| jhicken wrote: |
So, was it a metal or plastic plate? I went through the same crap with the guy, he assured me that they were identical to the originals and that an expert couldn't even tell the difference. I told him that I was looking to replace a missing original CA black plate and he told me the same line about thousands of happy customers. So I pulled the trigger and ordered a new set. Two months later when I got them they were plastic. I was pissed. I went through a series of emails with a similar tone as yours and I told him I wanted to send them back. He told me couldn't take them back because they were custom made. I told him he mis-represented the product and on his website he said that there was a 100% satisfaction guarantee sent him a screen capture]. He said tough shit. I told him that I'd contact my credit card company and he then told me that there was nothing even they could do.
So I called my credit card company, forwarded the less than professional e-mail chain, and i got my money back. The dude is a dick.
I'll admit that from 10ft away they look ok, but these were not metal and not worth the price I paid.
-jeffrey |
Yep, sounds about right. And as I go back through the yelp link I posted, it looks like more people continue to chime in with the same treatment.
I paid for one plate at $160, with shipping it was almost $200 (From Tustin to Lake Elsinore - if you're familiar with the area, roughly 15 miles by the way the crow flies). The plate is metal and I'm satisfied with the overall product, but I will avoid them like the plague in the future because of their horrific treatment of their customers.
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jhicken
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Joined: October 24, 2003
Posts: 9480
Location: Fallbrook, CA
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| Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 2:24 pm Post subject: |
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You say it's metal, is it embossed like an original? How close to an original does it look? Do you think it'll pass a cop test?
-jeffrey
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Hugo Stiglitz
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Joined: August 07, 2009
Posts: 782
Location: Southern California
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| Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2013 4:41 pm Post subject: |
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| jhicken wrote: |
You say it's metal, is it embossed like an original? How close to an original does it look? Do you think it'll pass a cop test?
-jeffrey |
Yes it is embossed like an original. It looks like an old CA plate. Not sure how their NJ plates look and not sure who strict a cop would be out there.
I'm sure if they really wanted to be a dick, they could hit you for forging a government "document" or something like that. But really it's no harm, no foul. As long as the plates match what's registered to the car, what difference should it make? The YOM plates from that era in CA weren't reflective paint or anything. I doubt a cop would even catch it to be honest.
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jhicken
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Joined: October 24, 2003
Posts: 9480
Location: Fallbrook, CA
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| Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2013 6:00 pm Post subject: |
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Interesting, because the set I receive were plastic. Evidently he found someone to produce metal ones for him.
FWIW, I was looking to match the original CA black plate on my '69. It is an original Cali car.
-jeffrey
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Hugo Stiglitz
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Joined: August 07, 2009
Posts: 782
Location: Southern California
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| Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2013 10:35 am Post subject: |
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| jhicken wrote: |
Interesting, because the set I receive were plastic. Evidently he found someone to produce metal ones for him.
FWIW, I was looking to match the original CA black plate on my '69. It is an original Cali car.
-jeffrey |
Oh, I see. Yea - apparently the metal ones are stamped down is South America and he has them shipped in. According to him, that's what took so long - the shipment my plate was in got held up at customs for months. Then he was given a cease and desist order from the state of CA. All a likely story because as I check his website, they're still selling CA replicas.
A viable option for you (If you have the original plate) may be a plate restoration service.
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Bench-Racing
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Joined: November 21, 2008
Posts: 1
Location: Orange County California
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| Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2014 9:15 am Post subject: |
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| I paid for plates on September 2nd 2013. After several rude email responses and 7 months no plates and no response to my last 3 email inquiries. I had AMEX pull the plug. |
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