Man, spend the extra thousand!!!!
I read postings on how good "Direct Lifts" were supposed to be, so I bought one recently (4 post pro pack 9 plus) and had hidden damage from shipping which gouged and scraped it all up (on the bottom where the main runway is) and Greg Smith equipment so far has advised that when it leaves their store, its mine and not their responsibility (even tho I paid for them to ship it, they choose the shipping, and they haven’t answered the question of if they check the bottom of the 2500 package at their warehouse before it leaves), They first advised me for two weeks that they were filing a claim with the shipping company and waiting for a response, only to then tell me that it was my problem to file a claim. There are stickers on the box to call immediately if you see damage, but if you cant see it unless you unpack it...............?? But I did call them immediately at the loading dock and advised it had some scratches i could see (not real bad where i COULD see) and advised there was a loose bolt that had fallen out of the packaging.........Greg Smith Equipment assured me to unpack it and if there was a problem to contact them! When I finally got it all unpacked and flipped the runway over it was scraped and gouged from one end to the other with mild dents.
So after two weeks of doing the foot work of getting prices for powder coating, or a suitable textured paint (like the tech recommended), and waiting for a response, I get an email from Greg Smith Equipment saying to call and file it myself and now give the shipping co. a price of replacing the runner (I refused the touch up spray paint since it wouldn’t hold up and you would need many, many cans)
Then I find that the wheels have holes too small for the bolts and you have to spend hours re-drilling out the oblong holes, and the bolts have to be put in just right so as not to bind up the wheels. Then the control motor/unit can only be put on one end (not two like they say) the safety release lever is hit by the ramp (if you choose the end with the ramps) and you have to cut/notch out the ramp to be able to use the safety lever to lower your car, and/or not risk the ramp weight moving it for you if you reverse the configuration. It also looks like it will have to be anchored, seems it is way too wobbly to feel safe by putting 6 or 7 thousand pds above my head. Especially by designers who cant get the bolts and holes right, or safety catch clearance, and seem to know about it but dont care!?
Greg Smith equipment advises that the manufacturer is aware of the problems but havent fixed it yet, I wrote the manufacturer and they wouldn’t reply!!! Why would you sell something you have to modify but not tell anyone or fix????
So after 2 weeks and now having to start over, I call again due to my being a bit irritated at this point, to only get to speak with Greg Smith himself (which at first I thought was kind of an honor) who was irritated by me sending an email to his staff indicating that many of my friends looking to buy lifts were disappointed, concerned and wouldn’t buy one unless all the issues were resolved on it. He perceived it as that I was spreading rumors and he was not so professional as he told me to call back and they would hold my hand as I filled out the claim forms………? He also advised for me to just pack it up and ship it back…………(Let me just unbolt it all and find a bog box) I wont go into the rest of it, but it wasn’t a professional response like I thought it would be. I went back and reread my emails I sent to see if I had sent something vulgar or out right rude threatening some sort of massive attack on his company but didn’t find the issue, nor did others.
More icing on the cake, is when I went to use the pro jack 4500, the jack wouldn’t pump up, fortunately the tech at Greg Smith sent me a replacement (have yet to try it).
Anyone buying a "Direct Lift" might want to ask some questions or beware, wish I had gone another route!
I have pictures (and some interesting emails) if anyone needs them to see what they may be getting into! Or feel free to stop by my shop with my nice restored car is sitting on the gouged and scraped up new lift! A few mods and parts and it seems to work fine now, just don’t look at it in the light! Good thing we car guys can modify and make things work!
Or is the extra $300 just for the Rotary name?![gtoblade](http://<a href="http://s673.photobucket.com/albums/vv98/gtoblade/?action=view¤t=11-05-09_1735.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i673.photobucket.com/albums/vv98/gtoblade/11-05-09_1735.jpg" border="0" alt="Direct Lift1"></a>)