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New JK Owner - Bought Fake MOAB Wrangler! :(

25K views 102 replies 38 participants last post by  RubiCajun 
#1 ·
Chachi checking in with all you JKowners.com members! I am a new JK owner with a 2008 Jeep Wrangler X that you will hear more about below. Really, this thread isn’t just an introduction thread, but also a warning as well. It is long, so bear with me here…….

Quick History:
I am a former Jeep sales guy from two different dealerships over the 5 years I was in the business. I started with a Jeep dealership that had the franchise locally for years, but I got tired of working for the sales manager there. Right around the time I decided to leave that dealership for the local Ford/Dodge/Chrysler shop, Jeep became a Daimler/Chrysler product, and they moved the franchise to the dealership that I moved to. So, as luck would have it, I got to sell Jeeps the entire time I was in the business! I did purchase a 2007 Jeep Patriot shortly after leaving the dealership, which I owned until Thursday of last week. It was traded in for a 2008 Jeep Wrangler X, that I thought was a MOAB Industries Wrangler because of the lift and aftermarket goodies it had on it. Yes, I did say that I thought it was a MOAB Wrangler. Here is where the story gets good!

2007 Jeep Wrangler X – MOAB Industries Edition (Or, so I thought):
So, I used to work at the Jeep dealer as I mentioned above, so I still have buddies working there. I told them I am starting to look for a Wrangler, and if he gets something good in, to let me know. So about 2 weeks ago he calls and says that he is taking in a really nice one, and I’ll have to come see it when it gets in. So a few days go by and he calls me and says I had better get down to check it out because it may not be around long. So I head down and see this nice looking lifted Wrangler sitting there with MOAB on the fender. Having sold Jeeps before, I remember a company that builds some cool looking Wranglers called MOAB, so I was sure that is what it was. My sales guy friend thinks it is a MOAB Wrangler too, as all the suspension matches and looks nicely done. I test drive it and commit to buy it right there. The next day, I do some research on MOAB Industries to learn about what they do, and on their website it says the following:

CAUTION.......
Beware of Counterfeit MOAB WRANGLERS by a group in Oregon

Guess what? I am in Oregon! I just bought a MOAB Wrangler! So, I email MOAB Industries and tell them I just bought one, and no more than two minutes later I have a call from the owner of MOAB Industries. The owner’s first question to me was if my Jeep has stickers that say “MOAB Industries” or “MOAB Performance”. I reply with “MOAB Performance” and all I hear is the sound of a wince from the owner. He says that he is pretty sure mine is a counterfeit version. Lame, right? He proceeds to tell me that there is a guy that they think is working out of a Hertz dealership in Eugene, Oregon that is building these Jeeps and selling them. He is doing the same style of lifts that the real MOAB is doing, and even the decals they put on use the same exact font that the real MOAB Industries uses. The owner then tells me that they have legal action in the works against this guy for essentially ripping off their business model, and another buyer had this happen to him too, and is putting together a lawsuit. He asked if needed, if I would be willing to write a statement to assist in the lawsuit to which I agreed whole heartedly. But what really impressed me about the owner of the real MOAB Industries is how he explained why this situation frustrated him. He said that his business started as a hobby to make really cool and capable Jeeps. He wants something that a guy could do some serious off road driving on the weekend, yet takes his kids to school in the same Jeep on the following Monday. He said that he personally works on each Jeep through his shop, and that he doesn’t like something driving around out there with his name on it, that he didn’t have a hand in building. It concerns him for safety reasons, as well as quality. Of course he also doesn’t like the fact that some jerk is using his idea and business concept to profit from. The final piece to this that just sold me on MOAB is that even though he had nothing to do with my purchase of this knock-off MOAB Wrangler, he offered to do what needed to be done to make it right. Even if that meant looking over my JK to see what needs to be done to make it into a MOAB Industries Wrangler, he offered to do it. That is really stepping up to make sure your product and your reputation is being portrayed correctly in the marketplace.

So, at this point I have a fake MOAB Wrangler, and we will see what the future holds. All in all, I love my Wrangler and I am happy to finally be part of the club! Thanks guys!

Moral to this story? Be careful with what you buy! Do research! And, MOAB Industries is a top notch company, with phenomenal customer service! When I am ready to buy another Wrangler, it will be a MOAB Industries Wrangler for real!

 
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#9 ·
Forget about that Moab crap. Its a lifted JK. No issue unless you paid extra for one modified by the Moab guys. Then I'd fight to get some money back. But the bottom line is you have a sweet looking lifted rig. I wouldn't sweat it.

Welcome to JKO:beer:
 
#14 ·
Welcome to JKO!

I'm personally not impressed by the MOAB Jeep website you linked but all I saw were color matched suspension parts.

If you worked for that dealer and are good friends with them why not go back and discuss something else if you feel you were mislead? I hope they didn't sucker you into paying extra for the "Moab Jeep"!
 
#17 ·
Thanks for the welcome everyone, and sorry for the long OP. To clarify a few things, I did buy a used Jeep, yes. No, I didn’t pay extra for the MOAB package, but I did pay more for the lift. I don’t feel cheated or anything by the dealership, and have had open discussions with them. They took it in as a lifted Jeep, not as a MOAB Jeep. They were in it a certain amount, and they even told what they were in it. I paid a certain amount over that for their profit, and I am content with the deal. Now, I did buy it thinking that I had just purchased a MOAB Jeep, and it turns out that isn’t what it is. With that said, I think it is lame that someone is out there doing this. Regardless if you like the MOAB stuff or not, it is criminal what the counterfeiter is doing, and I am on board with trying to stop him. I didn’t mean to make my post sound like an infomercial as someone accused me of. I just wanted to get my story out of my first JK purchase, which has been anything but normal. Anytime a company steps up with excellent customer service, I feel that I should let people know about it.

Anyways, thanks again for the welcome, and I’ll keep this thread updated as I find out further information.
 
#19 ·
Various companies use the same name with minor differences. If it was a knock off it would have been the same name. Bottom line is I don't see where it matters for you or the other company since very few people would actually go out looking for that company's product since all they do is re-brand a lift and put stickers on it anyway. Good luck with your jeep and have fun wheeling.
 
#21 ·
Really? It shouldn't matter to the guy that started MOAB Industries that another guy is using close to the same name (MOAB Industries vs. MOAB Performance), same font for the logo, and building essentially the same product. I think if it were me, I would be mad. Sure, immitation is flattery, but that only goes so far. It can also be lost profits if people are buying the other's guy product while thinking they are buying your product. So yes, despite what you say, it would/did/does matter to the guy that started MOAB Industries.

Again, I thank you for your welcomes and comments. I get it that most of you don't care for MOAB Industries, as that is fine and your choice of course. My point was to just let you know my purchase story and introduce myself, not get the feedback of your thoughts and opinions on MOAB Industries, but I do appreciate them.
 
#20 ·
Welcome to JKO!
 
#26 ·
Wow, friendly board here. Well, again thank you for the welcomes. Don't worry, I'm not really bothered by the trolls, I just didn't expect them to show up so quickly in an intro thread. But hey, this is the interwebs and people get to be whomever they want to be, right? Anyways, if your not interested, don't post. Pretty simple really.

Oh, and Happy Feet Dan, it is ok if you don't get my posts or don't care. It just would help to read the whole post before you comment and make yourself look like such a douche. But hey, that's cool, you can be whomever you want! Douche nozzle and all! :thefinger:

Botom line really is that I like the Jeep I purchased. I was trying to warn potential buyers out there, that is all. But hey, since nobody wants to touch MOAB Industries even with Dancin Dan's penis, it shouldn't be an issue then, right? :laughing:
 
#30 ·
Hey, thanks Charlie. I hear you, and if you like him, that is perfectly fine and I won't hold it against you. :D Thanks again for the welcome, and this board already is answering a lot of questions for me.

to the op think The Chad had this happen as well...think it came from oregon too:pissed:
Really? Hmmm, I'll have to look for him then. The guy from MOAB did tell me about another guy that this happened to, and he is working with him on the legal process against the faker. Thanks for the tip nootherride!
 
#29 ·
to the op think The Chad had this happen as well...think it came from oregon too:pissed:
 
#31 ·
So let me get this all straight in my head..

You bought a JK thinking it was "built" by "Moab Industries" who from my quick review of thier website takes other peoples products, powder coats them to look like a package Skittles so you can match up parts like Garanimals clothing, rebrands them and sells theses packages to dealers.. But what you got was a Wrangler built by "Moab Performance" who takes other peoples parts, powder coats them like a package of Skittles so you can match up parts like Garanimals clothing, rebrands them and sells these packages to whoever..

Now to be clear, I'm not trying to slight "Moab Industries" though I have never heard of them.. they may be good at "installing" parts so that there is no death wobble and is careful to make sure everything is done right. This in-itself does have some value. But at the end of the day, all they are doing is installing parts.. they aren't making anything. There are many companies that do this.. DSI and FORTEC come to mind.. though I think FORTEC might actually be making a few things or at least changing the design of other peoples lifts like the ProComp lift they install on brand new Jeeps at the dealer. DSI (Dealer Services International) is actually 4WheelParts/Transamerica.


My advice to you is to take your rig to someone who knows WTF they are looking at so they can tell you what you got.. hell if you post up some good pics JKO members will be able to give you a good idea.

Above ALL that.... Welcome to JKO.. ;) :beer:
 
#32 ·
So let me get this all straight in my head.
I don't want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don't want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed. You know, as a career, I don't want to do that.


:beer:
 
#34 ·
Here is the deal.... Hertz car sales was buying jeeps from Moab industries, a built lifted jeep with FULL factory warranty, then they decided to cut out the middle man they started throwing on half assed lifts and marking all parts as Moab performance, they did this to me and it cost them a nice chunk of change, which put me into my 4dr. Go after their ass. The Eugene hertz store is the one building these


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#40 ·
I've never heard of Moab Industries either so I don't have any input either way it sounds like both companies are doing the same thing. Welcome to the JKO
Oh and if you didn't pay more for the "MOAB" it probably doesnt matter much. You'll pull all the decals off and change all those parts in the next few years anyway. Have fun!:beer:
 
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