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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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#98 ·
Oh, this again? No, it isn't a plug, and I have no affiliation with any of the parties mentioned.

I have no updates as of now, but am enjoying my JK anyways. If something new comes about, I'll update the thread. That way, you can start the "plug" talk all over again! Won't that be fun, witty, smart and cool? :smokin::thefinger:

RubiCajun, I meant no disrespect with the name at all, and in fact I like it quite a bit! It was just a funny name that my buddies were giving me shit for, with what is going on with my Jeep. Thank you though for the warning and heads up! I will say though, it took me a bit to translate, as I thought Bobby Boucher was typing that post! :D
 
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