[RootHawg]

Just wondering. I see a few folk(not just on this forum) who get to be guinea pigs for companies(bumpers, skids, etc). How does this work and how does a po' boy from s.west PA jump on board or is there something more to it. Knee pads maybe?

 

[usmcdoc14]

It usually help if you:
1) are local to the place developing the product
2) have some sort of "pull" in the industry (magazine writer, own website, own/moderate forums)

Companies are not likely to have you test products unless they:
can get something out of it. either media coverage or first hand design input.
You are "known" and not some random dude on the other side of the country. (its not a smart idea to just send some guy some stuff and never hear about it again :laughing: )

Check to see if there are companies developing products in your area and if they need a test vehicle.
It sucks being in Virginia as there are not a whole hella of a lot of places developing JK products that are local and I have 2 JK's in the driveway :laughing:

Just don't claim to be someone you ARE NOT as it will bite you in the arse. (Like claiming you represent a company or website without permission of the owners) And may get you in legal trouble as well as have the product forcefully removed from your vehicle at 3am. :grinpimp:

 

[RootHawg]

I see. Guess I'm in the same boat as you then. Nothing around my neck of the woods. Oh well, at least I understand it know. Thanks.

 

[NE Wrangling]

AtoZ Fabrications is from PA you should give them a ring and ask for Zach. Maybe he has a need since he doesn't have much yet for the JK.

 

[Alec W]

I got some free stuff from Poison Spyder Customs in Denver because I work 50 feet away from them and they wanted to use my Jeep for some pics for their web site.

One other thing I’ve noticed is that venders tend to sell the first few of their products a little cheaper. Getting in early had saved me some cash but there’s obviously a risk

 

[RootHawg]

AtoZ would be a cool if they were on my side of the state. Good 4-6 hour drive away for me one way. Oh well...at least some of you guys do good. Cheers:beer:

 

[wanderingtrail]

I have turned down stuff from vendors and manufacturer's because they wanted the caviate that I don't write anything bad, only good praise about their product. I said "Bite me, I call it as it is!" If you send me a screwed up product, or one that doesn't live up to what you wrote in your press release, I'll let everyone know. I also like to call companies customer service and see how they handle things when I do test a product. It's hard to get into it, and if you don't want to sing praises, a lot of companies are really hesitant to do anything.

Ron

 

[usmcdoc14]

I have turned down stuff from vendors and manufacturer's because they wanted the caviate that I don't write anything bad, only good praise about their product. I said "Bite me, I call it as it is!" If you send me a screwed up product, or one that doesn't live up to what you wrote in your press release, I'll let everyone know. I also like to call companies customer service and see how they handle things when I do test a product. It's hard to get into it, and if you don't want to sing praises, a lot of companies are really hesitant to do anything.

Ron

I have NEVER had a company request a "good" review, ever.
If their product sucks they should not be fishing for praise.
In todays world of forums like here a overly BS review would get torn apart. A simple google search would pick this up and they would get 10 times the bad press.

Either is a quality product or not, and if its not they better not send it to me. And if they give me some "condition" that the review needs to be good they will regret that. Even if its the best thing I have ever seen I would write it up like it was a dog turd in powder coating :laughing: :devil:

 

[scrogg]

But as a "guinea pig" jeep I'm sure they (vendors) wouldn't strictly be looking for just positive feedback from you. They would be, hopefully, looking for any kind of truthful feedback that would allow them to improve on their product. Which is usually why they would/should test items with their own jeeps or with willing consumers that realize it is for R&D purposes.

Just fabricating a product and throwing out to the public would be reckless in a way.