TLDR; Vendor sold a "bolt-on" part that didn't fit. They ghosted me after I asked about it. I filed a credit card dispute and won. Be careful this holiday season.
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Just a heads up for anyone considering buying from "Flex Engineered" during their Black Friday sales. No, that is not their real name, but you can figure it out easily (fabricators of suspension parts and other things). I don't wish to even give them the SEO. I recently had a pretty frustrating experience with them that I feel the need to share. I was going to keep this to myself, but as they are advertising Black Friday savings - I hope to save at least one person from their hassle.
I bought a set of “bolt-on” hood hinges from them, advertised as compatible with the Datsun 240Z. However, when I tried to install them, it was clear they hadn’t properly tested these for the 240Z. The hinges wouldn’t fit because they interfered with the grill mount, which is placed differently on the 240Z than on the 280Z. After some research, it became obvious that "Flex" didn’t take this difference into account. Basically, they used me as a test mule for a product that wasn’t fully developed or properly tested.
The worst part was how they handled it. After I contacted them with photos showing the issue, they initially responded but then went silent for weeks. They even quietly started changing the product page and removing photos to cover up the problem instead of addressing it directly. It wasn’t until I filed a dispute with my credit card company that they sent a return label - no explanation, no apology, just a blank email with the label.
If you’re thinking about purchasing from them, especially during their sale, I’d recommend being cautious. Your purchase might go off without a hitch. But my experience showed they might release products before they’re properly tested, and they don’t handle customer issues very professionally. There are other vendors who prioritize quality and honesty with the Datsun community - "Flex Engineered" just doesn’t seem to be one of them.
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Edit:
Apex Engineered