[Rottweiler]

Well…mine was defective

I installed it and on the first ensuing drive I got an error code related to the cruise control system

Assuming I had a bad connection or had not seated it properly, I took it all apart and carefully reassembled (I also put a small crack in the piece when taking it apart, though this is unseen when assembled)

It was only after this second installation that I realized the left side window was cut too small and the trim was keeping the “resume” button depressed

I had sent multiple emails (increasing in anger) to ATK along with relevant photos, and the only reply I received was a preformatted email explaining their RMA policy

Given the crack in the piece, I doubted that I’d be able to return it so I took it all apart again today and used Kima’s nail dremel to enlarge the left window. Though I haven’t drove the car yet, the “resume” button now functions

All in all, an extremely negative experience re both product quality and customer service

I should’ve followed Burr001 and saved $150 ~ $200 along with this huge headache

https://www.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...php?p=30623495

[dinan5m3]

Auto Tecknic, hrm, did just just commit a suicide with this order?



As for the SW CF trim cover, IIRC OEM has this accessory.

[Rottweiler]

dinan5m3

I had to Google “hrm”

Not sure if I understand the gist of your reply though I do know and respect you on this forum

I paid top dollar for an aftermarket piece that was 💯 shite

I received nada re seller accountability

Hence my post w/ a strongly negative bias

[dinan5m3]

Originally Posted by Rottweiler

dinan5m3


I paid top dollar for an aftermarket piece that was 💯 shite

right, right, but just curious why you didn't go for the OEM CF SW trim plate? Maybe the fitment didn't work out? Curious, that's all.

[Rottweiler]

Originally Posted by dinan5m3

right, right, but just curious why you didn't go for the OEM CF SW trim plate? Maybe the fitment didn't work out? Curious, that's all.

Correct

I found the oem piece for $100 more than ATK plus shipping cost online

I mistakenly bought into a false Auto Tecknic quality rep which I’m hoping to help other Forum members avoid

In hindsight, I would’ve been better off spending $100/$150 tops/all in on an AliExpress product

[dinan5m3]

Originally Posted by Rottweiler

Correct

I mistakenly bought into a false Auto Tecknic quality rep which I’m hoping to help other Forum members avoid

Yeah, well, too late for me now, i'll have to see what sort of shit quality i'll get from them for my SW CF top trim piece.

[Shaun170]

Originally Posted by dinan5m3

right, right, but just curious why you didn't go for the OEM CF SW trim plate? Maybe the fitment didn't work out? Curious, that's all.

I had the OEM Performance carbon steering wheel trim, fit and quality was perfect as expected for £450 but the weave is too small and doesn’t match the rest of the OEM carbon in the car, which for me was strange as the same looking wheel trim say for a G80 M3 (which doesn’t fit a G01 wheel despite looking the same) has the same size weave as the rest of the car.

So I purchased a trim from AliExpress with the same size weave. I had the same issue as Rottweiler although on the other side of the wheel in that the trim just touched the advance track button so there was an issue with audio playback. A bit of sanding of the trim with a nail file board solved the issue.

As far as the quality of Auto Tecknic sold items, personally I have never bought from them as their prices are on the high side and shipping from the U.S to the U.K is so expensive it makes it not financially worth it. But where do people assume AT buy their products from? I very much doubt that they personally manufacture anything, they are just buying it in from China. All this non OEM stuff is made in China. All AT do is buy in bulk and get a better deal per piece and then mark it up and sell it on. The only advantage you get with buying from them is a quicker delivery time and a better chance of returning a defective product.

For example, I’m after a carbon front grill surround as my next mod. I’m not paying nearly £600 for an OEM one! I found a company in the U.K selling an identical copy with the incorporated grill badge part (a lot of the aftermarket grills don’t have a badge mount) delivered in the U.K for £400, a £200 saving over OEM. Pictures of the part looked very good. I then searched on Ali and found the exact same part, even the same photos of the part fitted on a car the same as on the U.K sellers website for £99! With tax and shipping took it to about £150. So the U.K seller was just buying in from china and adding £250! That’s all AT are doing.

I purchased a steering wheel top carbon piece from Ali. Most of the clips broke when installing it, despite me being ultra careful, there were enough left for it to still be very well secured. I paid from memory about £150 less than what is for sale on AT’s website. Most of the sellers on Ali are buying from the same Chinese manufacturer of this part, they can’t all be making it individually. It’s almost a dead cert that AT are also buying from the same Chinese manufacturer.

Here is my wheel trims. I think fit and finish is excellent. It’s all from Ali.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cxivv...RlODBiNWFlZA==

[RSV4]

Could you please share the link to Ali? Thx

[Gr8ZongB58]

Thanks for the review Rott and I'm sorry for the loss. I've always looked at autotecknic stuff but something always tells me not to pull the trigger. Your post has confirmed my suspicions, especially being met with that sort of custermer service. No sir!

[Rottweiler]

Originally Posted by Gr8ZongB58

Thanks for the review Rott and I'm sorry for the loss. I've always looked at autotecknic stuff but something always tells me not to pull the trigger. Your post has confirmed my suspicions, especially being met with that sort of custermer service. No sir!

Shaun170 spells it all out very accurately above

[spaceman12]

I purchased a custom steering wheel from an ali seller that was decent quality for only $600 all in including a front carbon fiber trim piece like you had.

Besides the issues I had with the steering wheel (asked for heated function option but they didn't even cut out a place where the heated switch is supposed to sit) my carbon fiber trim piece also had the exact same fitment issue you had. It's quite close on one edge and sometimes keeps a button depressed but I just left it like that since it rarely bothers me.