Just received RMT fronts. After reading through some threads and finding a lack of images and conflicting information, found this . This would be particularly helpful for those replacing with RMT rebuilds as they are essentially oem. Interesting info about inflation and measuring guard height makes sense for sure. No mention of battery disconnection and 'anescitising'.. interestingly. Perhaps it's been posted before, but I never saw it.
Started the job of replacing mine today, only to get as far as spinning one of the crap lug nut pos thingies. All my tools are extremely good quality and my work always carefully considered. It was natural for me to put a 19mm socket on a breaker bar to loosen the nuts slightly before raising the car. Turns out to be a complete ball ache and so job is abandoned for today. It's effing cold and rainy. Though I work under cover with plenty of light, my decision to stop was probably wise. Ordered some replacement lug nuts to save headaches in the future.
Get this though, I'm preparing to jack car up with trolley jack from the centre cross member, then I thought I might grab the chocks, only to discover there is no jack in this car! I can't believe I didn't see this when I bought it, I looked and saw the assembly of chocks, wheel brace, towing eye etc. Just assumed the jack was under there somewhere. Horrifying to think I just drove my family 850km without a jack. Even if there was a jack, would the lug nut failure have happened? Impossible to say. Either way, it gives me the shivvers.
I need to properly remove the Japanese ETC system. I believe that is where the demons have made their home and are determined to haunt my *** from here to Hades. Perhaps a sage, rosemary and magnesium ritual cleansing under the car might drive out the spirits?
Don't get me wrong, I am a man of science. I work in r&d with led luminaires. I like to play with light, it's qualities and distribution etc. I think my car may be haunted though..seriously! 35 years of car and motorcycle ownership (owned 27 cars 'n' bikes) and have never felt this in a vehicle before. Spooky!

 

These cars play tricks on you Jason.
In my previous one (I've owned 3 of them) I parked somewhere I shouldn't for a very short time and tried to alight un noticed, The car decided that no one was getting out and all the doors remained locked. I managed to lean out of the window and open the door using the key. That was fine but a time bomb thing started ticking and after 8 seconds all hell broke loose with headlights flashing and horns blaring. I suspect it was a door lock problem but it never did it again. It also used to randomly flash the headlights for no reason ( Indicator stalk} and once on a very cold rainy night on a long journey my wife opened her window and it wouldn't close again (Window regulator). They eventually get to like you and learn to behave.
The wheel nuts can be a pain but a good hexagon (not the 12 point) socket helps and if that fails you can split the chrome cover off and bash a smaller socket on to the hexagon underneath. Lots of info on forums about wheel nuts.
Good luck
Pete

 

Thanks for your reply Pete. I will have to take off the ss cover as it appears the 12 point has munted it. I know it seems irrational to think a car might have a malevolent spirit. I once had a car try to kill me when I drove it drunk, so that thing definitely had it in for me.
Before:

After:

I walked away without a scratch, so I guess it protected me to be fair. Do you know though, they all have a thing about them, a personality. This Jag seems different though. Probably some anthropomorphism on my part for sure, however, there is a part of me that feels there is a lost spirit trapped in the car. It's not just the old ETC greeting me when I start the car. There's something else. One day I got in and it smelled like fresh cigar smoke, like really fresh. Olfactory hallucination? Dunno. Another time I was trying to reach for a battery I dropped down the side of the driver's seat. I was reaching in from the back, looking sideways as you do and my finger found something, a coin, a Japanese coin. Just lost by the previous owners? It's old apparently. Not that old according to my Japanese friend, 1950's or so. Still seems old to me for a 2006 car.

 

My youngest son offered to exorcise mine but I suspect he meant 'Exercise' ie thrash the living daylights out of it so I declined his kind offer.
I'm sure that some mechanical things have more to them than nuts and bolts. I had an old Wolseley and after years of ownership i decided to enter it in a Classic Car Auction. Half way there the brakes started to bind until they were locked on solid due to pressure in the system. One breakdown in 20 years???? spooky.
Look out for Japanese spirits.

 

That's what is great about old Alfa's. They are so easy to repair. Mine, a white 1969 Spider took a shunt in 1980 so the 2nd owner bought a red rear clip from the wrecking yard, had it welded to the white front half and then took it racing again until he died of natural causes and his widow sold it.

 

Wow! That's a pretty decent repair for sure. I suppose it's going to have a good long life. Mine was a bit beyond repair. I mean it could have been done, but it wasn't the most popular model to be fair. Fairly rare in NZ too. Was originally brought into NZ from UK by 1st owner.

 

I love the photo from 1980, the shadows in the image from the trees. Looks like frost on the glass

 

My Alarm is set for 05:25. I woke and sat up Tuesday morning. Looked at the clock and it was 22mins past or so, I got up before my phone alarm would go off at 25 past and wake my wife. Usual morning stuff and went to work. There wasn't any coffee at home and Tuesday is a fasting day, so I jumped in the ovlov (It's only 12 mins to work). I usually arrive at work first around 06:40 or so. Put the lights on, walk around the facility, make some coffee, get some music started etc. I flicked on the heaters and lights for the factory and headed with my brew into r&d. Checked levels on various tests and sat up at my desk. Quite a while went by. I managed to finish a bunch of results and tidy stuff generally. Finished my first cup and wandered back through the factory to get another and thought it strangely quiet. As it turns out, I got up an hour too early.

The rest of the day was kinda weird. I felt juxtaposed and slightly detached. I remember doing things like this as a kid. Surely everyone has tried to go to school on a Saturday. Anyways, I retold the story when I got home to a reception of general sniggers 'n' such. Later that evening after visiting a friend, my wife came home with a bunch of white sage tied up with cotton. She'd clearly been retelling the story and received this thing intended for me.

I put the Jag in the sun around 2pm... Yep, apparently that's a done thing. Removed the Japanese ETC unit and all it's components. Opened the bonnet, the boot, the glove box and all the little covers generally opening bit's 'n 'shizzle on a car. Then I found a glass boat thing in the cupboard to catch the ashes, like the sort when you get a banana split, then I went forth with a box of matches. It's quite a pleasant smell even before you burn it (sage, not Jags) and so I got it lit and attempted to put the calibrated smoke everywhere I could. I tried to encourage it into places it didn't want to go and then decided I'd probably done enough and went back inside. Thought for a minute I might have gotten imperial smoke by mistake. Anyhoo, I thought I might try and tap a 19mm impact socket on the original rounded Jag stainless munter and low and behold, the bar steward came right off! So there you go, no doubt about it, smoke is metric.

Tomorrow I replace the front shocks with the RMT's. Wish me luck!

 

Best of Luck to You

 

Straight forward job. Unfortunately, one of the struts leaks straight out of the box. The warranty isn't covered for out of the USA. The only reason I bought them, is that I expected they would be good quality. I don't doubt the quality, however I've received a defective one all the way down here in New Zealand. What a drag. I've had to swap back one of old ones for now. I'll call them and see whether they might honor their warranty for me. Total pia if I'm honest. 90% of the stuff I've bought recently either hasn't arrived or has been defective. I kinda expect it now, and so not overly surprised. I guess it's only money after all.

 

After my experience with RMT last week, I gave serious thought to starting a web page called Don't Buy From RMT. The domain name rmt-screwed.me can be purchased one a one-year-sale price for $2. It would be interesting to then do a web search of forums to see how many outrageous stories there are and post them on the site.

I've been messed around by vendors before, and move on. But the snarkyness of their replies, rubbing salt in the wound got my back up.
.

• They sold me a defective (loud) pump missing the air tube quick connector
• They ignored my email asking if it was normal, and asking for the missing part.
• When I called I was connected to Darlene who said she found the email, and would pass it on to technical
• No reply from technical
• Sent two please reply emails. This time sending them during RMT business hours as instructed by Darlene. No reply
• Called, spoke with Darlene who said technical said the noise was abnormal. Asked me to send a photo of the missing part.
• Sent the photo of where the missing part belonged. Asked them at a minimum to send me the quick connect fitting but properly they should send another pre-tested pump and write the defective one off because it was not worth shipping back
• Instead "Senior management" refunded the purchase price, but not the $85 shipping, accompanied by a snarky email.
• I do not want a refund, I want a working pump.
• I complained, and received a second snarky email saying they would no longer communicate with me.

RMT is an antagonistic company that does not stand behind its products, and it seems to sell products that cannot be relied upon.

Good luck with your warranty. I expect they will tell you to post your defective unit back to them at your cost. Or if you press them, they may refund the price but not the shipping.

When we are this far away, it's not only money, it's a car off the road for the 2-4 weeks it takes to order a new replacement. And there is an expectation in America that vendors show respect to their customers.

For others reading this thread and contemplating buying from RMT, best to avoid them unless you live in Florida and can confront them in person.

 

Yoinks! We've got a right royal screwing then. I can ship pretty cheap with my work dhl account, but that's hardly the point aye. Like you say, "just send me a good one". I ordered a scan tool for my Volvo recently and by the looks of it, it's stuck somewhere between the Netherlands and Romania..yawn. Of course I have to wait 75 days for a refund, which I don't care for.
Last part was a fuel pressure sensor - faulty and sent back. Numerous crap here, there and everywhere.
If I'm honest, I've become a little despondent with the whole thing. I'd like things to be simpler. I'm too old for this shisse.

 

Well kids i was lucky with the compressor, but a set of rears that leaked within a week.

They were sent back with the shipping slip for the used ones, at their suggestion.

But have went through five modules to get two good ones, for my line trimmer, & leaf blower.

Both use the same module, & all were genuine Husqvarna replacement parts, not Chinese knock offs.

Was trying to avoid this kind of thing, i am still waiting for a refund of $101 from one vender

Who now has had the returned part 10 days & counting now.

 

The key is to find good vendors, then spread the word on this forum.

As for shipping, Covid has made a mess of it but postal worker incompetence tends to vary by country.

I ordered a part from Europe that got stuck in the Netherlands. No doubt a postal worker missed the "New" in New Zealand, thus sending it to old Zealand. I had ordered from a German company, figuring they were more reliable than from China. The first time it had arrived right, but was badly packaged, thus arrived broken. So they immediately shopped a second - that got lost in old Zealand. After waiting two more months, figuring it could be a Covid delay (this was in the beginning when all planes were grounded), I finally asked for a refund, which they gave. So I ordered from China. Cost less, came rapidly, safely packed. A few months later the German part finally showed up. Didn't need it anymore.

In regard to RMT, I think we can conclude they are a bad vendor because they have a high failure rate and a bad attitude toward making good. If you live in Florida you can drive up and bang on their door, but it still means installation-removal-reinstall, which consumes your time, or empties your wallet. For overseas customers like me, it means wasting time, money and becoming annoyed.

 

they rebuild cores with many miles on them and admit they can’t rebuild the shock part of a strut. anything that isn’t a simple bag from them is asking for trouble.

go bilstein or just take a drill to your shock towers and forget about this nonsense

 

If only they could've done that that one thing

I noticed that on the good shock there a yellow bung in place before installing it I removed this allowing air to escape. The leaking one didn't have this bung. Don't know if that has anything to with it. With the exchange rate as it is they cost me $980.00, which is a fair bit of anybody's money. As it is, it seems to be holding air. I still want justice though, either refund or replacement. It is such a boring waste of my life dealing with these outfits and the sad thing is that I sort of expect things to arrive faulty these days.
As for Bilstein, I was quoted $3650.00 for 1 shock.......1shock

 

with that exchange rate and shipping i’d ditch the air asap

chinese coilover kit or call a junkyard and get s-type/xf struts

 

It's holding air so I think I'll just sell it and be rid of all the other problems that go with it. I'll probably lose money on this one. Oh well, you win some, you lose some. It's all swings and roundabouts in the end.

 

Ok, so now the other new RMT strut leaks like a sieve. I'm totally despondent over the entire thing. I have no confidence whatsoever with RMT. Even if I manage to get part or all of my money back, my morale is at an all time low. I have to sell this thing now at a loss. There is no point throwing more money at it. Coil over replacements may sort the car, but I'll never recoup my losses and all the time spent labouring over this car. It's a pretty hard lesson learned. I've never in all my days encountered such a pita. I guess you win some and you lose some and then you lose some more.

Today I'll replace the sway bar bushings. It's all really such a shame. Don't ever even bother think about buying from RMT, it really is just too much of a risky gamble. Especially if you're outside of the USA. I can look in hindsight and do all sorts of things differently and although that will never help my current situation, it can certainly serve as a warning to others venturing down this air strut avenue. Coil overs are really the only certain way to solve suspension issues with these cars. Otherwise it really is just a matter of time until we all walk out to our cars one day only to find them sad and deflated.

 

Jason, I feel your pain.

Procedurally, first correspond with RMT. Send the email during their working hours (they get thousands and don't read the ones that come in after hours, according to "Darlene" ). Then call 10 minutes later. Ask for Darlene and ask she find your email. She will be abrupt with you, and tell you to send the defective shocks back. Make sure you have already priced the shipping so you can tell her that the return shipping is a major problem unless RMT pays. Then after she has blown you off, send an email summarising the call and ask for senior management to review. It's a family business, so it will probably be dealt with by the same unpleasant Darlene but the email will refer to Senior Management not her. The best you may find is she will refund the purchase price but not the shipping and tell you they no longer wish to hear from you. Take notes so you can post them far and wide on the Internet.

Then complain to your credit card company that RMT sells defective products and ask for a complete refund including shipping, and that they pay return shipping if they want them back. If you paid using PayPal, compile all the complaint records and ask that the company is cut off from using PayPal or at least put on watch.

Then, I recommend you and everyone else go to https://www.bbb.org/us/fl/fort-laude...-0633-90369509 and open a BBB complaint. RMT will not give you satisfaction, because of this, but you will warn others.

Next perhaps it is time to start a sticky on this X350 forum headed BUYER BEWARE: RMT Rebuild Master Tech Inc.

Finally, do searches on RMT to find other forum complaints for Audi, Porsche, etc and post on them. At one point the internet will become so saturated with war stories perhaps RMT will begin to realise customer support is necessary for survival or they go out of business.

I took my X350 out for a drive yesterday and the hammering RMT compressor pump was very annoying. I've installed the bagpipping andy rebuild kit in the original Wabco pump and will be putting it back in. RMT refunded the $185, but not the $85 shipping, and of course it will involve paying the shop another hour's labour, unless I do it myself. At least I don't have an undrivable car.

From what I can tell, the Arnott air springs are good, and cost less, although one does lose the CATS performance which is some of the Jag magic appeal. The replacement with coil-over seems to defeat the point of the X350. The ride is what makes it a Jag. But for those who don't care, it's a solution.

Probably what is needed is a thread dedicated to everyone who has replaced their original air springs - where they bought them, what they paid, how they worked out.

For example. has anyone used this company's air spring https://aerosus.co.uk/jaguar/xj-seri...uspension.html? Only a 2-year warranty.
Has anyone used Suncore?

The original Bilstein are available here at 50% off https://www.air-suspension-shop.com/...front-BILSTEIN €600 (ex VAT) plus shipping, €2,400 for all four and they may attract GST when entering NZ. Not cheap, but for the owner who plans to keep his car for a decade, it's part of the running cost and once done should hold up as long as the original. If they last a decade, then it works out to about $1 a day. When you consider a new Jag depreciates about $13 a day over ten years, it's not so painful. Or think of it as the overseas holiday you were not able to pay for thanks to Covid and spend the airfare on the Jag instead.