Here's the truth about Cobbs quality control department... Purchased BRAND NEW. this is 2k miles later...
http://a391.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/2/l_1a6d57cb2c00c74dae6e1fd2a7e52796.jpg
http://a549.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/53/l_6933d589c9a83f6afa258d01f69f07ec.jpg

And the rest of how I feel about being screwed over by cobb products:

Accessport: They advertise a product having certain features and it takes 6 months and 10 updates before you get your moneys worth.

Catted downpipe: I bought this thing brand new and one of the welds near the cat wasn't closed all the way. Now 1 month later i have a 1/2 inch crack along the weld joint.

Catback: uses the stock flange gasket but the angle isn't correct so it leaks no matter how tight the springbolts are even if you use a new graphite donut. Overtighten the springbolts and they will break.

Short throw shifter: they use one allen screw and don't spline the shaft on each adjustable part. you will strip the bolt and ruin your allen key to get it tight enough so it doesnt slip on you. If it does you will have to disassemble the whole thing because the screws are not adjustable by just pulling off the shifter trim. The pin and the reverse lockout with the sleve is a joke to line up correctly and insert. Trimming the shifter plate under the cover is not necessary, just spin it 180 degrees and you're all set.

Hardened shifter bushings: You watch the videos on HSPN and they make it look like cake. What they don't tell you is that you have to remove 8 more bolts and support the transmission so you can get the bolt out. When you re-insert the bolt the new bushings are stiffer which allows less angle to getting the bolt to slide on. Also the reverse lock out adds more resistance in the opposite direction so it's a good idea to remove the special cotterpin to let it slid freely. That's almost as bad as the inserting the pin in the short throw. Of course they don't tell you all this, they just show videos and make it look like a 30 minute job and want you to buy cobbs product. I'm thinking about returning the car to stock and throwing their downpipe thru their window just like the commercial where the old lady throws a tire thru the discount tire company window. Proving to them the flaw in the downpipe and other products is like pulling teeth. Best case scenario They MIGHT ship me a new downpipe, but that doesn't compensate me any for the time it takes to uninstall, and reinstall a new downpipe, including a new gasket, more thermotec heat wrap and silicone spary. I've had it with cobb, never again. :furious:

Sounds like that was your own mistake for keeping the downpipe, if you already knew there was a spot that wasnt covered by the weld you should of sent it back. I know cobb customer service would of been more than happy to replace a defective component. And about the access port, they never said it was going to be released with all of the features, they just said that it has the capabilities. You just didnt read into it enough. Im not trying to bash you or anything, Im just saying cobb is not totally at fault for all of your problems.

Cobb customer service is great. I had a $700 dollar check from Trey Cobb that he didn't really have to send me.

I'll buy more Cobb products some day. I'll just never own an AccessPort for as long as I live.

I don't think the HSPN video is Cobb's fault.

I installed the TiC Klicky Kit on my STI (with lots of help from my brother) and it was no easy feat, but I didn't think it would be.

Your expectations were set improperly by a video Cobb didn't make. IMO, yell at HSPN :D

Thanks for the info MarkRx. Sounds like you had a run of some bad products from them, but it also sounds like the tranny stuff isn't that well designed. Nice to hear an alternate opinion. They mostly get good press no matter what because they have such good customer service.

Actually their customer service is under par as well. I called cobb and told them about my cracked downpipe. thier reply was: "You must of installed it wrong and added more stress to the weld joint." They want pictures as proof that there's a defect in their product before they will even make a decision if they want to replace the downpipe. I've had it on the car for less than 2 months. I'm returning my car to stock and will never buy from cobb again.

the dealership i work at is a cobb factory dealer, and we've had one defective part in 10 months, and no complaints about the dozens of parts we've sold. i guess no companys 100% all the time :confused:

Cobb has done well by me...I call up, sent fired AP and ECU to them and they fixed it for free. And yes it was my fault.:rolleyes: Turn around time was 1 day after they received it. I get tons of help on tuning and other stuff. You just need to be more assertive. As soon as you discover a latent defect call the mfg.

As for putting parts on the car, heck every part that I have bought comes with poor to no instructions. Cobb has most of their how tos on line and ScoobyMods, RiftsWRX, NASOIC and many other subie web sites have been of great help to me...Subie love is here to stay.

Sorry about your misfortune.

I use nothing but COBB Products...my car only gets better with every mod. I only live a few miles from them, their customer service IS always excellent. Their exhaust is one of the best designed and best sounding exhausts out there IMO. My AccessPORT has been nothing but good to me. Sure it doesn't have all of the features people want, but more importantly it has the ability to perform them in the future...and COBB will let you upgrade it for FREE! I haven't had a single problem with my Short Shifter and Bushings either...installation was not too bad if you just butch up and realize that working on cars always has it's issues no matter what it is. If you don't skin a knuckle you aren't doing it right!

I proudly own and use:

COBB Turboback Exhaust
COBB Short Throw Shifter
COBB Hardened Shifter Bushings
COBB AccessPORT v.2 Stage 2 map

I am soon to get my car Pro-Tuned by them, then get COBB Suspension to finish her off.

Thanks,
KK

.....Just my $.02

the dealership i work at is a cobb factory dealer, and we've had one defective part in 10 months, and no complaints about the dozens of parts we've sold. i guess no companys 100% all the time :confused:

and nothing but COBB for my 07 STi :D

My cobb catback doesnt match up either, its about 5mm off on one side no matter how you wiggle it or the downpipe. Tried 2 downpipes now.

pics.

My cobb catback doesnt match up either, its about 5mm off on one side no matter how you wiggle it or the downpipe. Tried 2 downpipes now.
Have you tried moving the cata back hangers? I know I had to slide them over to get my borla hush cat back on. I attached the dp to the cat back first and then adjusted the cat back hangers.

Short throw shifter: they use one allen screw and don't spline the shaft on each adjustable part. you will strip the bolt and ruin your allen key to get it tight enough so it doesnt slip on you. If it does you will have to disassemble the whole thing because the screws are not adjustable by just pulling off the shifter trim. The pin and the reverse lockout with the sleve is a joke to line up correctly and insert. Trimming the shifter plate under the cover is not necessary, just spin it 180 degrees and you're all set.


I run the short shifter and have no problems what so ever with it. Never had a problem with slipping nor any problems installing it. Plenty of people have owned these with no problems. Of course the bolt will strip if you try to be a tough guy and tighten the screw past the torque specs. After all the shifter is made of aluminum. Show me a shifter that is adjustable with out taking off all the shifter boot trim????

That weld is obviously not fully finished. You can't even see the welding bead on the right side of the gap...WTF.

...installation was not too bad if you just butch up and realize that working on cars always has it's issues no matter what it is. If you don't skin a knuckle you aren't doing it right!

lol, I bet I skin a knuckle or finger every time I work on something that doesn't involve changing oil!

BTW, it's true NO company is 100% perfect. Even Ferrari makes mistakes. Why do you think every Ferrari is test driven before it is sold... So they can fix any errors before the customer gets their hands on it. Given the time frame and being AFTER install I think they are entitled to a pic or two of the part. Atleast they offered to replace it "if". Send them a pic. It does look to support your claim. It does seem disappointing given their high prices for parts, but give them a shot to fix it. "That's what Jack Burton always says at a time like this."

You win a coke if you guess what movie that is from.

Have you contacted the place you purchased the downpipe? Judging by the pictures, you definetly have a defect. I imagine it would be easy to take care of. It is, though, basically impossible to wish a problem away. You should contact the party you purchased the new downpipe from.

Has the matter been resolved? I know Cobb tuning would not prefer you end up using this downpipe, which definetly doesnt hold to their standard.

first off sorry about your spill with cobb and their products. the weld on that downpipe totally sucks. if they don't replace it, why don't you just go to a shop and have it welded back shut? it'd be real cheap to do.

corn on the what:banana:

I think I should comment on the customer service at Cobb, On two seperate occaisions they have helped me and helped for free with problems that may or may not have been 100% their fault or mine, hard to tell. The latest involves the ****er adjustment screws like the OP. I just could not make it tight enough to stop slipping and eventually I stripped the body of the shifter, my fault right? I called asking what my options were and if I could buy just the body to the kit, I was told that they are redesigning it to better clamp the shafts because they have heard of this before. The advisor put me on hold then came back and said "we are going to send you a new body and lower shaft free." I did not even ask and I assumed that I had just overdone it, they took care of me and won a longterm customer. :banana:

i had a cobb intake literally fall apart. they gave me a little trouble at first about getting a new one, but eventually they sent me out a new one for free.

corn on the what:banana:
:lol:

dood did you ever contact Cobb:huh: :rolleyes: ...you think this is the way they handle business thru the forums...Pick up the damn phone and fill out some paperwork...get your ars in gear.

I have every power part Cobb makes for my car and the only issue I have had is that the mid pipe needs to be about 1/2" longer. Everything elae works great.

Big Trouble In Little China

I love my Cobb heatshield and Accessport. Great products, great service.

running cheap ebay products in my car, and never had a problem with anything once.

I havent had a first hand problem with anyof the companys I have delt with on here. And Ive used alot of them for alot of parts. But Trey and Christian are stand up guys..and they stand behind the products..That also includes the rest of the people at Cobb.

I dont know if their dps are robotic tigged or hand tigged. IM sure that out of the thousands or downpipes they have manufactured and sold. there have been a few that may have slipped through the cracks.

Ive also had to send a ap and a ecu to them and they got it back ready to go in. and replaced the ap. We had a customer load an 06 ap ..onto an 04 sti and some how it worked. But he was having a problem with something. he tried to unmarry it and the ecu went kuput.

Good guys Id do business with them anyday!

Fountains of knowledge!

I'm running alot of cobb products, including the tbe.. haven't had a problem, but if I can remember correctly, except for that whole intake problem with the glue, this is the first big problem with a Cobb part, which speakes preatty well for the company I suppose.

I'm supprised no official response from Cobb yet.

cobb makes very good stuff...just sounds like you got unlucky with a downpipe...and honestly, if its just the weld, you dont have to take it off and send it them bla bla...just bnring it to a shop and have em just fix the weld...would take 2 minutes and im sure cobb would pay for it. maybe even give you a couple free exhaust hangers or soemthing