Hey guys,
I wish there were a place in this forum where I could post this to have constant visibility without having to find it via a search but I feel posting it at all is better than not. I'm posting this as what I'd consider a Public Service Announcement based upon my genuine experience which I've confirmed as being equally reported by other victims of this company.
I am compelled and wanted to create this post as a general but very serious warning regarding the company NavTool & their Products. For those unfamiliar with this company, their claim is this:
NavTool is a New York based company that designs, manufactures, and distributes several types of devices created to expand the electronics capabilities of vehicles. The vital device of our product line is an interface that expands video input options to your vehicle’s navigation screens.
They also place strong emphasis on the fidelity and integrity of their products with statements like "Unlike most of what’s out there, NavTool products are truly American. Our headquarters are in New York, our components are U.S.-sourced. All design and assembly is done in U.S.A."
as a justifiable and patriotic reason to buy from them. They also have posted videos stating that practically all major new car dealerships use them so they're 100% reliable for all cars they support. Which is also a false claim which I've researched and confirmed for a few major named dealerships to include Cadillac.
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Personal Experience
DISCLAIMER
I've owned their Lock-Pic product for 13 years and have had zero issues with the product. That being said, despite the negative personal experiences of others posted in multiple forums, I opted to give them the benefit of doubt and purchase their CarPlay system instead of GROM audios comparable system. I actually backed them with my loyalty and let my sense of giving them the benefit of doubt outweigh the claims of other consumers who I now realize were victims.
My decision was partly b/c of my long term positive experience with their Lock-Pic product (not having need for refunds, exchanges or otherwise for that particular product) but mostly b/c of their competitive lower price.
I had no idea how much my decision to do business with them would ultimately cost me in the long term. So I'm now warning consumers.
The Product
NOTED ISSUES
Specifically regarding the CarPlay product, contrary to their boastful claims that the product is 100% plug and play; I've had several issues after connecting it to my vehicle which apparently they are aware of but will not be fully transparent in their disclosure of the information to consumers until after you're purchased the product and realize the issue. I'm posting the noted issues here to inform other potential consumers.
TECHNICAL SUPPORT & ASSISTANCE
I purchased the unit in December and due to the severe lack of support and inability to connect with anyone after the sale, I've been struggling to get the unit in a fully operable and reliable state going on 3 months now.
They post a number on their site to speak with a live rep which 99% of the time will ask you to hold on while your call is being connected to a live rep which eventually ends up asking you to leave a message b/c they're busy assisting other customers and to leave a message and will eventually disconnect the call. This message is the same even if you call exactly at their time of opening. You will NOT be able to speak with any of their support staff and if you fall in the 1% possibility to speaking with anyone, you will not be receiving the support "you think or expect". I'm speaking from personal experience.
WARRANTY, RETURNS & REFUNDS
The following is directly quoted from their site. Please note the conditions highlighted in red font and you'll quickly realize they're basically telling you the only way you'll be eligible for a refund is to immediately send the product back to them without opening the box and the purchase cannot have been made using their promotional reduced prices. Which they run very often. So realistically, the most common conditions for which a majority of refund requests would likely fall immediately dis-qualifies the consumer any hopes of getting your money back. They even take it a step further and tell you that they can dishonor your request for a return refund as they aren't bound by any law to fulfill anything they state and that they're actually doing you (the consumer) a favor to even consider a return.
"Please note: It is the customer's responsibility to read and understand the return policy under federal law. In all 50 states, returns are considered a courtesy and are not mandated by law."
Section 5: Return the Product For a Refund
5.1 Deadline and Criteria:
1. The return window for a refund closes 14 days after receiving your purchase.
2. To qualify for a refund, the following criteria must be met:
5.1.1 Only regular-priced items are eligible for return.
5.1.2 No discounts or gift cards were applied to the item or order.
5.1.3 The product must be unopened, unused, and in its original packaging.
5.1.4 The product must never be programmed.
5.1.5 The product must be in like-new condition.
5.1.6 Restocking fees may apply.
3. **Important Note: Purchasing a product to replace another product instead of utilizing our warranty exchange process will not grant you the ability to send the product for a refund.
Customers are encouraged to follow the warranty procedures for exchanges instead of purchasing a new product.**
5.2 Initiating the Return:
1. If you meet these criteria, you can initiate a return by creating a Support Ticket within the 14-day window.
2. As a courtesy, we can provide a company credit or exchange for another item within 14 days.
Regarding the returns for repair/replacement:
Per NavTool Statements:
Their site policy states, "12 months warranty: if NavTool interface should fail for any reason within the 12 month period from date of purchase, NavTool will provide repairs free of charge (the proof of purchase required). If interface fails to operate properly for any reason within the 12 month period and you receive repaired interface from NavTool keep in mind that your warranty will NOT be extended, it's a 12 month warranty from original date of purchase. If interface fails within 12 months we don't ask any questions just send it back to NavTool for repair (Must provide proof of purchase from us) and you will receive repaired unit back free of shipping charges."
Per my Actual Experience:
I requested to return the product b/c of the extent of months contending with their lack of adequate support and availability; and because the Dealership service department conducted a series of OBD scans and after extensive troubleshooting concluded that their module was causing electrical issues. Needless to say, their response was expected that their product was flawless and the vehicle had the problem.
Still I persisted to request a form and the appropriate process for initiating the return for either a replacement or repair per their "we don't ask any questions just send it back to NavTool for repair (Must provide proof of purchase from us) and you will receive repaired unit back free of shipping charges." claim and I was literally ghosted in the chat session without any subsequent response.
Tried to open another chat to persist with the request and this time "no one responded" at all. They've basically made a profit, strung me along for months without adequate support and 20-30 minute response time to providing what little support they threw me.
--======================================================================
Since that time I then began conducting my own personal research of the company beyond the forums and found many resources strongly indicating that this company operates under practices which are totally unethical. They are the worst type of criminals b/c without thorough deep digging and research on behalf of the consumer; they can potentially rob you and hide behind legal loopholes and not so obvious statements virtually "hidden in plain sight" on their webpage.
Numerous customers have submitted claims to BBB and if you read the NavTool responses you'd be amazed that they're still in business. Some of their response even mock the consumer complaints and very implicitly suggest to them that they're basically screwed by attempting to acquire resolution by stating in their responses what BBB can't legally do. It's absolutely arrogant and dismissive.
You can also find numerous negative reviews at BBB as well. I personally believe they are also manipulating the review area b/c the believable negative reviews are all the same spread across days and years, while less believable rapid-fire positive reviews are posted consecutively with the course of a day. Last time I checked, very few if any people I'm aware go to BBB to post positive reviews. When you've resorted to go to BBB and post anything, it's due to a bad experience.
You can view these BBB complaints here NavTool Complaints
I'm contemplating filing a Class Action lawsuit against them b/c at this point it's much less the loss of money and humility they've caused and more about making them have both legal and moral accountability for their misconduct and arrogantly dishonest business practices. They should be shut down. But in the interim, I figured posting in forums and social media platforms should have some recourse in forewarning others so others don't fall in the same predicament.
I wish there were a place in this forum where I could post this to have constant visibility without having to find it via a search but I feel posting it at all is better than not. I'm posting this as what I'd consider a Public Service Announcement based upon my genuine experience which I've confirmed as being equally reported by other victims of this company.
I am compelled and wanted to create this post as a general but very serious warning regarding the company NavTool & their Products. For those unfamiliar with this company, their claim is this:
NavTool is a New York based company that designs, manufactures, and distributes several types of devices created to expand the electronics capabilities of vehicles. The vital device of our product line is an interface that expands video input options to your vehicle’s navigation screens.
They also place strong emphasis on the fidelity and integrity of their products with statements like "Unlike most of what’s out there, NavTool products are truly American. Our headquarters are in New York, our components are U.S.-sourced. All design and assembly is done in U.S.A."
as a justifiable and patriotic reason to buy from them. They also have posted videos stating that practically all major new car dealerships use them so they're 100% reliable for all cars they support. Which is also a false claim which I've researched and confirmed for a few major named dealerships to include Cadillac.
--======================================================================
Personal Experience
DISCLAIMER
I've owned their Lock-Pic product for 13 years and have had zero issues with the product. That being said, despite the negative personal experiences of others posted in multiple forums, I opted to give them the benefit of doubt and purchase their CarPlay system instead of GROM audios comparable system. I actually backed them with my loyalty and let my sense of giving them the benefit of doubt outweigh the claims of other consumers who I now realize were victims.
My decision was partly b/c of my long term positive experience with their Lock-Pic product (not having need for refunds, exchanges or otherwise for that particular product) but mostly b/c of their competitive lower price.
I had no idea how much my decision to do business with them would ultimately cost me in the long term. So I'm now warning consumers.
The Product
NOTED ISSUES
Specifically regarding the CarPlay product, contrary to their boastful claims that the product is 100% plug and play; I've had several issues after connecting it to my vehicle which apparently they are aware of but will not be fully transparent in their disclosure of the information to consumers until after you're purchased the product and realize the issue. I'm posting the noted issues here to inform other potential consumers.
- The screen can potentially display static and go blank after the initial installation
- The unit can cause the signal to the display to be cut rendering a black screen
- The CarPlay module can potentially cut power to the entire Center Console rendering the Radio and Climate controls inoperable
TECHNICAL SUPPORT & ASSISTANCE
I purchased the unit in December and due to the severe lack of support and inability to connect with anyone after the sale, I've been struggling to get the unit in a fully operable and reliable state going on 3 months now.
They post a number on their site to speak with a live rep which 99% of the time will ask you to hold on while your call is being connected to a live rep which eventually ends up asking you to leave a message b/c they're busy assisting other customers and to leave a message and will eventually disconnect the call. This message is the same even if you call exactly at their time of opening. You will NOT be able to speak with any of their support staff and if you fall in the 1% possibility to speaking with anyone, you will not be receiving the support "you think or expect". I'm speaking from personal experience.
- I've complained to them about their lack of response in their chat support having to wait sometimes for 15 to 20 minutes to receive a response for simple questions and have been told that I'm not the only one they're providing support to.
- They've disputed me on numerous occasions literally telling me that the issues I've reported simply aren't possible b/c their product is flawless.
- After finally convincing them that through firm persistence that I do have a legitimate issue with their product, I've been sent videos telling me to cut and splice wires b/c they're aware of the issue. So far I've had to cut and splice several wires per their instructions so their claims of 100% plug and play is totally untruthful in every respect.
- After their requested modifications were performed and the issue was either unresolved or introduced another issue, they were extremely verbally abusive with responses suggesting that you don't know what you're doing as the reason the issue persists
- They also sold me a mic which was determined inoperable out the box. When I'd informed them of the issue I was told it was impossible b/c their products undergo rigorous testing before shipment. Attempting to hold a productive conversation with them, I proposed that I'd purchase another mic from Amazon to test my claim and was told that it wouldn't be possible b/c their mic is designed to specifically work with their system and no other mic would work.
I purchased a mic from Amazon, hooked it up and it worked. Contacted them again and informed them that this confirmed their mic was DOA. I was then asked what type of mic I used (which was a ridiculous ask b/c it was simply a regular 2.5mm jack as the one they'd sold. Told me to send them a pic of the invoice and they're reimburse the expense. Never happened.
WARRANTY, RETURNS & REFUNDS
The following is directly quoted from their site. Please note the conditions highlighted in red font and you'll quickly realize they're basically telling you the only way you'll be eligible for a refund is to immediately send the product back to them without opening the box and the purchase cannot have been made using their promotional reduced prices. Which they run very often. So realistically, the most common conditions for which a majority of refund requests would likely fall immediately dis-qualifies the consumer any hopes of getting your money back. They even take it a step further and tell you that they can dishonor your request for a return refund as they aren't bound by any law to fulfill anything they state and that they're actually doing you (the consumer) a favor to even consider a return.
"Please note: It is the customer's responsibility to read and understand the return policy under federal law. In all 50 states, returns are considered a courtesy and are not mandated by law."
Section 5: Return the Product For a Refund
5.1 Deadline and Criteria:
1. The return window for a refund closes 14 days after receiving your purchase.
2. To qualify for a refund, the following criteria must be met:
5.1.1 Only regular-priced items are eligible for return.
5.1.2 No discounts or gift cards were applied to the item or order.
5.1.3 The product must be unopened, unused, and in its original packaging.
5.1.4 The product must never be programmed.
5.1.5 The product must be in like-new condition.
5.1.6 Restocking fees may apply.
3. **Important Note: Purchasing a product to replace another product instead of utilizing our warranty exchange process will not grant you the ability to send the product for a refund.
Customers are encouraged to follow the warranty procedures for exchanges instead of purchasing a new product.**
5.2 Initiating the Return:
1. If you meet these criteria, you can initiate a return by creating a Support Ticket within the 14-day window.
2. As a courtesy, we can provide a company credit or exchange for another item within 14 days.
Regarding the returns for repair/replacement:
Per NavTool Statements:
Their site policy states, "12 months warranty: if NavTool interface should fail for any reason within the 12 month period from date of purchase, NavTool will provide repairs free of charge (the proof of purchase required). If interface fails to operate properly for any reason within the 12 month period and you receive repaired interface from NavTool keep in mind that your warranty will NOT be extended, it's a 12 month warranty from original date of purchase. If interface fails within 12 months we don't ask any questions just send it back to NavTool for repair (Must provide proof of purchase from us) and you will receive repaired unit back free of shipping charges."
Per my Actual Experience:
I requested to return the product b/c of the extent of months contending with their lack of adequate support and availability; and because the Dealership service department conducted a series of OBD scans and after extensive troubleshooting concluded that their module was causing electrical issues. Needless to say, their response was expected that their product was flawless and the vehicle had the problem.
Still I persisted to request a form and the appropriate process for initiating the return for either a replacement or repair per their "we don't ask any questions just send it back to NavTool for repair (Must provide proof of purchase from us) and you will receive repaired unit back free of shipping charges." claim and I was literally ghosted in the chat session without any subsequent response.
Tried to open another chat to persist with the request and this time "no one responded" at all. They've basically made a profit, strung me along for months without adequate support and 20-30 minute response time to providing what little support they threw me.
--======================================================================
Since that time I then began conducting my own personal research of the company beyond the forums and found many resources strongly indicating that this company operates under practices which are totally unethical. They are the worst type of criminals b/c without thorough deep digging and research on behalf of the consumer; they can potentially rob you and hide behind legal loopholes and not so obvious statements virtually "hidden in plain sight" on their webpage.
Numerous customers have submitted claims to BBB and if you read the NavTool responses you'd be amazed that they're still in business. Some of their response even mock the consumer complaints and very implicitly suggest to them that they're basically screwed by attempting to acquire resolution by stating in their responses what BBB can't legally do. It's absolutely arrogant and dismissive.
You can also find numerous negative reviews at BBB as well. I personally believe they are also manipulating the review area b/c the believable negative reviews are all the same spread across days and years, while less believable rapid-fire positive reviews are posted consecutively with the course of a day. Last time I checked, very few if any people I'm aware go to BBB to post positive reviews. When you've resorted to go to BBB and post anything, it's due to a bad experience.
You can view these BBB complaints here NavTool Complaints
I'm contemplating filing a Class Action lawsuit against them b/c at this point it's much less the loss of money and humility they've caused and more about making them have both legal and moral accountability for their misconduct and arrogantly dishonest business practices. They should be shut down. But in the interim, I figured posting in forums and social media platforms should have some recourse in forewarning others so others don't fall in the same predicament.
