Gates Innovations experiences

[1heckinboi]

Hey all, was looking around for key upgrades and found out about Gates Innovations, I was really interested in theirs until I saw a lot of poor reviews lately mentioning no updates or anything from them for weeks and almost months. Was hoping someone here knew what was happening with them or if it's something I should look at getting done elsewhere

[bimmerlyfe]

I put in an order with Gates and they sent me an email with instructions on where to send the key and so forth. I put it in the mail a month ago and haven't got anything back. I have emailed them several times and they are totally dark on me. I'm worried I just sent my key to nothing and lost a lot of money.

If Gates is seeing this message then please get in touch with me.

[M3atlantis]

Originally Posted by bimmerlyfe

I put in an order with Gates and they sent me an email with instructions on where to send the key and so forth. I put it in the mail a month ago and haven't got anything back. I have emailed them several times and they are totally dark on me. I'm worried I just sent my key to nothing and lost a lot of money.

If Gates is seeing this message then please get in touch with me.

Any update on your key? Hoping they made this right. I'm considering using Gates but this sounds pretty bad

[McIntoshMotorSports]

Originally Posted by M3atlantis

Any update on your key? Hoping they made this right. I'm considering using Gates but this sounds pretty bad

Hit up FranklinTsui

[9M71]

Gates (George) was a one man operation afaik. Had a key made from him during his prime in 2020 and it was excellent and working fine even now. Hopefully everything is ok, or perhaps BMW hit him with some legal action.

[9M71]

Originally Posted by bimmerlyfe

I put in an order with Gates and they sent me an email with instructions on where to send the key and so forth. I put it in the mail a month ago and haven't got anything back. I have emailed them several times and they are totally dark on me. I'm worried I just sent my key to nothing and lost a lot of money.

If Gates is seeing this message then please get in touch with me.

Just wondering, Did you send it to a CA address or IL?

[whitedc5]

Wow that sounds bad....so much for Gates' "lifetime warranty"

[lateapex'er]

this was my experience with Gates Innovations.

October 2020 - Ordered F series key fob - Received key in 5 business days. Excellent product, communication, and turnaround time.

March 2023 - Key fob started having issues (Car would not recognize key) Replaced battery x2. George stated I could send it in as all purchases come with a lifetime warranty. While it was in, I asked for the housing to be updated to their latest version, and have my physical spare key cut as they now offered this service.

May 2023 - Response from Cory - Initial tests show your key is working. I will follow-up tomorrow evening

June 2023 - Sent a follow up, no response from business

June 30, 2023 - Received email from business apologizing for delay, cited ongoing legal issues with business partner and restock shipment arriving mid July. Resolution offer - "If you're ok with sticking through this, I'd be extremely grateful and will be sure to get your key back as soon as I have a components back in stock. Please let me know your thoughts and how you'd like to move forward." - I had already waited 4 months, I figured a few more weeks won't hurt as I've paid for a functional key.

Mid July 2023 - Sent a follow up, no response from business

August 2023 - Sent a follow up, no response from business

8/14/2023 - Got an email from George stating he received my key back (assuming the work was outsourced) and would be shipping out the next morning. Tracking number was also provided. I will provide a follow-up once my key is in hand.

8/20/2023 - I finally have my key in hand. Despite all the issues above, George did provide a personal apology and made things right in the end. I hope Gates Innovations resolves its business issues and returns to the company it once was in 2020.

[aps]

I gave up on them. The product is good when you finally get it, but at least for me I had 2 bad experiences with the whole process. Once in 2021 and once in 2022.

Both times I paid for expedited shipping so it should have been turned around pretty quick. I remember expecting it to be like a week or so and instead both times it took ~2 months.

I had to email them over and over for updates, email threads that are like 20-30 emails long (I ask for an update, he apologizes with some excuse/explanation or the other) until eventually the key shows up. Hopefully there are other companies out there that now offer this service.

[G35POPPEDMYCHERRY]

dude bait and switched me. I paid for the key mod and color, he kept my key forever, saying he lost his ability to paint the key. saying like someone he contracted to paint the keys stole all of his fobs so sob story bullshit. With his markups he should be able to buy a crate of "blanks". He then returned my "color" charge and just did the key and promised he would color a new key and send once ready. That was 3 years ago. Another guy with a laptop and fancy words. Funny enough he keeps dropping new products lol.
The reason I feel so cheated is, I didnt want the new key without the color, so he is a punk

Another key flag is his mailing address is a UPS store. Not a total red flag but the totality of the circumstances.

[aps]

Also wanted to add that I don't think George is a one man operation anymore or at least hasn't been since 2021. If he is, then a lot of his responses to me were lies ("my entire team has covid", "my assistant mislabeled your pacakge", etc.). If he does have a team, he simply hasn't created effective processes along the way because it seems a lot of people have experienced crazy delays or just poor communication.

[paulo_f80m3]

Looks like mostly everything key related on the site is "out of stock". Maybe he has had enough and is shutting down.

[G35POPPEDMYCHERRY]

Originally Posted by paulo_f80m3

Looks like mostly everything key related on the site is "out of stock". Maybe he has had enough and is shutting down.

nah it will come back in stock. he will sell, and input sob story or bait and switch

rinse and repeat

[jtskariah]

I paid for 2 keys over a year ago. Still have not received any key. He made up multiple lies throughout the process and then stopped responding all-together. Not sure what to do now. I threw away hundreds of dollars on his "products", he is a modern day thief.

[derelict0]

Went through the same thing back in July of 2023. My key fob stopped working.
Emailed him a few times without a response, he finally replied in the end of August. Sent my key in the next day and was ghosted for months.

In the end, it took me preparing a certified letter by my attorney with intent to take him to small claims court. After he received that, magically my email was answered the same afternoon. A tracking number was issued a few days later.

I hate that it had to come to that, as he was really friendly and efficient in the past. But now, I'd look elsewhere.

[bimmerlyfe]

I still haven’t received my key and he has fallen through on every promise so far. From dates promised to being better about communicating with his customers. This dude is full of sh*t and I’m giving him one last chance to settle this before I take legal action.

Anyone who is getting the same treatment and still waiting for their key, feel free to message me and we can get this resolved.

To be clear, all I want is to do honest business with this guy and I feel robbed at this point. Check out all these same stories dating back years.

https://www.bbb.org/us/il/volo/profi...654-1000044534

George, if you’re reading this then get it together and fulfill the orders you have sitting on your desk. You might take a small loss but you’ll save yourself a world of headache.

[Buff74]

I made and paid for an order dated 10/2023, George responded one time and gave me an excuse about being in Arizona and his auto replies not being On. Now it’s February and I still haven’t heard anything from George and at this point I feel robbed. I would just like my key fob back and my money returned. I mean what kind of professionalism is this? How do you run a business like that? George where are you? Can we have our property back asap!!!!!

[paulo_f80m3]

On Google is says that Gates Innovations is permanently closed.

[Overlimit]

Wow. I'm glad I came across this thread. Anybody know of alternative key fob modification services?

[michael1284]

Originally Posted by Overlimit

Wow. I'm glad I came across this thread. Anybody know of alternative key fob modification services?

https://mashimarho.com/products/bmw-...33448201977955

Standup company.

[Overlimit]

Originally Posted by michael1284

https://mashimarho.com/products/bmw-...33448201977955

Standup company.

Thanks for the link!

[jtskariah]

Update on this, I am going forward with contacting a attorney. I messaged other members and apparently he has been responsive but he will NOT reply to my messages or emails. Legal action is the best move now. If anyone had a similar experience and would like to move forward DM me. This company is not safe