Tactical Rovers = $G?

[ptschram]

I think the missing identity and location has more to do with a poor website done by an outsider. Their Youtube videos reveal their identity plainly. They say their names and they're written on the screen. Their facebook page also identifies them plainly: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tactical-Rovers/136375946427262#!/pages/Tactical-Rovers/136375946427262?sk=info

They may not have a permanent-type shop location that they are ready to publicize, may be working out of their homes etc. which is not unusual for a start-up. They're in Murietta and Menifee, CA. I don't really know their situation, but if I was starting out, I'd be cautious about a big shop lease until I worked out other aspects of the business.

After the KVT and Bottorf fiascos, anyone who is in the business had damned well better be in it in as transparent a fashion as they can be.

I'm about as established as one can be yet I still have folks who balk at giving me credit card info, for just a few hundred dollars worth of merchandise. I know I wouldn't be spending the $ for something as substantial as a bumper without knowing who was involved and making damned sure they were on the up and up.

I just collected on a job that was done a month ago. I'm a little gun shy on the subject right now!

 

[TacticalRovers]

Hey all,

Just thought I would jump in and say, " we are in no way connected to SG." My partners D1 was set up with there bumpers and I ran there progressive springs and front bumper. Know that SG is gone I decided to put my designs that I have had on my D1 for years into production.
The products that we have are just that, my designs. the front may resemble sg, but is infact very different.

As Ben pointed out, we are a very young company, our shop is in my back yard. it would not be possible to offer a decent product at a reasonable price if we had to pay a lease on top of everything else. And yes, we do farm out the laser cutting and cnc bending of the 7gauge pno steel.

Yes, the web site is crap. like it was mentioned earlier in this thread," you get what you pay for", but I'm pretty sure there's numbers up now. I threw a fit over that a couple weeks back. It will improve over time as hopefully we will be able to afford a better web designer.

I think the name is catchy, but not everyone will like it, and "pretty pink pansy Rovers" was already taken. Damn.

Yep, we can be a little hard on our rovers. we refer to it as product testing. If somethings going to give or brake, I prefer it was on one of ours first.

We have nothing to hid, in fact, it's quite the opposite. I would rather be high profile and everyone know who we are. I was on the BOD for SCLR in 2009, and have been very active in the club for the last five years. Have owned a number of Rovers over the last 12 years and am very much a dedicated rover guy.

Married eleven years now, four kids, seven horses, nine chickens, one goat, one sheep(don't ask), two rabbits, three dogs and an unknown number of cats both ferill and domesticated ferill. So yes, i'm broke.

So, you all are welcome to come by the shop any time, just don't expect a big show room or a/c. Not yet any way. If it's late in the day or the weekend, I like a nice stout I.P.A., but if your buyin just bring it.

Happy Rovering.

Eric Holmquist
Co-owner:
Tactical Rovers
29070 Calle De Caballos
Menifee, Ca. 92585
951-239-6236

 

[kennith]

Frankly, I doubt anybody can produce a good powdercoat finish for what is considered a reasonable price.

I get good powder work done at a low price all the time. Now, I get special pricing, but even full rates aren't too bad. It's low enough for a bumper, anyway.

The problem with powder coat is this: Many coating facilities have no fucking clue what they are doing, and many manufacturers don't know the difference between a good coat and a shitty one. So, the coating is applied by an ignorant person to a product manufactured by an ignorant person.

Bad results shouldn't be a surprise.

You can phosphate and prime all you want, but knowledge isn't understanding. Powder is a science, and it needs to be understood in order to apply it properly. You won't find many shops operated by people who understand what's happening when a part is being coated. I've seen bare coats outperform all that prep work.

The prep is vitally important, but if it's not done properly, it's rubbish, and it ruins the end result. It's the same for the final coats. The result also has to be tested. The first product out the gate needs to be abused with spray, in the sun, with impact, after abrasion, and so on.

Don't hate on powder because the dolt that made a bumper you had in the past sent it off without care to the closest shop.

It's not a process that's well understood, even by some who have been doing it for years. You can't learn it out of a coating book. Your IQ must be "this" tall to apply it properly, you have to understand a bit of science, and you need to spend lots of time experimenting. Otherwise, you end up with the shit people are used to. Powder should stick, not just encapsulate.

You can't just blast, treat, spray, bake, and expect an acceptable result. There is a shitload more to it than that, and those who know, don't tell. I don't blame them. I wouldn't tell either.

How do you know if your powder man is good? Have him coat a thick plate the best he can, then beat the shit out of it, abrade it, leave it out in the sun, and drop it in a tank of salt water.

Do this at every shop around. You may find one that knows his shit.

Cheers,

Kennith

 

[wooderson]

Hey all,

Just thought I would jump in and say, " we are in no way connected to SG." My partners D1 was set up with there bumpers and I ran there progressive springs and front bumper. Know that SG is gone I decided to put my designs that I have had on my D1 for years into production.
The products that we have are just that, my designs. the front may resemble sg, but is infact very different.

As Ben pointed out, we are a very young company, our shop is in my back yard. it would not be possible to offer a decent product at a reasonable price if we had to pay a lease on top of everything else. And yes, we do farm out the laser cutting and cnc bending of the 7gauge pno steel.

Yes, the web site is crap. like it was mentioned earlier in this thread," you get what you pay for", but I'm pretty sure there's numbers up now. I threw a fit over that a couple weeks back. It will improve over time as hopefully we will be able to afford a better web designer.

I think the name is catchy, but not everyone will like it, and "pretty pink pansy Rovers" was already taken. Damn.

Yep, we can be a little hard on our rovers. we refer to it as product testing. If somethings going to give or brake, I prefer it was on one of ours first.

We have nothing to hid, in fact, it's quite the opposite. I would rather be high profile and everyone know who we are. I was on the BOD for SCLR in 2009, and have been very active in the club for the last five years. Have owned a number of Rovers over the last 12 years and am very much a dedicated rover guy.

Married eleven years now, four kids, seven horses, nine chickens, one goat, one sheep(don't ask), two rabbits, three dogs and an unknown number of cats both ferill and domesticated ferill. So yes, i'm broke.

So, you all are welcome to come by the shop any time, just don't expect a big show room or a/c. Not yet any way. If it's late in the day or the weekend, I like a nice stout I.P.A., but if your buyin just bring it.

Happy Rovering.

Eric Holmquist
Co-owner:
Tactical Rovers
29070 Calle De Caballos
Menifee, Ca. 92585
951-239-6236

you're the first company/owner to really ever do this. i mean, step up to the board, show your face, and answer questions, concerns, complaints, etc.

cheers for that.

 

[p m]

you're the first company/owner to really ever do this. i mean, step up to the board, show your face, and answer questions, concerns, complaints, etc.

cheers for that.

Hey, these guys show their faces it on the trail, too!

 

[rovrkil]

I met them at the National Rally this summer, both were great guys and very knowledgable, not only about their product but also about what would and wouldn't work on the different rovers.
Kudos to Eric for posting and honest answer!

 

[Brianawd]

How about you post of some pics of your D2 front bumper.

 

[TacticalRovers]

I keep getting upload file error. I'm doing something wrong.
Check out the pics on our FB page. I'll post the link, or just search Tactical Rovers.
The D1 and D2 front bumpers look the same.http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tactical-Rovers/136375946427262

 

[varova87]

hope they aren't making decals with their name. Tactical Rovers won't last long once LRNA finds them.

 

[fishEH]

hope they aren't making decals with their name. Tactical Rovers won't last long once LRNA finds them.

Speaking of that, how do places like Rovers North and AB(ROVERparts.com) keep their names? Are they in bed with "big Land Rover"?

 

[NikeCheck246]

Speaking of that, how do places like Rovers North and AB(ROVERparts.com) keep their names? Are they in bed with "big Land Rover"?

Yes, from what I understand, Rovers North is sanctioned as Land Rover's "Aftermarket Part Resource." Atlantic British, on the other hand, I thought was separate, and the domain name is just that, a domain name. If they were Atlantic Rovers or something like that I feel they would have issues.

 

[mbs13]

I keep getting upload file error. I'm doing something wrong.
Check out the pics on our FB page. I'll post the link, or just search Tactical Rovers.
The D1 and D2 front bumpers look the same.http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tactical-Rovers/136375946427262

Get those D2 rear bumper pics up already! Wanna see one coated and with the lenses installed.

 

[ptschram]

Speaking of that, how do places like Rovers North and AB(ROVERparts.com) keep their names? Are they in bed with "big Land Rover"?

Rovers North is a franchisee to Land Rover and pays to have a license to use the name.

I asked Land Rover back in '03 or '04 and they rudely told me none were available.

Soon enough they will get the letter the rest of us have and will change their name.

 

[TacticalRovers]

Yep, We are contemplating the alternate name. Maybe we'll just turn "Rovers" upside down.

 

[p m]

Yep, We are contemplating the alternate name. Maybe we'll just turn "Rovers" upside down.

M4 ..... X4 will go nicely with your stickers!