Background:
When discussing with Equilibrium Tuning owner Ed Susman, a recurring theme is the difficulty of dealing with his deceptive and false statements.
Recently, I pointed out to Ed Susman that the business’s advertising to sell the Blaze ATOM intake is deceptive.
Deceptive advertising:
One aspect that I highlighted (underlined in the ad below) was the advertising claim for the Blaze ATOM that “Significant gains have been shown on Vortex powered vehicles when compared to a competitor’s intake system.”
EQT does not provide the consumer with any information about the intake system that a comparison is being made with.
The charts accompanying the claims also lack information about the intake(s) to which the Blaze ATOM is being compared.
Omitting information about the comparison product is a deceptive act.
Section 5 of the FTC Act prohibits deceptive acts and practices in or affecting commerce. A representation, omission, or practice is deceptive if it is likely to mislead consumers acting reasonably under the circumstances and is material to consumers’ decisions.
FTC Policy Statement on Deception, 103 FTC 174 (1983)
Dishonest response:
When Ed Susman was presented with the fact that the advertisement lacked information about the comparison intake, Ed replied with a false statement about the ad, “Nothing is omitted.“
This is a demonstrably false statement, and the advertising comparison violates the Federal Trade Commission Act.
Ensure that the costs and benefits of optional or related products and services are not misrepresented or presented in an incomplete manner.
Federal Trade Commission Act Section 5: Unfair or Deceptive Acts or Practices
Conclusions:
In this example, Ed Susman is questioned about an EQT advertising comparison of the Blaze ATOM intake and other products that lacks information about what is being compared to the Blaze ATOM intake.
Ed responded that the advertisement does not omit information about the comparison intakes despite the advertisement not containing any information about them.
Ed Susman of Equilibrium Tuning has repeatedly been observed making deceptive and false statements to consumers, violating the Federal Trade Commission’s Truth in Advertising laws. Consumers must be on guard when dealing with Ed Susman, as he has demonstrated a lack of ethics in conducting business as an automotive parts salesman.
References:
- Equilibrium Tuning unsubstantiated claims about product performance
- Equilibrium Tuning misleading claims for independent product testing
- Ed Susman’s false statements about the flow bench that I use
- Ed Susman’s false statements about my consideration of data
- Ed Susman’s false statements about the testing I’ve done being flawed
- Ed Susman’s false statements about the testing that I perform being limited
- Ed Susman’s false statements about me being a hack
- Ed Susman’s false statements about questions I emailed to the business containing “demands”
- Ed Susman’s false statements to another consumer who commented on my review
- Ed Susman’s statements about professionalism being optional
- Ed Susman’s false statements to a performance shop employee who questioned Ed’s claims
- Ed Susman makes threats to suppress a consumer review
- Ed Susman bullshits a consumer on social media
- Equilibrium Tuning unsubstantiated claim about tune reliability being OEM-like.
- Ed Susman’s false statements to consumers about a tune reliability post.
- Equilibrium Tuning false advertising of independent testing.
- Ed Susman’s bullshitting has consequences for consumers.
- Ed Susman’s bullshitting a consumer about the ARM Motorsport intercooler.