NittanyLion ATLANTIC CENTRAL There were two different shops around here years ago, both had owners who were a little burned out I'm assuming that one of these was the fellow that ran Peach Creek. He was a gruff fellow, but I understand that he had a good reputation. I often wonder if people who have experience in retail positions have a higher threshold for "bad treatment" than people with little or no experience. I'm not sure I'd say I've been poorly treated anywhere, in any type of store. Likewise, when I was a professional book selling guy, I don't recall intentionally treating anyone badly (even though ten plus years later I can tell you two people I really wish I had).
ATLANTIC CENTRAL There were two different shops around here years ago, both had owners who were a little burned out
I'm assuming that one of these was the fellow that ran Peach Creek. He was a gruff fellow, but I understand that he had a good reputation.
I often wonder if people who have experience in retail positions have a higher threshold for "bad treatment" than people with little or no experience. I'm not sure I'd say I've been poorly treated anywhere, in any type of store. Likewise, when I was a professional book selling guy, I don't recall intentionally treating anyone badly (even though ten plus years later I can tell you two people I really wish I had).
Wrong assumption. I knew John Glaab of Peach Creek for many years, never found him to be gruff.
Sheldon
I'm joining this conversation very late but I'll throw my two cents in anyway.
Glad to see rrebel seems to have gotten a satisfactory response.
I have one simple rule that I adhere to strictly regarding any company I do business withm, not just model railroading vendors. They only get one chance to do me wrong. If they fail to give me my money's worth and refuse to correct problems, they won't get a second chance. I cross them off my list and they are dead to me.
I find the conclusion to this dilemma interesting. I would never expect a retailer to refund me money for an item where the manufacturer could not fix the defect.
I would have thought the legal liability would fall to Bachmann...and perhaps they will refund TW eventually.
All of my manufacturer returns have been adequately repaired, so the idea that consumers hold the retailer monetarily responsible for the defects an unaffiliated company created and could not repair is interesting to me.
Maybe that's why retailers are disappearing. Being held up to standards they can't meet.
- Douglas
ATLANTIC CENTRAL rrebell Well it looks like we are nearing the end of a saga. Last return from Bachmann was DOA, only moved an inch maybe, proubly from broken wire as they replaced motor. Train World is taking it back and issuing store credit and return shipping label of original item with the damaged box and paint pealing off the handrails (all done by Bachmann at their repair shops). This was really all on Bachmann and they never offered a replacement or other offer. Sorry to hear Bachmann was not able to make it right, that is disappointing. Sounds to me like they may have skilled labor issues........ Sheldon
rrebell Well it looks like we are nearing the end of a saga. Last return from Bachmann was DOA, only moved an inch maybe, proubly from broken wire as they replaced motor. Train World is taking it back and issuing store credit and return shipping label of original item with the damaged box and paint pealing off the handrails (all done by Bachmann at their repair shops). This was really all on Bachmann and they never offered a replacement or other offer.
Well it looks like we are nearing the end of a saga. Last return from Bachmann was DOA, only moved an inch maybe, proubly from broken wire as they replaced motor. Train World is taking it back and issuing store credit and return shipping label of original item with the damaged box and paint pealing off the handrails (all done by Bachmann at their repair shops). This was really all on Bachmann and they never offered a replacement or other offer.
Sorry to hear Bachmann was not able to make it right, that is disappointing.
Sounds to me like they may have skilled labor issues........
Rich
Alton Junction
richhotrain ATLANTIC CENTRAL rrebell Well it looks like we are nearing the end of a saga. Last return from Bachmann was DOA, only moved an inch maybe, proubly from broken wire as they replaced motor. Train World is taking it back and issuing store credit and return shipping label of original item with the damaged box and paint pealing off the handrails (all done by Bachmann at their repair shops). This was really all on Bachmann and they never offered a replacement or other offer. Sorry to hear Bachmann was not able to make it right, that is disappointing. Sounds to me like they may have skilled labor issues........ Sheldon No wonder that Bachmann prefers to just replace a loco. Rich
No wonder that Bachmann prefers to just replace a loco.
And, if they have them why not? The production cost of that loco is way less than paying someone to fix it.
But repair problems like this are a new situation compared to my experiances with the repair department.
I have had some good experiences with Bachmann in terms of purchasing new steam locomotives that proved problem-free. But, I have never had a good experience with Bachmann repairing or replacing a steam locomotive.
richhotrain I have had some good experiences with Bachmann in terms of purchasing new steam locomotives that proved problem-free. But, I have never had a good experience with Bachmann repairing or replacing a steam locomotive. Rich
I have to admit, things seem to have been better in the service department back in the heyday of the Spectrum Line when Lee Riley was in charge of product developement.
They had more product in stock and quickly replaced those items they could not easily fix.
Not sure what the future holds for any of these companies with even less inventory of product or parts?
But like I advised the OP early on, I would have just bought another one then had the return/repair battle.
But that may be my one character flaw, an unwillingness to "settle" fo less than what I want, as long as I can afford it.
And it seems to me, that, if Bachmann (or any manufacturer for that matter) cannot provide warranty service, they would be legally obligated to refund all expenses involved in the purchase and warranty attempt of said defective product.
Warranty provides "Repair or replacement" of defective items, and if neither is an option, then no choice but to buy said defective item back.
Otherwise, the manufacturer best have a good attorney "on-call" to assist them breaking their end of the warranty contract with zero alternative options.
Ricky W.
HO scale Proto-freelancer.
My Railroad rules:
1: It's my railroad, my rules.
2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.
3: Any objections, consult above rules.
Oh Bachmann said it was fixed and it is proubly a brken wire from motor replacement but by this time I was done. As far as TW is concerned, they buy so much from Bachmann that I am sure they will at least break even.