Whats Happened to the days when the Shop owner would test run a loco prior to sending it out to the customer?

Farish Poole had warranty cards in the box that were for for filling in and stamping after a purchase on the grounds the retailer would actually test it before selling and posting it.

Why don't the manufacturers put a sticker on the box for the retailers, Stating "PLEASE CHECK ITS WORKING PRIOR TO SELLING" I'ts not really Rocket Science and it would prevent complaints from the customers.

It's a good idea but some locos develop problems just after they have been run in. I had one that did. Testing in a shop does weed out the complete duds though.

Maybe that would help if the retailer tested each loco. I know my failures have disappeared since I started buying in store where every loco I buy is tested and I can even choose the best runner. But this just means the retailer is doing the final inspection. The manufacturer is effectively passing the buck to the retailer.
I really appreciate my retailer testing my locos but feel sorry he's got to send all the dodgy ones I reject back to the manufacturer.

My experience is that where the circuit board is the issue (and that is usually the issue with faulty Dapol models), it usually shows up within what could reasonably described as 'running in' - I've had one go up in smoke (literally) and refuse to move again, and several with the more usual problem where the lights stop working at one or both ends.

For those of you who just want to drag the staff of Dapol into a public square and flog them to within an inch of their life (I think I am summarizing this correctly ) can I relate a tale of redemption of a Dapol locomotive.

At the Abingdon show on Saturday I happened across a perspex box on the club second hand stall. In it were the remains (and I use the words advisedly) of a Dapol Southern Terrier.  In short it had been speared through the heart with a 60 Watt soldering iron in an attempt to fix a loose wire.  It would have been hard to do more damage with a blow torch, however having nursed a number of these beasties back to life I paid the princely sum of £10.  Despite solder holes in the gears, mangled pickups and the rest, I am pleased to report it is now purring round my test track running on a DCC chip as well.

The point of this story is that the Dapol locos are actually very well designed and when they are built correctly (not always the case from the China factory) or repaired even with serious damage they can work very well.

Like most of the industry Dapol management are a bit weak and short on knowledge on how to schmooze customers (They cannot all be Allan Sugars) but they produce product that would not otherwise see the light of day at frankly surprisingly low cost.

Quote from: mark100 on March 23, 2017, 04:49:41 PM
Whats Happened to the days when the Shop owner would test run a loco prior to sending it out to the customer?

Farish Poole had warranty cards in the box that were for for filling in and stamping after a purchase on the grounds the retailer would actually test it before selling and posting it.

Why don't the manufacturers put a sticker on the box for the retailers, Stating "PLEASE CHECK ITS WORKING PRIOR TO SELLING" I'ts not really Rocket Science and it would prevent complaints from the customers.

All that is doing is loading expense onto the retailer (time to test each loco, deal with the returns) who will then want to pass that on to the customer (higher price).

I wonder how many people Hattons would have to employ to carefully unpack, test and repack each loco they sell?

One shop I dealt with lately does test used locos as a matter of course, but the used Fleischmann one I bought had issues of wheel binding on curves and odd engine noise, so still had to be rejected for a refund. The test bench in the shop is only a short straight track setup.

It would be nice if every supplier tested new locos prior to shipment, though most, if not all, buyers want new items in sealed boxes and some sellers, for obvious reasons, do not want to open factory sealed boxes. So buyer tests upon receipt must be carried out a.s.a.p. after receipt and ALL faults noted back to the supplier/manufacturer, even if you are happy  to put things right yourself.

Quote from: austinbob on March 23, 2017, 04:05:47 PM

Quote from: Chris Morris on March 23, 2017, 04:03:54 PM
I've seen a union mills loco not work out of the box. A Dean goods last year. The owner and I had to do some fettling on it.

A rarity indeed...    and the problem was?

Dirty wheels.
It was put on the track and didn't run. Stuttered along for a short with a push. Before sending it back we did a bit of checking and found the problem was at the wheel end. Easily fixed so not a problem so far as I am concerned.  Just mentioned it as even UM aren't immune from problems out of the box.
I might buy a UM 2251 when it comes out but it will take a lot of work to bring it somewhere a good standard of detail.

Apart from a couple of used purchases on E Bay, my most recent 3 new items came from Arcadia in Shaw.  A couple of mates and I sometimes do a day trip up there in person from Watford.  Amazing shop.  However, Tim, the governor, tests all locos on a straight end to end before releasing them.  He had kept back a J39 for me to be collected by my friends.  When it came out of the box, one of the tender handrails was loose and sprung off and disappeared into the carpet.  That was going to be sent back.  Thankfully he had one more of the version I wanted in stock so I had that.  Fine runner.  Anyway this is a retailer who can go that extra mile, and his prices are fair and competitive.  But I take the point it is not really fair to expect the retailer to act as unpaid Quality Assurance tester.

Looks like you and I both have excellent local retailers. With mine I pay a bit more but get a good loco. If there's a subsequent problem then no trouble to get a replacement.
Interesting about second hand items, I've bought quite a few and never had a problem with any. Must be they've been used(hence tested) and faults (if any) ironed out.

Quote from: Portpatrick on March 23, 2017, 06:01:24 PM
my most recent 3 new items came from Arcadia in Shaw.

I wouldn't call Oldham "local" to Watford 


Paul

Hmmmm ..probably right 
Slip of the old typing fingers, or perhaps that last pint of IPA.

We are quite  mad going all that way.   But once Alan had come across him there became every reason  to use him
And we have a good boys day out

I'm more in awe you guys have actual model shops a relative distance from where you live. I end up driving for 45 minutes to a local shop as the closest doesn't have the best reputation. I still haven't been there to check it out just incase I'm bitterly disappointed.

Quote from: Nik96 on March 24, 2017, 01:08:42 PM
I still haven't been [to closest local model shop] to check it out just in case I'm bitterly disappointed.

That's a bit silly tbh,  go check it out and make up your own mind.  Whoever it is saying it has a bad reputation may just be one disgruntled customer.