Dapol-Customer Service???

[Ditape]

I bought a Class 58 EWS DCC fitted from Dapol direct, it ran for about 3 feet then stopped and would not move the lights still switched on and off so the chip was at least partially working, I tried to contact Dapol twice from the contact us page on the web site with no reply, so I took the Bull by the horns and parceled the loco up and sent it back recorded delivery. It was delivered and signed for early in January (about the 7th ), I received no acknowledgement of the return, I waited until the end of February (23rd) and wrote to them and still no reply, so they have had my Loco for 60 days and my letter 9 days and apparently done nothing, to say I am not impressed is a understatement, so much for their no quibble warranty  .

[elmo]

I have had the same non response from Dapol. Very poor company to deal with.

Elmo

[Toneeze]

Don`t get me started on their customer service,quite frankly it is appalling.Good luck with your loco,you`ll need it.

[austinbob]

I have had the same non response from Dapol. Very poor company to deal with.

Elmo

Likewise - absolutely no response to a complaint

[petercharlesfagg]

As always there are 2 sides to the coin!

My locomotive, the Britannia, motor failed within 3 months of purchase.

I returned it to the company from whom I had purchased it originally, they then returned it to Dapol (I assume it went direct to DCC Supplies) and it was returned to me within 2 weeks fitted with a new motor and an extended guarantee.

It is the ONLY experience I have had with Dapol so can only say that I think it was good service.

Regards, Peter.

[cjdodd]

Have you called them, its a bit harder to ignore a phonecall.

[Agrippa]

Have you called them, its a bit harder to ignore a phonecall.

Or start a small claim against them, I think this covers faulty goods,
and it would be very embarrassing for them.

[Topcat]

The guy in shop is nice on Saturdays, great discounts.

[ScottyStitch]

I bought a Class 58 EWS DCC fitted from Dapol direct, it ran for about 3 feet then stopped and would not move the lights still switched on and off so the chip was at least partially working, I tried to contact Dapol twice from the contact us page on the web site with no reply, so I took the Bull by the horns and parceled the loco up and sent it back recorded delivery. It was delivered and signed for early in January (about the 7th ), I received no acknowledgement of the return, I waited until the end of February (23rd) and wrote to them and still no reply, so they have had my Loco for 60 days and my letter 9 days and apparently done nothing, to say I am not impressed is a understatement, so much for their no quibble warranty  .

This in no way absolves Dapol for their poor service towards you, but I'm pretty sure that warranty claims are supposed to go to DCC supplies, so when they do eventually acknowledge your issue, you may find that it takes even longer to resolve. Sadly.

I sent a wobbling A4 (Sir Charles Newton in BR Green) to DCC Suplies, and they duly replaced the chassis with a new one. Unfortunately the replacement chassis was from a garter blue engine, and so it had red painted wheels. Very disappointing. It has been returned again.......

[sparky]

When I had a problem with my second hand eBay bought  Western Venturer, DCC supplies checked and repaired it free of charge which even included a free post label to get it there a back so I can only say the dapol service was excellent in my case.

[Papyrus]

I don't think this even counts as a warranty claim - it's an offence under the Sale of Goods Act pure and simple, ie. it is not of merchantable quality because it doesn't do what it is supposed to do. The person who sold it to you is liable.

I have to say that tales like this put me off ever buying anything with a motor in it from Dapol even though they produce locos I could use on my layout, and I suspect I am not alone. I wonder if they realise that? The trouble is, if this had been bought by someone starting out in N they would probably give the whole idea up and take up barbershop singing instead and another recruit would be lost to the hobby... 

Chris

[RussellH]

The problems that could be done under warranty went to DCC supplies and were 100% resolved.

http://helpdesk.dccsupplies.com/index.php?/Knowledgebase/Article/View/46/0/dapol-warranty-returns

Hope the link helps!

Regards
Russ

[DesertHound]

Oh Chris, I thought you were going to say they'd take up Morris Dancing!

Ditape, I think you've done what many reasonable people would have done.

Dan

[austinbob]

The problems that could be done under warranty went to DCC supplies and were 100% resolved.

http://helpdesk.dccsupplies.com/index.php?/Knowledgebase/Article/View/46/0/dapol-warranty-returns

Hope the link helps!

Regards
Russ

I'm sure DCC supplies do a good job with Dapol stuff but, I think the point of this thread is that if you try and contact Dapol Direct you invariably don't even get a response. That just isn't good enough is it??

[Richard @ N'Tastic Scale Models]

I don't think this even counts as a warranty claim - it's an offence under the Sale of Goods Act pure and simple, ie. it is not of merchantable quality because it doesn't do what it is supposed to do. The person who sold it to you is liable.

I have to say that tales like this put me off ever buying anything with a motor in it from Dapol even though they produce locos I could use on my layout, and I suspect I am not alone. I wonder if they realise that? The trouble is, if this had been bought by someone starting out in N they would probably give the whole idea up and take up barbershop singing instead and another recruit would be lost to the hobby... 

Chris

A few bad stories out of the hundreds of locos per running number does not make them a bad manufacturer. I would encourage the original poster to ring Dapol directly urgently first thing tomorrow, I would not have left it as long as he has in the first place. Letters, emails and contact forms are all to easily ignored a phone call is not.