Dapol-Customer Service???

[Dr Al]

Your warranty is not necessarily void the moment you open it - that would depend on the warranty conditions and what you try to do to it. Again as an example if the loco was designed to be serviced by taking off the body and you did that to eg apply oil then your warranty is not void.

Most modern locos require body removal for DCC chip fitting, so that won't void a warranty as you rightly say.

Cheers,
Alan

[Ditape]

The Loco arrived as promised and is currently running in on Snoozebury.

[jivebunny]

I haven't taken offence to what you were saying, I simply don't agree with it. In the past week I've bought two second-hand locomotives which turned out to be non-runners on arrival, it happens on occasion. I got a partial refund from the sellers as I don't expect to receive a non-runner when I've paid "good condition" prices, and then repaired them myself. A bit of soldering later and all was well - end of story. However if I was ever to receive a brand new loco and find that it didn't work it would go straight back, in the same way I'd return a new fridge that didn't refrigerate when I plugged it in, or a new car that broke down the second I drove it off the forecourt. If it hasn't been put together properly at the factory then I don't want it.

I'm not sure you can compare buying second-hand non-runners to buying brand new stock - you don't really expect the non-runner to work when you take it out of the box!

My point is, if we don't send shoddy goods back to the manufacturer then we're shooting ourselves in the foot as they won't be aware of the issue, or they'll be able to ignore it as it doesn't cost them anything, and the end result is that the quality will never improve.

Besides, not everyone has the tools, confidence or simply the will to take a delicate, brand-new locomotive apart and hope for the best when they attempt to fix it themselves. We're agreed that the warranty isn't simply void the second you take off the shell, but if you attempt a repair and mess it up then that's game over. The manufacturer's likely to just send it straight back to you and suggest you buy a new one.

JB

[dodger]

well gents and girls

everybody who knows me will know that I think that the Dapol Customer service is pretty sh......, especially when we are talking about DCC supllies.

But on the other hand it has forced me to learn to solve issues my selves, which brings me to the point that I start loving more and more all those people who are sending back loco's under warranty for all sorts of reasons which are coming back on market really really cheap. My latest massive laugh was a class 66 which I could buy for only £ 30,-- to found out that the problem was a blanking plug which was fitted the wrong way around.

So please do not feel offended legal rights are legal rights, quality is quality and customer service is customer service. but... sometimes we could have a simple look ourselves to find that a lot of problems are easy and simple to solve

I couldn't agree with you more. We shouldn't have fix things ourselves. Unfortunately these days it is often the only way to solve a problem and certainly less stressful.

Dodger

[Tank]

I reported my Dapol Class 86 to Joel on the Dapol Facebook page via a private message.  I sent it to the address that he gave me, and a week later a replacement arrived.  It's the only one that I've had go wrong, so hopefully it won't happen again.

[Avis1434]

As far as I am concerned, if you purchase a new loco from Dapol, or indeed any manufacturer, or their retailers, and it is not working properly the ONLY answer, for the average modeller, is to send it back for replacement from whence it came!

The faulty item is not fit for purpose and you should not need to mess around in any way in the hope that you can rectify the fault, even if it is simply the pick up's not making proper contact. I see no reason why the purchaser should even have the hassle of returning the item to DCC Supplies or anyone else for that matter. The product purchased is not fit for purchase, at point of sale, so back it goes and you get a new one - or a full refund - no questions asked under the sale of goods act.

By so doing you not only safeguard your position but you also make Dapol or any manufacturer of the shortcomings of their products. If we all simply attempt to sort the problem ourselves we stand the chance of voiding our warranty and perhaps more importantly not making the manufacturer aware of the problem associated with that model. Perhaps this will focus their minds more fully on quality control.

I am aware that we have many excellent modellers in the Forum who think nothing of stripping down a loco and are more than able to resolve most problems but for Mr average the above approach is the recommended way forward in my eyes.

[red_death]

The faulty item is not fit for purpose and you should not need to mess around in any way in the hope that you can rectify the fault, even if it is simply the pick up's not making proper contact.

Really? Should the "average" modeller not even be able to make sure that contacts are actually making contact?

It would be great to think that nothing ever gets dislodged in shipping (half way round the world and within the UK postal network), but it may be wishful thinking.

Cheers, Mike

[MalcolmInN]

The faulty item is not fit for purpose and you should not need to mess around in any way in the hope that you can rectify the fault, even if it is simply the pick up's not making proper contact.

Really? Should the "average" modeller not even be able to make sure that contacts are actually making contact?

It would be great to think that nothing ever gets dislodged in shipping (half way round the world and within the UK postal network), but it may be wishful thinking.

Cheers, Mike

Some suppliers may actually test before sending, we will see if that comes to pass, and can be maintained, when DJM comes on-stream, attention to this kind of detail may require some cost/funds, what does not require cost is a pleasant attitude from suppliers.
The "average" brancher-out into revolutionary enterprises in the field of customer relations will soon have to moderate his tone, else his enterprise will need a new front man, aka customer relations officer.

[Michael Shillabeer]

The faulty item is not fit for purpose and you should not need to mess around in any way in the hope that you can rectify the fault, even if it is simply the pick up's not making proper contact.

Really? Should the "average" modeller not even be able to make sure that contacts are actually making contact?

It would be great to think that nothing ever gets dislodged in shipping (half way round the world and within the UK postal network), but it may be wishful thinking.

Cheers, Mike

A Dapol A4 from Model Railways Direct is similar in price to a Russel Hobbs fridge-freezer from Argos.

They are both mass produced consumer products.

If the fridge-freezer didn't work on delivery what would you do?

Best regards
Michael

[DJM Dave]

The faulty item is not fit for purpose and you should not need to mess around in any way in the hope that you can rectify the fault, even if it is simply the pick up's not making proper contact.

Really? Should the "average" modeller not even be able to make sure that contacts are actually making contact?

It would be great to think that nothing ever gets dislodged in shipping (half way round the world and within the UK postal network), but it may be wishful thinking.

Cheers, Mike

Some suppliers may actually test before sending, we will see if that comes to pass, and can be maintained, when DJM comes on-stream, attention to this kind of detail may require some cost/funds, what does not require cost is a pleasant attitude from suppliers.
The "average" brancher-out into revolutionary enterprises in the field of customer relations will soon have to moderate his tone, else his enterprise will need a new front man, aka customer relations officer.

On stream now mate, currently checking my first Vapourware, down in Cornwall :-)

[ScottyStitch]

The faulty item is not fit for purpose and you should not need to mess around in any way in the hope that you can rectify the fault, even if it is simply the pick up's not making proper contact.

Really? Should the "average" modeller not even be able to make sure that contacts are actually making contact?

It would be great to think that nothing ever gets dislodged in shipping (half way round the world and within the UK postal network), but it may be wishful thinking.

Cheers, Mike

A Dapol A4 from Model Railways Direct is similar in price to a Russel Hobbs fridge-freezer from Argos.

They are both mass produced consumer products.

If the fridge-freezer didn't work on delivery what would you do?

Best regards
Michael

First thing I'd do? Check the fuse. If it wasn't there, I'd fit one and email the manufacturer to inform them. If it was there I'd replace it and email the manufacturer to inform them. IF that didn't work, I'd read the troubleshooting section of the manual. At the end of that, call the retailer.

[RussellH]

The faulty item is not fit for purpose and you should not need to mess around in any way in the hope that you can rectify the fault, even if it is simply the pick up's not making proper contact.

Really? Should the "average" modeller not even be able to make sure that contacts are actually making contact?

It would be great to think that nothing ever gets dislodged in shipping (half way round the world and within the UK postal network), but it may be wishful thinking.

Cheers, Mike

A Dapol A4 from Model Railways Direct is similar in price to a Russel Hobbs fridge-freezer from Argos.

They are both mass produced consumer products.

If the fridge-freezer didn't work on delivery what would you do?

Best regards
Michael

Follow the trouble shooting instructions in the user manual.

(and they dont make fridge freezers....)

Russ

[red_death]

Some suppliers may actually test before sending, we will see if that comes to pass, and can be maintained, when DJM comes on-stream, attention to this kind of detail may require some cost/funds, what does not require cost is a pleasant attitude from suppliers.
The "average" brancher-out into revolutionary enterprises in the field of customer relations will soon have to moderate his tone, else his enterprise will need a new front man, aka customer relations officer.

Ah an ad hom attack rather than address the point....

Testing before dispatch doesn't guarantee that nothing will get knocked out of place during transit to the final destination 

A Dapol A4 from Model Railways Direct is similar in price to a Russel Hobbs fridge-freezer from Argos.

They are both mass produced consumer products.

If the fridge-freezer didn't work on delivery what would you do?

I'd see if it was something simple to fix (and that will obviously vary between items) before I sent it back.
That is not an attempt to give a manufacturer a "free pass", but a recognition that mistakes happen or that things can get unseated in transit. There is also an element of what is easiest for me.

Of course the nature of the fault and the product will dictate how easy/possible it is to fix something.

Cheers, Mike

[FeelixTC]

This is all self-contradictory - on the one hand; we have people (quite rightly) 'observing' that the service of manufacturers can fall below both expectation and, sometimes, statutory rights.
On the other; people asking why you can't fix it yourself.

You wouldn't put up with shoddy goods/service in any other field and frankly; 'fixing it yourself' is just letting the manufacturer off the hook.

If you *can* fix it yourself; good for you - but this thread wasn't for you.

[Agrippa]

Above post sums it up, when you buy goods new they should work straight from the box, and the retailer
is responsible. I wonder if model rail stuff is more likely to be bought by mail order than other things, which
might lead some people to "fix it yourself" rather than go through the hassle of returning it etc.