Beware new engine project!

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Posted by Ian S C on 12/03/2019 11:13:31:

If the company was interested in it's model engineering customers it would from time to time monitor this and other modeling forums, and even if they didn't join in they would take action on improving customer relations, and the quality of stock. The company is probably too small for the regulatory body to take much interest.

Ian S C

You see it all the time with motor mechanics etc too. Good at fixing cars, cr@p at dealing with people. Unfortunately, it's the people who pay the bills, not the cars. I think there are some enthusiasts who buy into these small hobby businesses thinking it will be nirvana, just like being in their workshop all day but getting paid for it. But then they find it's really one long grind of dealing with difficult suppliers of myriads of tiny parts on one hand and customers on the other and you are the warehouse guy in the middle not having much fun after all. And then there is the paper work. Watched it happen with one local supplier here. Nice lad. Dead keen enthusiast but the business just went downhill. Shame.

[AJWParticipant @ajw]

I guess when the new owners bought the Company it came with the patterns and plans for all engines/models etc. Trouble is no-one is maintaining the patterns or I would suggest visiting any model engineering forums just to get a feel of how their products are performing.

On every occasion I contacted them there was no concern about the suitability of the product, I might as well written to my cat!

I suggested that I would certainly be steering my colleagues in other directions and that bad news travels well in the hope that it might create a response, but no.

I'm not sure where a disatisfied customer would stand legally as the item I was sold was unable to produce the item that they also sold drawings for, I suspect it could be a long drawn out process with perhaps a refund at the end of it all.

Alan

[Jon LawesParticipant @jonlawes51698]

I've contacted the company in question to bring this thread to their attention; it's only fair they have their say. They may not be aware of some of these issues.

Jon.

[Jon LawesParticipant @jonlawes51698]

They have replied:

"Hello

Thank you for your email.

We do not feel it is appropriate to comment on 'chat-rooms'.

If you have any queries please contact us directly so we can address any issues you may have,

Tasha."

Chat rooms, haven't heard it called that for years!

I have replied pointing out that the complaints are there on the thread, what they do with the information is entirely up to them. Based on what I've seen so far I can guess what they plan to do.

[AJWParticipant @ajw]

Sounds like you got exactly the same response as me!

I won't be wasting any more time contacting or buying from them, they are destroying the name of a once good Company, don't deserve to survive.

As my old mate would say, about as much use as a chocolate teapot.

Alan

[RMAParticipant @rma]

The internet has given us the opportunity to create forums such as this which have no country boundaries and opinions can be shared; discussed, and argued. How great that is!

This company is clearly profit motivated, so when the bad publicity hits their bottom line maybe, just maybe they'll sit up and take notice. The only important thing in their commercial life is their customer! I refer to the singular because a customer should be made to feel they are the ONLY customer.

So lets have more discussion like this, it can only be good.

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Hopper, at least motor mechanics usually know what they are doing when it comes to car repairs, they sometimes may well be crap at handling the customers, but this company with the castings doesn't seem to know what it;s doing with it's product. Someone mentioned towbars as the previous product the firm supplied, I hope they knew what they were doing then.

Ian S C

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

OK folks, it seems that people really are wanting to use the forum to put the boot in at the moment.

I've personally taken a dodgy casting to Reeves 2000, and they just gave me a new one (they let me keep the defective one) without any issue. I'm pretty sure they had no idea of my connection with MEW.

Bearing in mind that there are plenty of castings around at shows/ebay and some of these are actually 'pirates' cast using original castings as patterns it's not unfair for any company to require a proof of purchase, or at least to be able to cross check your purchase on their system.

It certainly isn't unreasonable to refund for castings as a remedy, or to refuse to exchange/refund second-hand parts sold on to a third party.

Bear in mind also that many of these designs are very old and the designers may not be around. The original builder probably made the item successfully using the same patterns/gears or other items. Perceived dimensional errors can sometimes be down to the designer finalising the plans retrospectively and not using the real as-built dimensions. In this case is it the plan of the casting that's wrong?

On buying castings there are three points I would make, whoever you are buying off:

1. If buying an expensive set that needs to be cast specially for you (rather than out of stock) don't pay more than a modest deposit.
2. Check the supplied set of castings for completeness and external faults as soon as possible – don't just stick them under the bench. Note that after 30 days the seller has the right to offer repair or replacement rather than a refund.
3. Keep your receipts, in case something not apparent when you got the castings, like a blowhole, appears.

Bear in mind that castings are hand made products and will vary, and that it isn't possible for them all to be checked individually by the sellers – it's in your interests to check and any reputable seller will refund or replace if they are genuinely defective and you ahve your proof of purchase.

Neil

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