Hello,
A few weeks ago, I purchased a Mehano Blue Tiger from Euromodeltrains. Very nice loco but it had a couple of problems. The slider was horribly loud and shorted on the trcks and one of the functions (warning lights) did not work. I mentioned this to Mike and he promptly sent me a replacement slider. The loco was missing the instruction book so Mike made a copy and mailed it to me.
To box was a little shop worn but I didn't mind as I really liked the loco.
Over the Jult 4th weekend, I wanted to replace the slider on the loco so I started looking into opening up the loco. At that time I noticed that the forward cab and a small part of the engine cover had popped out and the cab was misaligned. This was not where the loco shell comes off from the chasis. I tried popping the cab back in but that didn't work.
Considering the fact that the warning lights didn't work and the cab was misalligned, I was no longer happy with the loco and wanted a replacement with the same or similar loco (that is still available).
I emailed Mike stating these issues and asked for a replacement. I did not get a response. So a few days later I sent him a reminder but still no response. I thought that he may be out of town or something but I have been receiving the sales emails from him. So it looks like I am being ignored.
This is the first time I am having issues with a product from this seller and was hoping that the service will be good and I can get a replacement. But no luck.
I have always had excellent service from Guy at ajckids.com and have always received replacements when there are issues with the product. This one time, I blew a Loksound MFX decoder multiple times before I figured out that the loco circuit board had a short. I explained the issue to Guy and he sent out replacements multiple times (and didn't even charge postage). Now that's what I call service.

I really hope it is my mail not getting through or some issue like that.

Gautham,

as Mehano is in bankruptcy, parts and service for one of those locomotive might be a little difficult. You can ask Mike if he has any others in stock and request an exchange.
Mike has been a member of this forum for years and has a good reputation within the industry. I am sure that you will be able to work out a solution.

Regards

Mike C

I'm with Nev- try calling

Sure Webmaster. Sorry if I broke the rules.

Gautham,
Did you request a refund, or just another replacement? If he won't let you return it for a refund, I think that your sentiments are right. However, if you just want a replacement maybe he doesn't have one, and for sure can't get one since they went under?

Dont know how the law stands where you are but if the goods are faulty then send them back for a full refund.
Dealers who do not care about their customers complaints and dont know why lights on a model do not work should be hit hard. You can also write to the manufacturer telling them of the poor service you have recieved.
An excuse that a model is discounted is one of the worst you can get. It matters not the price but the model should be in good working order for a reasonable time.
Clearly we only have one side of a story here and my comments are based on what is reported by Gauthum to the forum.
In my experience this would not happen if dealing with Lokshop or other German dealers.
If you paid by credit card let them know your problem and if they can help.

dave

In NZ, goods sold new must be 'fit for purpose', i.e. the product should perform as advertised by the manufacturer. If not, then under NZ law, the consumer is entitled to have the goods fixed, or a refund of all money paid. I don't know what the consumer laws are in the US, but I would be surprised if nothing similar existed.


And for those of you who are really keen, here is a link to the relevant Act of Parliament - Consumer Guarantees Act 1993

http://www.legislation.g...91/latest/DLM311053.html

Mike is aware of this topic.

Aaaahhh..., indeed? Since Mehano is either bankrupt or in liquidation, it will be interesting to observe who will finally read such a letter.

http://www.worldrailfans...pic.php?f=2&p=80286

Hello Gautham.

I think you are not giving us all the correct details here.




On June 1. you already had the loco, and asked questions here about the warning light,
telling us you didn't knew how to operate F5 on your CS.
You told us then that you had the instruction sheet; but no new slider. Now it is opposite.
And in my book it's more than a few weeks since you bought the loco.

After testing the loco you find the slider to be too loud; but find no misalignment.

Then, after receiving the slider, and I guess, taking the lok apart to change slider, you find the misaligned cap.

If I was your dealer I would not take the loco back, due to the long time you've had it, and your own repair of the lok.
Had you found the misaligned cap at the same time as the noisy slider, the matter would be different.

I've always got excellent service from Mike, and I know that a lot of members of this forum have the same, both as individuals and as a group.

Regards

Per.

Now there is a man who understands business. Pity you are at the other side of the world or I would be more than happy buying from you. I have to say that in all the years of playing with trains I have only ever sent one loco back and it was exchanged without question so I must be lucky I suppose.
Hope business is good.

dave

Thanks flash dave
we are only a click away and its a fully 128 encyt site when you click on the shopping basket
Dion wrote, runs it and no one else touches it so we are not open to third parties
we have sent some stuff to your area and they got it pretty quick, we are a post office as well
and we get mail to london in four days all the time as we are very close to chch airport and
singapore and emirates fly out of here everyday and once its on them its normally in heathrow
in about 40 hours , then it goes to your manchester sorting centre for britain and then to you
so it seems to work well from our end , but normally incoming from britian is about 14 days
regards
bryan old toot

Per,
Some minor clarifications - If you are familiar with Mehano, it comes with one manual from ESU that describes the decoder and the usage of the decoder and another manual that describes the loco and it's opening and maintenance. I did have the ESU manual that mentioned the warning lights and those didn't work. I did not have the other manual which Mike sent me afterwards.

After testing the loco you find the slider to be too loud; but find no misalignment.

Then, after receiving the slider, and I guess, taking the lok apart to change slider, you find the misaligned cap.
When I first received the loco, the slider was really loud and shorted out on most turnouts. Obviously it is misalligned. So I don't know what you mean by but find no misallignment
Obviously anyone can come to the conclusion that I was the one who messed up the cab while trying to replace the slider. But I think that most members here are honest and have a concience. The last thing I or most other members of this forum would do is try and cheat a a dealer by spoiling a product and trying to get it repaired/replaced for free. Please don't forget the fact that most of us here spend many thousands of dollars per year on our hobby and a few dollars or a few hundred dollars do not matter to us.
Also, please don't forget the fact that it is not just the cab that was misalligned. The warning lights did not work. So the product did not function as it is supposed to (and I sent an email to Mike mentioning this). This itself is grounds for replacement. I wanted to work with the dealer. That's why I acepted the fact that the slider was messed up and the manual was missing and accepted replacements. Why on earth should it be my responsibility to replace a messed up slider in the first place?

John,
Thank you for your suggestions. These mistakes will go down as lessons learned.
As far as purchasing the loco at a very reduced price, I don't think it is the case. I paid US$270 for it and the box had a sticker saying $299. This is around the price that Mehano's are sold normally (I have 2 other Mehanos).

Hi Gautham. As you say you spend a lot on model rail then it is important to find the right dealer. Any decent dealer who gets a lot of cash from you will ensure you are happy with your purchase. erhaps you should just have sent it back in the first place as suggested but at least you did try to put the thing righ and thus retain the loco. Too many so called dealers just take a box off a shelf and post it to you making themselves cash for almost no effort and they get paid up front. It is only when there is a problem with a purchase that you know how good a seller is.
I have no problem buying from Germany from the dealer I use and he gets all my business. Bryan (old Toot) does also look to have the right idea.

dave

You are absolutely right Dave.

I really did not want to post here, as the Forum is hardly a place to settle matters between dealers
and customers. But, being a forum member, I feel that I should at least respond and set the record straight
once and for all.

Gautham originally approached me wanting to purchase Mehano "Blue Tiger" DE-AC33C model,
pictured below:



Nice Hobby level model, however I sold last one I had and offered him POOLLOK
Prestige level model, for the same price as the hobby model and with free shipping to boot.
Model was brand new, I only sell brand new merchandise.



Word on price: original price of Prestige
model was $369, but after Mehano announced that they will stop producing trains, I cut prices of in stock models
and this one was marked to $299. Gautham got it for $269, as that was the price of a hobby model
he originally wanted. You could say "switch and bait", but only the other way around.

Gautham contacted me complaining about noisy slider and non-working warning light on the roof.
Instead of returning the model, he has decided to take matters into his own hands and requested replacement
slider, which was promptly dispatched (I mailed him Roco "whisper" slider, very good and quite slider).
Gautham then said he can't find the manual for the model. I scrambled and send him the manual.

Quick recap of the transaction:

- Free upgrade
- Free shipping
- Two post-sale service calls

One can not attempt repair of the product and then expect that the dealer will take it back after
that, and after one "falls out of love" with the model, sorry. Having said that, there is such thing
as dealer discretion and Good Will. No dealer wants to see any customer unhappy and he will
(or should) try to work with that customer, provided customer is not trying to abuse the relationship.

We went away on vacation, I saw Gautham's email requesting to return the model after we came
back and, yes, did not immediately respond, as I was very busy clearing backlog, but meaning to
get back to him and explain the situation. What did Gautham do? He, knowing very well that I
was a member here, came crying to the Forum with his groundless complaints, trashing my good
reputation, and, apparently, trying to coerce my cooperation, so I would try to avoid this "bad" publicity.
(This last point is a pure speculation on my part, thus the use of "apparent").

So what dealer discretion and what good will can he expect to receive from me? I am afraid, not
much at all.

I will not post any more remarks in this thread. I wanted to thank many of you for your emails
of support. I became a member here in 2004, in 2006 I opened Euro Model Trains store and I am very
happy to still count quite few Forum members among my customers from the very beginning.

Michael

Would have been better to return the model for a replacement slider and any other problems. However in order to save postage and as the dealer is happy for repairs to be carried out by the customer then this should not be the end of the matter if the problems still remain.
In the business of selling toy trains I expect the above is fairly common where customer and seller can not agree and it is down to the customer as to what action if any he wishes to take. Luckily the sale of goods act here protects customers fairly well and the price or discounts etc have no bearing on the transaction.
I would suggest that any faulty models are returned to the seller for a refund or get a refund from the card company who will in turn get it from the seller.
Probably better to leave this thread as it is as it has probably gone far enough.
Alonso is right that a good local dealer is best if you are able to find one.

dave

I think everyone has had their say on this issue, and there is not a lot more to be gained, so I have locked the topic.