as I was going through my birthday stash today, and actually tearing the plastic bag to look at the parts, my once proud Academy’s reputaion went to shreds. My F4U Corsair’s right wing had not been completely molded and around 2.5 cm.sq. were missing off of the tip. I’ll have the pics of them, but should I use putty or what?
I really don’t like to order replacements, but if I had to, should I call MRC?[:(]
Yes. Call and get a replacement. Alternately, take it back to the shop where it was bought and exchange it for one that’s in good shape.
Regards,
sorry, my LHS owner is more of a racist (when oddjob007 and I walk into the shop, the owner seems to recognize oddjob more than me, until I bring out the big bucks) and a grouch. he won’t let me exchange a model kit that has the plastic bags missing. and besides, it was given to me as a gift[:D]
BTW, oddjob007 and I know each other in real life. we’re good friends, go to the same school, and in the same community
I would contact MRC. It’s obvious this is a quality control issue, and any company worth their salt should want to make it right. Who knows… you might get some freebies for your trouble.
Jerry
It’s obviously a short shot, which isn’t very common, but does happen. The place of purchase should exchange or refund whether the plastics been opened or not.
Regards, Rick
I’d be taking it back to the lhs for an exchange.If the owner is misserable about it,I’d be finding out who supplies him and talk to them.
I won’t deal with a hobby shop that makes you feel your bothering them unless you’re spending big money.There’s only one hobby shop local to me and he has the attitude that he can name his price because there’s no place else to go and if it isn’t on the shelf,it’s not available.I won’t deal with him under any circumstances.I always wait till I have a trip back to where I used to live.I have one guy I deal with that has been fantastic from my first visit.He will always have my business even though he’s over an hour drive away.I think you should remind your lhs that you’re the customer and without customers,he’s out of business.
[#ditto]…call MRC and get a replacement. As for the LHS, that kind of attitude puts companies out of business (sooner or later).
I’d vote with your feet too, and deprive him of your “big bucks”… That’ll hurt him in the wallet. I hate poor customer service, and there’s no excuse for it. He’ll either learn a lesson, or go bankrupt. His choice. [;)]
Go to MRC. Check if they have a website and you may be able to order a replacement part taht way. I just did the same thing with Accurate Miniatures. The TBF Avenger i bought online had a couple broken parts and the pieces weren’t in the bag with the parts. I ordered replacement parts through their website and got a reply today that they are sending them. Give it a try.
I find it hard to believe that any LHS operator would be foolish enough to behave like that in this day and age. In the last 15 yrs I’ve watched my LHS go from a 4000 sq ft facility to a maybe a thousand sq ft because of diminishing market. Business must be really good for him. Gotta think Acad/MRC would be glad to protect their rep by repalcing it no questions asked.
Don’t know why there are so many jerks who decide to open hobby shops, ice cream parlours and toy shops, but I remember making that discovery as a kid. Certainly not all are like that, nor even a majority, but it only takes a few…
Well, you could try to return it, giving the guy the benefit of a last doubt. If he refuses, who needs him? There’s always the vast internet for your models. Impersonal though it is, transactions are usually free of attitude.
The other alternative is to use sheet styrene cut to the proper shape and glued onto the end. It’s inconvenient, but really isn’t too much of a project.
Please let us know how things turn out.
Take care,
Mark
Carol, at MRC, is a sweetheart, but she’s busy as a three-legged cat scratching crap on a hardwood floor. She’s done well by me, but give her time to work.
Wess
Yeah… go to MRC… and the heck with the jerk at the LHS. I think you should stop giving him business if he’s going to be like that.
sorry, my LHS owner is more of a racist (when oddjob007 and I walk into the shop, the owner seems to recognize oddjob more than me, until I bring out the big bucks) and a grouch. he won’t let me exchange a model kit that has the plastic bags missing. and besides, it was given to me as a gift[:D]
BTW, oddjob007 and I know each other in real life. we’re good friends, go to the same school, and in the same community
[/quote]
Sorry this quote didn’t turn out well.
Yeh he is right. He nice to me though. My corsair from there was in perfict condiction. It was on the same shelf and by the same company. By the way, the lhs is not goning to go ot of business. They sell tike toys. The area is nifested with them. The also provide yo yo’s! Wow a yo yo! so fun. Ha! A yo yo!
Why should you patronize a hobby shop who treats you badly?Take the kit back to the jerk and see what his reaction is.If he will not stand behind his products then he does not deserve your buisiness .Period end of sentence!
Here is the email for MRC
Contact MRC and do not spend your hard earned money at a place that does not give you the service you deserve. LHS’ are great and worth supporting, but it has to go both ways, “The customer is always right.” Hope it works out for you.
Cheers,
Eric
That definitely stinks. Obviously the best route would be to get the defective part replaced and save the hassle of a repair. If that fails to work out, I would think that you best bet for repair would be with some sheet styrene. For the situation you’ve described, putty strikes me as too weak to really be effective for building out the missing area. Cut out around the edge of the missing wing area to give yourself a nice clean edge against which to glue. Cut a matching piece of sheet styrene, glue it up and shape to match the wing. If you need greater styrene thickness than what you can buy, laminate pieces as necesary to build up the thickness. I find that Testor’s liquid glue that is applied with a brush is ideal for this kind of situation.
Andy
Ditch the LHS guy if he doesn’t need your business - go to a mail order shop like Great Models or Squadron - you’ll save a lot of money and they both have excellent customer service. They seem to know who funds their paychecks.
Thats why I’ve started buying my models at Michaels and Wallyworld …Much Cheeper and if you have a problem, take your receipt and model back for an exchange or your money back…I spent two hundred and fifty bucks on two models, paints and a air brush & compressor from my LHS who is 50 miles from my little town in the mountians. I got home and was inventorying my stuff and there was a $30.00 charge on the receipt and nothing to show for it…I had the five items that I had bought, but there was a $30.00 charge on the receipt…Nothing was itemized on the receipt, just a line with numbers and the amount of each item…There was no numbers just the amount=$30.00 then all added and taxed and the total…
I called and told the owner and he said: "Oh I made a mistake, come in next time your in town and get what ever you want for $30.00…Not my money back for his mistake! But get anything I want!..So I drove the 50 miles back and picked out $48.00 worth of goodies. He bagged them up and added it up and wanted the $18.00 more! I told him: “That is for the 200 miles I had to drive round trip!” He just stood there looking at me as I Picked up the bag of goodies and wheeled my wheelchair out and got into my pickup, put the wheelchair in the back of the drivers seat and drove off…I’ve never been back! I’d been buying from him for about a year and felt I was a good customer, He knows me by my first name…That was when Diesel fuel was only $1.28.9 not $2.51.9 like it is today…I don’t drive that far anymore unless I have a Dr’s appointment…I live on Socal Security,I’m not spending money for Diesel fuel when I can buy a model online and have it delivered… I use UPS to bring what I buy on line ha,ha…Its cheaper than Wally World and michaels too…Ha,ha…“RC”[C):-)]