Carroll-RCU

My Feedback: (43)

I ordered a Brison 3.2 on June 6th and was told that the engine would ship in about two to two and a half weeks. Well I'm not really sure what the norm is on charging your credit card for something that hasn't even been built yet. I was billed on my credit card on the 8th of June and I called Brison yesterday and the 3.2 won't be shipped for another week. Now I like the Brison Engines and Harvey is always good to talk to but, should I have been billed the whole amount before engine is even built or shipped? I don't mind putting up a deposit but this seems out of the norm for payment. Should I be concerned or just accept it as business as usual?

Tommy Meisel

I ordered a Brison 2.4 last year, and was told that it would be about 4 weeks until it shipped. So like you, I was surprised to find my credit card dinged for the entire amount right away. I got the engine after about 6 weeks. Personally, I like the Brison engines, and like you say, Harvey is great to talk to, nevertheless paying the whole amount in advance seems a tad unethical to me. I would have understood a deposit, maybe 25%, but the whole amount 6 weeks before shipment is not right.

It will be interesting to see what others think about this policy of theirs.

augiep38

My Feedback: (3)

I do not like the idea of a deposit that high. I do not see why it would be necessary to take a 10-15% deposit 25% at the most.

I asked the same question regarding an Aerotech rc plane kit. They wanted a 200.00 deposit on a 300.00 kit. I was told that there was so much demand a deposit needed to be made to hold the kit. If thats the case, why so high a deposit?

A high deposit makes me feel that the manufacturer is hurting for money and needs the cash before they can get the inventory to make the product you want. This makes me feel uneasy and unsure of whether or not I will ever receive what I have paid for.

Anyone who has experience building a house and have a sub-contractor go bankrupt in the process knows what I mean.

Todd

Carroll-RCU

My Feedback: (43)

Todd, You make a good point and I thought about that a few days ago. If they file bankruptcy, I lose my money that they already have. Hopefully this won't happen............

Taildrager-inactive

My Feedback: (11)

This is not usual business practice, as a usual deposit is only 10 to 20%. now if shipping is guaranteed in a week as with most manufactures of goods or services you can be sure they are a solid business with a good cash reserve, quality merchandise with a waiting list of costumers. I personally would not do business with a company that demands full price, then sends you the merchandise a month later, as there is too many other companies with as good or better products.

debris trail

My Feedback: (2)

In my business we sell capital equipment ($20K to 500K) and we require deposits on purchases for a majority of what we sell unless the customer is well known & trusted by us. In the case of Brison, this make no sense to me since they are selling items less than $1000 dollars in most cases, and the liability is minimum as they don't exactly make the product to a special order. If there was specific changes or mods done, different story, but I would never expect to be charged for something until it has been shipped. This tells me that the company can not afford to keep anything on stock or has to pay a sub contractor in advance for his work. I don't know the internal company workings at Brison, but this seems like bad business, and especially so if they do not inform you that you will be charged immediately for an item that is destined to ship weeks or months later...

I just sold a Brison 5.8, and it sure seemed to be a nice engine, but like planes, they don't talk about their experiences!

Diablo-RCU

My Feedback: (1)

I know that RCShowcase and Amelung Modellbau do not charge a dime on your credit card until the engine gets shipped. The engine biz can be run without charging deposits.

Hefty deposits just mean that the biz is short of cash and they need your money to stay in business and buy new supplies. They can't afford the inventory so they have you pay for it. If you don't receive your engine though, just call up the credit card company. They won't pay the engine manufacturer and you won't be charged if you never receive the goods.

kevin mcgrath

My Feedback: (1)

A few weeks back I ordered a new TNC tach.As with Brison this product enjoys a first rate reputation among enthusiasts and is in demand and occasionally backlogged as a result.Additionally the owner has had health problems lately which contributed to the backlog.The tach arrived this week and was invoiced against my CC only when it shipped.
If Brison is invoicing early due to cash flow problems,I would stay clear of their product on warranty availabilty alone should they go under.If they feel their product is superior to all others,or if the payment policy is motivated by greed,that would be short sighted indeed since they have much in the way of very excellent competition, and they will arouse suspicion or anger among discerning potential customers,witness this thread.
If I was in the market for a gas engine right now and wanted a Brison I would ask them about the policy and take the order elsewhere if I didnt like the answer.Fox,ZDZ,3W,Taurus etc...among others are certainly as good as ,or superior to Brison in all ways.......IMO.One of us should do these folks a favor and forward this thread to them.
My $C.04 worth.......

gilcon

Sounds like something has changed at Brison. I ordered a 3.2 last summer and had to wait 2 months before it was available and shipped. My credit card was not charged until it was shipped.

Hall

Carroll-RCU

My Feedback: (43)

After being told last Monday that the 3.2 would ship later that week or the first of this week I got another two to two and a half week relpy from Brison today. Needless to say I was pretty upset about this and canceled my order and was assured by Brison that my credit card would be credited. Brison stated that they couldn't get the parts needed to build the 3.2.
So, I called Don's Hobby and they had a BME 50 in stock and it is now on its way to me. This will be my second BME 50 and as much as I wanted the Brison I believe I am through with their engines period.
Anyone wanting the 3.2 needs much more patience than what I have. Too many options out there for me to tolerate this type of service.

Traxxas_Tech

My Feedback: (22)

All I know is that they hand build and run each brison engine. I wonder why they ask for full payment.... .....

Big_Bird

My Feedback: (1)

Does Brison "more" hand build their engines and someone like BME "less" hand build their engines? Don't most giant engine manufacturers run their engines before shipping? Which ones don't?

Ken

Antique

My Feedback: (4)

From personal observation....Zenoah "don't"
US engines, from what I have seen "don't"
3W? Probably "don't"
I have a brand new Fox 4.8 twin..Looks like it wasn't...
Any NIB Horner twin "don't"
DA ? Maybe "don't"

Hand built ? It would take a very sophisticated robot to assemble all the parts of any of the engines we use..Press the cranks together, press the bearings into the cases, put the rings on the piston and put the cylinder onto the piston, screw everything together..Anybody ever go through one of the factories ????

Jemo

My Feedback: (5)

3W does run them.

EJB

....so does ZDZ & Brison.

amsoilguy

Fellas,
From a past experience with a model company that went belly up. be carefull. I was billed for everything, short shipped and waited for a month. The parts didn't arrive as promissed, so I disputed the card charge. Glad I did, because they went under a month or so later. The post that speculated this may be right. I hope not. This IS NOT a practice that should be done with a STOCK item. As stated above, a special order, maybe.
Ams

KenLambert

My Feedback: (107)

reply for rc ign i have been to both brison and fox brison asembles prebuilt parts fox makes all there own parts with the exeption of pistons and rings and bearings they welcome anyone that would like a tourthe engines are assembled one at a time and each one run before shipping ,and this is not to say anything bad of brison or fox this is what i have seen first hand

amsoilguy

Most reputable engine manufacturers run an engine before shipment. If they are cleaned, they will look like new, unrun units. But there is still that hint of gasoline, if you have a good sniffer.
{:^)
Ams

sirmombo

I ordered a Brison 2.4 October of 2000 and was told it wold be shipped in about a month. My credit card was charged immediately. May of 2001 the engine was still on back order. I cancelled the order and was hoping to get my card credited. Brison told me they didn't have the money to do it right now, but would do it as soon as possible. It was another two months of constant calling before I got my money back.

I don't care how good their engines, I will never do business with them again. There are many other companies that act in a far more ethical manner and produce very good engines.

Carroll-RCU

My Feedback: (43)

Yea they told me a week ago that they would credit my card that day and still no credit received from the credit card co.
I am now disputing the charges and the card co. said that they would take care of the matter. This should be a warning to all wishing to purchase a Brison engine using a credit card.
This is really sad because they do have good engines.

CUB1

My Feedback: (11)

I hope these guys are not trying to pull a fast one, but I had a 3.2 on order since 6-2-02 and yes they charge my credit card too.

I talk with them 3 diffrent times to find out when I would receive the engine. When I ordered it they said I would have it by the end of June, well June 30th has came and gone.
I called again and Harvey said they were waiting for cylinders and carbs and they have not come in yet.

I tried calling them yesterday and this morning to cancel my order and credit my card back and their phone is disconnected!!!

I just got of the phone with my credit card company to dispute the charges and they will take care of it.

Something is not right down there financially and I`m very skeptical of the way they are doing business right now.

I just wanted to share the lastest info on the phone being disconnected with you guys.

Traxxas_Tech

My Feedback: (22)

Hmmmm. I'm right around the corner from them, I'll see if I can get some time off work to go around and see whats happening... Sounds fishy....

CUB1

My Feedback: (11)

I got in touch with them yesterday in the evening to cancel my order. They said the phone was temporary disconnected for a while.