16 week wait
 

HI all, so what does every one think of the 16 week wait for most ARF's, that's 4months, gee, spring will be here. Sure, they say 8 weeks, just to get your money.
Who has waited longer than promised.
Rcpete

RE: 16 week wait
 

You just gotta pray your jet ships before Chinese New Year (Feb 10) when the whole country shuts down...

RE: 16 week wait
 

Yea no thanks. Im to impatient to wait 2 weeks, let alone 8 or more. Especially if they have my money already

RE: 16 week wait
 

I'm with you on that one, I want a tracking number at most two days after paying for the order![X(]
[:-]

RE: 16 week wait
 

I paid for my Carf Hawk Nov 5 and was given late Dec estimate, just found out it will be end of Jan to mid Feb (new guess). Could it be they don't feel like they have to make it now that they have my money? Naw, that's just crazy...

RE: 16 week wait
 

okay, we can complain, but what options do we have? we can say "no thanks", but where does that leave us in terms of airframe options?

RE: 16 week wait
 

I say vote with your feet and only buy from those who hold stock. I refuse these days to pay up front for what often turns out to be shoddy goods and find my self having to do battle with companies for months to get a plane into good flying order due to poor quality control of parts.
<br type="_moz" />

RE: 16 week wait
 

With your Hawk you were probably just unlucky on timing. I also did a Hawk order for a customer, by the time we completed the order and he paid it missed a window that would have had it here but Xmas by 2 days, now it will also be late Jan 2013.

The way CARF work is stock is sent to warehouses around the world. If the model is in stock when you order, it will be shipped shortly after you pay. Because it takes around 5 weeks to get stock to some warehouses by sea, its not possible to always judge which aeroplanes/colours are going to sell, or something might be in stock when the container leaves the factory and during that 5 weeks it sells out, its going to take 8 weeks minimum to re stock. It is possible to Air Ship some aeroplanes, others are just too big. (like Hawk)

If you think that manufacturers should stock every colour, of every aeroplane made in a specialist field like we have, then I suggest you set up a hobby business and try!
We play with the equivalent of Ferrari/Lamborghini cars, made in a fraction of the numbers of the foamie/wood arfs and its never going to be like that.

Dw

RE: 16 week wait
 

I have to agree with all of you on the waiting..... I have "NO" patience.
I ordered a model early October and just the other day I got pictures of the finished product. Judging by the pictures I think it was worth the wait.
Yesterday I recieved a tracking number.
I bought a "off the shelf" model from a company that we all no. The quality was very poor. Seems were a 1/32" high, bearings were replaced with bushings and the wheel wells werent even cut out. I paid a lot of money for it but it was here in 2 weeks..
It is scary sending hard earned money over seas wondering if you will get your product. (Especially when they ask for a money order or check) which leaves us no protection from a credit card company.
But reading on RCU I find it's a bit more comfortable to deal with a company that has a good reputation.
Business must good to take 6-10 weeks to recieve your jet.

Hoss

RE: 16 week wait
 

I was two hundred short from getting a Hawk off RCU Market. But that's the way to go for me.. I have no patience for one month wait. Even Airline tickets I will purchase the next day instead of last week :D

RE: 16 week wait
 

hi.
I ordered last month a Xtreme Jet F-86 through Eric C. I actually looked at a pic of it ( in China ) brfore I sent money.
Had it in 5 days after he received my payment. Thats great service

RE: 16 week wait
 

Yep. Plus 1.

RE: 16 week wait
 

I think it sucks, and I just put my thoughts about it in CARF's Xmas sale thread. They want payment up front, and then build on demand. (Heck no !!!) Then... you either have to add $600 for air shipping from China, or wait for a slow boat.



Yes!!!!! If enough of us say "NO"... then these companies will figure out that they need to keep stock. I refused thier terms on buying a Rookie, and found a HotSpot for less $$$. I would rather fly used.

Like the OP said... they say 8 weeks, but it's twice as long. Once they have your $$$ they don't have any incentive to get a kit to you. Pay a small deposit... and they will work faster, so they can get paid.

Finally... I own my own company. If I told my dealers that they had to pay up front... and it would take 10 weeks for delivery.... I would be out of biz.

RE: 16 week wait
 

If they tell you up front it will be 8 weeks and you agree then thats fine, I can understand a deposit to cover materials but frull price up front - don't think so. I do have a problem with the manufacturers acting like these are custom planes when ordering but you still end up with a cookie cutter that needs a lot of problem solving.

I do like the Carf products but will never order from a "REP", being told you have to pay up front to be on the "list" and then telling you, " You just missed the window " wait 3 months.

RE: 16 week wait
 

Bingo! STOP buying under these ridiculous terms! I will never buy a Chinese jet unless it's from someone who has the stock sitting there. Paying anything more than a small ( maybe 20% deposit) and then waiting 4 months is absolutely ludicrous and you are asking for problems!

Mike

RE: 16 week wait
 

[quote]ORIGINAL: Dr Honda

I think it sucks, and I just put my thoughts about it in CARF's Xmas sale thread. They want payment up front, and then build on demand. (Heck no !!!) Then... you either have to add $600 for air shipping from China, or wait for a slow boat.



Yes!!!!! If enough of us say ''NO''... then these companies will figure out that they need to keep stock. I refused thier terms on buying a Rookie, and found a HotSpot for less $$$. I would rather fly used.

Like the OP said... they say 8 weeks, but it's twice as long. Once they have your $$$ they don't have any incentive to get a kit to you. Pay a small deposit... and they will work faster, so they can get paid.

Finally... I own my own company. If I told my dealers that they had to pay up front... and it would take 10 weeks for delivery.... I would be out of biz.
[/quot

>.......Mmmm

RE: 16 week wait
 

Dave... I think your quote got messed up, and being a UK rep may be a different story.

But... no... I don't make kits, and I'm not a CARF competitor. So... I'm not sure what your "Humm" is about. And... I'm not promoting any product in this thread. I'm simply responding to the question in the post, with my personal story.


As I said before... I'm not bashing, or trying to be harsh. It's the absolute truth.

So... let's make the story longer...


I made a contact with CARF USA last winter. I was told "Pay full price, and wait". They also said... "It's a minimum of 6 weeks... but if we miss this shipment... it would be 10 to 12 weeks." At that point, I simply said "No thinks, and please let me know when they come back into stock." The response back was... "Well... if you don't order one, they may not get shipped."

When I heard that... I thought ??? not get stock on a regular item ???


So... at the beginning of summer (about 6~7 weeks later) I contacted CARF USA again... and it was the same story... and they were out of stock. At that point... I went on the search for a used Rookie, HotSpot or Javalin.


Toward the end of summer/beginning of fall... I tried to contact them one last time (actually 2 emails)... and I never got a response !!!!! So... at that point... I was just pi$$ed off, and refused to deal with them. (FYI.. they did get a "Green light" on the web site in November for a Rookie) But... I now found a hotspot and I am moving on.



I know that CARF builds great jets, and I'm not saying anything bad about their jet's or build quality. But, I refuse to support any company who has dealers, and doesn't stock their main items.

The only way I would find their terms acceptable is if I asked them to mold a discontinued part... or a custom paint.


OK... Sorry for all that... and I'll get off my soapbox. :)

RE: 16 week wait
 

That sure stinks, they wont get here till after the world ends this month on the 21 st.for me I dont care if the world ends Im still going to fly!

RE: 16 week wait
 

what's even better is waiting 3-4 months, then it arrives damaged! I had to have them make me a whole new plane. It was supposed to be my winter project and I ordered it accordingly... ended up building a bobcat while waiting for the Mig. Now the Mig is almost done.. but waiting on the turbine. LOL

I don't have a problem waiting if you get what you expect. This is a hobby fills a tiny little niche, the demand just isn't there for a company to keep stock on the shelves. If there were more of us buying these planes, they would build more.

RE: 16 week wait
 

But which of them normally carries stock? Even in primer versions? That would be great for those who dont minding painting.

RE: 16 week wait
 

Presently none but, what we are saying is that if you refuse to buy because the item is not in stock...they WILL stock them. If we refuse to buy because they want 100% payment up front...they WILL offer reasonable terms.

Mike
<br type="_moz" />

RE: 16 week wait
 

if the only thing that stops them stocking kits is the different paint schemes then paint them out of the mold to order, it does not take long to paint a kit and then there is no reason for it to take three months to get here.
as the more of us stop ordering from them they will have to change their ways or go bust.
i have just received a jet legend f16 which was here in 8 weeks painted out of the mold

RE: 16 week wait
 

Wow,

The ONLY reason these guys do this (and get away with it) is because we play ball. When you pay full price and then wait for months, you are effectively making an interest-free loan to the seller. Most people wouldn't do that if the seller actually put it in those terms, but we do it when we patiently (or impatiently) wait for months on end.

I don't see me ever buying a model airplane under those terms, but if I did, I would ask for a written contract that stated a liquidated offset for additional time from the promised delivery or a full refund option if the item wasn't shipped by the date. If a seller couldn't agree to that, then there goes my $4k to someone else.

RE: 16 week wait
 

Exactly, and until they begin to respect us as cutomers then my hard earned stays in my pocket.
<br type="_moz" />

RE: 16 week wait
 

I'm with Dave Wilshire on this one. I don't think it's reasonable for the manufacturers to keep these planes in stock. That's a lot of inventory waiting around to be purchased. This is a fairly low volume business. CARF probably has the highest volume because of their sport jets relative to other manufacturers, but even they can't have every color of every plane waiting on deck for the right customer to come around.

I do agree that it's annoying that some manufacturers require full payment up front, but even then there are options. BVM (Skymaster), FEJ, and Global Jet Club take 50% deposits upon order and the balance when the plane ships. You have options.

Regarding wait times, manufacturers have control over how they communicate this. I don't think 8-10 weeks is unreasonable for a manufacturer to build, paint, and ship a plane. Perhaps I am the exception, but most of my planes arrive in that window.

RE: 16 week wait
 

I am in the same boat. Around that 6-8 week mark that I was told...no deilvery date sent yet from SM for my Hawk.

This was a calculated risk ordering my first SM jet. BVM though, has already sent me all of my upgrade components which I have started on in the meantime.

Dave

RE: 16 week wait
 

Dubd,

I'm with you in principle. If I'm quoted 8-10 weeks, and I'm ok with that then it's fine. If that turns into 20 weeks (which seems to be as common as not), then it's not ok. I don't think it's realistic that these guys will have tons of these things lying around, but up to this point, I've ONLY been a 'pull the trigger on something shippable' guy.

RE: 16 week wait
 

Paying top price and waiting so long is ridiculous. If a jet takes 16 weeks to get to me, chances are I will grow tired of it in 16 weeks or less.

I personally have modified my preferences to allow me to buy whatever I find in the classifieds, and chances are you get a big discount too and it has been filtered out of defects. Not so long ago there was a UB with a P200 or so with minor scratches for $10K (for example).

Screw the 16 weeks, much less for a Hawk, they're like a dime a dozen these days.

RE: 16 week wait
 

This nothing I send mine turbine to Erick jetcentral after Kentucky jets and not a sine of mine turbine I call Erick and nothing the only think I know hi recive the turbine and send to Mexico .

RE: 16 week wait
 

Well people can complain about it but i dont think there is anything that can be done. People say well just dont buy from them, well when they have the market your stuck with dealing with it.

RE: 16 week wait
 

I know one of the chinese manufacturers, builds a new model of a jet, posts a video of it flying (just) then takes orders for it. The customer ends up doing the r&d for them whilst paying for the privilege.

I remember ordering from them a F16 1/5.5 and they took 6 months to deliver it and when it arrived it had been pierced by a piece of steel or something. It finally died from elevator flutter on its 3rd flight.

I was told that they would replace the airframe if he said it ' was to make a video of it flying for them' not say it had anything to do with flutter. [&:]

RE: 16 week wait
 

I get a kick on guys who buy arfs then complain about how long it takes to get them.lmao The realy funny part is after waiting for very long time for them the brown truck drivers do a mexican hat dance on the boxes before dropping them off.:D joe

RE: 16 week wait
 

I couldn't agree more. However, most of the people I know personally are getting their jets from these manufacturers (myself included) in about 8-10 weeks. I suspect the people who get their planes in the quoted time don't post about it, yet the ones who do not will post about it. And some people will find something to complain about regardless. :eek:

RE: 16 week wait
 

Paid for three ARF jets from a "major" jet supplier and was told, "6 to 8 weeks and they'll be at your doorstep to finish up before the flying season starts!"

Needless to say 4 months, Chinese New Year, and every other excuse later I had to pull the plug.........just couldn't believe their rep any longer.

I had to originally pay by Paypal and of course had gone past their standard '45 days' to make a claim time frame...

But I paid the Paypal bill with my CC so immediately called them and they reversed all the charges....

Paypal of course protested, asking why I didn't give them a chance to make things right...

"Because I've waited so long for the product that there's no longer time for me to get them ready for this season."

6 to 8 weeks....no more

If they insist then only a partial payment (less then 1/2) up front

RE: 16 week wait
 

I don't see why the kit manufacturing companies in china don't make some of their most popular sellers unpainted and list them on rcu with a 2 or 3 week wait time for painting. I bet they would sell very quickly.
Vin...

RE: 16 week wait
 

Interesting idea.

RE: 16 week wait
 

Wow, this thread got busy! I have no problem with waiting, I do have a problem with having to pay full price up front and then waiting longer than expected. But If I knew this would happen I would still have done it, as i have no problem with waiting for the manufacturer to make my kit up on demand to my specs. It's like picking a restaurant that has a long line, the wait is annoying but you just know it's going to be worth it! They must be doing something right to have this kind of power over us ;)

RE: 16 week wait
 

Ordered a bandit last week!!! Got it yesterday. I'm impatient also, but I told my self because of this, for now, im only flying stuff I know I can get parts for right away just in case. I would go nuts if I ordered a plane, waited 8-10 weeks and got it damaged. Ooooh just thinking of that makes me cringe!!!

RE: 16 week wait
 

I cancelled a order for this very reason....Never Again will I wait 8-10 weeks. It shouldn't be hard to have unpainted models ready.

I shop the classified now.

RE: 16 week wait
 

I'll wait for an ARF after they pry my Dremel
from my cold dead hands. :D
Ralph