Seems like it's been forgotten that Taigen fills a spot between Tamiya and HL. They aren't priced like Tamiya and, therefore, don't quite hit the same quality level. They're more expensive than HL and are, generally, better than HL tanks. Taigen's tanks are built for "backyard battling" or to be durable RC vehicles used by families and friends in friendly events, not competition. The same exists in the RC car market. There are great cars from companies like Traxxas that run well out of the box, but fail quickly under hard use during competitions. Thus, their aftermarket parts used to upgrade the cars.

Even Tamiya tanks have weak points. If they didn't, Darryl's expertise wouldn't be needed or sought after.

At some point, you have to be accountable for your purchase decisions. You have the experience to recognize weak points in the design. Also, the weak points were identified by others early on; and HennTec addressed this one. Yet, you still purchased the tank, ignored the weakness, and battled it in a tough arena. It's good to identify an area that needs improvement. Taigen can choose to improve it or leave it as is and let the aftermarket parts vendors address it. But, demanding a warranty or reimbursement for a purchase decision you made, in spite of your own experience and the good judgment of others, seems disingenuous. You knew what you were doing and bought it anyways. Live with your purchase. Upgrade as desired, or toss it...whatever. But, don't whine and blame others for your problem, or expect them to bear the cost of addressing your problem.