Im trying to reach by phone Dave Patrick Models, since the last three days unsucesfully! Does anybody know if they are out of town or something else?
I need a new Wing tube for the Extra 330 27%!
Can anyone one help me out, with the dimensions of the tube, or where can i buy one??
Thanks guys,

Alex

Lots of discussion here on RCU about DPM. Unfortunately Daves products are the best and his customer service is the worst. Kind of like buying a BMW. After you buy one they could care less if you ever bought another one.

Yak

Dave and Sandy are frequently out of the country getting more airplanes and accessories through the pipeline. I believe this kind of personal involvement is a major factor in producing quality products; it is also a drawback for the delays in customer service. I for one think any delays are well worth the wait. JIM

What good are products if the service doesn't go with it... planes, cars, electronics, whatever. DPM charges a premium price, the service should be there. Stuff like this really gets me going. I had similar issues with Nelson Hobby, RCS, a few others.. I simply don't do business there any more. Having a person man the phones is NOT expensive.. certainly a lot cheaper than LOSING customers...


SERENITY NOW !

DP

I was thinking the same thing, DP.

I wonder how patient he would be if HE needed customer service and got no response???

I wonder if Dave took lessons in customer service from Century Helicopters? It doesn't matter how great the product you're selling, if you don't support your customers, why should they support you?

go here for your wing tude, their 1 1/4 tube fits perfectly www.tntlandinggear.com

Well Steve, one time I DID need customer service; the landing gear on my new DPM Extra last year was not bent correctly. Dave thanked me for notifying him, checked several other Extras in the current batch and found them all bent incorrectly. I had a brand new gear 24 hours later. I didn't just fall off the turnip truck, and I have had a full range of customer service responses from many manufacturers/distributors of all sizes; some of the biggest names were some of the worst. I also have over ten years in hobby store management in my resume. Jim

Thanks!
Which lenght? 30" 36" inches
I want to order this tomorrow morning!!

Thnaks,

Alex

I talked to Dave at the AMA show. Very nice guy. Great products and I have always
gotten good service. Dave is due to be back this week as I talked to Sandy last week.

Roy
H.P.Pilots

That's all fine and good but he should at least have someone running the business while he is gone.


Alex24 - Call Gene at TROYBUILTMODELS.COM for your wing tube .. top notch service!! I had mine in 3 days Florida - AZ


DP

<<I had a brand new gear 24 hours later.>>

My point exactly. YOU had good customer service when you needed it. When my pal needed a piece for the cabanes of his DPM Ultimate 40, he left a half-dozen phone messages and e-mails, over a period of three weeks, that were NEVER answered.

Needless to say, DPM lost another customer right there.

And I won't buy from them, because from what I've read here, and seen through a friend's eyes, the odds of getting any response, much less help, from them if I have a problem with their product is very iffy. No thanks.

<<Don't expect an apology...>>

Not sure where you're coming from with that one. I don't expect an apology for anything.

Your friend should probably try Cermark, as they are the distributor for the Ultimate 40, not DPM. Apologies if my previous post may have sounded a little hostile; not intended. Jim

I happen to own a DPM Super Cub (great airplane), I'm very pleased with it, quality throughout! When it first arrived this past summer, one of the wingtips was damaged (very minimal though), I called Dave and he offered to replace the wing, I really didn't want to wait around for something that I could easily fix, so I was interested in the instrument panel for the Cub and he sent it to me for free. So no complaints here and I haven't had any other problems. Having said that however, I think customer service goes hand in hand with a good product, and I agree with "Desertpig", paying someone to man a phone would be a lot cheaper than losing customers.

No hostility noted, Jim. And it wouldn't have bothered me anyway...

My friend ended up making the part himself. And this was LONG before Cermark took over distribution of the small Ultimate.

My point was to reinforce desertpig's comment regarding the well-documented non-responsiveness of this firm. I'm glad some of you are happy and have received good service. But there are enough who haven't, or have simply been ignored, for me to shun the firm... regardless of how good their product might be.

I agree that Dave Patrick is a well known and respected man in this hobby. But from where I sit, he's not taking care of business. Some will disagree; they can vote with their wallets, like I will...

Your points are all valid Steve. I was under the impression that Cermark took over the Ultimate 40 with the first batch DP brought in. Jim

I have an Edge from DPM. The first time I ordered on-line , needed a new canopy( I dropped mine!!! ouch) I had a good experience. It came right away. The second time I ordered a tail wheel and it was shipped to my former address which was probably on record, however I had changed my address on the order form on-line. I received that stuff about three weeks later. I did get some free glue out of the deal though (2oz. thick stuff)I have a new pitts that I wanted to get a tail wheel for, so I ordered on-line once again. now it has been nearly three weeks, the plane in nearing completion and no tail wheel. I have called several times only to get a busy signal or a recording, So last week I sent off a Fax, you guessed it no response. This week I have tried again several times to get through on the phone (on my dime mind you) with no result. So, I sent off another Fax. What's a guy to do? I like some of DPM's stuff but I am really getting discouraged.

I do have a suggestion though, maybe the folks at DPM could stream a banner on their website stating that they are not going to be around from this date to that date. I don't know just throw us a bone or something.

I am gong to go look at my new plane and it's lack of a tail wheel.......

Well,

I recived my order today. DPM gave me a steering arm 1.99~ and shipped my stuff for free. I am happy. I will just plan ahead when I need stuff from now on. At least they are better than a gear company that took twelve weeks to send my stuff.After the first 8 weeks of hearing two more weeks I about gave up on that one!!! Guess I should plan my builds acordingly!!! Just my 2 cents, there are no sour grapes here!!

My guess would be they are trying to drum up new customers rather then take care of the ones that have paid already! See my post on DPM customer service.

Got my Ultimate today, to say it was worth the wait would be an understatement. This is the best ARF kit i've ever seen. I would not hesitate to buy from them again.

Dave Patricks Email is [email protected]. I tried Emailing him earlier this week asking about a plane I was thinking about buying and no response. I put that name in my aim buddy list just to see if he was getting online at all and he was, a couple times. Just no response. I decided not to buy from a company that put no effort to sell.


On another note, Anyone have any Ideas on how to attach a cowl without using those little screws? Maybe a Quarter turn locking mechinism?

If Dave Patrick Models has something on the shelf of course he will ship it right away no point in keeping his money in products hanging around. The biggest issue is he cant supply half of the time cause his factories wont produce anymore stuff for him so any wait is due to the fact he simply hasnt got it in stock.

In short you cant support a product if you havent got the gear.

You would think that Dave would see all the bad press he's getting here and make an attempt to correct his customer service issues.

Personally I have had excellent customer service with Dave. I have also had excellent Service with my BMW and MINI. Maybe I am just lucky. :P

Anyhow, I sent a money order in the mail to Sandy, and got the airplane within a week! Sandy was really friendly. Just my $0.02

i dont know what your smoking but rcs's service is second to DA!!!! they have great service!

No matter how great any customer service is, there are always some that fall through the cracks. On the other side of the coin, When Florida got hit with all those bad Hurricanes 2 years ago, I was talking with Mr. Spring Air over a few weeks afterwards. He lost his house and all kinds of stuff and was living in their shop and still answering phones!