WARNING: Banana Hobby
#126
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Join Date: Jun 2005
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RE: WARNING: Banana Hobby
ohya some of these chinese outifts are getting worse and worse, you read about it all the time! if ya want quality service and customer satisfaction
go to headsuprc.com
go to headsuprc.com
#127
Junior Member
Fellas I wish I had known about banana hobby before I decided to take a leap into the rc flying universe. I ordered their trainer cesna 182 and got it yesterday. What a mess. The plane is junk. I cant even list all thats wrong with it. And I dont think I will get my money back if I send it back. And I would have to pay for that too. By the time I ship it back the cost for that alone is probably $30 or so. When I called the guy answered the phone like he was at home getting a call from someone he knew. Not like an actual hobby store. The battery connecters to the plane were different. the nose cone on the prob barely had enough threads showing to tighten it down. And I doubt it will hold. No instructions. Oh wait yes but it was terrible CHINESE translation to English. screws did not seem to go in solid and secure. I think Im screwed on this one. Expensive lesson. Suckers like me that dont know what they are looking at. All I need is a very good hobby store on line I can depend on. Not a CHINESE communist run company with second rate slave labor products. The only thing worth keeping is the transmitter. Basic generic 6ch but it looks like it will at least work for me for now. If anyone can offer any suggestions to help me get into this hobby I'm all ears.
#128
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: lebanon,
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Fellas I wish I had known about banana hobby before I decided to take a leap into the rc flying universe. I ordered their trainer cesna 182 and got it yesterday. What a mess. The plane is junk. I cant even list all thats wrong with it. And I dont think I will get my money back if I send it back. And I would have to pay for that too. By the time I ship it back the cost for that alone is probably $30 or so. When I called the guy answered the phone like he was at home getting a call from someone he knew. Not like an actual hobby store. The battery connecters to the plane were different. the nose cone on the prob barely had enough threads showing to tighten it down. And I doubt it will hold. No instructions. Oh wait yes but it was terrible CHINESE translation to English. screws did not seem to go in solid and secure. I think Im screwed on this one. Expensive lesson. Suckers like me that dont know what they are looking at. All I need is a very good hobby store on line I can depend on. Not a CHINESE communist run company with second rate slave labor products. The only thing worth keeping is the transmitter. Basic generic 6ch but it looks like it will at least work for me for now. If anyone can offer any suggestions to help me get into this hobby I'm all ears.
#129
Fellas I wish I had known about banana hobby before I decided to take a leap into the rc flying universe. I ordered their trainer cesna 182 and got it yesterday. What a mess. The plane is junk. I cant even list all thats wrong with it. And I dont think I will get my money back if I send it back. And I would have to pay for that too. By the time I ship it back the cost for that alone is probably $30 or so. When I called the guy answered the phone like he was at home getting a call from someone he knew. Not like an actual hobby store. The battery connecters to the plane were different. the nose cone on the prob barely had enough threads showing to tighten it down. And I doubt it will hold. No instructions. Oh wait yes but it was terrible CHINESE translation to English. screws did not seem to go in solid and secure. I think Im screwed on this one. Expensive lesson. Suckers like me that dont know what they are looking at. All I need is a very good hobby store on line I can depend on. Not a CHINESE communist run company with second rate slave labor products. The only thing worth keeping is the transmitter. Basic generic 6ch but it looks like it will at least work for me for now. If anyone can offer any suggestions to help me get into this hobby I'm all ears.
Wish you better luck.
guapo
#130
#132
Next time you are there, ask someone to give you a quick tour of the newer large stock facility in the rear of the store. You need to pass shipping department and you will see the large Storage Area that consists of a stock better than anyone in the South East!
Ask for Marker to give you the tour.
#133
Junior Member
I went there and I ended up buying the pandora 4in1 cessna trainer. Seemed like the perfect option for me as a beginner. I got the plane in and opened the box to take a look at it and as soon as I opened the box I could see it was true quality unlike the crap I got from bananahobby.com I didnt know there could be so much of a difference between epo foam .. Its amazing. the Pandora was solid, resilient to the touch. very stiff. whereas the banana crap was weak and almost spongy by comparison. I cant wait to get it together. I even had a rudder servo go out on the banana plane and I havent even tried to fly it yet. I was just making adjustment to it. Geesh
#134
Junior Member
It was frustrating but no in no way has it deterred me from this hobby. Ive put off getting back into it long enough. I will never be able to get into it like some of you guys but thats ok. As long as Im happy thats all that matters. And I appreciate the feedback and suggestions and help. It really goes a long way.
#135
Junior Member
You know I dont know if this forum has this already or not but I was thinking that it would be a HUGE help to new people like me if there was a pinned thread that had a list of rc websites that people here think are the best and also a pinned thread with the worst. banana hobby would be at the top of that list for me!. just a thought
#137
Any thoughts on the new X-Fly PJ65 Business jet?
Like to see your comments on anyone thinking of pulling the trigger on this model which is being sold at Banana Hobby?
Don't be shy! LOL!
Like to see your comments on anyone thinking of pulling the trigger on this model which is being sold at Banana Hobby?
Don't be shy! LOL!
#138
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2022
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Well they have it down solid now. Let the BBB complaints rack up, reopen under a new name, change the graphics and look of the site, copy and paste all the descriptions and other site code then finally publish. Just that easy, now they have yet another site up but the new one has zero BBB complaints so they start all over. They don't have to worry if the old sites don't make enough money since the new ones will.
#140
Well they have it down solid now. Let the BBB complaints rack up, reopen under a new name, change the graphics and look of the site, copy and paste all the descriptions and other site code then finally publish. Just that easy, now they have yet another site up but the new one has zero BBB complaints so they start all over. They don't have to worry if the old sites don't make enough money since the new ones will.
They also advertise (if not the company themselves then, other individuals for them) at Facebook and keep advertising the pride and joy the large EDF Jet known as B-1B Lancer! If you have Facebook it will be all over there!
Here is their direct link to this EDF Jet and presently on Sale for $50 less....
https://www.bananahobby.com/8-ch-xfl...f-jet-pnp.html
#141
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Calgary, AB, CANADA
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Wow, this is a VERY old thread from 2008 and before yesterday, a year and a half ago.
Admittedly, Banana Hobby has come a LONG way since the old days of crap products and crap service. I hadn't purchased anything from them in years until only a few months ago when I bought their MiG-17. It was the only game in town. I had one years ago and got rid of it. I longed for another, so I took another chance and got one. I immediately changed out the EDF and ESC for a stronger one. So far, so good.
As far as this B-1B, for at least Canadians, we are far, far better off buying this from Great Hobbies and pick it up at one of their stores. Shipping will run you a bit more as it has an oversize surcharge. The next best place to buy is from RC Castle. Even with the costly shipping, it will still end up being cheaper that buying it from Banana.
As far as their latest marketing guy, Ralph, he has the online personality of a bag of warm, raw chicken. He has absolutely no interpersonal skills and has no tolerance for criticism of his new company or of himself. He is the WORST PR guy the company could have hired. As for those two guys who did all the promos for the B-1B, they are refugees from MotionRC. I don't know the circumstances behind their departure from MRC, but you can tell by their online personas, there are some sour grapes in the fridge. They pitch that B-1B like they were being paid for it - oh wait, they ARE being paid for it. When they were testing the prototype planes for Banana, they were secretive, defensive of any and all comments that they did not wish to entertain. It was a very poor show.
I have ordered one, but NOT from Banana. I found their pitch men at RCG were distasteful and offensive and that in itself turns me off Banana. Their "customer relations" are appalling - learn some PR skills, boys! Grow some thicker skin and learn how to handle criticism.
Admittedly, Banana Hobby has come a LONG way since the old days of crap products and crap service. I hadn't purchased anything from them in years until only a few months ago when I bought their MiG-17. It was the only game in town. I had one years ago and got rid of it. I longed for another, so I took another chance and got one. I immediately changed out the EDF and ESC for a stronger one. So far, so good.
As far as this B-1B, for at least Canadians, we are far, far better off buying this from Great Hobbies and pick it up at one of their stores. Shipping will run you a bit more as it has an oversize surcharge. The next best place to buy is from RC Castle. Even with the costly shipping, it will still end up being cheaper that buying it from Banana.
As far as their latest marketing guy, Ralph, he has the online personality of a bag of warm, raw chicken. He has absolutely no interpersonal skills and has no tolerance for criticism of his new company or of himself. He is the WORST PR guy the company could have hired. As for those two guys who did all the promos for the B-1B, they are refugees from MotionRC. I don't know the circumstances behind their departure from MRC, but you can tell by their online personas, there are some sour grapes in the fridge. They pitch that B-1B like they were being paid for it - oh wait, they ARE being paid for it. When they were testing the prototype planes for Banana, they were secretive, defensive of any and all comments that they did not wish to entertain. It was a very poor show.
I have ordered one, but NOT from Banana. I found their pitch men at RCG were distasteful and offensive and that in itself turns me off Banana. Their "customer relations" are appalling - learn some PR skills, boys! Grow some thicker skin and learn how to handle criticism.
#142
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Calgary, AB, CANADA
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Since my last post here, Ralph is now the "former" PR/marketing guy for Banana Hobby. Don't know if he quit or if he got fired. As for the Xfly B-1B bomber, just 2 days after my last post, the Banana boys announced in a Facebook video that there is a defect in the wing sweep tab. A hairline crack from the manufacturing process was painted over. More than just ONE plane has had that tab break, causing the wing sweep to come loose. In fact, several have now failed and it is unknown if it is this defect that caused the first couple of B-1's to fall out of the sky. Banana is making light of the situation. They knew about this defect and already has a reinforcement part that they will SELL you - Nice, huh?
I have since CANCELLED my B-1 from Great Hobbies - just another nice looking, but EXPENSIVE, plane from Banana Hobby that needs a lot of work to fly safely. Plus, NO customer service to make things right. Furthermore, it is now known that flying this plane off grass will very quickly gum up those fancy retracts and cause them to seize.
Once again, after all these years - Banana Hobby - BUYER BEWARE!
PS. This plane was brought to market by Banana Hobby. They were involved in the design and testing process. Other Xfly products that were NOT directly associated with Banana may in fact, be "adequate".
I have since CANCELLED my B-1 from Great Hobbies - just another nice looking, but EXPENSIVE, plane from Banana Hobby that needs a lot of work to fly safely. Plus, NO customer service to make things right. Furthermore, it is now known that flying this plane off grass will very quickly gum up those fancy retracts and cause them to seize.
Once again, after all these years - Banana Hobby - BUYER BEWARE!
PS. This plane was brought to market by Banana Hobby. They were involved in the design and testing process. Other Xfly products that were NOT directly associated with Banana may in fact, be "adequate".
#143
Junior Member
banana hobby sucks
Yes I knew long before you all that banana hobby is the pits, they are robbers, just trying to take advantage of the poor ignorant non-Chinese.