mooreron

OK - so I've had 2 Warheads now and both are broken, but that's beside the point.

I wanted to put out a good plug for DuraTrax and their tech support/warranty. Here's why:

I get my first Warhead about 10 days ago and being my first RC vehicle (other than what you can buy for $30 at Toys R Us), I'm showing my 4-year old son how well I can handle this thing (while staying within the break-in procedures) and run it under a parked car - 1st tank of fuel!

The roll bar is bent pretty bad and the shock tower is broken. No problem. We Super Glue the shock tower back together, let it dry overnight, and take off on our 2nd tank of gas. I'm feeling pretty good and make a u-turn a little too fast, jump a curb and slam it into a brick mailbox off-center and bend it like a banana. Front tires come un-glued, aluminum frame bent, and countless plastic pieces shattered (weather was warm).

I take it to the garage, scatch me head, and say, "Screw it - lets order another one."

While I await the next Warhead, I start taking all the broken pieces off the first Warhead thinking I may fix it over time and also just to see how the thing is put together and how it works. It's now in about 100 pieces in the garage.

Yesterday the second Warhead arrives and in short order I'm out doing the break-in...again. I get to the second tank and being much more careful as I have a new respect for this thing after what I experienced a week earlier. I now pull the Warhead up next to me, and with it sitting still, I shift into reverse. I give it gas, the engine responds, but nothing happens. I switch it back into forward, give it gas, nothing happens. I kill the engine and return to the garage and notice about 3 or 4 teeth stripped off the spur gear. I also notice with the engine off, but the electronics turned on, it will move in one direction, but not the other. When I switch to reverse, just the opposite - it will now go in one direction but not the direction it was just able to move in. With the electronics off - and the engine off - it will move fine in either direction.

So this morning I call the repair department Tower Hobbies referred me to and tell them about the problem I just had. They tell me to box it up and they'll fix it and return it in about a week. I think what excellent customer service!

But it gets better...

I'm scanning over this forum and notice someone else makes a comment about the good DuraTrax warranty and some parts being replaced on their Warhead after a crash. I'm thinking, 'Why would they warranty something someone else broke?' Remember, I'm new to all this. So what the heck, I'll call them back and tell them what I did to the first Warhead (remember, it's bent, shattered and in about 100 pieces in the garage) and they very politely tell me most everything should be covered and to box everything up and mail it back. My jaw drops! I tell them again that it's REALLY messed up and I've even removed many of the pieces just to see how things fit. No problem - box it up and mail it back.

So, tomorrow or Monday both Warheads will leave TX and head off for surgery. I'm hoping everything will stay as positive once they receive them as they have been up to this point; but since the person I spoke with said to reference him by name in the detailed letter I'm providing, I'm counting on being one satisfied customer.

















BTW, my 1st post. How'd I do?

RCtruckRacer

Dude! Nice carnage!!!

Be sure to keep us updated as to how things turn out!

mooreron

I'm really curious if anything will change on their end when they receive my 1st Warhead since this is the way it's shipping... [X(]




However, the 2nd Warhead looks much more respectable and will ship looking like this.




I wish I was a fly on the wall when they receive the first one - there's no telling what kind of names they'll call me! [sm=lol.gif]

sarroopoo

honestly with the first one, i think you simply saved them time because chances are they would have had to strip it down anyway. I just stripped mine to see how it all went together, and also being new to this i put it all back together in about an hour and a half (i took everything out, and referenced every screw while putting back together) now seeing as im new to this, and they have been taking this truck apart and putting it back together for a couple of years now, they should have it up and running very quickly.

original.mb

that probably has to be the best tech. support i've ever heard of

RayRayraycer20

I have had nothing but great support with them when I bought my Evader...I have sent the engine in 2 times..as well as numorous parts. gotta love it!!
Once you get them back....Might I suggest heading out to an open field. At least till you get the hang of driving these things.
Let us know how long it takes for the turn around...It took a week both times I sent my engine in.

mooreron

Very wise words - as well as being the primary plan since receiving the 2nd one.

A.B.U

Good idea. I learned on a street with my first Nitro ST. Ran into the curb and broke a few things..

spv1425

You could have fixed it for sure, but much easier having them do it. Looks like you broke front bulkheads, front shock tower, steering drag links, probably servo saver too, battery tray, front middle skid plate, maybe a few others. The front end comes off so easy, the repairs aren't that bad. They'll have you up and running in no time.

Bill Plude

Good job. I hit a patch of ice with mine at full speed and went head on into a cement loading dock. LOL. Love a good wreck! The parts aren't that expensive, but amazingly most are covered by "stress tech" warranty. These guys are great for replacing their parts. There are a lot of parts just breaking. You might want to check out the 40+ pages of the "anyone own a warhead" thread. You find out whats breaking and falling apart on this beast. Also how we're adapting to it and fixing the problems. Duratrax is replacing a lot parts like broken pull starters and carburetors. Check it out there's a ton of valuable info and pics too.

mooreron

DuraTrax has repaired the failed spur gear and returned it free of charge. As for the first Warhead that I accidentially slammed into a brick mailbox - they decided it was so messed up that they simply replaced it with a brand new one. A little over 1 week turn-around in both cases and at no charge.

DuraTrax probably has some of the best customer service I've ever experienced from ANY company!

sprocket226

Wow, looks like you ran the front of the truck over with the KTM Had kinda the same problem breaking in my Savage, running into stuff (swiming pool, mail box post, tree) Looks like your A-arms did Ok

silverman1

I call that great warranty service, Just send you a brand truck, that crashed the living heck out of cool!! My warhead went back to tower hobbies to find a new home, some day when when they get all the bugs worked out I'll be looking at it again. My hope was for duratrax was to hit a home run with truck. It will get there someday!!!

Duckyman

makes me feel better about clobbering it now at least for the first 90 days
I reallt thought I had tore some things up ut wowee you win that award hands down[X(]
Great post let us know how it goes!

Duckyman

[8D]

jkrustchinsky

My Feedback: (7)

i knew the warheaqd would be a brittle breaker, duratrash always come through with making weak rides, ive owned 2 duratraxes, EACH ONE I HATED, a street force gp, a evader st, both are trash and stay far far away from them,

the plastic duartrax uses is so brittle, its a like a cheap pvc composite or somthing, we couldnt quite figure out what it was but it couldnt take even the slightest crash, sorry about bashing oyur expensive new rides but i seriosuly reccomend selling them and buying something much more reliable, i hate duratrax,

when i first heard about the warhead way back i gave them a chance in thinking they would change my opinion about their products but that all changed when i heard it was using stress tech, i can take a hpi shocktower off a savage and try all day long to break it with my barehands, hell ive even stuck it under my shoe and pulled as hard as i could and the damn thing wouldnt give, i can take a warhead shock tower and break it much much easier,

sorry about bashing your truck but it tis just my opinion about duratrax, if people disagree with me then feel free to express your opinion just as i have but without offending anyone to get the thread deleted, i can just as easily edit the post to delete everything i said, thanks josh

ashburg

Deja VU! Wow, you smacked that one hard!

Mekong

LOL it seems that everyone is having that same bulkhead break and bent plate.