JR Product support from Horizon Hobby and especially Danny Snyder on this forum is first class and is something that Horizon should be proud of.

If only we could get that sort of support in the UK, I don't even get acknowledgements from emails that I send, I just hope nothing ever goes wrong with my equipment.

So USA win hands down, unless anyone out there knows of anyone in the UK that cares as much.

Being I live in the states, that is good to hear. I think partially the reason is there are SOOOOO many online hobby shops they have to set the bar pretty high on customer service. Also since the inception of forums like this a couple of pissed off customers before only had word of mouth. Now they have a forum so the effects are 10-fold.
I hope those companies that aren't as customer service orientated are reading this.
Bottom line: They aren't the only game in town.

UK Flyer,
If enough people are heard complaining on this forum about poor service JR will hear it!

On the other hand I really would like to be able to by a Capiche 50 in the States! And it sure sounds like you have a lot better prices on Multiplex Radios and Irvine engines!

Been to the UK 6 times in the last 5 years, I really liked it.
John

UK Flier

Yeah I agree we don't get the best deal over here with lots of things like prices! Saito's are mega money for example! But for good service I say the list would be:

Just Engines - mega helpful, free advice good prices and great support.
Glens Models - Glen Fletcher is a lovely bloke. I phoned him up for advice after I bought a SECOND HAND glens CAp232 and he was so helpful.
My local model shop!
Chris Foss - again loves the hobby happy to give advice all day!
Weston UK - great customer service.

I'm sure they're are more but thats all I could think of at short notice!

Andy

i've noticed that if a US customer moans or *****es the companys jump, they jump to e-mails, they can't do enough, "have a nice day" and all that
here in the UK things are diffrent.. sometimes you never get replys. thats the way it is, and it sucks...
JE, great company, still waiting for a e-mail reply, Weston can be the same, but Weston give great engine turnaround

e-mails dont work here

Well at least I am not alone, the model shop owners can be great as Andy says, Its the distributors that are the worst, and when they have sole distribution rights, with no names no numbers and just that misnomer of an email address [email protected] doesn't give you many options. There are exceptions of course amongst the best service in the UK I have experienced is from Wren Turbines. Mike and his team set an example for others to folow.

So if anyone out there knows any names/numbers at

Magregor
Irvine
Ripmax

the big 3 distributors in the UK

please share, they might come in handy one day.

I heard from the owners of my local shop (Swindon Model Centre) that Irvine had bought Ripmax! Apparantly the guy in charge of Irvine is quite young and inherited a large sum of money. So he bought Ripmax! I think they're in a state of flux at the moment whilst they merge together and lots of spares and hardware's not available (guess how I found this out......!)

But........Macgregor 01753 549111 www.macgregor.co.uk
Ripmax 0208 282 7500 [email protected]
Irvine can't find a number sorry!

Andy

Well looks like the UK are catching up fast I have had a mail and forum post from Macgregor in the UK, the JR distributor, looks like I wasn't patient enough. They are going through a busy spell, and I hadn't account for tech support being on vacation.

so maybe things aren't as bad as i thought.

I can't vouch for your suppliers over there but your RC magazines RULE! I subscribe to RC Model World, RC Scale, RCME, and I pick up RC Modeller when I see one. Your writers are not sponsored by the advertisers and write the facts, if something sucks the say it sucks. I also like the free pull out plans, I have built a few and they fly great! Sorry you don't have good product support but keep the magazines going.

Doncha mean holiday?

Chris Foss? Is he still around? Must be getting on a bit now, I remember the Wot 4 being the big thing back in the early 80's my first time around in RC....

Irvine: This is printed in my Irvine 39 destruction sheet:

Unit 2, Brunswick Industrial Park,
Brunswick way,
New Southgate, London, N11 1JL.

Tel 0208 361 1123
Fax 0208 361 8684

I rang them up once about a problem I had on the Irvine 39. They seemed pleasent enough and sorted out my problem on the phone...

JE have really put on a bad show in the past few weeks with service.
first i sent my Leo 37 back because the bearings had gone, the piston and liner on the way out too, i got a call that the bearings had gone ( surprise ) i said thats fine, i know there not covered by warrentty after 6 months but the rest is.
well, no because it was the bearings that did the damage so they aint, but we can sell you a short engine ( no carb and muffler coz thats how i sent mine ) for 35 quid. ok i said. stupid me realized after that a new one is only 15 quid more and the carb and muffler are worth more than that.

next day the new engine turns up, wheres MY old one? onto the phone and i get a story how they keep it to cover costs. i said it's mine, i brought it, and now a new, so both are mine, they said they'd send back what they could, next day my engine in bits turns up with a note describing the servicing arangements ( in red "so there no confusion in the future" )
the best bit was option A was buy a new engine, and we send the old one back to you as it is.


but thats not all....

last week a member brought a brand new Leo 37 RPM, 15 seconds into the test run the conrod broke. he sent it back with a note saying what fuel etc as they ask... the phone call was the engine was bone dry and it's his fault for using the wrong fuel, Liquid Gold ( which they used in their own test ) after 15 seconds this is BS
they charged him 50% on parts and sent it back. hes now ran the replacement in on GX5.
when his box came back it was lagged in oil stains.. his oil from when he sent it.
they don't sell or like synth fuels and this is the reason why they did this, he asked what if he had ran it in on GX5, they said then it must have been a faulty rod to break that quick.
bottom line is they worm out of doing the right thing.

they did exactly the same thing to me in the past when the bearings in a APS blew up after 10 runs. engine was dry and your fuel has no oil was the excuse, if you've ever ran a plane on Liquid Gold or Prosynth then you know it's covered in nice unburnt oil when your done.

i have no doubt JE's service on the more expensive engines is good, but for budget engines, be prepared.