Large Scale Central

bachmann Spectrum freight trucks

Problem Solving
#21

Max Winter said:

Interesting David. Mine came from GRC/Andrew Steele too. Perhaps we can build a case if necessary, same batch, same UK shipping order, same retailer - high probability of faulty goods. Likewise no receipt kept and I binned the broken parts not realizing it was a warranty issue at the time. Just accepted it as one of those things. PM me if you think my experience might help you. The only proof I have now is the car on Accucraft trucks and its original box/packaging. Andrew didn’t put branded price labels on his goods, unlike GRS, which is the only other place I bought Bachmann Spectrum cars from.

Max

While you are a honorable person not everyone is. We have a great retailer in the US (LLBean) who had to change their lifetime warranty after years of it being in place because more and more folks were abusing it. Some apparently would purchase old items at a yard sell and then return them to LL Bean for replacement.

The published Bachmann warranty for rolling stock is 90 days. In this case they are trying to help out customers if they can. Unfortunately the cars can now be purchased on EBAY without trucks and I am confident some will try to get Bachmann to send them replacement trucks for the cars.

When you do not have a receipt or the broken parts I suspect it is going to be understandably much more difficult to get replacements. I would call the UK service office directly and discuss it with them. Its been a few years since I was in contact with them and the folks I dealt with have likely retired but at the time their service was top notch.

Stan

PS For those coming to TrainOps who have broken trucks. Please bring the pieces with you. I harvest a couple of the parts off them.

#22

Stanley Ames said:

While you are a honorable person not everyone is. We have a great retailer in the US (LLBean) who had to change their lifetime warranty after years of it being in place because more and more folks were abusing it. Some apparently would purchase old items at a yard sell and then return them to LL Bean for replacement.

Stanley, as I already have paid out for replacement trucks a while back, Accucraft, I doubt I will be pursuing this anyway. Interests me though, finding out now, that this was a warranty issue all along. Or as we say in the UK under the retail sale of goods act - “Not fit for for purpose”. Pity this didn’t get out earlier over here - i.e. Bachmann US did not appear to advise Bachmann UK about a suspect batch so its, limited, roster of retail outlets could have alerted their faithful customers.

As I said earlier I did sell on the intact truck, in good faith, to another person who had the same problem. So I got a bit of my money back. Problem is now that I may have, unknowingly sold on a faulty item to another with he same problem. Fingers crossed.

#23

Stanley Ames said:

While you are a honorable person not everyone is. We have a great retailer in the US (LLBean) who had to change their lifetime warranty after years of it being in place because more and more folks were abusing it. Some apparently would purchase old items at a yard sell and then return them to LL Bean for replacement.

I knew an individual who was doing the with Bachmann HO locomotives. He would buy basket cases and then send the back to Bachmann under their warranty. I don’t know if he is still at it or not.

#24

A very interesting discussion… I would submit that the LL Bean example is not germane nor the same as the Bachmann example.

In the Bachmann case, the warranty period is clear - 90 days. The warranty policy is clear, you need a receipt. Now, “good” companies, when finding the product has some intrinsic defect, may extend the warranty period. That’s a great thing, especially when the product fails way before “Reasonable” expectations (which may have nothing to do with the warranty).

To be clear, NONE of us expect our rolling stock to fall apart at 91 days, they should last years. When bachmann found out there was an intrinsic defect, and this lead to an “unreasonably short life”, they extended the warranty. Great.

It would be NICE if the warranty requirements were relaxed, but this is up to Bachmann. They have to balance their costs vs. the number of upset customers that did not keep the receipt, for example.

The LL Bean warranty is something else entirely. They gave a lifetime warranty. That means lifetime in plain english. It should not matter if it has had 15 owners, thrown away and recovered.

But as stated by LL Bean, and I’m paraphrasing a bit… a lifetime warranty was NOT their intent, even though they stated it. Their intent was to basically assure that during the useful life (i.e. wear) of the product, the owner could be assured it would not become “Defective”…

But LL Bean cut their own throat, replacing worn and old items which were really not defective… but they said “lifetime”, so if these wore out, then they were now “defective” and LL Bean replaced them.

The lifetime warranty, simply stated sounds GREAT, but it should have been against actual defects in manufacture, and stated as such. Now instead of correcting it still offering a lifetime warranty, they have stupidly pulled back and made a 1 year warranty. Knee jerk reaction to a problem they created for themselves over the years. Now they are no better than K mart or Walmart or Costco.

Greg

#25

Yeah. Lifetime warranty means something other than what you think it does.

I paid for a”lifetime “ subscription to Sirius radio In 2009. It’s gone.

Now I’m beginning to wonder if having a lifetime warranty means that if it fails they’ll come and kill me.(http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)

#26

Bruce Chandler said:

Yeah. Lifetime warranty means something other than what you think it does.

I paid for a”lifetime “ subscription to Sirius radio In 2009. It’s gone.

Now I’m beginning to wonder if having a lifetime warranty means that if it fails they’ll come and kill me.(http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)

Now you done and figured out their plan. Better double-lock your doors now.

#27

Bachmann advertises that they have a “Limited lifetime warranty” on their products. Or at least they used to.

#28

Bachmann’s Lifetime Limited Warranty covers motorized units only. Under the warranty, Bachmann can decide whether to repair or replace an item at their discretion. Warranty valid in U.S. and Canada only.

Items less than a year old are fully covered and will be serviced or replaced at no charge when accompanied with registration card and proof of purchase.

For items more than one year old, there is a nominal service charge for repair or replacement (prices subject to change - effective 3-11-13):

$25.00 -
- All HO and N Scale standard non-DCC locos
$35.00 -
- All HO and N Scale standard DCC locos
$45.00 -
- All HO and N Scale Spectrum®
$55.00 -
- Williams, On30, and
Standard Line large scale
$75.00 -
- Large scale Spectrum®

All accessories, power packs and speed controllers, and Plasticville USA® items are covered for 90 days only.

#29

In the UK we have the “Sale of Goods Act 1979” that covers a whole range of consumer issues. One of these is “fit for purpose”. The other thing about the ways retail sales are done in the UK is that the buck stops at the retailer not the manufacturer. While a maker may claim a one year only warranty and retailers may make bucks out of selling, dubious, “extended warranty” cover to the buyers, the law can rule somewhat differently. In some cases there have been rulings, that notwithstanding the makers claims otherwise or any extended warranty product accepted by the buyer, a product should be expected to have a reliable usable life beyond any stated warranty life. It’s the retailers job to make good in these circumstances and the manufacturers to reimburse the retailer.

How does this affect the situation here ? - An, allegedly, incorrect formulation of the Zamak alloy used in the truck castings has lead to their fragility in use. As a result a situation has arisen where the product could be deemed “not fit for purpose” under the terms of the above act in the UK. In this case no implied limited warranty term can be enforced by the manufacturer or used by the retailer to avoid replacing or rectifying the faulty item.

As Bachmann US, the manufacturer, would appear to have been aware of the problem, its nature and that it was an identifiable batch where it existed they should have informed their distributors worldwide and in turn the UK the retailers who had sold product from this batch about the issue so it could be dealt with effectively. Or they could hope nobody joined the dots and came knocking on their door. Is it any wonder that some Bachmann products, at least apparently in 1:20.3 scale, appear to be held in such low esteem in the secondary market - see prices achieved. Or am I being a bit harsh here ?

Me, I’m the happy owner of 11 Bachmann Spectrum locos and a number of their cars and cabooses, AMS too. Other than the usual drive train niggles that afflict their products I have no real issues. They are great value, especially the ones bought 2nd hand (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)But then, I don’t run my toys that often and for long periods. But this problem possibly points up a bigger problem that manufacturers have with their buyers, particularly outside their “home” markets and given the possibly low margins that they rely on. Just a thought.

#30

Oh dear a can of worms opened I think. Still waiting a reply from Bachmann. Like max I have a good few bachmann locos and rolling stock. Apart ffrom this problem all I have had to do is replace one drive gear on a Connie, however bachmann must know how many of these boxcars were produced with the faulty trucks and one would like to think that any failures would be replaced under ‘good will’. If nothing is forthcoming I will replace both trucks with possibly Accucraft as I have found that their trucks are slightly superior in both ride and detail.

Regards

David

#31

#32

Bob McCown said:

Bruce Chandler said:

Yeah. Lifetime warranty means something other than what you think it does.

I paid for a”lifetime “ subscription to Sirius radio In 2009. It’s gone.

Now I’m beginning to wonder if having a lifetime warranty means that if it fails they’ll come and kill me.(http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)

Now you done and figured out their plan. Better double-lock your doors now.

OK. I’m starting to figure this Lifetime thing out now…

#33

Package arrived today from Bachmann. Quick inspection shows that each replacement truck comes with a truck, a bolster, one strap step, and three screws.

#34

Bruce Chandler said:

Bob McCown said:

Bruce Chandler said:

Yeah. Lifetime warranty means something other than what you think it does.

I paid for a”lifetime “ subscription to Sirius radio In 2009. It’s gone.

Now I’m beginning to wonder if having a lifetime warranty means that if it fails they’ll come and kill me.(http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)

Now you done and figured out their plan. Better double-lock your doors now.

OK. I’m starting to figure this Lifetime thing out now…

Yea, and at my age the promise of a “lifetime warranty” doesn’t have the same allure that it held 50 years ago(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)

#35

Problem now solved thanks to the folks at Bachmann US. A new pair of trucks is on its way to the UK and I should receive them in around a week. I have to pay for the shipping $25 (£18.48) but that is fine.

Many thanks Bachmann and to all those who have contributed to this excellent result, in particular Stanley Ames who gave me the contact at Bachmann.

Regards

David