I’m going off on kind of a rant here, so bear with me. I wonder if anyone else has had the same problems I have had.
I purchased a BLI loco back in March (and was mostly pleased with it) but had to send it back for warranty repairs at the beginning of April.
It’s now almost the end of May and no loco yet. I have called BLI a couple of weeks ago to see what was going on with it and they said (thankfully) they have received it but have yet to work on it; it might be a few more weeks.
I called them again today and they said the same thing; have yet to work on it and it could be a few more weeks.
Yes I do understand that they are backed up (as they have told me) and I do want it fixed correctly BUT
It’s been almost two full months. [soapbox]
Thanks for reading and for letting me get it off my chest.
The last time I returned a BLI product, they agreed that I should only send the tender back since it was apparently a bad decoder. It was eight full weeks before I got it back, and then it was in perfect order. That was in the spring of 2006. A year prior to that, I had to get them to fix a blunder of mine. That time it was only three weeks. So, it seems they have reached a saturation point and are hanging on. You should expect it within the next two to three weeks I would think.
A BLI product wasn’t perfect forever? I always wondered why the Rolls Royce dealership had a mechanic doing more than oil changes and tire rotations. Having worked in the consumer electronics biz for many years, I’m not going to worry. I just got the impression from their high prices and limited production that they were making the nearest thing to perfection.
I had a problem with a Blueline J1 and Emailed them. They sent the parts to fix it the same day I emailed. Parts recieved. Loco fixed no problem. I find that if you have any mechanical talent and explain well what you need any manufacture will send you the parts to fix for free and a lot quicker than sending the loco in. Matt at BLI is great about that.
Maybe thats whats wrong with the already built things. If they came as kits most of the problems people are haveing will be minor to fix.
I recall feeling the need to send an inquiry via email for the last loco where I sent the tender by itself. By the time four weeks had passed, I was beginning to wonder if it had arrived safely. After all, the Hudson had been back in my hands at precisely 21 days. I received a prompt reply from Matt, who at the time was in charge of distribution and repairs…I think that was it. He stated that it was safely in their hands and that he would return it soon. Sure enough, I had it about three weeks later.
I have left keepsake mantel clocks at repair facilities and forgot about them for many weeks. Most of us have to wait for between 2-6 months to see some specialists in our medicare system here in Canada.
They offered me parts and I declined; I had it apart myself and knew how it worked but thought it be best that I let a trained (haha, no pun intended) person repair it the correct way.
I wasn’t sure why it was giving me problems, but hopefully the’ll get it fixed and sometime soon. I mean I am not pressing to have it (it’s not for a business or anything) but I would like to see it again, sometime before the snow falls again.
Thanks everyone, helped me feel better. My annoyance is at a mild level now.
Customer already had a new unit. What’s with all this redundant paperwork.
Status: Not yet received.
Really? I sent it FedEx last week. They say you got it the next morning. Reality…those twits at Fort Worth sent it, via UPS ground, 5 miles away to Uniden’s service center. Annoyed? I was screaming at the repair division guy. Then I had the CUSTOMER suggest that store personell send that particular item directly to Uniden. Guess what? Yuppers…the address and a unit number was issued the same day the unit got back to us, after being handled by half the people in Texas. What was the use of FedEx if they are forwarding it via trutle?
Just a few examples of how repairs manage to just add stress to a poor little Shack manager. If a repair takes 6 weeks typically, as soon as someone needs his item back for whatever, an open house, NMRA convention, party, whatever, it will take ten. Not only that, the same person would have gotten a previous repair back in two weeks giving him an over confident sense of how long it should take.
Thankfully, if my current trains should break down, they get retired. Period. None are DCC, none, save my only steamy, are less than ten years old.
This all reminds me of a story about a guy who was going through a bunch of old suits in the closet before giving them away. In one pocket he found a claim ticket for shoe repair at a local shoe store. It was ten years old. He wasn’t sure if the store even still existed, let alone having his shoes. On a hunch he went to the store and sure enough, it was still there. He walked in, produced the ticket and asked if the shoes were still there. The clerk took the ticket, went into the back room and after a few minutes came back out and said, “They’ll be ready Wenesday”.[sigh]
I returned my BLI MT-73, they returned it after two months and again it does not work correctly. I upgraded the chip and still it did not work properly. I called BLI Tech support and they said that all the MT-73s run that way and it cannot be fixed. I said this is not acceptable and they said to call FDT and talk to them since I bought it there. I called FDT and they refused to accept a refund. I called BLI back and they said to return it and store credit will be given for the factory outlet. So I bought a engine that does not work properly and they give me credit for a website that has second hand and re-built locos that cost more than the new in box items at other websites. I may have to file a chargeback on this item, since I am being railroaded by the BLI and FDT. Maybe I can buy the same engine on the factory outlet that I just sent back?[:-,] I am not happy and a chargeback can affect your credit score. Any suggestions?
This is very surprising if true. Unfortunately, I have no suggestions other than do file the chargeback. If you are in good standing with your credit card issuer and have not sought a chargeback prior to this, or at least not for many months, I would just go ahead and do it. Speak with a real body and explain that no matter what, you do not have what you paid for, and the supplier refuses to refund your money. I am sure you wouldn’t be the first to ask for a chargeback. I can’t see if affecting your credit score unless you have established a pattern of charging back for nice-to-have items and sometimes are late with your payments, or have been deemed a credit risk in the past six years.
Why does “high prices and limited production” guarantee an absolute perfect model? Where does it say so?
Not having yet had a problem with a BLI model I was wondering how the other manufacturers hold up? How long does it take Athearn, Walthers and all others to repair an engine?
(…and prices of Genesis models are in the same league as BLI’s).
[soapbox]“Almost 2 full months”? I guess your math is different than mine. IF you sent it back on April 1st, it’s 1 1/2 months. What does “the beginning of April” mean? Allow for shipping and they probably have had it for ONE month! Give them a break!! NO ONE makes perfect products - even Rolls Royce, as previously stated. I’ve been in stores where someone who had been waiting for a clerk for 5 minutes, hollered at the clerk that they had been waiting for 20 minutes!! I own a number of BLI pieces, and had to have one serviced. It took about two months, but came back in perfect condition - which is a lot more than I can say for two different new car dealers that I bought my last two cars from!! [soapbox] over.
Well I sent my BLI AC6000 back for warranty repair on April 1st. I know they received it about 1 week later. I am not surprised that they are taking some time to repair it.Ths was a Blueline . Need I say more? I will give them all the time they need to get it running right. That may be a while yet. I ain’t in no hurry. That’s life!
Hello again, I have been updated on my MT-73, Matt at BLI contacted Joe at FDT and Joe called me and gave me a refund on the MT-73. So they get two [tup] up for me on customer service. So I now I have extra funds in my account. So what should i buy?..hmmmm…
Actually, I was mocking the concept. I’m not big on worrying about repairs since only a very small percentage of any product ever winds up there. After my layout is up and running, it will get it’s DCC conversion(wired for DC and DCC from the beginning)and I’ll be replacing all my motive power with sound and DCC units. I’m not yet convinced by this thread not to purchase BLI products, or to buy them. Customer service is just an interest of mine having dealt with it for a billion years professionally.
yOU WILL HAVE THE BEST LUCK ‘following the money’. WHO did you buy it from? They have the biggest interest in seeing you are satisfied (You are a new ‘customer’) wheras BLI 's main problem is keeping their Dealer’s happy.
YOU are technically the 'Dealer’s customer. Dealers have it in their power to ‘swap’ your product for a new one from the Manufacturer/Importer. WHY didn’t they?
Did BLI think your expectations unreasonable? (happens). Did you VOID the terms of your warrantee?
If so, Your choices are to take it to an independant repair fascility for appraisal, or fix it yourself and avoid BLI products in the future. What you have done is bad mouth BLI and cry “no fair” - which will be discounted in the face of everyone who has a BLI product they’re happy with.
