I sent my new ho SD70M-2 in to MTH for problems with the locomotive leaning to one side and some truck issues only to have it returned with the problems to be much worse and now the trucks are barely holding together as well as a bunch of details such as the snow plow and the radiator grills being missing. This is insane for how much I paid for that engine. I wont be buying from MTH ever again.
Sorry you got a dud. My 2 Ace’s are great.
You might want to try your hand at fixing them yourself .
I have read posts a number of times, here and on other forums, where people have had to send things back three times, and it doesn’t seem to matter which manufacturere…they all have goofs. Sorry this happened to you.
When you contacted them to let them know the engine was actually in worse shape than when you sent it in, what was their response? Just, you know, to keep it fair in case they were apologetic and offered to fix it for nothing, including picking up the shipping this time? Have you contacted them?
Crandell
Haven’t contacted them again yet, I just got it back late today.
Was it damaged in shipping and was it insured? Have you spoken to MTH service about this?
I suspect he enjoyed the Rant quite a lot. Many times I have found that people would rather do a Rant than go to the source. That will probably never change,
I have solved issues like this by taking a photo and going to the company and do a report.
Rich
If you read above I stated I have not yet contacted MTH again which I plan to do monday. I just got it back today after MTHs office was already closed for the week.
I’ve had nothing but positive experiences with MTH service. I recently just got my Challenger back from them. It took them about 5 weeks, because they said this is their busiest time of the year. They fixed it and all is good now.
I’m sure after you contact them they’ll take care of you.
I feel for ya dude
I love MTH engines. Their sounds, smoke units are great, but I feel they are not the best running engines out there. They are not what you call “forgiving engines”. I have taken many engines back and found them to be very good at repairing them. That’s ashame they couldn’t fix yours right. Broadway Limited engines handle the tracks better than MTH.
One MTH of mine, a GS-4 4-8-4’s pilot wheels can’t even negotiate 22" to a 26" S curve. Where my BLI Northern 4-8-4 breezes right through it.
Yes try calling MTH,good luck with that.I have five of their diesels and two has bad motors one they did fix,did take five weeks,now hopefully they will send me a motor for the second one.
I personally will not spend the extra bucks to get a MTH for this type of reason:
While MTH started out as a high quality company products {commanding the equally high price}, and supposedly had the best quality in the business, it is slowly and more and more comming out that they are NOT so great at QC, for the price involved, and for the handling of repairs needed. As I understand it, they are also made in China, probably in the same factory that makes Bachmann, you never know.
Bachmann, on the other hand is noted for improving their products and for excellent customer service in the event of a failure.
GO figure.
I’m sure that once the second complaint is made that things will be fixed. I’d ask for someone in management and then demand a faster turn around.
As to the Bachmann note, it is an example of the old saying. It only takes a short time to ruin your reputation and credibility, but it takes a lifetime to repair it. Bachmann straightened up their act a long time ago but the years that they were crappy got them a TYCO type reputation.
I find it sad that it even takes a second complaint, or a first for that matter. I seem to hear quite a few people on here having issues with MTH items.
It looks like this thread is turning into another MTH bashing.If it wasn’t for MTH, I would not have returned to HO in the first place. I came back to HO from O scale.
First, MTH owns their own factories in Korea and China.
Second, I have over 40 MTH HO locomotives(Mostly big steam) and I haven’t had the problems/failures mentioned in past threads. They will not run well on sloppy track that has lots of dips,bumps,etc. My engines will not run well on several of my friends layouts or the local modular layouts because of these (Slop) factors. Precision made locomotives with tight tolerances need precision quality track work.
Third, My advice to everyone is to make sure you have well laid quality trackwork. The MTH and BLI long wheelbase locomotives must have this for best operation.They operate on code 83 track best and this seems to be because of the narrower rail head. Use a 24 inch or longer machinist’s square and levels.Use that NMRA track gauge! Wide radius curves( > 24" R) are a must!
I also may mention that I have locomotives from BLI, Athearn Genesis,Spectrum,Proto1000/2000,Intermountain,Stewart,Trix,Roco and Fleischmann.
Have to throw the flag on that statement. MTH contracts with manufacturers in Korea and China, just like everybody else except Bachmann. Bachmann is owned by a Chinese company which also owns most of the Chinese manufacturing capability.
Because MTH designs were “shared” at the manufacturing level with some other importers in the past, I have little doubt that MTH ensures their newer contracts are absolutely exclusive in every way. But this does not give MTH ownership of the manufacturing facilities.
Since the only MTH I own is 3 rail O, I can’t comment on the rest of the post.
Fred W
Well I would love to bash MTH for the orignal problem but having worked in the packaging industry for a couple of years it is impossible to have 100% damage free product. You can drop any box so it lands on one of six sides or an edge between any two sides or a corner between three sides. there is a break even point where it is cheaper to have some breakage than 100%i good product and it s expected. Returning it in worse condition is a different story.
Well, I"m not going to bash MTH, after having acquired their 8-car Daylight passenger set (plus an extra articulated coach). Couldn’t be happier with them. Smooth running, nicely detailed and very trouble-free. And by adjusting only one coupler at the end of each car, they can be made to close-couple to a 36" radius just fine.
My only complaint is that as a DC modeler, the MTH locomotives take far too much voltage to operate with other DC locomotives. It’s that doggone ‘triple’ control (DCS/DCC/DC) that’s the culprit. So I haven’t been able to take advantage of their GS-4 loco for my Daylight. However, my older brass DC GS-4 likes its new train very much…[:D]
If MTH could put out a ‘real’ DC loco, there are a few that I’d be interested in–especially their very handsome AC-6 cab forward. But not with their current triple configuration. I think MTH is missing out on an entire facet of the HO market, myself.
Tom
Gentlemen, I feel the OP has had his say, and we have either commiserated or shared contrary experiences of our own. No current HO provider is immune to the odd glitch, and even to glitches in repaired items returned to the owners. It bites spending the dough to mail it in, often with insurance costs, waiting a couple of months, and then opening the returned parcel to find it, if you can believe it, evern worse off!! Believe me, I have read similar complaints, and not about MTH.
It bites, but it is just a hobby after all. If things go badly south, there is always beer.
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