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General discussions about modeling topics.
Missing Sprues???!?!?!?!?
charlie_redleg
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Alabama, United States
Member Since: May 24, 2010
entire network: 8 Posts
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Posted: Monday, May 24, 2010 - 09:45 AM UTC
I recently purchased the AFV Club Models 1/35 Scale: AF35008 M88A1, and well, it must have been packaged on a monday by someone who had either a REALLY GOOD or a REALLY BAD weekend. As I am missing 4 items from the kit.

I am missing sprue A and sprue C, the PE sprue, and the instruction sheet............yeah tell me about it. I contacted the local hobby shop where I purchased the kit, and it was the last kit they had in stock. I was informed that the kit was sealed and they were not responsible for missing items from the kit and to contact AFV Club directly to rectify this problem. Now, here is my problem. Anyone know how to contact AFV club without having to have a college degree in linguistics, because when i visit the website, it is in all oriental (not sure what language exactly) and I DO NOT see an option for english, or maybe it is there and written in squiggly line chicken coop fire hydrant. FYI, please no one take offense to what I just said, that is just the best way I know how to describe that. Can anyone help out with this problem?
panzerbob01
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Louisiana, United States
Member Since: March 06, 2010
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Posted: Monday, May 24, 2010 - 10:13 AM UTC
Charlie R.;

Hi! Couple of suggestions I might offer: First- go back to the LHS, with whom you have already talked on this issue, and ASK them whether they might be so kind as to either help you contact the USA distributer or whole-saler for AFV Club, or maybe help you connect up with the AFV Club folks in Taiwan. They MUST have some sort of connection route to get their stock.

Second: IF 1 above does not get you moving, try contacting one of the other outfits who handle AFV Club kits- InternetHobbies.com, MissionModels.com, Tankratsdepot.com, etc., and ask them whether they might be able to help connect you up. It may take a couple of tries, but I would be certain that one of these folks will be helpful.

I am pretty sure that AFV Club will be helpful, once you wend your way past the Chinese language barrier. I am SURE they have folks who speak English (at least enough to handle trading with us...), and am also pretty sure that they will stand behind their stuff.

Now, I haven't had much experience with AFV, but presume they are not wholly different than DML/Dragon, who do a good job of supporting modellers in this regard.

Good luck and persevere with patience!
Uruk-Hai
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Stockholm, Sweden
Member Since: January 31, 2003
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Posted: Monday, May 24, 2010 - 10:15 AM UTC
Im sorry to hear but that seams to be a real [auto-censored]ty attitude from the hobby shop. I know that you are on the other side of the pond but the laws here is that the shop is responsible towards you. Your business was with the Hobby shop aka the retailer and you got a faulty product. Otherwis why go to the shop in the first place?

Try the scenario that you bought a Toyota from a retailer and some things where missing. Would it be acceptable for you to contact Toyota in Japan?

The Hobby shop should refund you or at least contact the importer or AFV Club themselves.

Cheers
charlie_redleg
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Alabama, United States
Member Since: May 24, 2010
entire network: 8 Posts
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Posted: Monday, May 24, 2010 - 10:45 AM UTC
thanks so much for the advice and taking the time to help with this problem.......i have purchased several AFV kits and this is the first time I have ever had this problem. I was quite unusual............ ....so, thanks again from Bayou Land (Louisiana....a.k.a. The state riddled with Oil SLUDGE
Frank3K
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California, United States
Member Since: October 01, 2008
entire network: 22 Posts
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Posted: Monday, May 24, 2010 - 03:56 PM UTC
Charlie,

AFV is part of Hobbyfan.
Using Google Translate and slogging through their awful webpage, I got to their contact page

The listed email address is: [email protected]

They also seem to have an email contact (an envelope icon) on the left side of the page.

I hope this helps.

Frank
Tarok
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Victoria, Australia
Member Since: July 28, 2004
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Posted: Monday, May 24, 2010 - 04:46 PM UTC
Having worked in a LHS for about 9 years this sort of thing really pisses me off when I hear it. That's a huge cop-out on the part of your LHS to resolve the issue. Nobody's accusing them (or their customers) from thieving the parts, but it is their responsibility to attempt to resolve the issue. If they can't supply you with a new kit or refund you, they should be trying to source a new one from whomever they bought it from.

The last person in the referal chain should be the manufacturer. If your LHS are so disinterested in resolving your issue and insist on having you do the dog work, they should be refering you to the distributor and/or importer before refering you off-shore to the manufacturer. If you order a steak in a restaurant and it's tough as leather, the waiter doesn't refer you to the beef farmer does s/he?

Hopefully you get your sprues, and I really do hope you make your dissatisfaction with the LHS clear to them. Personally I wouldn't be supporting them again if all they're interested in is clearing your wallet, and not looking after you properly.
AussieReg
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
AUTOMODELER
#007
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Victoria, Australia
Member Since: June 09, 2009
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Posted: Monday, May 24, 2010 - 05:07 PM UTC
I totally agree with Rudi, as a retail store manager for several years my priority was to the customer, not the wholesaler or manufacturer. If any of my customers had a faulty product I would replace it if possible, if not then refund it. It was then my role to deal with the supply end to resolve the problem to my satisfaction, the customer could get on with the job.

If I was treated as you have been, I would make my displeasure known to the management of the store, then take my money elsewhere.

Cheers, D
sgtreef
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Oklahoma, United States
Member Since: March 01, 2002
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Posted: Monday, May 24, 2010 - 11:26 PM UTC
Hate to say it but Maybe Jimbrae can help as I think he or Ted Hayward might be able to help as he lives there.

Just my opinion.

And as said take your money on line or whatever.

I had a hobby shop that did that to me once as to missing parts and the speech as not there responsibility.

Well I took my money elsewhere unless I needed a small bag of Styrene strip or a bottle of paint and did not feel like driving the 20 miles further to get it.
He wondered why that was the only time he saw me after spending hundreds and now " Chump Change"

He asked if I wanted the latest kit said I already bought it at another place.

Should of seen his face change now he is out of Business.

Screw them
highway70
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California, United States
Member Since: November 27, 2004
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Posted: Wednesday, May 26, 2010 - 03:21 PM UTC
Try this link. It's in English

http://en.hobbyfan.com.tw/index-1.asp
sfctur1
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California, United States
Member Since: December 12, 2007
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Posted: Thursday, May 27, 2010 - 09:09 AM UTC
I have tried all of the information at one time or another to contact AFV about missing parts myself. I have never recieved any kind of reply. Thier customer service is quite bad. So good luck trying to get any replacement parts from them.
Tom
charlie_redleg
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Alabama, United States
Member Since: May 24, 2010
entire network: 8 Posts
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Posted: Thursday, May 27, 2010 - 09:33 AM UTC
Thanks so much for everyones help. UPDATE....well no real update.....I am still at square one......I have contacted a few online Hobby Shops, without being contacted back..........i guess they figured since I didnt buy the kit from them they dont owe me anything. I went to the website that was in English and tried to send a message via the contact form, HAHA.....I got a Internal Server Error from them......This kit wasnt overly expensive, only $35....which isnt really bad, but isnt cheap either with today's economy. I am pretty close to saying to heck with it and using the parts i have for kit bashing and forget about the AFV products all together.....i could always bld the Revell M-88......AFV has some nice kits, but if they cannot stand behind their products any better than this,they dont deserve my business. Again, thanks guys for the help......
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