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Dragon models problem
pocket120
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Khabarovsk, Russia
Member Since: February 01, 2013
entire network: 124 Posts
KitMaker Network: 5 Posts
Posted: Monday, June 05, 2017 - 08:28 AM UTC
Hi all!

I ran into a problem with the company Dragon Models, and maybe you can tell me how to solve it.

The bottom line is this, I have 2 completely different models - M1A2 SEP (3536) and Sd.Kfz.10/5 (6676), and in these models factory marriage. It is factory marriage, this is the problem of casting.

In the 3536 - Not casting the front of the tank. The problem is not big, I could fix it myself, but still it's a defective part, and its correction will cause a number of problems. In the photo, I highlighted a problem place that you could compare.

In the 6676 - The back of the case was not cast. And it will be very difficult to restore it. Everything is visible in the photo, the model is still in the original packaging.

On the advice of a friend, I wrote on dragoncare.com and described the essence of the problem, I would like for me to change these defective parts. They advised me to write a letter to [email protected] . I re-described the problem and wrote that I want to replace the defective parts. They asked for photo checks and where I bought these models. The problem is that I bought one model from a friend, and another gave me. We responded to the question - we will look at the warehouse and let you know in 1-2 weeks. And this answer came to me on December 10, 2016. And they did not answer my letters anymore. Tell me, if anyone came across, what should I do? Can someone from the administration know how to solve this problem.

6676 - Front



6676 - Back



6676 - Normal side





3536 - Defect


3536 - Normal and defect



3536 - Normal



Email from Dragon models

sgtreef
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Oklahoma, United States
Member Since: March 01, 2002
entire network: 6,043 Posts
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Posted: Thursday, June 08, 2017 - 03:53 PM UTC
Wish I could help, here Dragon Care is what I use.
And again they have slowed down a bunch, I had a problem last year with something,sent pics like they wanted, took them 1 month to get back to me, as they wanted me to pay for parts and postage.A long time back they just let you pay postage.Might just have to go it yourself.


Jeff
pocket120
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Khabarovsk, Russia
Member Since: February 01, 2013
entire network: 124 Posts
KitMaker Network: 5 Posts
Posted: Friday, June 09, 2017 - 07:20 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Wish I could help, here Dragon Care is what I use.
And again they have slowed down a bunch, I had a problem last year with something,sent pics like they wanted, took them 1 month to get back to me, as they wanted me to pay for parts and postage.A long time back they just let you pay postage.Might just have to go it yourself.


Jeff


In fact, this is a very strange policy, I came across a marriage, for example, miniart, and they are free of charge at their own expense, being outraged and admitting their mistake by sending me the missing details.
pocket120
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Khabarovsk, Russia
Member Since: February 01, 2013
entire network: 124 Posts
KitMaker Network: 5 Posts
Posted: Tuesday, August 01, 2017 - 06:07 AM UTC
Guys, can someone else have faced such a problem?
Grauwolf
#084
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Quebec, Canada
Member Since: September 14, 2005
entire network: 2,485 Posts
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Posted: Tuesday, August 01, 2017 - 07:00 AM UTC
Hi Dmitrii,

You should take the kits back to the hobby shop where you purchased them,
it is really their problem...they took your money and you got defective kits;
they should be the first to accommodate you.

At the hobby shop where sometimes work, we exchange defective kits directly
to the customer and then take up the issue with distributors ourselves.

Manufactures and distributors generally do not like to deal with the end user.

If you bought them online, it becomes more complicated.

Hope it all works out,
Joe
Kevlar06
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Washington, United States
Member Since: March 15, 2009
entire network: 3,670 Posts
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Posted: Tuesday, August 01, 2017 - 07:41 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Hi Dmitrii,

You should take the kits back to the hobby shop where you purchased them,
it is really their problem...they took your money and you got defective kits;
they should be the first to accommodate you.

At the hobby shop where sometimes work, we exchange defective kits directly
to the customer and then take up the issue with distributors ourselves.

Manufactures and distributors generally do not like to deal with the end user.

If you bought them online, it becomes more complicated.

Hope it all works out,
Joe


He said he got one from a friend, and the other someone gave to him-- there is no "hobby shop" involved here. Having said that-- I used to work in a LHS, and we often would get kits back with defects . Our policy was if it was purchased form us, we'd exchange it for the same item. However, Dragon is notorious for going in and out of production, so we couldn't exchange items if they were sold out. I hate to say it, but "Dragon Care" is often poor at customer service. They don't stock the kits here in the US-- when they are gone, they're gone for a long time-- and what they do is go back onto the warehouse, open a kit, and get the part they need-- so you may be lucky if the kit is not already sold out. Most manufacturers have similar practices-- some are better than others at it. Other manufacturers depend on distributors to solve these issues-- Merit and AFV Club have that type of relationship. But depending on a LHS to switch s out parts is probably not a good option if the kit is more than a few years old.
VR, Russ
165thspc
#521
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Kentucky, United States
Member Since: April 13, 2011
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Posted: Tuesday, August 01, 2017 - 08:15 AM UTC
Looks like one kit is an "incomplete pour" (the mold did not fill completely.) The other looks like the chassis sprue was dropped and landed on a front corner.

Not intending to be rude or anything but it appears to me to be time to get out the putty, some files, a knife and some Evergreen plastic and exercise a small bit of scratch building skill to simply fix the two problems. Look at it as an opportunity for a challenge and a growth exercise for your modeling abilities.

You are so far down the sales/distribution chain; "it was a gift", and "I bought it from a friend" (cheap) that it is probably beyond the point where you can or should expect a replacement.
pocket120
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Khabarovsk, Russia
Member Since: February 01, 2013
entire network: 124 Posts
KitMaker Network: 5 Posts
Posted: Tuesday, August 01, 2017 - 09:00 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Hi Dmitrii,

You should take the kits back to the hobby shop where you purchased them,
it is really their problem...they took your money and you got defective kits;
they should be the first to accommodate you.

At the hobby shop where sometimes work, we exchange defective kits directly
to the customer and then take up the issue with distributors ourselves.

Manufactures and distributors generally do not like to deal with the end user.

If you bought them online, it becomes more complicated.

Hope it all works out,
Joe


Thanks Joe, but this is very problematic for me. Cauze I didn't buy these models in the model store, my gf gave me one, the second one I bought from a friend. In our local store do not open the sellers of the model, if you yourself do not ask. But if there are problems, then of course, they will all change or return the money. But it's possible if I have a check.

Today I opened the application for dragon-care again. Let's see what happens.

And other manufacturers often themselves at their own expense send new details to the consumer, for example MiniArt and Zvezda, Tamiya gives an opportunity to buy the necessary details. And in which case I'm ready to buy new parts, but Dragon did not even offer it.

Something like this.
pocket120
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Khabarovsk, Russia
Member Since: February 01, 2013
entire network: 124 Posts
KitMaker Network: 5 Posts
Posted: Tuesday, August 01, 2017 - 09:03 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Looks like one kit is an "incomplete pour" (the mold did not fill completely.) The other looks like the chassis sprue was dropped and landed on a front corner.

Not intending to be rude or anything but it appears to me to be time to get out the putty, some files, a knife and some Evergreen plastic and exercise a small bit of scratch building skill to simply fix the two problems. Look at it as an opportunity for a challenge and a growth exercise for your modeling abilities.

You are so far down the sales/distribution chain; "it was a gift", and "I bought it from a friend" (cheap) that it is probably beyond the point where you can or should expect a replacement.


Yes, I agree, all these problems can be corrected. But I also receive a set from a very large manufacturer who makes accurate models, and should take care of his reputation. I have not seen anything like this and I was very disappointed in Dragon Models.
ivanhoe6
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Wisconsin, United States
Member Since: April 05, 2007
entire network: 2,023 Posts
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Posted: Tuesday, August 01, 2017 - 08:26 PM UTC
The only time I've ever used Dragon Care was for a missing part from a kit I bought from a member here at Armorama. It took about 3 weeks and $5 from the time I asked to the day the part arrived.
Good luck Dimitrii with your problem.
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