I'm wondering how much time, typically, it takes if you send something in to Bachmann under warranty, not for a simple replacement, but to be repaired. Anyone have any experience along those lines?
I just dealt with them on a warranty item - it took about 6 weeks. They ended up replacing the unit with a new one because they did not have the parts to fix it. It was a Light Mountain..
I think this is probably more typical (despite what Bachmann may say). Or put another way, I wouldn't send anything to them that I'd customized and expect to get it back that way. Cheers, -Mark
I have sent in two items with a repair or replace request. Both times, Bachpersonn chose to replace. One time it took a little over two weeks; the other, a little less than three.
My experience with Bachmann is similar to Brokemoto's. I model steam so the locomotives have all been steam. They have elected to replace locomotives instead of repairing them. The turn around time has been a bit longer than he states. They have called me to determine what locomotive I would like as a replacement if the one sent in is no longer available. I am very pleased with the service and the locomotives. I look forward to their next release of a steam locomotive.
Well, here's my story. I didn't like the large tender on my Bachmann 4-6-0 and so took it to a shop that says they do repairs, gave them the ten wheeler and one of those Bachmann "medium" tenders. They "accomplished the job" by simply cutting the wires to the big tender and assuming the replacement tender would be ready to go just by attaching it to the engine like you would an old Rivarossi. Well, that didn't work well at all, so I took it back. I checked with them from time to time, and they didn't have it fixed, and finally they said they'd sent the loco and replacement Bachmann "medium" tender to Bachmann for service, and would let me know when Bachmann had sent it back fixed. That was at least six or eight months ago, and they haven't notified me yet that Bachmann is finished with my loco. They're really nice guys, and I don't want to be contentious, but it seems like it's been a real long time. But maybe Bachmann is slow on this because it's an unusual job or something.
I'd say the shop owes you a loco Jay . Bachmann would have had it or a replacement back to them by now . Since they modified the origional loco Bachmann may consider it out of warranty due to abuse . The shop owes you at least the old loco back . There are any number of people here or on another board that could walk you through switching the tender out . I would be polite , but firm with the shop owner to have him give you the loco back or replace it with a new one .
The shop owes you for not doing the job correctly. Call the Bachmann to check on the locomotive. Did you have a return authorization from Bachmann when you sent the locomotive to them? That is how their system works.
No offense, but what does this have to do with Bachmann? Sounds like your problem is with the yahoos that worked on your locomotive. Cheers, -Mark
Since I wasn't a defect due to a problem with the loco but rather the shop messing it up it is not something that Bachmann will fix for free. If the loco was sent to Bachmann by them It should have been back long ago and repaired. I agree with Mark that the problem is with the shop staff not Bachmann. The medium tender does not have a decoder in it and the dual mode decoder should have been removed from the original tender and installed in the new one.
I only wanted to know how likely or reasonable it was that it would take the shop so long to get the loco back. I never implied that the problem was with Bachmann. And I didn't care about the decoder. I just wanted a basic engine with a smaller tender. I repeat---I wasn't for a minute blaming the situation on Bachmann, I was just asking about normal timelines for repairs, to check on what the shop guys said.
