LRP Sucks

Old 04-07-2007, 09:10 AM
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Default LRP Sucks

To All,
I have had a really bad experience with LRP. Back in January I decided to go brushless and bought the new sphere 2007 ($200.00). When I first ran it at the track (Planet RC) the car would only go when I gave it a push start, but it was getting the signal from my radio because the green light was flashing when I hit the gas. After trying numerous motors and trouble shooting the problem, the conclusion was made (read that Mike Blackstock had this same problem in a big race) that it was the speed controller. I immediately sent it back to AE (first week of Feb).

Finally, we roll into the month of March and no word on speed contoller. I call the Team AE number several times and leave messages with the LRP service department asking for a follow up on the speedo, I sent emails as well and received no return call or message (I do understand they had a week where they moved). I finally get dialed into someone named Brad who says that he will help me out with my problem from here on out. I explained my frustration to him and felt I was being pushed off by the service team. He says "the service team says they sent you an email let me look for it in the outbox". I said that I have not received an email and sure enough he can not find an email to me in their email outbox. He couldn't give me any idea of when the speed controller would be returned as the California does not fix them, they just ship the broken ones to Germany and wait for new ones to come. I said that if they couldn't fix it within a couple of weeks, just send it back and I would be happy to buy a Novak. I had talked to Evan at Stormer Hobbies about the situation and he was happy to issue me a refund. Brad assured me that the next batch of speed controllers were in US Customs and once they reached that point, it usually isn't more then a few days. I agreed to wait on them to come, what is a few more days after waiting two months??

So, I finally get the package in the mail from Team AE this monday. I am excited to start racing again after 3 months off. I open up the package and it is my broken speed contoller returned!! The slip says "asked for spher back so he could, get money back from tower and purchase a novak". They could not even spell Sphere correctly. So here I am on April 7th with my bunk speed controller back after 3 1/2 months after my purchase.

I am in the wrong here to be p**d? It isn't so much the wait, but the lack of effort and response from LRP on this. I spend $200.00 and I am the bad customer?? I have never had problems with LRP products before this, I a lot of other LRP equipment. However, I hope that this story has influence on your purchase of speed controllers that are not made or even serviced in the US for that matter.

Thanks for listening,

Ryan McBee
[email protected]
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Old 04-07-2007, 09:19 AM
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This is whats nice about Tekin.
Their Service is 2nd to none and they do them in house.
Parts may be from other places but they dont import the whole unit.
Sorry about your bad dealing with LRP.
I hope you get your refund and purchase what you need to get rolling again.
Just think your family will thank LRP for the time you spent with them instead of doing R/C.
Lol of course.
Have a Happy Easter and a great weekend.

Les
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Old 04-07-2007, 01:02 PM
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Sorry Ryan. Wondered why we haven't seen you lately. I have been frustrated with LRP myself. Not for performance, but for supply. We can't get any. I personally have always had good service with LRP (Associated). But that doesn't mean that the changes they've gone through hasn't effected service. Sorry and hope you're back soon. Later.
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Old 04-07-2007, 03:07 PM
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The slip says "asked for spher back so he could, get money back from tower and purchase a novak".
That I think is funny... I would be tempted to put a note like that in the box and send it back too, if someone threatened to buy another brand if I didn't do what they wnated. More companies should do this imo...

But.... I do see how you are upset with what happened. They told you your "repaired" speedo was on it's way back from LRP???? Then you got your "unrepaired" speedo returned?

That is a problem. Either they never sent it to LRP like they said, or yours got fixed and they just sent you another bum unit back instead. Something isn't right there.....

But their note to you was funny.

So can you still get credit from Stormer toward a Novak?? That would be a good deal...
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Old 04-07-2007, 03:11 PM
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If I were a Vendor and someone was looking at the competitor, I would want to provide better service. Again, this was after 3 months and it wasn't a threat of buying Novak, but a reality!!
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Old 04-07-2007, 03:30 PM
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Yeah I know... the customer is always right... that's the best way to do business. I just thought the note was funny... they WERE only quoting what you said afterall.

I would think the boss would not be happy if they knew about it.

Can't blame you a bit for being upset with them. Good luck with the Novak.
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Old 04-07-2007, 04:05 PM
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That's some pretty sad service. For what it's worth, I can almost guarantee that they don't send LRP units back to Germany for any reason. The freight both ways is probably more expensive then their production cost of the unit. Sound's like a time stalling line to me...
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Old 04-07-2007, 05:38 PM
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Originally Posted by Davidka
That's some pretty sad service. For what it's worth, I can almost guarantee that they don't send LRP units back to Germany for any reason. The freight both ways is probably more expensive then their production cost of the unit. Sound's like a time stalling line to me...
If they were producing ESC`s off a production line every week by week, maybe you would be able to have ESC`s available for replacement all the time ...

They don`t make um that way , week by week however ...

They produce these products in batch`s of one thousand to even 10,000 units at a time ....


Then...

They sell um and when its time to produce more ESC`s they make upgrades and model changes , then..., they make another batch units ....

Maybe this explain`s why its takes so much time ?
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Old 04-07-2007, 07:03 PM
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What poor service. I use Novak and anytime I had an issue. I just bring it in and they fix or replace my ESC.
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Old 04-07-2007, 07:50 PM
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I bought a used Pro4 with a Q1 in it and ended up using it in a B4 buggy. Well, one day I soldered up the battery backwards and fried the esc. I sent it back and within a couple weeks had a brand new Q2 at my door. Sorry to hear you didn't have the same service. Happy Bunny Day.
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Old 04-07-2007, 08:31 PM
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This is why I only buy Novak.
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Old 04-07-2007, 09:32 PM
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Buy a Novak. Why do you think so many people say buy Novak, because they are good and they don't screw their customers around. Made in USA, designed in USA, serviced in USA.

Personally I've never had any problems with LRP customer service, but I've heard bad things from a few people.
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Old 04-08-2007, 07:50 AM
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How many different message boards did you post your hate message on??? The LRP Sphere 2007 is probally the most adjustable speed control on the market. If they were made here in the US then turn around would be fast or if they had them in stock, but the demand for them is higher than any other speed control on the market, so they were out of them. Associated just got some in last week and they are packing them now and will be ready to ship soon.
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Old 04-08-2007, 08:03 AM
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What about Castle? I've been running one of their 25 amp speedo's in my half 8 for over a year with zero issues. I'm using a spek system with it and it sometimes throws off it's setup, but only when I rebind the radio to the receiver so I've just made it part of my routine to reset the esc when I have to rebind the radio. Our track owner has a link for his laptop so it's never a biggie. I had a novak system in an e-maxx and it did OK, but I'm just too sold on the KISS system to feel comfortable with all the extra wires, and after running both types I can't tell enough difference between the two for it to matter which style I use, so I'm sticking with the least amount of wiring I can get away with. I've got a xxx-t MF that's getting a mamba max 5700 as soon as I can find the time to install it, and from what I've heard it's mighty smooth.
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Old 04-08-2007, 08:28 AM
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Originally Posted by Scott S.
How many different message boards did you post your hate message on??? The LRP Sphere 2007 is probally the most adjustable speed control on the market. If they were made here in the US then turn around would be fast or if they had them in stock, but the demand for them is higher than any other speed control on the market, so they were out of them. Associated just got some in last week and they are packing them now and will be ready to ship soon.

The truth....
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