Ryan McBee

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]

Wild Cherry

If your in between shipments from Lrp ...
You will have to be more patient because if they do not have a extra ESC to hand out for warranty work, you will have to wait a while ....

Everyone is treated the same....

should of waited .....
and
that`s your mistake .......

Funny, a fresh shipment of ESC`s
came in two month`s ago .
I got my Sphere repaired . I don`t understand how your`s did`nt get taken care of ....

sportpak

iTrader: (26)

Too many stories like that is why I'll always buy Orange. At the top level they're all the same in my opinion. I have a GTB that's been flawless. I still have some Cyclones that get beat on pretty regularly during offroad that don't break a sweat.

Torsp

iTrader: (12)

Harsh lesson learned there, go with Mamba 5700. Superior product and service.

pcar951

iTrader: (23)

Just for the sake of comparison.....I blew up a new GTB, shipped it back to Novak and had a replacement ESC in 2 weeks. All I did was fill out the return form and drop it in the mail. This was the first time a Novak has ever failed for me and I've probably had 20 of their ESCs. Nice to know Novak's got your back if you do have a problem.

losi nut

iTrader: (1)

Last summer I bought a QC2 and broke the on/off switch wire at the case, sent it in for repair thru my LHS and was told "for $48 they would send me a refurbished one" . It came in I installed it and on a test run in a parking lot at part throttle, it melted itself into goo. No it didn't short out on anything, it was securely mounted. It shorted internally. End of my dealings with lrp esc's.

losi guy

iTrader: (38)

I run LRP and Novak. Like them both. I only had one go out on me and that was the LRP Sphere, it was under warranty so i sent in and i had a new one in about 1 month so it wasn't bad considering i had a back up speedo. If you don't have the time to wait for the Lrp stuff to get fixed and sent back, i would get a novak.

loopedout

iTrader: (49)

Lmao, Ill have to say I love my LRP controller but its taking them a long long time, over a month to get one of mine back to me. Called them yesterday and its finally on its way to my home. I think all companies have thier faults just in different areas. Nice thread though, brings back memories

tarheelquality

Had a LRP QC2, would reset itself after a run on my 1/12th and I had to go through and do a complete setup on the esc and this would happenen every 2nd or 3rd run. Been running Novak since mid 80's and the one time I ever needed service it was my faul and for a very low price they fixed it and had it back in about 2 weeks. Now I dont feel the need to try any other esc.

veecee

iTrader: (34)

Maybe the title should have read AE customer service sucks?

cvt01

iTrader: (2)

I bought a 2007 edition and on the first run the alu cover fell out. I sent it back in mid Feb. After 3 weeks I asked for an update by email and I've got a response saying they are waiting for the replacement. I thought OK I think a simple cleaning and some glue would fix the problem but it is their call. Finally after 6+ weeks the package showed up and in there my old ESC fixed. I have no problem with that but what takes 6 weeks in that is beyond me. This is my only ESC and I mainly race TC on carpet so they pretty much took 6 weeks of the winter season for nothing... I should have just cleaned it myself and reglue it. Lesson learned but the bitter aftertaste will stay.

Iceracer

iTrader: (1)

Is there any issue with LRP quality, or is it only the North American warranty service through AE?

cvt01

iTrader: (2)

I think both.

Wild Cherry

Not true !
The 2007 Competition is the best of the best ....

Reliable and smooth...
Nobody can touch it...

cvt01

iTrader: (2)

If there wasn't any problem with LRP products in the first place nobody would have bad experience with AE service.