My 1st nitro car not a good start
 

I just want to share my recent experience I got when I purchased a nitro motor from a certain hobby shop. As you know if you look at my previous posts im new to the rc scene and not long ago I started shopping around for a 1/10 scale nitro car. It was the 27/3/13 I walked in to a hobby shop and explained to them im new to the rc scene and a friend recommended me to come here and you will help me out with a motor. I purchased a Novarossi .12 3port tuned motor for $375AUD and a few other things The motor didn’t come with a glow plug so I also purchased that and on the phone telling my friend about my purchase he found that strange as he said all Novarossi engines come with glow plugs. I was not shown the motor just saw it through the display case and purchased it straight away. I then went home stored it away and went on the amain website and ordered a mugen mtx5, body and a starter box. That came in about a week later I started assembling the car and my friend told me not to install the motor yet as he wants to show me how to adjust the clutch, start the car, run it in and tuning. I assembled the car in my own time and was finished. The weekend that just gone I gave everything to my friend who knows a lot about rc cars and he was shocked to noticed that the motor on close inspection had been used. He showed me all the signs as you can see in the pictures and told me these people are normally pretty good take it back there must be some sort of mistake. He knows I haven’t started the car as my starter box is not assembled and I don’t have any other nitro car to put it in. 15/3/13 I travelled once again which is over an hour drive in peak hour traffic to explain my situation showing all signs of use and the salesman pretty much said he cant do anything as he didn’t sell it to me and to leave the motor with him and the salesman who sold me the motor will pull it apart and have a look and let me know. After what happen to me I did not want to do this as I do not trust this hobby shop after what has happen to me. He got my details and said they will call me tomorrow. The next day we made contact and the salesman asked why it took over a week to get back to him I told him my situation and he pretty much said the same thing I need to pull it apart and have a look as he claims it was a new motor and he showed me in which he did not. I got really upset and told him where to go hanged up. A bit after realising I wont be getting looked after I sent them a email explaining my situation yet again with detailed pictures and again they want me to drive all the way there again and they will strip it down and have a look. I replied explaining after what I been through I don’t trust you and happy to come back when im free and show you clear visible signs of use and theirs no need to strip it down but if you really want to I would like to be present when you do strip it down as I want to make sure everything is ok and this gives me a opportunity to learn. After that last email there were no more replies and im guessing im just going to have to cop it in the chin.
If you guys look at the pictures you can tell this motor has been used as you can see scratches in the screws, small specs of dirt in the fins and the exhaust port it black showing signs of exhaust gasses passing through. Also theirs a new piston which proves I didn’t use the motor so they must of recondition the motor and sold it to me as new. Also even looking at the N my friend told me while the motor is running the spring vibrates and causes those marks. I haven’t name the shop yet as there might be a chance it could be resolved. I know I should of paid attention and took the time to check the motor to make sure its new but I didn’t think I would have to do this and I was pretty excited in building this car also to tell the truth with my experience in this I probably wouldn’t noticed this. Just want to get peoples feedback on this as Im very annoyed at this but I have learnt my lesson never trust anyone and check everything. In my opinion they knew all along it was used and them knowing I don’t know much about this they took full advantage in selling a used product as new.

I hope this works out for you. What sucks is it looks like it will worse before it gets better and for your LHS to do this to you . Wow and they wonder why people buy online.

Holy paragraph batman!!

not sure Novarossi runs tests on their motors.. But i always have someone i know that knows more than me along when I purchase anything RC related..sounds bad on ur LHS.if u paid with credit card maybe call them and have them refund ur money as what u think u purchased and what u actually got was 2 different things --used and NEW..most credit card company's have a Purchase policy might wanta look into that..

That really sucks. It does look used.
Keep working with them to obtain a return or a new motor. Keep your COOL... ranting definitely does not help.
I must say that we have all experienced something like this in our lives, not neccassarily Rc but any purchase anywhere. So you have learned a good lesson, check it out before handing over the cash. Lucky for you it is just a toy motor and not a $300,000 house.
Still sucks.

That sucks, hope it all turns out ok.

That has been used for sure. That really sucks that they screwed you like that. If they just understood that a happy customer will keep coming back, they could have made money off of you for years the honest way. Always hate to see new rc'ers getting a raw deal. Good luck, bud!!

Thanks for the support guys looks like there not helping so im taking it further and have reported them to consumer affairs. Only problem is now there is going to be a massive delay as it takes time for them to go through there process. I will be on holidays next week and this was the main reason why I got a nitro car so I can go to the track and race it around every day. Ahh well that's life I guess :(

Then again...
 

Sakura...

Remove the glow plug, get a hair drier and warm the engine up to 90C 9/5+32 = ~190F . Turn the flywheel and check for pinch. If you engine still has good pinch and you can feel the conrod is in good order... you could look at it as if they've run it in!

A good pinch is a single pinch (not a double) at top dead centre. If there's good compression and you want to enjoy RC, pull it down, inspect and clean, rebuild and enjoy.

If you're serious about RC, it wont be the last engine and you never know, it might be a winner.

Certainly never go back to supplier, it's just plain wrong to sell a used engine as a NEW one.... Give em hell!

Thanks for the tip mate but im leaving it on the shelf for now as consumer affairs are looking in to it. My mate gave me a STS motor to use for now so just gonna use that for until things hopefully get sorted.

Hope consumer affairs sort it for ya mate, dont blame you for disputing it, paying for a new mill and get a used/recond one:flaming:, yeah I`d be spewing to.....But Good luck...:)

Well after taking this matter to consumer affairs the only way to solve this is to go there and hand over the motor for them to check. but I'm to wait at the front and not allowed to go to the workshop. Just want to know what you all think after what happened should I trust these people or not?

I WOULD NOT!

Yea at the start I was thinking to go ahead with it but then if I cant see what they are doing and it only takes 20min on top of that u can see its been used why cant I watch them pull it apart ? must be hiding something for sure

You could agree to just go and have the motor checked, but politely state that you have had nothing to hide from them, and you expect the same in return. If they still want you to be out of sight for the inspection, I'd walk away. I don't know how you being away would benefit them in any way if they know they did you wrong, but if they truly don't think they sold a used engine then they probably want to be able talk to each other, speculating, while checking it. In any case, it just seems fishy.

yea this is the thing they made it clear they will check the motor but I Have to wait out the front as there policy states no customers is allowed to be in the work shop. They own the shop surly in this circumstances I should be aloud in the work shop. On the other hand I want to go there for them to look at it as I got nothing to hide as you said so don't really know what to do but if I cant be present when they inspect the motor something strange is going on so might just forget about it and move on

I didn't think of their shop being out of customers' view, the lhs I go to has their work area right on the other side of the display cases for some products in plain view. I really can't say I expect them to break their policy but I'm sure having an over-the-counter inspection should suffice in this situation, no need for them to have to go to the back room to check an exhaust port :rolleyes: maybe they are just being too tight. If it was me, I'd walk away. Sucks that this kind of thing happens, I know this makes a lot of people turn their back on this awesome hobby :(

Sounds like you have a shady hobby shop in your area..Around here they do everything in front of you so you can see it and maybe even learn a thing or two...

This is pretty much the email consumer affairs sent me after speaking to them on the phone after reading this I think I will just cut my loses and move on and I will forward all emails in full with business name on here so others don't go through what I went through.

As discussed, you have agreed to have your engine inspected by the trader and accepted the following terms:
•You may choose to wait at the front of the shop, but NOT the backroom workshop. According to the trader's policy, entry to workshop is STRICTLY off limits to all customers.
•The inspection of your engine will be carried out in the backroom workshop
•The trader is available to carry out the inspection on Wed or Thurs between 12 pm and 5 pm.
•You will ring or email the trader to make an appointment.

The outcome of your case is dependent on the trader's assessment of the engine.

That is not fair. ACA is supposed to be on YOUR side, you are the CONSUMER. Ring them again, and have the motor assessed by an independent third party (another shop, in another area not affected by sales cross sales).

It is after all a fair assessment you are after, so going back to the same people who says there isn't a problem is not going to cut it.

If you can't do otherwise... here I thought our countries ACA was representative of the consumers...

It sounds like you're getting screwed. It also sounds like you live in another country so I don't really know how it works there, but in America, I would try and resolve it with the business like you did. When that doesn't work, I would dispute the charges on my credit card. You have good evidence. If the credit card sides with you, then they will do a charge back on the company- essentially force the refund. If that doesn't work, I'd take them to small claims court. The judge just goes with the evidence and what's reasonable.. having heard only your side and seeing the pictures and assuming the business doesn't have anything else too conflicting to add, you'll win. Take a new engine with you into court so the judge can see the difference. Take someone with nitro r/c knowledge with you as well. I've done all of the above with other "business disputes". All is not lost, it just takes time and perseverance on your part. In the meantime, get another engine, and go race.

any progress?

Nope didn't get sorted out as I wasn't allowed to be preset while the staff at radical hobbies in campbellfield Victoria, Australia inspect the used motor they sold to me as new.
Thanks to the shocking experience from Radical Hobbies I have now sold up the nitro car and pretty much turned off the whole scene. The staff at radical hobbies were so rude and cocky towards me saying pretty much there multiple multiple champions and this could never happen. They even said in a email i come across as stupid for even asking to be present while they inspect the motor. I have emails proving my situation and some of the stupidest things I have ever read. Anyone want me to forward emails to them let me know I'm more then happy to send it to you.

whoops! that's the LHS nearest to me. Good thing I have only bought paints from them. I was thinking of buying a radio and electronics from them... but maybe not anymore.