Best method of receiving HPI customer support?

[dbuttonz@gmail.com]

I've received a defecting RC from HPI, and getting anywhere with the
customer support seems to be taking a very long time. After 2 sent
e-mails I was asked to provide pictures, but after providing the
pictures nothing has happend. I'm wondering where I need to go from
here.

What is the best e-mail address or phone number to use to get HPI
customer service? Or just plain what is the best method of getting
somewhere with my defective RC?

Is it reasonable for a defective RC to take a month to have repaired?

[Zachman]

<dbuttonz@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1168400211.746761.131350@77g2000hsv.googlegro ups.com...
> I've received a defecting RC from HPI, and getting anywhere with the
> customer support seems to be taking a very long time. After 2 sent
> e-mails I was asked to provide pictures, but after providing the
> pictures nothing has happend. I'm wondering where I need to go from
> here.
>
> What is the best e-mail address or phone number to use to get HPI
> customer service? Or just plain what is the best method of getting
> somewhere with my defective RC?
>
> Is it reasonable for a defective RC to take a month to have repaired?
Whats wrong with taking it back to the supplier?

Email support generally takes longer to go through. It takes probably 48
hours to process your Email, then time it takes you to respond. Then an 48
hours to respond to your response. Can you see the pattern? You can only
hope it don't take as long as my estimates.

Phone calls, best way next to taking it back to the supplier.

[\Doc\]

<dbuttonz@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1168400211.746761.131350@77g2000hsv.googlegro ups.com...
> I've received a defecting RC from HPI, and getting anywhere with the
> customer support seems to be taking a very long time. After 2 sent
> e-mails I was asked to provide pictures, but after providing the
> pictures nothing has happend. I'm wondering where I need to go from
> here.
>
> What is the best e-mail address or phone number to use to get HPI
> customer service? Or just plain what is the best method of getting
> somewhere with my defective RC?
>
> Is it reasonable for a defective RC to take a month to have repaired?

1. What model?

2. What's wrong with it?

3. Where did you purchase it?

4. What country do you live in?

Doc

[dbuttonz@gmail.com]

> 1. What model?
> HPI E-Savage
> 2. What's wrong with it?
> As I've become more educated in the last few days I've realized it's really a minor problem. The wheels aren't glued on very well, or it has been sitting in it's box for so long the wheels have warped. The Inside of the wheel arm will actually rub against the wheel rim at certain points in the rotation. Two wheels have the problem with the rubbing on the inside of the rim, and both have ruts where the chrome paint has been worn off. One of the wheels in particular had a heavy rub, so much so you could feel the drag when turning the wheel on the opposite end of the differential. Also, the same wheel with the heavy drag has a very lopsided wheel. It's been sitting for too long, or the wheel was glued improperly.
> 3. Where did you purchase it?
> Online
> 4. What country do you live in?
> USA

If anyone is interested:

I've decided that because it is a rather minor problem, to just
continue running the truck; particularly because I'm tired of waiting
for this to go anywhere, and I want to play with my new toy. I've
pictures of the damage, and I'll send them to HPI, and request a single
new wheel be sent to me; as only the one wheel is worth complaining
about. I'll post what happens from there...

Again, this is a small matter. I just expected higher quality out of a
$400 RC. I am new to RC's though, so maybe what I consider low
quality, is really just average? Would anyone else be upset by rims
rubbing, or by a lopsided and poorly glued wheel?

[\Doc\]

<dbuttonz@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1168893622.095302.175980@38g2000cwa.googlegro ups.com...
>> 1. What model?
>> HPI E-Savage
>> 2. What's wrong with it?
>> As I've become more educated in the last few days I've realized it's
>> really a minor problem. The wheels aren't glued on very well, or it has
>> been sitting in it's box for so long the wheels have warped. The Inside
>> of the wheel arm will actually rub against the wheel rim at certain
>> points in the rotation. Two wheels have the problem with the rubbing on
>> the inside of the rim, and both have ruts where the chrome paint has been
>> worn off. One of the wheels in particular had a heavy rub, so much so
>> you could feel the drag when turning the wheel on the opposite end of the
>> differential. Also, the same wheel with the heavy drag has a very
>> lopsided wheel. It's been sitting for too long, or the wheel was glued
>> improperly.
>> 3. Where did you purchase it?
>> Online
>> 4. What country do you live in?
>> USA
>
> If anyone is interested:
>
> I've decided that because it is a rather minor problem, to just
> continue running the truck; particularly because I'm tired of waiting
> for this to go anywhere, and I want to play with my new toy. I've
> pictures of the damage, and I'll send them to HPI, and request a single
> new wheel be sent to me; as only the one wheel is worth complaining
> about. I'll post what happens from there...
>
> Again, this is a small matter. I just expected higher quality out of a
> $400 RC. I am new to RC's though, so maybe what I consider low
> quality, is really just average? Would anyone else be upset by rims
> rubbing, or by a lopsided and poorly glued wheel?

The tolerance is tight between the wheel and the hub, and on my nitro-Savage
I have the same issue, where you can see "ruts" inside the wheel where it
has rubbed. This is with 100% trued wheels (not lopsided) so I can see how
a lopsided wheel could cause the same issue.

I'd recommend moving the warped wheel (s) to the REAR of the truck as these
wheels are fixed and do not steer which compounds the problem. I'd also
drop HPI a line and see if they could send you a few new wheels/tires to
replace the warped ones. This is NOT something that could happen by gluing
or sitting too long; the wheels were warped before they were glued. If it
were the tires that were warped, then it could be caused by improper gluing
or sitting too long, but if it's the actual wheel, it's just defective.

Use the 1-800 number in your instruction manual or on their website to
contact customer service. E-Mail is worthless with HPI customer service as
is their forum, but telephone during business hours is excellent! They have
always been good to me and have replaced several parts free of charge as the
result of a phone call.

Regards,

Doc