Tower Hobbies

[Randy Ryan]

I gotta tell ya' I don't do much mail order, but I decided I wanted to play with a 4 stroke and wanted an ARF to do it with. Mike Alimov had a Saito .56 on a TF Score and let me fly it so I thought I'd use the same arrangement. So I ordered the Score last Thursday and today it arrived. I opened it up and found both the wingtips were crushed in spanwise. Crap, now what. So I called and told them my problem and the gal tells me they're shipping another one out right away and that UPS would be calling to come out and due the claim inspection. Then she said if they don't take the damaged model, just leep it!

So Tower may be the RCer's paradise, but they shoot straight and that's hard to find these days. So kudos to TH!

[Wynn Robins]

They've aways been good to deal with - even from over here in New Zealand!

[ray copeland]

One of my first bigger than 1/2a airplanes was a Flight Streak from Tower. It came UPS smashed the same way. I called Tower and they shipped another that day and told me to keep the broken one, of course i patched it with a couple of ounces of gorrilla glue and still have them both, my glow ignitor failed after 11 months and they sent me a new one, no problem.  I order from them maybe 5 times a year, IMHO they do a very good service!

[proparc]

You do realize that, that Saito 4 stroke is going to grow hair on your chest,(or more hair if you have it already).

[Randy Ryan]

You do realize that, that Saito 4 stroke is going to grow hair on your chest,(or more hair if you have it already).

Based on the one flight I had with this combination, yes, I have had that realization! Very authoritative, and the model was locked in a groove, I was pretty impressed. If I get to keep the damaged one I am going to power it with a Stalker .61 for comparison.

[Warren Wagner]

..... So I called and told them my problem and the gal tells me they're shipping another one out right away and that UPS would be calling to come out and due the claim inspection. Then she said if they don't take the damaged model, just keep it!.....

Randy,

You must have some good connections with the folks at Tower!!   I had the same thing happen to me (broken wing), and the rep told me I would have to ship the plane back to them for inspection BEFORE they would ship out a replacement.  Of course, this process would probably take a couple of weeks to complete, and I didn't want to waste that amount of time, so I was stuck doing a distasteful repair job.

Next time I have a problem, I'm going to call you and let you talk to them !!!   (Or ask to talk to a supervisor, and tell them that Randy sent me ! )       :-)

Cheers.

Warren Wagner

[Randy Ryan]

Wow Warren, that surprizes me. I placed an order once and they were offering a free Monokote trimmer as a promotional gift. When my order arrived there was a Monokote iron in the package. So I called them and told them what happened and they said keep the iron and we'll send the trimmer right out, which they did.

I talked to Sally, and she was very nice and helpful.

[wwwarbird]

I had kind of the same thing happen when the Tutor II first came out. Number one arrived with a giant boot print and a big crease right across the center of the box. Before opening it I could fold the box to 90 degrees with virtually no resistance. I was pretty sure this was not good. I called them right away and I had number two at my doorstep in two days with no hassles.

[Clint Ormosen]

Hmmm....... I foresee a "crushed" kit delivered from Tower Hobbies in my near future.......

[Robert McHam]

I have always looked to Tower for many years for good products and service and had both b ut...
I have been more and more disappointed with Tower in recent times because they stopped carrying the AP .061 Wasp engine but even more so for dropping  the fine Sig products!!!
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0002p?&M=SIG

Robert

[Randy Ryan]

I have always looked to Tower for many years for good products and service and had both b ut...
I have been more and more disappointed with Tower in recent times because they stopped carrying the AP .061 Wasp engine but even more so for dropping  the fine Sig products!!!
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0002p?&M=SIG

Robert

Well, they sell what sells, can't keep excess inventory around for too long. Its a shame but its a fact.

[john e. holliday]

I have always looked to Tower for many years for good products and service and had both b ut...
I have been more and more disappointed with Tower in recent times because they stopped carrying the AP .061 Wasp engine but even more so for dropping  the fine Sig products!!!
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0002p?&M=SIG

Robert

I can understand their reasoning for dropping some of the stuff they don't make.  There are other vendors out there selling SIG, RSM and Brodak products for less money.  I usually send Tower a huge order for props and glow plugs.  Also some stuff the local hobby shop won't order.  But, back to post, I have never had a problem with Tower or any of the other vendors.

[FLOYD CARTER]

I haven't ordered from Tower for a long time.  But when I did, they zapped me with a $25 "Member Club" fee.  Turns out, this is a box on the order form.  If you DON'T check it, that means you WANT to join this buyer's club of theirs. 

And I, quite naturally, assumed that ONLY the items I ordered would be charged.  Not so! 

So read the order form very carefully unless you want to pay for membership in their "savings club", or something.

Floyd

[Joe Yau]

I also bought a TF Score from Towers Hobbies a few years ago.. (when I just returned to CL in 07)   After a brief inspection of the parts, and found that both the elevators were warped badly.. I've tried steam & shrinking of the chinacoat covering with no luck. so I email TH along with cupple of pics of the warped elevator. and they sent out another set.  but one of the elevator was also warped on the second set,   after another email to TH,  they send me the whole tail with the stab, and these ones was good.  I was more then impressed with their service.  as it isn't cheap shipping the replacement parts to Canada.  

[john e. holliday]

I haven't ordered from Tower for a long time.  But when I did, they zapped me with a $25 "Member Club" fee.  Turns out, this is a box on the order form.  If you DON'T check it, that means you WANT to join this buyer's club of theirs. 

And I, quite naturally, assumed that ONLY the items I ordered would be charged.  Not so! 

So read the order form very carefully unless you want to pay for membership in their "savings club", or something.

Floyd

You sure that you didn't check the box by accident?  In all the orders I have placed with them have never been charged  for anything I didn't order.   

[ray copeland]

On the Tower online order form you must uncheck the box or you will be charged and become a part of the "club". Same as anything else these days, read the fine print or buyer beware!!!

[Randy Ryan]

On the Tower online order form you must uncheck the box or you will be charged and become a part of the "club". Same as anything else these days, read the fine print or buyer beware!!!

They must have changed this because I have never been charged for it and have never unchecked any boxes.

Update on the Score, got a tracking Email today, they shipped it 2nd Day Air!!, It'll be here tomorrow.

[Dennis Leonhardi]

I've dealt with them for several years and have nothing but praise.  About a month ago I received a very complete electric ARF RC kit.  Did a quick inspection, then called them to report a LiPo battery and a couple of other parts were missing.  They said no problem, replacement parts would go out the next day.  The total $ involved wasn't chicken scratch ...

About an hour later, I called back to apologize -- my inspection was too hasty, everything was in fact there.

That's about as close to "the customer is always right" as I've experienced in some time, even when this customer was dead wrong.


Dennis
 

[Randy Powell]

I've always had very good luck with Tower and my experience is much like Randy's (had a similar incident that was handled the same way).

Maybe it's being named Randy.

[Randy Ryan]

I've always had very good luck with Tower and my experience is much like Randy's (had a similar incident that was handled the same way).

Maybe it's being named Randy.

Hmmm, Could be, Sally seemed to like me!

[Randy Ryan]

Well the Score showed up yeaterday in good shape (relatively) I spend all of last night removing that horrible looking trim and red nose and shrinking and smoothing the covering. It looks almost presentable now. I't only a test bed for me but I still have my standards!

[john e. holliday]

Don't forget the control system.  I have personally seen one that had to be replaced after the pilot managed to get it down in one peice.  Keep us posted.

PS:Meant to say the control system had to be replaced. jeh

[Garf]

One of the locals had a Score come apart in flight. Looking at a prior project, I doubt it was the airplanes fault.

[Joe Yau]

Another thing to check is the wing to fuselage alignment..  I had to enlarge the predrilled holes (up to about 1/4") to get it all squared up, otherwise it would of end up with a few degree of left offset which is not good.

[Pinecone]

There are a couple of good things about their savings club.

1)  You get free standard shipping on larger orders ($150 IIRC).

2)  You get various discount coupons that cut a good bit off of orders.

I normally maintain svaings club membership.

[Randy Ryan]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, I've already done them, new control system (very scary as delivered!!), alignment, etc.

Overall I was surprized but the mixture of some very nice engineering with some very poor execution.