Is Walthers short changing their customers???

[1990mustanggt]

POOR trainline quality in a Platinum Line box at PLATINUM LINE PRICES!!! I just got my (3) new released PLATINUM LINE Thrall 89' Tri-Level Auto carriers... GT, NS and BNSF...COOL!!! Or at least I thought so... I have bought Walthers Platinum Line auto carriers in the past... great detail... Not so for their NEW released ones... The newly released Walthers Platinum Line 89' Auto carriers are like their quality from 10 years ago with NO details... Everything is molded in... No brake lines, molded on ends, doors, steps etc... WAY LESS!!! BUT for the Platinum price... Shame on you Walthers!!! I sent my 3 new ones back... As I am not going to pay $35 a piece for a trainline quality car that Walthers now tells me is Platinum...

 

[Cjcrescent]

$35 a car for that kind of detail? Another reason NOT to buy RTR!

 

[CbarM]

Yea, I got some a while ago too, a few of the 2 car sets and 2 of the sets came with all the details including separate handbrake and brake rod detail, but the others are just like the ones from 10 years ago. But I got em for about $15 a set so I cant really complain...

 

[ouengr]

I really wish that they would drop the high end and overpriced stuff and come back to the kits. I do not have a layout right now and it is nice to be able to sit down and build a kit. As far as the notion of whether Walthers is cheating their customers, when did they ever stop?

 

[trailrider]

I have four (4) Proto2000 E-units which have gone belly up, either problems with gear/axles or electrical. I have called Walthers three times over the last two weeks, trying to find out where to ship them for repairs. Once I even got a live human...who transferred me to customer service/repair. Of course, I got the same recording: "Leave a message and we'll get back to you." Still haven't heard from them. Must be nice to have so much business that you can afford to ignore a customer with problems!

 

[Motley]

Wow this is surprising, usually Walthers has great customer service, and their platinum cars were nice too.

I have the Bi-level autoracks that came out about a year ago. They are nicely detailed, but don't roll well. I had to replace the wheels.

I'm sure glad I have plenty of autoracks right now.

This seems to be a new issue now, less details and costs more. What's wrong with this picture?

 

[Midnught Special]

well one thing you can do (along with send them back) post on there FB page about how unhappy you are with them, ect and most likely they (i would hope) will try to contact you to correct the problems or get you some that are more to you liking...ive done that before on other things and had good results too... http://www.facebook.com/WalthersTrains

 

[santafewillie]

Well stated ouengr, I've been looking for their quality to improve for over 25 years. Jim (midnught), it's a shame that that's what it takes in today's enviroument.
willie

 

[Shoneburger]

Walthers Auto Rack detail .

I don`t know but I`ve been told ( LHS ) that there is a difference between Bi & Tri-level auto racks . I also think Walthers is selling a lot of rolling stock under the "Goldline" banner that is just "old tooling " with new paint schemes and metal wheelsets @ double the price !

 

[1990mustanggt]

I too bought a whole bunch of Walthers Platinum Line 89' Bi-level auto carriers last year...That's why I bought the new ones just released. The details were GREAT!!! Brake chains, brake line piping, applied wire steps and stirrups, end doors and hinges "applied", underside detail, etc. Excellent quality... BUT these new released Platinum Line 89' tri-level auto carriers are of LOW quality... Like false advertising... Bait and switch... Whole nother beast... With none of thee above detailing... But still put in a Walthers Platinum Line box... And Walthers know this... The serious short comings that they are pushing over on you... I do know this... They will get me for the shipping this time but they won't ever beat me up again!!!! All becuase I trusted there quality... As I don't live anywhere near a hobby store to go check them out first.

 

[trailrider]

well one thing you can do (along with send them back) post on there FB page about how unhappy you are with them, ect and most likely they (i would hope) will try to contact you to correct the problems or get you some that are more to you liking...ive done that before on other things and had good results too... http://www.facebook.com/WalthersTrains

Thanks, but I'm not into FB. I sent them an e-mail. Maybe that will wake them up! (Was firm, but NOT nasty!)

 

[pacbelt]

They have been doing too much of that lately. Athearn has too!!
The problem is, some of this stuff nowadays comes out so seldomly (limited run crap!!!), that people are snatching them up, under the impression if they snooze they loose...
Manufacturers are assuming we'll buy it anyway!
Their Chinese manufacturers are getting lazy, and quality control here is practically non-existent.
What can we REALLY do??
Irv Athearn would be rolling over in his grave!!!! ;-(


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Carmine, modeling the HO Scale Pacific Belt RR since 1975!

 

[sd24b]

I miss the old kits. How many times do you see the underside of freight or passenger cars. I've not had any problems with Walther's customer service. As for the disappearance of kits and models with less details, welllllllll, I've been told that they don't sell as well as the RTR? stuff. I too enjoy sitting in front of the tube and building a kit or adding detail parts ( which are becoming scarce) to a engine. I agree that Walthers's is using the same model with a markedly higher price. Someone is buying them, but not me. Phil