In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.
Options

European American Armory

rufe-snowrufe-snow Member Posts: 18,650 ✭✭✭
edited March 2017 in General Discussion
Bought one of their 1911, "elite", polymer clones a year ago. Using it with a Ciener Aluminum slide 22 conversion unit, because of arthritis.

Really happy with it. Very light and handy, function and accuracy were fine.

Everything was copacetic, until I tried to put in a quality adjustable trigger. Retaining shoulder for the mag release, in the plastic frame stripped out.

No way I could fix it. As the small retaining shoulder for the mag release, was integral with the plastic frame. Sent it back to EAA in May 2016.

To make a long story short. I still haven't received the pistol back from EAA. The woman in customer service, won't even answer my phone calls any more.

When I still was able to contact her. The song and dance she handed me ,was either they were waiting for parts from Italy. Or she was going to get back to me, after contacting the manager. This has been going on for 9 months now. And I'm fed up. What recourse, do I have in a situation like this?

Comments

  • Options
    remingtonoaksremingtonoaks Member Posts: 26,251 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
  • Options
    mrmike08075mrmike08075 Member Posts: 10,998 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I would send a carefully worded email as well as a certified letter that provides a short but accurate description of the problem and detached the time line including their possession of the gun and ownership of the issue...

    Use some high impact words "shocked and appalled - deprived of my primary home defense firearm - beyond the pale - breach of contract - fiduciary loss - deprivation of assets - navy veteran on a fixed income"

    Demand politely an immediate resolution - demand involvment of a higher authority in the corporate structure to resolve this conflict - demand satisfaction...

    Document everything and inform them you have been advised by your legal council to achieve copies of all formal correspondence and conversations...

    This will require some effort and time and aggravation on your part but I think it will pay off in the end...

    Jmho - per your request

    Mike
  • Options
    gunnut505gunnut505 Member Posts: 10,290
    edited November -1
    Find a piece of paper, a pen & an envelope.
    Detail the transaction you made with them to send the thing back to them, reminding them that you disabled it while doing some home gunsmithing.
    Ask nicely when you can expect to have it back.
    You may have voided or bent the warranty by trying to put in an aftermarket trigger, so keep that in mind.
  • Options
    buschmasterbuschmaster Member Posts: 14,229 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    prolly did void the warranty. still they should at least give it back. tell them when you sent it, serial number, any copies of shipping receipts or tracking numbers as some proof that you sent it and they do have it. who knows maybe they'll cough it up or give you a replacement.

    if they send it back, try JB weld.
  • Options
    rufe-snowrufe-snow Member Posts: 18,650 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Good News! EAA sent me my purchase price, after I sent them a copy of the invoice I received from the dealer.

    They * me around for 9 months, with assorted BS stories though. Toward the end, they wouldn't even answer my phone calls or e-mails.

    I had to finally contact the FL Better Business Bureau, to get their attention.

    The ironic thing is, that one of their managers called me about 10 days, after I e-mailed the BBB. He was all pissed off and mad, that I had taken the complaint to the BBB. I had a hard time, to keep from laughing at him. They screwed me around for 9 months, without fixing or replacing my pistol. Then having the insufferable gaul, to give me a hard time, because I complained about their "customer service".
  • Options
    mogley98mogley98 Member Posts: 18,297 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Glad it worked out, funny how they got indignant but had no problem stiffing you. quote:Originally posted by rufe-snow
    Good News! EAA sent me my purchase price, after I sent them a copy of the invoice I received from the dealer.

    They * me around for 9 months, with assorted BS stories though. Toward the end, they wouldn't even answer my phone calls or e-mails.

    I had to finally contact the FL Better Business Bureau, to get their attention.

    The ironic thing is, that one of their managers called me about 10 days, after I e-mailed the BBB. He was all pissed off and mad, that I had taken the complaint to the BBB. I had a hard time, to keep from laughing at him. They screwed me around for 9 months, without fixing or replacing my pistol. Then having the insufferable gaul, to give me a hard time, because I complained about their "customer service".
    Why don't we go to school and work on the weekends and take the week off!
  • Options
    84Bravo184Bravo1 Member Posts: 11,109
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by rufe-snow
    Good News! EAA sent me my purchase price, after I sent them a copy of the invoice I received from the dealer.

    They * me around for 9 months, with assorted BS stories though. Toward the end, they wouldn't even answer my phone calls or e-mails.

    I had to finally contact the FL Better Business Bureau, to get their attention.

    The ironic thing is, that one of their managers called me about 10 days, after I e-mailed the BBB. He was all pissed off and mad, that I had taken the complaint to the BBB. I had a hard time, to keep from laughing at him. They screwed me around for 9 months, without fixing or replacing my pistol. Then having the insufferable gaul, to give me a hard time, because I complained about their "customer service".



    I WOULD HAVE started laughing at him.

    Right before the phone went dead.

    What a POS story to reflect badly on their " Customer Service," and Management.

    I'd never buy from them, on this story alone.

    No excuse for that unmitigated BS.
  • Options
    gunnut505gunnut505 Member Posts: 10,290
    edited November -1
    Never had the unmitigated gall to try my Bubba "skills" on one of their fine autoloaders, because they work just fine outta the box. If you add a "foreign" conversion kit, then screw up the trigger/mag release; how in the world is that their fault?!
    Doggone sure I never sent any of the 5 EAA guns back after "fixing" it, then get all bent because they were busy doing Warranty work & ignored mine for a while.
    I'd be sure to never send anything to S&W, Colt, NAA, or Kel-Tec; they'd probably keep it far longer than EAA did.
    Especially if I broke it, voided the warranty, and got all pissy about it with the BBB, because I didn't understand why it took so long.
  • Options
    spasmcreekspasmcreek Member Posts: 37,724 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    a dremel and a diamond bit set will make alterations faster and easier...they grind right thru a warranty
  • Options
    Horse Plains DrifterHorse Plains Drifter Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 39,483 ***** Forums Admin
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by gunnut505
    Never had the unmitigated gall to try my Bubba "skills" on one of their fine autoloaders, because they work just fine outta the box. If you add a "foreign" conversion kit, then screw up the trigger/mag release; how in the world is that their fault?!
    Doggone sure I never sent any of the 5 EAA guns back after "fixing" it, then get all bent because they were busy doing Warranty work & ignored mine for a while.
    I'd be sure to never send anything to S&W, Colt, NAA, or Kel-Tec; they'd probably keep it far longer than EAA did.
    Especially if I broke it, voided the warranty, and got all pissy about it with the BBB, because I didn't understand why it took so long.
    My opinion also. I certainly wouldn't expect a company to warranty something I modified, or attempted to, with non factory parts/procedures.
  • Options
    rufe-snowrufe-snow Member Posts: 18,650 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If they felt it was my fault, for attempting to change out the trigger. And voiding out the warranty. They should have said so, and shipped it back to me in May 2016.

    What they said, is that they were going to fix it. When I originally shipped it back to them.

    They * me around for 9 months. "Waiting for a shipment from Italy", or "I'm going to talk to the manager". Was the standard, song and dance I got. Until they wouldn't respond, to my phone calls or e-mails. That's when I got fed up, and e-mailed the FL Better Business Bureau.
  • Options
    Horse Plains DrifterHorse Plains Drifter Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 39,483 ***** Forums Admin
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by rufe-snow
    If they felt it was my fault, for attempting to change out the trigger. And voiding out the warranty. They should have said so, and shipped it back to me in May 2016.
    Agreed, if they said they were going to fix it, then they should have fixed it.
  • Options
    wpageabcwpageabc Member Posts: 8,760 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Only 9 months is customer disservice...
    "What is truth?'
  • Options
    mrmike08075mrmike08075 Member Posts: 10,998 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I am disappointed to hear the facts that you have reported...

    I was a huge fan of EAA when the gunshop was in business...

    Our rep always took care of us and of our customers...

    I have been - am a fan of their products.

    We seem to hear this type for tale of woe - poor customer service stories far to often lately...

    Mike
  • Options
    bpostbpost Member Posts: 32,664 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have a motto, well sort of.

    After I get poor customer service, a run-around or some other form of non-service I then kick into my "I AM DONE TALKING TO THE HIRED HELP" frame of mind.

    It works. I sent documentation to the Chairman and CEO of GE at the time, Jack Welch showing GE owed me money for services and I was never paid, the invoices 90 days overdue. I had PO's and service documentation of the money owed.

    About a week later I received a call from Keith Sherin, the CFO. He made sure I got our money and an apology for the mishandled invoice. I got his private office number in case we ever had a problem again. We continued to provide service to GE for the next few years. I never had an invoice paid late by GE again.

    The key is to know when talking to the hired help is a waste of time and getting to the decider and problem solver is the way to go. CEO's and CFO's don't need more headaches when a quick command to make it right by the customer fixes the issue.
  • Options
    armilitearmilite Member Posts: 35,483 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by mrmike08075
    I am disappointed to hear the facts that you have reported...

    I was a huge fan of EAA when the gunshop was in business...

    Our rep always took care of us and of our customers...

    I have been - am a fan of their products.

    We seem to hear this type for tale of woe - poor customer service stories far to often lately...

    Mike



    I agree thats sad to hear at least it worked out but should never had taken so long.
Sign In or Register to comment.