Thanks. Good info. I may try sanding my rollers. Let me know how you get on.
This is a summary of my interaction with GHL on the issue:
When I emailed Matthias, he didn't admit there was any defect. He just said "I think this can be fixed with replacing the rollers."
He then asked where I was from. I'm from New Zealand. So he said "wow, New Zealand – this is a Bummer … just the transport will cost a fortune." He then offered to sell me a profilux 4 or Mitras that could be bundled with replacement rollers to save on shipping.
I have to admit, in a different context, this offer would have been OK. But I already have all the gear I could need (except maybe another slave doser, and when my current one was faulty, why would I spend more money only potentially to have the same issue? I couldn't really justify it to myself). I asked him for a quote for two options - a) with a slave doser bundled in and b) with the replacement rollers (conveniently marketed as 'wear parts' now) by themselves.
I only got a quote for the doser bundle (about $550 NZD). No quote for option b, though. Hmmm. Salesman tactics. But I can't really justify paying $550 to get some small plastic parts replaced.
So to clear my thinking, I emailed back asking for payment options for a) as international bank transfers are difficult with my bank. I also asked for the quote for b):
"Alternatively, what is the cost to post (slow is fine) the replacement rollers for my current doser only? I never really planned on needing to buy another doser within my budget constraints. So if it's easier to arrange replacement rollers only and send those to me by post, that is fine. It was through no fault of mine that the product had not undergone more thorough QC/QA and I already paid for its original shipping in the belief that it would be fault-free. "
This was his response:
"ok, we are the manufacturer, not the company who sold/shipped it to you so it is in the responsibility of them to handle a warranty case (if it is one) and to cover the costs for that for that they made their margin [Fair enough. Maybe I should have emailed the german retailer I bought it from, but they would have had the same conversation with GHL surely and the GHL forum said to email GHL. In addition, I had provided my receipt when I emailed GHL. At that point, he could have suggested I contact the retailer for warranty or cc'd their rep in on his reply, all coming together to find a solution, but to instead try to make a sale and to infer it might not actually be a warranty issue??? really?? After seeing the videos and all the other complaints from other people?And I'm sure some retailers would disagree. They do not make a margin to have to deal with defective manufacturing.]
He continued:
"if we could combine a new purchase and ship the spare parts along we would had a good opportunity to cover the costs
then we would handle this directly - to keep this efficient and costs low"
When pushed, he did say he could post me the replacement rollers for my current doser, but still no quote for tracked shipping:
"we checked the costs for cheap and slow postal service
"if we send by post we would take the expenses. [great]
there is no guarantee when or if it arrives at all" [fair enough]
In the end, I left it at that. I'll replace my doser 'wear parts' if/when they arrive by post or I buy some replacements myself. But my customer experience hasn't been very great. Whether it's a language barrier or not, I'm not sure. But the whole sales-pitch approach to solving my defect didn't strike the right chord with me, particularly when other people are being told it is a manufacturing defect.
Will update when I've replaced the rollers.
Ranting in a non manufacturer forum will not get your problem solved.
