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View Full Version : Taurus warranty MAy not be worthless after all.



Molly
09-10-2010, 07:48 PM
My posting of "worthless Taurus warranty" here earlier may not have been entirely correct. Here's the story:

I've been contacted by quite a few people with stories of strenuous but fruitless efforts to get warranty repairs from Taurus. Their stories were much like the one I posted: Multiple polite letters to Taurus which were ignored. Guns with broken internal parts and springs have been returned uncorrected and inoperable. The list is long and is impressive only in the lack of polite customer relations that Taurus seems to have adopted as company policy.

However, one respondent held out a ray of hope. I don't know if he is correct, but he said that Taurus seemed to have a company policy of ignoring all letters and communications that do not originate on their web site. He suggested that I simply drop the personal letter approach as unproductive, and file a claim on the website form. I guess I was supposed to know that there WAS a website form when I bought the pistol. Taurus apparently presumes the appropriate instinct I suppose.

After a bit of searching, I was able to find the form, filled it out and submitted it. Frankly, I expected nothing whatsoever from this, as I had repeatedly communicated with Taurus without results. I did so only in order that I could say I left no stone unturned in my efforts. I told my respondent this, and he replied that Taurus would NOT respond. He said that all communications would have to originate from me, and that I next needed to contact their CS and ask for a pickup. Expecting no positive result, I did so. To my astonishment, they provided explicit telephone directions and made arrangements for a pickup this afternoon.

Now it only remains to be seen whether Taurus will indeed make the necessary repairs. From the number of respondents who commented that Taurus had returned their guns without repairing them, I have no great hope. However, who knows? Perhaps I will be pleasantly surprised.

But this is the second time I've returned the pistol for specific, easily corrected problems. It was returned last time without a single problem being corrected. Even if it should transpire that Taurus will indeed make the necessary repairs this second time, this experience with their lack of courtesy and inattention to requested repairs has proven sufficiently annoying that I doubt that I will ever purchase another of their products. My loss? Perhaps. But I will also be "losing" the frustration and annoyance of being forced to deal with such an arrogant and unresponsive company.

Regards,
Molly

dale2242
09-10-2010, 08:11 PM
Molly, My grandson had a major issue with his Taurus 1911. It totally locked up and jammed the slide in less than 100 rnds. He contacted them through the proper channels, whatever that is, and got fast and good service, he was very pleased with thier response and service...dale

9.3X62AL
09-10-2010, 11:12 PM
So--a secret handshake and unpronouncable password is required to get the company's attention. FAIL.

nicholst55
09-11-2010, 04:54 AM
I don't know if my story is still relevant, but I once had Taurus replace a broken M92 pistol. This would have been about 1995; first the sear broke, so I returned it and asked them to do a trigger job while they had it apart, and they did. There were a couple of deep tool marks on the breech face, and I had been keeping a very close eye on them because I expected them to turn into cracks, which they did after I had about 1200 rounds through the gun. This was several months later.

I contacted Taurus and explained the history of the gun, and asked them to replace it, which they did. In retrospect, I would have been MUCH, MUCH better off simply having them replace the slide! The replacement pistol that I got had been used and abused, and was very poorly fitted. To wit, the barrel was bearing against the left side of the front of the slide, and that gun wouldn't hit a 25-yard NRA pistol target unless you held off to the right of the paper.

I returned it, and they partially resolved the problem, but only partially. I sold that gun and never looked back. I still own one Taurus, but if it ever breaks I won't bother to repair it. They'll never get any more of my money, either.

S.R.Custom
09-11-2010, 08:51 AM
I had a PT145 on consignment here that had lost that little plastic firing pin cap. So I called Taurus, explained the problem, they charged my credit card for the part + postage, and 17 months later, I've yet to receive the part.

That (last) experience with Taurus only cost me $6. But in terms of bad PR, appropriate cautions & recommendations made here at the shop, and lost sales as a result, it's cost Taurus a lot more.

bhn22
09-11-2010, 11:53 AM
Too much hassle for such an easily avoidable problem.

Mk42gunner
09-12-2010, 03:49 AM
So I guess Taurus expects all buyers to have an internet connection for warranty work?????

I agree with Al's conclusion: FAIL.


Robert

Molly
09-12-2010, 04:58 AM
So I guess Taurus expects all buyers to have an internet connection for warranty work????? Robert

That would seem to be the case. At least, it's a reasonable conclusion that dovetails with my own experience.

skimmerhead
09-14-2010, 11:55 AM
when you get your gun back it will be better than new. taurus will fix it, you went through the proper channels,you'll be a happy taurus owner.

skimmerhead

454PB
09-14-2010, 12:41 PM
I own several Taurus revolvers. The only problem I've had was with my Raging Bull .454 Casull.

I sent it in for warranty repair, and they fixed it.

The sour taste was the fact that it cost me $55 to ship it to them, and it took 3 months to get it back.

Molly
09-14-2010, 05:57 PM
when you get your gun back it will be better than new. taurus will fix it, you went through the proper channels,you'll be a happy taurus owner. skimmerhead

Thank you for the optimism and encouragement, but there seems to be a considerable history suggesting otherwise. People have complained to me of guns returned as 'fixed' with broken springs, missing parts and other outrages. One fellow reported that Taurus was unable to fix his gun, so they replaced it . . . with one that was obviously ill-used and in worse condition than the one he sent in for repairs.

Still, one can always hope. We shall see.

eljefe
09-22-2010, 09:12 AM
I am a dealer, and have sent a few back for customers that were fixed correctly.
It isn't normally a fast process, but the guns were fixed and in one case, replaced.

I recommend contacting your dealer, where you got the gun, and ask them to step up and lend a hand.

Molly
09-22-2010, 11:27 AM
I am a dealer, and have sent a few back for customers that were fixed correctly.
It isn't normally a fast process, but the guns were fixed and in one case, replaced.

I recommend contacting your dealer, where you got the gun, and ask them to step up and lend a hand.

I appreciate the suggestion, but I bought it at a gun show. I'm at the SW corner of the state, and the dealer is at the NE corner. The distance would make things awkward and slow at best.

The pistol is back at the Taurus repair center for the second time now, and we'll see what happens. I'll post the results.
Molly

tek4260
09-22-2010, 02:42 PM
I guess I'll put my .02 in as well about Taurus. Just about everything they make is a copy of something else. The differences between their products and what they copy are cost cutting measures, hence their ability to price it slightly cheaper. The differences are NOT improvements. So, buy a Taurus if you would like, but don't complain when it isn't as good as the Smith or Beretta or Winchester that it is a copy of. Of course, to add insult to injury, you could have bought a gently used "real deal" that is 10 times the gun your fake "knock off" could ever dream of being. There is a reson other manufacturers don't use the designs Taurus does. They don't work. I am sure good name brand companies would like to save a dime here and there too, but aren't willing to lower the quality of the product like Taurus does on every single thing it makes. RANT OFF.

500bfrman
09-22-2010, 03:33 PM
who did taurus copy their 454 from?

tek4260
09-22-2010, 11:24 PM
8-) I said most :twisted: But I'd have to say it is an upgraded standard Taurus with a hint of Dan Wesson

I think the Raging Bull is about the best thing they make. Of course, the 454 would soon sort the revolver out if they built it like the rest of their junk!

Yes I said junk. Just because you own it, doesn't mean it isn't junk [smilie=s:

It just means it is your junk