FUTABA SERVICE?????

[rcav8tor]

I just sent my 9Z wc2 to hobby services to have some service work done
on my working radio. Then i get this estimate for repairs for 349.00.
So now i will get into the meat of the situation. I sent the radio in for the switches on the top right of the radio the housing that holds them in place came loose for a unknown reason and the right gimbal was a little loose. the radio was 6 years old and very well cared for never dropped or abused. I also put a new antenna in it last fall. anyway here is why i think I'm being gouged.

Gimbal parts 20.00 fine
Case parts 100.00 i need a new case?
Ribbon cables 40.00 what the heck is this? i rebuild and repair CNC machines with 20 year old ribbon cables that still work fine and that is a lot harsher environment than a rc radio.
Antenna parts 25.00 i just put a new one in 3 months ago?
Lithium battery 6.00 fine it's 6 years old.
Miscellaneous parts 25.00 what is this?
Three hours labor 90.00 yes for putting parts i don't need.
FSS module parts 35.00 what the heck is wrong with the module the radio was working fine.
So i called them to see what kind of game they were trying to run on me.
In short here is what they said.
They couldn't explain why i needed a whole new case but the ribbon cables and the module parts needed to be replaced every few years.
THATS CRAP. I asked what was wrong with the antenna that i just replaced. They said it was dirty and tight. it's 3 months old and i live in Ohio how much use could it get in the winter. oh yea i used it 3 days before i sent it in wasn't tight then. must have shrunk in shipping. anyway thanks for reading my rant and buy stock in JR because
i won't buy anymore Futaba. Oh yea just for fun i belong to the Weak Signals in Toledo so when they come to the show i get to blast them in person. maybe three days in a row.

[Ace Dude]

You could always try sending it to Radio South.

[DavidH]

Then i get this estimate for repairs for 349.00.


I don't see what your problem is? As you have said, it is a estimate. Yes Hobby Services is going to put the radio back in like new condition. That may not be what you want.
As Ace Dude suggested, I would talk to Tony or Ben at Radio South. They do great work.

David

[billyd]

This is common in today's society anyway. Why are you surprised? Almost all electrical appliances are throw away items now.

You got a good price. Usually these things cost more to fix than to replace.

[steph280]

I got a similar estimate back when I sent my 9Z in few years back when I sent it in for lithium battery replacement. Didn't have "case parts" or "FSS module parts" on my estimate, but some other stuff was added coming out to about the same price. It was my primary radio at the time so I bit the bullet and had everything done. Got a perfect radio back and was trouble free upon the day I sold it.

Was it worth it? I don't know. The radio might work just fine without those repairs. But it was the first time I had that radio serviced in 7 years, so I figure it was worth it considering the use I had out of it.

On the other hand 14MZ repairs seems to be less expensive. Probably due to better design case for easier disassemble and assemble.

Yeah it's an estimate. Just decline it if you think it's not reasonable.

[istandalone]

will they let you cherry pick the list, and just do the things you give the OK for?

[worldofmaya]

Hi!
I just sent my 9Z to guy from an UK shop and he repaired one of the gimbals that was way off and replaced one of the buttons and did a check-up. He also calibrated my radio. With shipping this was around 70 USD. Works now like new. I love my radio (again). Using Futaba service (local distributor) would have been twice as expensive.
-klaus