Dillon's No Good, What Now?

[Merlin Orr]

I just hate it when I get mad and take a position I don't really want to....

[Rocket35]

For the record- I understand that machines wear out and break. I believe that Dillon is a reputable company. That being said, I was just explaining that I didn't believe my needs were met appropriately. Don't tell me that it will be shipped one day and then ship it four business days later- to the wrong address no less!

Edited August 2, 2007 by Rocket35

[WillM]

I have had nothing but good luck with Dillon [sL900 since late '90s or whenever they came out and RL550 just this year] but if I'm reading his statement correctly, shouldn't the MOTOR be covered until October '07? Or is my thinking wrong here? He bought the unit in March '06 with a one year warranty on the entire unit. The motor is replaced with a new one in October '06 so to my thinking the MOTOR only would be covered for its one year period but if something else went wrong with the unit that part of the warranty would have expired a year from purchase of the entire unit. I mean they did replace it with a new motor right? And the motor has a one year warranty. If I'm looking at this from the wrong perspective OK, but if they feel the motor is good enough to cover with a one year warranty shouldn't it be one year from the time it goes into service?

For the record, I own a Thumler's UltraVibe I've had since the mid-'80s when I did a little paper punching with a .45. It's gotten quite a workout the past several months but it was fairly lightly used in the 20 years before that. For several large purchases of brass, I just paid a bit extra and had it delivered cleaned and tumbled and ready to load. Well worth it to me.

[uscbigdawg]

I'll add this. Yeah, it's a little more expensive for the big tumbler and ya know...it may "just be a tumbler", but for all the other things that Dillon does right, I wouldn't write them off as "no good". Too, in the 10+ years I've been participating in this sport and all the major matches I've been too, I've never seen Frankfurt Arsenal, RCBS or Lyman be a match sponsor.

Does that we shouldn't buy from these guys? Nope. They're in the shooting business too. I just ask that y'all think a little bit every once in a while about what certain companys have done, for shooting but moreso our sport of IPSC/USPSA and other action shooting and think that an extra $50-100 every once in a while isn't bad to support a MAJOR sponsor of our sports.

That said....like earlier. Either the big Dillon tumbler or the Lyman.

Rich

[rvb]

EricW -

Thanks for the info that the two Dillon tumbler's aren't the same design. Seriously, I really appreciate it. I tried to find it and can't, but I recall them using a phrase such as: "The cv500 uses the same technology as the bigger unit, only smaller" in a catalog or online. I can't find the catalog now, and I may be remembering wrong due to my CRS disease (Can't Remember Shit... a horible disease).

That understanding I had, whether something I incorrectly assumed or infered, was weighing on my decision of what tumbler to buy. I expect things to wear out... I was NOT UPSET that my cv500 burnt out, but a little DISAPOINTED. For the cost of the big one, I was thinking that if they were the same design I might as well buy a cheaper unit where I could buy 2-3 for the same price and replace them if they burn out, or even run 2-3 at the same time. You may have made Dillon a sale!

I understand that they would be 'shooting themselves in the foot' to advertise that one is better quality than the other, but not advertising as such almost cost them a sale here, too.

Thanks again,

Ryan

Edited August 3, 2007 by rvb

[1911user]

rvb,

The current catalog quote is "Although scaled down in size, these 2 pieces of equipment are every bit as tough as their full-sized counterparts. We used the same materials in their construction and designed them to work just as hard - and do it in a more compact area." It was talking about both the tumbler and media seperator.

Both the large and small tumbler have a one year warranty on the electric motor. Unless things change on motor quality, the best tumbler may be one purchased 10 years ago.

Edited August 3, 2007 by 1911user

[EricW]

The problem is that I see all side in this one. I too was very upset at the motor longevity on my CV-500. I'm on motor #3.

I see Dillon's predicament. The motor that they designed the CV-500 around was outsourced south of ze border and now it's either not what it used to be or the vendor shipped a bad lot and poor Dillon is catching the bad rap. There's literally no way for Dillon to sort this out short of running the motors to failure - all of them.

This entire mess is caused by either bad material or bad molding of two rubber insulators that are worth maybe a nickel. Put good ones in and those motors will last damned near forever.

Maybe in the end we only have ourselves to blame. We demanded perfect quality of all American manufacturing, but when we got sick of paying for it, we gleefully bought from Mexico, China, and everywhere but home, quality standards be damned. Now, it's so bad there are literally *no* options *but* the low-quality suppliers.

Guess we got exactly what we paid for in the end, huh?

==========================================

ETA: I literally just got home from a 2hr marathon meeting at work on the same issue: Mexican Maquilladora quality control. The culture there is so different that it's easy to lose control and very difficult to regain it. Am I part of the problem? You betcha. If I have my druthers about where my dollars get spent, do I want them going south? Not if I can avoid it. I'd prefer to have less and reward performance.

Edited August 3, 2007 by EricW

[Loves2Shoot]

If you serious hardcore, get an used cement mixer. That is what some serious reloading operations use.

I like my Dillon big tumbler.

[rvb]

1911user-

Thanks, that was exactly what I was thinking of. When the small one only lasts <2 yrs, that statement makes a guy leary to drop $165 on the big unit when for 1/3 that cost I could get a different brand, even understanding some other brand may have an even shorter lifespan... might still come out a head w/ an el-cheapo in the long run.

So.... is the big dillon using better components or are they the same compents? Or have they changed something recently and the put a cv500-like motor in the big one or the big motor design in the little one?

what's a guy to do?? I'll need to make a decision soon!

rvb

[GentlemanJim]

Pull the spec off the motor...You may find a direct replacement from WWGRANGER.

I replace motors in lots of stuff with GRANGER stuff.

The rpm and mounting would be the only issues, select the quality you want.

Jim

[anachronism]

My two 20 year old Lymans are still going strong. I'm sick of looking at them, but cannot justify replacing them because my eyes have orange burnout.

[Rob Boudrie]

Automobile manufacturers don't extend the warranty of the parts they replace just because you got a new part - for example, if you have a transmission replaced at 50K on a vehicle with a 60K warranty on the power train, you don't get it covered until 59K+another 60K.

But, when a manufacturer finds that a part is of lower quality than is expected, it is not uncommon to extend the warranty beyond the originally stated limit. For example, the Dell GS/SX270 systems had motherboard problems (bad capacitors). Although Dell could have fulfilled its legal obligation by keeping them running for the stated warranty period, they extended it by several years. Auto manufacturers often have secret "extensions" to the guarantee on parts that have had a much higher than normal incidence of failure (a shooting buddy was reimbursed $1400 for an out of warranty head gasket repair on a Toyota 4x4 several years ago).

If, and I emphasize if, there is a systematic problem with Dillon motors a similar course of action would be reasonable. It's hard to tell from a few postings if there is a pattern of bad motors, or just some customers with bad luck. Dillon is fantastic about honoring the promises in their warranty, however, it seems that they tend not to go as far beyond the letter of the promise than they did a decade or two ago.

[JSCHIEFEN]

I've had 2 Lyman 1200's for over 15 yrs and 2 Lyman 2500's for last 5 years and they have done thousands of varmit cases every summer for years and

now cont. without problems doing pistol cases. I use dillon and have never had an issue but, I wou;d buy the same tumblers I have now in a heart beat.

[shred]

I have the cheapest-available-fifteen-years-ago Midway. One recall and one resolder job over the years and it's probably cleaned close to a quarter million cases by now. THe inspector must have been walking by that day at the motor plant.

[Lee Bell]

Dillon's CV-2000 and CV-500 use...

TOTALLY DIFFERENT MOTORS

Just in case anyone missed it the first time. One is industrial (read: made for IPSC shooters), the other is light duty (read: not made for IPSC shooters). I guess I'll post pics sometime.

Dillon made their reputation based on service. Their presses and other equipment weren't so much better than other brands, but they always stood by them. Now they don't. Let's be clear on this, I sent it back the first time, at my expense, about 6 months after I bought it. They replaced the motor and sent it back to me. The motor failed again, also before 6 months had passed. They say the warranty had expired, I kind of figure the new motor should be covered for a year too.

Read the responses to my post, particularly those that talk about using a less expensive unit for 5, 10, 15 years, and then tell me I'm wrong when I say I can afford quality and Dillong Ain't it.

If you think otherwise, go for it. It's your money. You buy from them.

[Lee Bell]

If you want to judge Dillon based on their case tumbler, the you dont deserve Dillon.

Yep, that's what I said. I can afford quality and Dillon ain't it.

If you are mad over the small Dillon tumbler and you think this reflects on the entire product line then you are wrong.

If you think that the way a company handles problems experienced on one of their products does not reflect on their customer service, it is not me that is wrong.

[Lee Bell]

Notice I said "WORE OUT". They have a lifespan, and when they wear out you should expect to buy a new one. If you dont want to buy another Dillon, then dont do so, but dont blame Dillon for not paying for it twice out of warranty.

You figure about 6 months is a reasonable life expectancy? You figure a motor that WEARS OUT in 6 months, twice, is good quality?

[A-shot]

So what are you going to get? And make another post when you're happy!! And let everyone else know when you find something better!!

[Flexmoney]

We don't use these forums to air cutomer service issues.

CLOSED.