Kraton Kraton 4S BLX/Horizon Hobby horrible customer service

[slick2500]

it could also be a case of supply and demand. if the trucks sold better than expected out of the gate, its possible they pulled the spare parts stock to build more complete trucks......I'm sure they'd want to sell complete trucks over parts.

not saying it's the right thing to do, just offering another viewpoint.

They make more money on the parts than from the vehicles, Traxxas figured this out and is the reason why their cars have had the same problems for the last 25 years.
Try building an Arrma vehicle using nothing but Arrma parts directly from Arrma, you will spend a hell of a lot more money than if you just bought the rtr.

 

[wingnutks]

I joined this very forum because I was going to get my first RC and was 99% sure it was going to be an Arrma. The OPs experience is exactly why I ended up with 2 cars from another brand instead. However, now that I have 2 other cars and expect and can "afford" the downtime, my next RC will be an Arrma. Likely a 6s instead of a 3s/4s though. Arrma part support has been frustrating, and the 3s line dissapearing for a couple months was crazy as well.

 

[slick2500]

I joined this very forum because I was going to get my first RC and was 99% sure it was going to be an Arrma. The OPs experience is exactly why I ended up with 2 cars from another brand instead. However, now that I have 2 other cars and expect and can "afford" the downtime, my next RC will be an Arrma. Likely a 6s instead of a 3s/4s though. Arrma part support has been frustrating, and the 3s line dissapearing for a couple months was crazy as well.

If you get a 6s replace the radio immediately, I wouldn't even bother trying to use the stock one.

Probably the best radio for how cheap it costs Tactic TTX300 https://jennysrc.com/search?type=product&q=TACTIC+TTX300

If you want something nicer the next step up would probably be the Radiolink RC4GS it has LED screen, 10 model memory and a gyro in the receiver https://www.ebay.com/itm/RadioLink-...52:g:h3YAAOSwoU1c7l8y&LH_BIN=1&frcectupt=true
Spare receivers https://www.ebay.com/itm/RadioLink-...irstClass!57701!US!-1&LH_BIN=1&frcectupt=true

 

[Lazy Bushman]

Parts availability has always been a bit of an Achilles heal for Arrma. It would be good to get the company's perspective on this and what they are doing about it. I like others can only hypothesise about why, but at the end of the day it is hurting the brand when people like @wingnutks learn of this and choose other brands. Because there are other good brands out there that I'd be only too happy to own.

I'm always wary of buying V1.0 of anything and it is disappointing for Arrma that their is so much negative talk about the models released this year. Yes there are a bunch of good stories and customers who sit quietly enjoying what they have, but there have been several posts on YouTube of rear a-arms breaking, the problems with the radios and parts support that is undeniably high on the models released this year. Thinking back 6mths I can't think of any things systemically problematic associated with the range as it was then....sad.

I feel bad for the team at Arrma who had been gearing up for a celebratory year with new releases coinciding with the company's anniversary only to have so much negative noise around their releases.

 

[Mongoose]

Parts availability has always been a bit of an Achilles heal for Arrma. It would be good to get the company's perspective on this and what they are doing about it. I like others can only hypothesise about why, but at the end of the day it is hurting the brand when people like @wingnutks learn of this and choose other brands. Because there are other good brands out there that I'd be only too happy to own.

I'm always wary of buying V1.0 of anything and it is disappointing for Arrma that their is so much negative talk about the models released this year. Yes there are a bunch of good stories and customers who sit quietly enjoying what they have, but there have been several posts on YouTube of rear a-arms breaking, the problems with the radios and parts support that is undeniably high on the models released this year. Thinking back 6mths I can't think of any things systemically problematic associated with the range as it was then....sad.

I feel bad for the team at Arrma who had been gearing up for a celebratory year with new releases coinciding with the company's anniversary only to have so much negative noise around their releases.

Well said!

 

[AJ2u]

I would imagine like every other manufacturer Arrma make more money on parts than the cars if you add up the cost in buying parts? Only 5/6 weeks on back order try living in the UK

 

[Sion Jones]

I’m in the same position, broke an A arm on the first day, scrabbling to get a replacement.
A shop I deal with let me know they had a very small number coming in.
But in worse news, someone who works in their distribution said the next batch isn’t due until october. OCTOBER???
I’m hoping that’s some kind of language barrier thing.

 

[Mongoose]

Imagine how long the first person who runs a Limitless into a curb will have to wait to rebuild the whole thing.....

 

[PaPa Thorn]

It happens with established models, especially how fast Arrma owners buy up the parts whether needed or not. You can't expect any better for something that just cane out. Give it a little bit of time and the aftermarket companies will start cranking out parts.

 

[Sion Jones]

It happens with established models, especially how fast Arrma owners buy up the parts whether needed or not.

Doesn’t that suggest maybe they should take note that things are breaking too often?
If people stockpile parts, I mean.

 

[PaPa Thorn]

Doesn’t that suggest maybe they should take note that things are breaking too often?
If people stockpile parts, I mean.

It takes time for a company to build their own stockpile. The truck just came out, take a breath and give it a minute.
Do you know how much an RTR would cost if it came with all top of the line parts? You have to build them up or not drive them as hard. I have at least $4-500 in mine and I'm not done yet.

 

[jondilly1974]

I’m in the same position, broke an A arm on the first day, scrabbling to get a replacement.
A shop I deal with let me know they had a very small number coming in.
But in worse news, someone who works in their distribution said the next batch isn’t due until october. OCTOBER???
I’m hoping that’s some kind of language barrier thing.

Buy another kit and part out what you don’t need. ??‍

 

[Sion Jones]

Parts availability has always been a bit of an Achilles heal for Arrma.

I wish I’d read and heeded that knowledge before choosing to buy a Kraton 4s.
so many people kept telling me “Arrmas are great, you can’t go wrong with Arrma, go for arrma”

So I did. and now I regret it.

Buy another kit and part out what you don’t need. ??‍

Oh yeah. THAT’s a reasonable solution, isn’t it?
Sure I’ve got enough spare cash to just buy another one somewhere, maybe under the sofa?
Not likeI needed to pay rent and food, and fuel this month anyway.

 

[olds97_lss]

I wish I’d read and heeded that knowledge before choosing to buy a Kraton 4s.
so many people kept telling me “Arrmas are great, you can’t go wrong with Arrma, go for arrma”

So I did. and now I regret it.

Oh yeah. THAT’s a reasonable solution, isn’t it?
Sure I’ve got enough spare cash to just buy another one somewhere, maybe under the sofa?
Not likeI needed to pay rent and food, and fuel this month anyway.

To be honest, if you can't afford to buy 2, you likely shouldn't buy 1. Or, you buy 1, then drive it very gingerly as any vehicle is going to break.

I understand your frustration with lack of parts. I have 2 savage's sitting on the shelf that I still run and I hope I don't break stuff as parts are getting somewhat hard to find again or becoming prohibitively expensive to buy since HPI is out of business yet again.

 

[Sion Jones]

To be honest, if you can't afford to buy 2, you likely shouldn't buy 1. Or, you buy 1, then drive it very gingerly as any vehicle is going to break.

what the hell are you smoking, if you think buying two trucks is a reasonable solution, whereas the part required is around a fiver?

If you’ve got that kind of spare cash, go on and buy one for me.

 

[PaPa Thorn]

what the hell are you smoking, if you think buying two trucks is a reasonable solution, whereas the part required is around a fiver?

If you’ve got that kind of spare cash, go on and buy one for me.

Then you'll have to wait for parts. Not everything in life is done as fast as a HotPocket.

 

[Sion Jones]

Then you'll have to wait for parts. Not everything in life is done as fast as a HotPocket.

yeah. Until October, apparently.
I don’t understand how you think that’s acceptable. I mean, sure this is an Arrma forum, but god damned here’s some diehard fanboys here. This is utter insanity.

 

[bicketybam]

what the hell are you smoking, if you think buying two trucks is a reasonable solution, whereas the part required is around a fiver?

If you’ve got that kind of spare cash, go on and buy one for me.

I think what he was implying is that this $5 part will be the first of many you end up breaking. You can all but guarantee you will end up spending several hundreds on parts unless you drive it around in a circle in your yard. In any event I don't think @olds97_lss was advocating for a second truck as a solution.

 

[DoNoHarm]

I don’t think anyone has released an rc with parts readily available. While Horizon’s support is just as good as traxxas, the ladder has issues as well. I got my E Revo a day after it was released, parts weren’t readily available for nearly 2 months. Now the product itself, arrma just builds better vehicles for less price. There’s no argument to be made. I have also had a arm problems on my outcast 4s, but it is what it is.

 

[bicketybam]

There aren't a ton of parts that are different from the 3S version. It's like 85% of a BRCC. Unfortunately you broke one of the new parts.