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View Full Version : My experience working with Taurus - Warning to Others



emayess
06-17-2011, 12:27
Hi all, I'm new to posting to the board but have found a lot of your postings very informative and helpful. I am not sure if this is the right spot for this post, so sorry if not, but I felt it was important to share my experience as a warning for others.

I am a first time gun owner and have a Taurus Judge 6 ½” duo-tone revolver that I had to send back to Taurus for warranty work. One of the reasons I had selected a Taurus was due to the lifetime warranty and seeing many favorable reviews about their customer service on message boards. My experience was the exact opposite of what I had read and I want to share my story so that others can be informed. I for one, will never buy a Taurus again and will advise all my friends against it as well.

After only going out to shoot a handfull of times, I had trouble getting the cylindar back into the frame. I did some cleaning and still could not get it to close, so did a full disassebly for cleaning and managed to lose the sear spring and pin in the process.

I shipped my gun to Taurus, which they received on April 19, 2011. Approximately two weeks later, I received a letter from Taurus confirming the receipt of my gun and that it should be repaired and returned in two to three weeks form the time they received it. After three weeks, I called to check on the status as I was going to be out of town and did not want someone to attempt to deliver it while I was out.

Upon calling, I was informed that no work had been started on my gun. The reason for their delay was that I had requested Taurus to ship to my friend’s home because he works at home and would be available to sign for the delivery and I am unable to have a gun delivered to my workplace due to company policy. Again, Taurus had my gun for three weeks, told me I would get it back, but then did no work and did not make any attempt to contact me about it.

I was informed by the CSR at Taurus that I would need to fax a letter explaining where I needed the gun shipped and they would then be able to start. I asked why I was not contacted and was told by the CSR that it was not their responsibility. I typed up a letter and faxed it the next day.

After a week, I decided to call in to confirm they got the fax and there weren’t any other issues. I am glad I called. I was told nothing had been started because I did not include the gun’s serial number on the fax. I was not instructed to include it, but did have the service order number and my contact information. I was told to resend the fax and include the serial number.

I sent the fax the next day and then called, but was informed the fax had not yet been input into their computer system and to call back the next day. I called the next day and was informed that they received the fax, but they also now required a copy of my driver’s license. I had not been asked for this before at any point. I recognized the CSR as the same woman (Lina) I spoke with the previous day and told her that I was not informed of this requirement and she insisted I was. I told her I was certain I had not been informed, and she insisted that she did tell me and proceeded to be condescending to me. I then asked to speak with a manager and was informed that he was “unavailable”, but I could leave a message for him. I left a message for the manager (Ryan) explaining the situation and asked to be called back.

The next day, I resent a copy of my request letter and included a copy of my driver’s license. I called the following day and was informed that he copy was not clear enough and to resend, which I did and after following up again, was told that it was still not legible. I asked if I could email a copy as a PDF, so I could know the picture would come through clearly and was told that they did not consider it a secure form of communication, but I could send a copy via USPS.

The next business day, I sent a copy of my license along with the service order number and gun’s serial number on the paperwork. They did not inform me to include this information, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt. Upon their receipt of the license copy, they finally called me to confirm receipt, but to also say that I should have also included the shipping request information and that they still could not start any work! I was less than impressed and again asked to speak to a manager and was sent to the same voicemail (for Ryan) where I left a message saying this was the second time I have requested to be called and left my contact info and service order number.

I mailed the copy of my license a second time along with the shipping request, serial number and service order number. On my note I wrote and highlighted my request to be contacted if there were any issues and that I was still waiting on a return call from the customer service manager.

Approximately two weeks later, on June 13, I got a call from FedEx. They said they were trying to deliver a package to an old address and needed the current address. The old address was on my license (Colorado doesn’t issue new licenses when you move), so I immediately realized that the package must be my gun from Taurus. When I asked FedEx to deliver to my friend’s (as I originally requested of Taurus), I was informed that could not be done and I would have to come to a FedEx facility to pick up the package.

Today, June 15, I will finally get my gun. Almost exactly three months after Taurus had originally received it. This was the worst customer service experience in my life. Taurus failed to contact me about the issues after they sent me a letter saying they had it and would get it back to me in three weeks. Taurus customer service representatives failed to provide the correct information for me to solve the problem and their customer service manager repeatedly to follow up with me when I requested it. Once all issues were resolved, they shipped it to an address other than the one I requested, further delaying how long it would take for me to get my gun. God only knows if it’s actually fixed or not.

kidicarus13
06-17-2011, 13:34
Sorry to hear about your poor experience. That does suck and it's not the first story like that I've read about Taurus warranties.

soco11
06-17-2011, 14:39
What a nightmare! Sorry this happened to you. Wow--sure makes me think twice about Taurus!

jplove71
06-17-2011, 16:04
Sorry to hear about your experience with Taurus. Kind of makes me glad I chose Ruger when I bought my first handgun 17 years ago.

chunga
06-18-2011, 00:08
Man--That really sucks
I owned a Taurus once--back in the early 90's--I really liked the gun but the front sight kept coming loose and after a couple years all kinds of crap started going wrong with it. Never dealt with their CS--I just had my GS fix it and I sold it.
Haven't owned one since and your story helps to insure I never will again.
There are enough good companies out there--no need to bother with Taurus

Byte Stryke
06-18-2011, 00:16
I was actually at SW last week and saw a guy with a Taurus issue. SW was handling it on their end because Taurus wouldn't.
New gun, Cylinder wasn't locking up right.

damned shame.

Colorado Osprey
06-18-2011, 06:43
All gun manufacturer's have problems and have warranty issues.
I can give worse stories about Ruger, Colt, Bushmaster, Remington and a few more obscure others.

I NEVER send a gun back to a manufacturer even if it voids my warranty. I have a local authorized gunsmith work on it or I do the repairs myself.

I own or have owned about a dozen Taurus handguns. In these firearms there has easily been a total ammo round count of over 10,000 combined rounds fired.
That said I have had exactly 1 (one) issue with a Taurus firearm.
I called Taurus up and they sent the part out over night express.

I would buy a Taurus again without a hint or regret or hesitation.

pickenup
06-18-2011, 08:02
did a full disassebly for cleaning and managed to lose the sear spring and pin in the process.

???

hip55
06-18-2011, 08:19
That was a goat rope customer service story if I have ever heard one -

Gunner
06-18-2011, 08:26
Tag so I can sit down and read this later

Colorado Luckydog
06-18-2011, 12:47
I can't stand it when people join forums just to spread their vendetta's. If you had been a memebr for a while, your story would mean something.

I have been looking at getting a Taurus revolver in a 44 mag. I have recently talked to several gun shops and they have all said good stuff about Taurus's customer service. They also said, about the only problems they are seeing are with their semi's and not the revolvers.

Irving
06-18-2011, 12:59
I can't stand it when people join forums just to spread their vendetta's.

I noticed this as well.

bchase75
06-18-2011, 15:21
I know emayess personally, and I don't think a "vendetta" is what he had in mind when he posted about his experience with Taurus. Myself and another friend of ours actually encouraged him to post his experience on this website as a warning to others. This was his first handgun purchase (or firearm of any kind), and although I'd heard a few stories about Taurus and overall quality, I hadn't heard anything (good or bad) about their customer service. If I'd know what he was going to have to deal with, however, I would have strongly warned him against buying the gun.

All gun manufacturers produce lemons, which is what makes customer service so important. If I spend my hard earned cash on a new firearm, I want to be sure the company stands behind the product, which is why I'm a big fan of companies like Ruger, Smith & Wesson, and Mossberg. Every time I've had an issue of some kind with one of their firearms, they've done a spectacular job of making it right. Taurus, on the other hand, made it extremely difficult for Matt to get his issue resolved, and I don't have much respect for companies who deal with customers that way.

Long story short, the only way to hold companies accountable for this kind of behavior is to spread the word throughout the firearms community. If the problem is pervasive, people will do what they've always done and vote with their feet. If its only an isolated incident, however, the good will outweigh the bad and no harm done.

kidicarus13
06-18-2011, 16:09
I don't know the OP but have no reason to not believe him. If their customer service treated him that poorly I want to know about it whatever the OP's motivation.

Irving
06-18-2011, 16:14
I believe him. Sounds like terrible customer service.

Atrain1
07-03-2011, 14:24
I own a pt-22 and the barrel piviot pin broke, I called taurus and they sent me out a new pin. It did take a few phone calls and about 3 weeks but I finaly got my pin, I installed it took the gun out, and after 550 rounds it broke again. I called taurus, and they sent out Fed ex to pick up my fire arm. I was told it would be 4 to 6 weeks to fix all the problems. Broken pin light strikes and broken mag. The gun was back at my door in less than 2 weeks, with a paper saying everything has been fixed. I have not had to have a chance to fire it yet, but as far as the cs goes I had no problems with them when it came down to them picking up my gun, and repairing it and sending it back, I was very pleased with how fast they were. I own 2 pt1911's one blued and one in stainless, a pt-22, 24/7 pro cds 45, snubnose 5 shot 38 special, a 941 8 shot 22 magnum, and a 7 shot 357 magnum. I love my taurus guns, and would deffinetly buy another one, and recommend buying one.

bellavite1
07-03-2011, 14:57
They eventually make it right, but it does take them a lifetime...[Luck]

rondog
07-03-2011, 16:33
I hang out on several gun forums, and have read multiple similar stories about Taurus on every one of them.