TFs Q/C problems archive (already damaged in the packaging)

[lcz128]

So. Not even the mighty TakaraTOMY is immune to this I'm sure you guys know.

Me, I've had a particularly bad streak of luck with them in the henkei series.

1) Bumblebee. He's got some bubbling on the TOP of his alt mode (chest). crap.


2) Convoy. Terrible miscolouring between the transparent plastic and the colour of the plastic. It's since been rectified with my recent repaint. (No pix )

3) Ramjet. What. The. Heck. I didn't post about this earlier and I didn't take photos of it - but basically the front-most part of the wings (in robot mode) had the WRONG CONNECTING PART on one side. Basically, when transformed into robot mode, what was the front of the wings either both point down or up. I understand that with Henkei, according to the images, they point down. Mine had one pointing up and the other down. Crap. And I couldn't take the pin out and flip it either. SO, I had to cut the piece so that it allowed for that rotation. Phew.


4) Latest and most shocking offense. Just recently got a Henkei Convoy through JuzMel (Thanks for passing it to ice, btw ) and I hadn't taken it out of his plastic bag that ice passed to me until last night, but only today did I notice that his abs (the faux-grille) is completely unpainted. It's just the red plastic. And this was the one I intended to leave MISB, too! WHUT THE!?!?!


So, what horror stories have you lot had thus far? Or am I the unlucky b@stard getting the short end of the stick?

[roller]

my Encore Jazz has crappy face paint apps

[iceburn]

ohoh..now its Takara's paintjob problems...

[edit]
sorry albie..i didn't check that it's unpainted too
anyway if it was unpainted...i wouldn't have known.
left most of my toys MISB

[Golden Phoenix]

Wow. That is a horrible streak. Remind me never to order Takara stuff from you. lol
I only own 5 Takara products, and I have been fine with them. I think Takara has some of the same issues as Hasbro, just less common.

[Pulse]

All my recent TakaraTomy figures have been perfect... (& I've got 3 in mid-air at the moment that "fingers-crossed" are all good too )

[dirge]

I have noticed a slight lowering of standards since the merger, but you've had rotten luck, lcz! ):

[lcz128]

Haha- THe funny thing though is with all these stupid quality issues, I've been 'needing' to custom them more.

Though that's kind of representative of how hasbro's are too... though eventhough I get these substandard takara releases they're still heads, shoulders and shoulder cannons above hasbro's worse than subpar releases (thanks to deco choices, worse QC, worse paint etc ) Makes me sad.

Anyhoo : Gonna be updating with pics shortly!

[GoktimusPrime]

Contact TakaraTOMY and tell them. They actually take complaint calls seriously.

When I called to complain about a missing part on my MP Convoy they FedEx'd me replacement parts (with free gifts as an apology!) which arrived in just a few days from lodging the complaint! When I called them about Encore Ironhide/Ratchet not being on their online survey database they corrected it within 24 hours!

Customer Support page
Online support form

The Customer Support page lists several call centre numbers that you can phone - just remember to add +81 for dialing Japan from overseas.
e.g.: 0011-81-3-5650-1031

[FFN]

I think Takara has some of the same issues as Hasbro, just less common.

The reason being Hasbro makes and sells far more Transformers products than Tomy does (or Takara ever did).

Because we're all western fans, we usually buy locally available Hasbro products more than we do TakaraTomy stuff, so yes, we'll see far more QC problems from Hasbro due to the sheer of amount of product available in our hands and on shelves. Also, people tend to be harsher on Hasbro than they are with TakaraTomy (or any Japanese toy company), in my experience.



The biggest QC issue I ever had with a Takara product was Galaxy Force Soundwave - they bolted the big hinge that connected his bod halves together crookedly, so he couldn't transform into vehicle mode properly.

[GoktimusPrime]

That's not necessarily true. I was primarily collecting Takara TFs when I was living in Japan and I was consistently amazed and in awe with the quality of the products I got. So for me at least it's not a "relative perspective" issue.

TakaraTOMY do make mistakes, noone's denying that... but I find that they are less common and are generally more consistent in improving on mistakes and flubs compared to Hasbro. And IMO TakaraTOMY are more attentive in their effort too compared to Hasbro. The lack of chrome or any distinctive colouring on Universe/Classics Prowl's missiles? That's not poor QC, that's just a poor effort (the paint apps on his doors on the other hand is poor QC) - JMO.