See I would like that. Even if just to find out what their take is on this problem to just let them know that it is happening. But who do I call? I think it was you footstool who gave me that number of Craig Kallis. Should I give him a call?

The problem is I have mixed feeling about this now. Yeah they sent me a "Care package" and like I said I consider it to be a cop out but at least they tried. However it may not have even been Festool SA it could have been from my dealer.

I think I'll give Craig a call, tell him the facts and see what he says. I won't demand something be done but at least just let him know. Do you think that would be a good idea?


Yeah its what sucks about living here. However it makes moving to a first world country amazing I hear, that and the amazing internet

Hi Job I thew in the bit about men on the moon for added affect
everyone has the right to express their opinion
the more opinions the better
I dont get the windmill thing though,must be a dutch thing

I have mine on a monthly lease cash flow.....you know.

Chris,

Now you have an answer to go do something with.  Go back to the dealer - who has seen much business from you and your Dad over the years - and tell him exactly what you have been told.  Explain to him what it will take to make you satisfied - i.e. provide to you the current model that you had seen in the catalog and had ordered.  The issue is with your dealer.  Either he will step up to the plate or he won't. 

P.S.  Now you know where the polishing set really came from.

Peter

I imagine that jo,burg will have phoned your local dealer and put him in the picture.

Maybe that's where you go wrong. Here in Holland for instance, everything goes smoothly because we simply never stop    

Charles, thanks for the change out information!  I have the "original" model release of the RO 125, and later acquired the edge guard, and still later acquired a replacement housing which I have yet to change out.   I figured I would wait until the warranty expired on my original unit which it obviously has, or the machine needed other repairs which it has not.  My main use of it in the past couple of years has been to maintain the paint on the 3 cars in my household and sanding in my shop.  An edge guard is not needed for either of those uses.

Chris, I think you received a great gift for your troubles.  I purchased much the same set of supplies excepting the liquid polish (I chose Menzerna products) and a Sytainer to keep them in.  Those Festool polishing supplies cost me (in USA) much more than the cost of the guard and complementary housing needed for the guard.

Dave R.

Chris

Being a South African living in "exile" I can fully vouch for everything that you have said in your postings.

Just a few things from me on this.

You can see how old the "gift" from Festool SA is by looking at the date stamp on the bottom of the Systainer (a circle of numbers 1 to 12 with a two larger numbers - one on either side of the arrow indicating the month and year of manufacturing of the systainer.) this would give an indication of systainer age and it would follow that the kit was probably packed within a few months of that date.

As for the postal service if you can ever get a job in the sorting offices you could end up being very rich off the pickings.

Service in SA is not what it could be but there again here in the UK (also a third world country IMO) it also sucks.

The part that you were not sent was probably robbed by someone along the supply chain either as a spare for repair/replacement, since germany is a long way away and just taking one out of a new machine would be easier - nothing wrong with that as long as it IS put to one side marked as incomplete and replaced before being sold/shipped. I assume that Festool is an ISO certified company and there should be a procedure to deal with this. My guess is that the item went AWOL at your dealer hence the immediate "Slag off Festool SA"  Occasionally things do fall through the QA net and when this happens any reputable company will replace the missing/damaged part as long as they are made aware of the problem - Festool Germany's response is testament to that.

As for wanting to live in a first world country - "the grass is not always greener" (pardon the cliche)

Well keep well and if there is anything that you would like me to help with as far as spares etc go just PM me and I will try to see what I can help with.

Glenn

Well, as a South African living in South Africa, I can vouch for all Chris said too.

I have spoken, face to face, with the Cape Town Rep and found him to be defensive and dodgy. No real answers and a lot of deflection. When I put him on the spot regarding the owner of the importership of Festool, he became even more defensive. Ever since this guy bought the importership, things have gone south. I have emailed Germany, but, to date, no response. In all honesty, I don't think the South African market is worth their time and effort, comparitive to say the U.S.

So, now I buy on-line. I get what I want, when I want it, and cheaper, even with import duty and V.A.T. it's about about 25 - 35% cheaper, depending on what I buy. I've posted this comparitive before somewhere on FOG.
So now I'm not covered by warranty!!! So what?- I've never had a Festool product "break down" on me, save the brushes. And even if one does, it's still cheaper for me to just order the replacement part, which I'll get within 7 days. Still faster than if I took it in to my local dealer.

There are ways around all of Chris's problems. It just should'nt have to be this way.

It really sucks that service in this country is like this. However it makes it all more  ing and pleasant when you come across the 1 in 100 whom actually wants to help you. That makes saying "Thank you" actually mean something.

It also sucks that there is nothing we can do about it. I mean how do you complain about someone who is basically at the top of FestoolSA?

Listen Woodblock it actually doesn't matter. I'm glad you get/got good service but I have not and I'm a little ticked about it.

I know that when I had this Rotex issue I asked my dealer, whom I trust, and he told me it was what FestoolSA had sent him. After calling FestoolSA and questioning they told me it was my dealer. No matter what you say this is no way to handle a client by just passing the buck. That is the type of service that gets to me.

I know old stock is a problem because my dealer has said so and on a few occasions now I have been a recipient of it. Ugh this whole situation pains me.

Justin, you have hit the nail on the head. They don't give a darn.

I sent a formal complaint to Festool Germany and all they did with my email is forward it to the problem guy here in SA! No response that they are looking in to it or "heck sorry about this".
This guy then emails me and denies everything! He blames the dealers! No record of my calls or emails to Festool SA! "Really? Who would have thought?" I mean I'm always keen to keep the smoking gun in my top drawer, just in case someone asks for it. 

I feel this has been poorly dealt with by Festool. I've hijacked and posted my experiences on Chris's post as a last resort after no action from the people at Festool, that matter.

Chris, I also know how you feel. But I don't believe that giving up is an option either. Festool must live up to their promises.

I have half a mind to post their corrspondance on this open forum. I don't think it will be allowed though.

To sum it up, Festool SA sucks!  and Festool Germany - I expected more from you.