Fine Design visit

[Eodman]

Yesterday I had to attend a funeral for my sisters husband in Middletown NY. Afterwards my son & I stopped in to their store! Well its a little(?) messy but quite the collection of boats ... most in some sort of completion! Doesn't appear to have a lot of back stock on hulls.

Spoke with Dan - Chris was on phone and after he got off he elected not to come out! One thing I noticed about their boats when I lifted the lids --- they are very clean & well organized! The store could use some of that!

Small boats, mid-size boats, large boats all electric no gas to be seen! Just a few observations not a plug for or against just observation.

[ecoovert]

I have ordered 2 items from Chris. One sharpened and balanced prop and and on another occasion a 4082 motor. The prop arrived on time with no issues. The motor also arrived on time but didn't work. I called Chris and sent the motor back and within a week and a half I got another motor from himat my door in western Washington state. One thing I noticed was the first motor came with 6.5mm plugs and the replacement motor came with the smaller stock plugs. The replacement motor works fine and both came with a water jacket. Chris was low in stock on the 4082 motors so I think the first motor may have been pulled from an other boat being it had the larger than usual plugs. This may be the reason the motor didn't work, it may have had a bad solder job on the upgraded plugs. I will say I have picked Chris's brain quite a bit with questions and I feel he earned my business. Yes I had an issue but he took kare of it in a timely manner for me. I like talking to someone with my questions and Chris has always been there for me. He has stayed on the phone with me for as much as 45 minutes. If I miss him I just leave a message and he always calls me back. When I order from him I call to make sure he has what I ordered in stock.

Please don't think some of you may have had issues with Chris but as for me he's ok in my book.

[ironjaws]

i had NO problems dealing with Chris. My business was done just last month. Thanks Chris.

[Punisher 67]

Who knows maybe he has turned over a new leaf.......?

[Diesel6401]

Who knows maybe he has turned over a new leaf.......?

Doesn't look like it.... http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_10772286/tm.htm

[Punisher 67]

Ya I know that was hoping for to much

[Chrisg81983]

I have been talking to chris at fine design about a twin sprit cat 90 I am building. He was trying to push a sale on all the hardware, and 6 lipo packs just a little too hard for me. I just didnt feel comfortable now I know why! I might of been out 6 or 7 hundred as well. I hope things change for his sake he seems to be full of great knowledge witch came in very handy a few times for me. Chris seems like a nice guy but he may just be a bad business man.

[LarrysDrifter]

That is the very worst story Ive ever heard about FD. Damn them. Maybe they are in cahoots with the G Funk boys?

[ecoovert]

Fine Design reply

Doesn't look like it.... http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_10772286/tm.htm

I went to the link you posted regarding Fine Design and read all the posts. That first story disturbes me. I will say however that I always try to look at both sides of any story. That person claiming he knows of no one who sells those "gold Leopard motors" for more needs to check out the prices at O.S.C. $119.95 for a 4082 Leopard motor is high but when you consider they all come with a Leopard water jacket that would come to $123.80 here at O.S.E. The 4082 motor I bought from Chris I would have bought from O.S.E. but at the time they didn't have the one I wanted in stock and hadn't for quite a while. I don't think they had the water Jacket in stock at that time either.

Please understand, I have ordered from O.S.E. and plan on continuing to. I have ordered from many rc suppliers. Some in China and some here in the U.S. and I will say O.S.E. is one of the best in my book. Fine Design is there for those who don't want to or don't know how to build their own boats. Once you add the cost for the parts and the cost of labor for some of these boats he builds I don't think he's over charging. $579 for a Miss Geico packing a Leopard 4082 motor including a sharpened and balanced metal prop rtr. That's not bad. Cosidering the going price for the boat alone is about $330.00 Plus $108.80 for the motor plus $50 to $89.99 for the esc. add to that $15.00 for the water Jacket and $12 for the prop That comes to a minimum of $515.79 for parts alone if I build it myself Which in my case I did. In my case I used the 180 amp 360 amp surge esc. which would bring the price up to $555.79 The difference in price barely enough to pay for sharpening and balancing the prop.

[liteumup69]

Quote:Doesn't look like it.... http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_10772286/tm.htm

I have to call B.S on this.... Ive been dealing with Chris at fine design this entire summer on my titan 40, He's been VERY helpfull and has even called me to see how things worked out. I bought a lepoard 4082 2200KV through him as well, it came in the mail a couple days later, along with the gears, props, and hardware.. Ive read alot on hear of people bashing him, I don't know, this is my first time dealing with him, so far so good. And when I talk to him on the phone he is always pleasent and helpfull... My 2 cents

[Diesel6401]

Quote:Doesn't look like it.... http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_10772286/tm.htm

I have to call B.S on this.... Ive been dealing with Chris at fine design this entire summer on my titan 40, He's been VERY helpfull and has even called me to see how things worked out. I bought a lepoard 4082 2200KV through him as well, it came in the mail a couple days later, along with the gears, props, and hardware.. Ive read alot on hear of people bashing him, I don't know, this is my first time dealing with him, so far so good. And when I talk to him on the phone he is always pleasent and helpfull... My 2 cents

Call BS to people having issues? How so? Your positive experience makes there negative experience worthy of the BS claims? I don't think that's very fair. I don't think people are picking just to pick either. There use to be a lot of happy people with FD and those people started getting screwed and placing/posting there experiences here both the good and the bad. Maybe the just posting your positive without calling BS at/to those who are having legitimate issues would better. JMHO...

[ecoovert]

Quote:Doesn't look like it.... http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_10772286/tm.htm

I have to call B.S on this.... Ive been dealing with Chris at fine design this entire summer on my titan 40, He's been VERY helpfull and has even called me to see how things worked out. I bought a lepoard 4082 2200KV through him as well, it came in the mail a couple days later, along with the gears, props, and hardware.. Ive read alot on hear of people bashing him, I don't know, this is my first time dealing with him, so far so good. And when I talk to him on the phone he is always pleasent and helpfull... My 2 cents

I agree to a point but I also agree with Deisel's point. I wouldn't say anything bad about anyone who may have had a bad experience with Chris. On the other hand Chris has called me back to answer questions I had and has been willing to replace a motor that I had a problem with. If anything he seems to spend too much time talking to me and at times I couldn't get him to stop. I can also be the same way when I have a passion for something as he does for boats. So far all the information he's given me such as prop selection, safe temps or how to gain a few more mph. has proven to be accurate.

Remember, bad news travels faster than good news.

[Punisher 67]

My 70 year old boating friend 18 months ago ordered a no step 4 mono , The boat came as ordered but with no hatch , Chris told him they stepped on it breaking it , Vlad requested another so after at least 8 separate occasions phoning FD and getting excuse after excuse he finally receives it a year later.............Lovely service


If Chris has changed his ways that is great news cause he once was very well respected and a pleasure to deal with .

[ironjaws]

This is so weird to me. I dropped over a grand with him last month and he was very helpful and delivered quick. Sorry for the other guys. That was the first time talking to him. WEIRD.

[Rumdog]

90 percent of what I have heard about them is negative. A year ago I wanted to ask about a hull they had. They never answered the phone, or called back. their loss.