TR8 woes.

[Khriss]

19 minutes ago, lux said:

Khriss and Mick finally agree ....
I couldn’t find one of stubby, well not in colour anyway ....

Try the Pyramids, he in there somewhere. K

[lux]

lux,
Very sorry to hear your woes (and Gray git) -  was hoping I was an exception. I bought an ST6P a year ago and the list of issues is very similar to yours from start to now  (110hrs- double you ! ).   I had a Jensen A530Di before for 14years (small outfit , used only 3 days a week) and owner operated so it has minimal abuse. Jensen was still pretty good when I sold it. Bought a Forst 1) as its British 2) thought they would have copied the best bits of Jensen as I bought mine from them originally 3) emissions. 4) sucker for a free beer at the show . Ironically I wasn't bothered with being below 750kg, just didn't want it over the 850kg or so of the Jensen.
 
As I say very similar list of woes with a particularly spectacular threatening handover thrown in at the start. (as you say some good support following all the breakdowns which is appreciated but certainly no recognition of mistakes on their part and too many...............).
Was feeling particularly despondent  just before xmas when I got  a chirpy call from a sales rep at Forst asking for feedback. I laughed and asked him several times did he really want feedback as I had a lot. He insisted he did. He suggested 1/2 way through the chat/rant that I write it all down and I said I would rather not and he said no problem tell him on the phone. I did ,he said someone would contact me . Email followed from an other saying could I write it down and again explain all the issues. I said i'd rather tell them on the phone, again. He replied to say he was travelling all the following week so couldn't take comprehensive notes(which seems a bit weird to me ) - could I write it down. I pointed out that they had contacted me , asked me for feedback and I had even suggested they might not want it. Another email saying they would try and ring me the week after (before xmas). Nothing as yet.........
 
I know my own business is not perfect. I know we all have issues this year . At the very least why bother phoning me for feedback ?
 
Little bit worried that my 14 years of saving to buy this chipper might not have been well spent. Been planning to write the email.
 
Good luck lux. You sound very reasonable to me - hopefully they will be too.
 
Forst . I think a lot of us would like to back you , but ...............??
 

Good constructive post. Keep in touch and let me know how yours pans out.
Sorry to hear yours is a negative experience but also , perhaps selfishly, strengthened by the fact my chipper woes are not sounding so isolated. If you get what I mean.

I too would like to see forst improve. Partly as I’m currently invested into them with my purchase but also because I think they can fairly easily rectify a lot of these faults.

I really can’t believe that these machines have been properly field tested for a long else these niggles would of appeared during R and D.

In my humble opinion forst need to listen to those using these machines in real world conditions and use the findings to get better.

It’ll be an almighty fall from grace at the top of chipper sales if people have enough and have turned their backs in 3/4 years.

Ain’t to amount of dishing out ice cream waffles at the arb show going to fix a tattered reputation of unreliable machines and the Christmas bonus will definitely diminish if they are bleeding money on the warranty’s ...

I like my Forst. It chips like a beast when it wants to. Just wish it did it more often without falling apart, I’d Love it then !

[lux]

Try the Pyramids, he in there somewhere. K

Probably embalming himself with a whisky and soda right now

Come on@stubby
You’re too old for those ported saws now , let me take them off your hands.

[jarborist]

3 minutes ago, lux said:

like my Forst. It chips like a beast when it wants to. Just wish it did it more often without falling apart, I’d Love it then !

Everyone who's used mine when it's working agrees. 

And yes, agree with the rest of comment. Cos round me at least most folks are being put off by the downtime. 

 

[IronMike]

I think there is no doubt the capacity to perform is there with Forst. When they’re working they do so very well. But the poor build quality, lack of quality control, above market average depreciation, and a lack of acceptance of these problems should be enough to put anyone off.
 

I have heard the phrase Friday afternoon machine used, and it appears most work on Forst chippers is done at some point on a Friday. I’m not one for bashing brands online, but my experience of Forst is not good, and that’s several different machines at different times with different crews.

 

I’d absolutely love it if Lux got the chipper they clearly wanted and expected. It’s be the best outcome to this situation. But the omens ain’t good unfortunately. 

Edited January 2, 2021 by IronMike

[lux]

I think there is no doubt the capacity to perform is there with Forst. When they’re working they do so very well. But the poor build quality, lack of quality control, above market average depreciation, and a lack of acceptance of these problems should be enough to put anyone off.
 
I have heard the phrase Friday afternoon machine used, and it appears most work on Forst chippers is done at some point on a Friday. I’m not one for bashing brands online, but my experience of Forst is not good, and that’s several different machines at different times with different crews.
 
I’d absolutely love it if Lux got the chipper they clearly wanted and expected. It’s be the best outcome to this situation. But the omens ain’t good unfortunately. 

These things have their processes.

I’ll let them have their fair chance at an amicable resolution before I get my knickers in a real twist about it.

It’ll be the real measure of their company ...

[woody paul]

Haha when they work they are great, when they don't there as much use as a wet box of matches when lighting a fire. 

Glad I still run a 150 as go's on and on easy to work on. 

Had my 18/100 in a garden be for Christmas and line cutters trimmed trees in garden, they could not get there 230 in garden I  chipped everything they cut off they couldn't believe what it chipper and quick. 

[Khriss]

35 minutes ago, lux said:

Probably embalming himself with a whisky and soda right now

Come on@stubby
You’re too old for those ported saws now , let me take them off your hands.
 

... 'Cold dead hands'  might feature in that  😆 K

[lux]

... 'Cold dead hands'  might feature in that  [emoji38] K

[monkeybusiness]

Först without doubt have the best sales and marketing team in the UK woodchipper market.
They appeared out of nowhere into a steady-away marketplace with great branding and a massive flurry of free hats, pens and pretty promo-birds, converted their existing Jensen customers and also bringing in a load of new business from users of long-in-the-tooth competitors’ machines with the promise of something radically better.

(From a consumer’s point of view this has largely been a good thing, as it forced others to have a look at and improve their existing offerings (none of the main manufacturers offer a bad machine today IMO)).  
Forst then kept the ball rolling with very good aftercare (which must have cost them a fortune), and have underwritten their machines very well to those looking to part-exchange into a new chipper to keep value in their brand. They also offer incredible deals to ‘new business’ - offering above-market-value for other-brand part exchange machines. 
The issue is that there is no way of breaking away from the brand once ‘hooked’ without taking a significant financial kicking. They are worth very little second hand unless you are buying another Först - nobody else wants them in part-exchange and buying a second-hand one is a potential grenade... Once they’ve got you invested in their brand you are a bit screwed sadly.