View Full Version : Beware Venom-Racing RC Products


thunderbearr
11-03-2008, 10:35 AM
These guys just kill me. Back in May, we had a customer purchase their new gasoline-powered Segad R/C boat.

From day one, he had radio issues (it kept re-programming itself), paint issues (they informed him in a piece of paper in the box the paint was a 'prototype') with runs and thin coverage, poorly fiberglassed motor mount and fuel tank rails.

After several weeks of trying to contact Venom's Customer Service about these issues, I was told by someone called Jason (who said he was the head CS guy) and explained the issues and gave him the customer's phone number. He said he'd call him 'right away'.

Two days later he still hadn't called the customer so I called again and left (yet another) voice mail. Jason called me, apologized and called the customer.

The customer called me to thank me for getting them to call him and that they were sending him a new radio and parts to fix the broken rails.

Two weeks ago, the radio issues returned which caused the boat to crash hard, breaking loose the previous repairs and splitting the hull. So, another series of calls to Venom (and Jason) and the customer calls me to say he's bringing the boat back for a refund or exchange.

Now, my boss isn't willing to take this kind of hit so he had me call Venom to see if they could assist our customer in this... and Jason shoots me down telling me "There's nothing more we can do for him." :eek:

Needless to say, we did the right thing and exchanged the boat and ate a big chunk of money. The boss also pulled all Venom products and we're returning what we can, and will never re-order from them.

If this is the type of customer service they provide, we're better off not selling their products.

tamiyatim
11-03-2008, 11:11 AM
I had one of their motors, and another one of their 1/18th batteries, and they were both garbage...

OTR SPEEDWAY
11-04-2008, 05:52 PM
I've been bitten by venom products as well as several racers at my facility.

be it 3000 sport packs, dischargers, on-board failsafes. I've never seen anyone locally have success with Venom's garbage. See there's Hobby Grade, Radio Shack Grade, Walmart Grade, then there's Venom....

Their stuff just plain bites... :eek:

hopper
11-05-2008, 02:58 PM
I have the newest venom charger. It is prettty darn good!

ScottH
11-05-2008, 10:04 PM
I have had a few Venom items. I think they are appropiately named, cause I was BITTEN!!

Venom=garbage.

disruptor10
11-06-2008, 09:27 AM
my venom stuff works great , new pro charger is awesome

rageworks
11-15-2008, 06:27 PM
I have also found that Venom products are "JUST JUNK!!!".
Even if given anything that Venom makes, it WILL go into
the trash bin. I wouldn't give a Venom product to my worst
enemy. I don't like to rag on anyones products, but Venom
has let me down every time that I gave one of there products
a chance and there customer service is nill. Venom products
and the people that run and work for the company are rip-offs!!!

XXX-Steve
11-17-2008, 10:56 PM
I've bought a few Venom products in the last year and haven't had any issues with any of them until about a week ago...

I bought the new Pro Charger (the AC/DC version) and the included AC adapter seems to have failed me after just a couple of uses. I took it out to a race with me this last weekend and plugged it in and nothing happened. Tried a few different outlets and had the same problem. Eventually, my friend let me hook it directly to his power supply and it operated just fine.

I've yet to contact them about this to see what I can do. I'll keep everyone updated and hopefully won't run into any problems.

REVALATION
11-18-2008, 07:49 PM
i bought a venom motor and i smoked it and they replaced no questions asked

maxxgullo
11-20-2008, 12:55 PM
venom, :(:(:(:(

tgardner41
11-20-2008, 08:03 PM
Never had any trouble with Venom products (batteries, motors, failsafes, temp gages, etc).

A guy buys a very expensive RC boat with a 90 day warranty. And it appears that Venom stood behind the product during the warranty period. But expecting and/or demanding warranty service 4 or 5 months after the warranty expired?

As far as paint and fiberglass problems go, a smart person would have opened the box and inspected the boat before paying that amount of money no matter who manufactured it. At the very least the hobby shop should have inspected the boat before selling it, or did they not care enough to bother?

It seems strange that nobody would answer the phone or return a call for several weeks at Venom customer service, something doesn't sound right about this whole deal...
:dude:

ScottH
11-20-2008, 09:12 PM
The last GASCAR race we had a car run away due to a Venom Fail-Safe. Aren't they supposed to stop that?

tgardner41
11-20-2008, 10:49 PM
Sorry to hear that. I have also witnessed a runaway that had a Venom fail safe on it but it turned out that the fail safe was not set up right.
:dude:

XXX-Steve
11-21-2008, 03:25 AM
No problems thus far with the Venom fail safe in my nitro. It has worked perfectly every time.

By the way, I contacted customer service about the adapter for my charger and they said to ship it in and they'd replace it free of charge with a new one. They didn't even ask for a copy of my receipt.