I'm Confussed

[MikeBjerum]

Any of you that have hung out here know that I will give the benefit of doubt to those that get bashed, and I will defend most until proven otherwise.  With that in mind I am looking for a good explanation for a company that has pissed me off!

On a Thursday a couple weeks ago I sent an email to Para through their website.  The assured in the form it would be responded to quickly.  Thursday evening in the motel room there was nothing.  Friday I thought that maybe I gave the wrong email address, so I resubmitted, but Friday night there was nothing.  Monday I sent another, and then I realized it was SHOT.  So I waited a week.  Last Wednesday I sent message number four, and I have still heard nothing.

I get no thanks for the inquiry, we will be responding soon.  No we are out of the office for a week at SHOT.  No go F**K yourself 

Unless someone can say something nice and soothing I think that Para is on their way to losing a chance at a sale!

Anybody have any experience with Para?  I have a P 16 that I love, but it is a modified gun that I bought "hopped up" from my gunsmith.  I love the gun, and that is why I am looking at more Para.  Or should I say "was looking for more Para."

[billt]

To me, not answering an E-Mail for days on end from a company the size of Para Ordnance is inexcusable. Especially if you sent several of them over a period of days. Ignoring potential customers is not a good way to increase sales. This is the information age, and bad news usually has a way of spreading faster than good.  Bill T.

[Ichiban]

I had some experience with their customer service department about a year ago.  One word: "sucks."  I had sent my LTC back for "evaluation" of the "Regal" finish that was coming off in sheets - they kept insisting that it had to be something I was doing.  I had contacted them through their forum for initial questions about the finish issue.  I was a member of the Para forum and could not get a response to any of my emails for status of the gun or what the plan was.  Customer Service never answered the phone or returned calls.  I finally ended up calling the factory and got routed to repair service where I was able to talk to someone who knew what was going on and was most helpful.

So, once I got to someone actually doing some work they were responsive.  Their front-line customer service just sucked ass.  It took them sixteen weeks to refinish my LTC (refinished in "covert black" rather than the original "regal") and they didn't do a very good job of that (very light on the bottom of the dust cover).  They never contacted me when they shipped it back - I got a call from my FFL saying he had it.

I've since sold my LTC and no longer own a Para.  All in all the experience left such a bitter taste in my mouth that I doubt that I'll buy another.  I've heard that there was a management shakeup this past summer so maybe things will change, but it doesn't sound like it has yet.

[Pathfinder]

I love my 1911 Para Commander, the Tac-S with it's LDA trigger. Great gun. Sadly, though, I need to agree with Ichiban.

Right before they moved to NC, I ordered spare mags from the website. After some time (weeks), no mags. I called NC, and was told that was handled out of the office in FL. I called FL - got an answering machine. Series of shenanigans, calls not returned, computer was down, etc., and some weeks later, still no mags. Got the excuse at one point about "Golly we moved. It'll get sent real soon now".

I think it was ca. 3 months before the mags just showed up.

Sig hasn't been much better, sadly. I ordered a .22 conversion kit for my P220 back at the end of November. It was on a good sale, something like $100 off. Got 2 extra mags too. Trouble is, I was told that the slide was back ordered and it would be a few weeks. No problem. Early January I called and was told they were in and would ship that week. Two weeks later - nothing. Called again and was told the credit card I gave was invalid. BS - gave them the same one again, and got the kit late last week - nearly 2 months after I ordered it.

[billt]

This is all quickly sounding like yet another company to stay away from. There are getting to be entirely too many of them.   Bill T.

[Sponsor]

[MikeBjerum]

Buying guns should be more fun than this.

[Big Frank]

I have 3 Paras including a 20-something year old kit gun I built before they made whole guns. I had to send my LDA back and didn't have to wait long before I got it back. I guess their CS is hit or miss. I had them put night sights on one and IIRC it was less than a month turn around. I'm happy with my guns and will probably buy another.

[WatchManUSA]

m58,

On Tuesday I'll check with my guy at the shop who deals with coordination and escalation of customer repair issues.  He has a good sense of all the manufacturers customer service and repairs.  Tomorrow nightI'll update the post of his opinion of Para.

PM me if you want any help with Para.

[bafsu92]

I sent emails to them in the past through their sites webform and never got a reply. I signed up to get more information on their rifles before they were released and never heard a thing. I've had a couple of their pistols in the past and liked them but the biggest reason I haven't really given them more of a shot is I feel like their CS is very lacking.

[Timothy]

I've had good luck with their CS through the email delivery system they have but that was nearly three years ago.  A lot has changed since then, it appears not all of it good..