@russell: "Earlier this year I decided to buy a chinese milling machine.  Chester
Champion, Axminster or Warco ZX15.  Yes, I know that a second hand
Bridgeport is better value for money but transport would be difficult
as I live in the south of France.
Anyway, I contacted the three companies by email to ask; a) What would
their delivery charge be? and b) If I came over to the UK on holiday
could they supply one broken down into small enough sections to fit in
the back of an estate car?
Axminster didn't reply, despite a second email a week later.
Chester replied that I would have to contact their French agent.  I
contacted them and found that their price was more than double
Chester's so I again asked Chester if they could supply it broken down
for collection and their reply was no I would have to do it myself.  I
could just imagine myself trying to dismantle a milling machine at the
side of the road!
Warco replied that yes they could supply it partially dismantled and
that they would get me a quote for delivery.  A few days later they
were able to quote for delivery and, as expected, it was rather high
so I asked them to have an imperial version of machine ready for me to
collect on a particular day in August when I would be passing close by
their works.  They asked what car I had so that they could be sure it
would fit and told me that they did not require a deposit.
During my holiday I passed Bristol on the opening day of the show
there and paid a visit to the Warco stand.  I was told that there was
a problem in that the container of imperial mills they had ordered
from China turned out to contain only metric ones.  However after some
discussion they offered to give me a pair of digital scales FOC with a
metric machine.  So, a week later I set off from Devon to Warco's on
my way to my sister's in Sussex.  However the M4 ground to a complete
standstill having been completely closed by an accident.  Eventually I
managed to reach an exit but of course all the alternative routes wehe
jammed solid and it soon became evident that I would not reach Warco's
before closing time.  I telephoned them and, despite it being Friday
evening they volunteered to stay on until I arrived.  When I arrived,
over an hour after closing time I was greeted by cheerful staff who
helped me load the dismantled mill.
I could not ask for better customer service.  I know where I will go
for future requirements.
Russell. "
    @graeme: "I'm about to buy a new lathe and it will be from Warco as all I have 
heard is good things about them when it comes that little bit extra of 
customer service.
<quote>"
    @Boo: "<quote>
Indseed it's a repetitive theme here, and it certainly makes a 
difference as far as my intentions go...
Boo"
    @stevewithnell: ""Graeme Hill" <email_address> wrote in message 
news:<email_address>
<quote>
I've had experience of WARCO and Chester.  I've yet to be convinced that 
WARCO is better to deal with.  I bought a chinese mill (similar to the 
Chester Eagle 25 and Axminster RF-25) from WARCO and needed a couple of new 
head clamp bolts.  These are ordinary 12mm bolts.  I rang WARCO a couple of 
weeks ago,  at which time they didn't have a parts schedule for the machine 
they sold me a couple of months previously and I had to FAX mine to them so 
they could identify the part.  I haven't had time to chase them up [or use 
the mill :-((  ] but I'm still outstanding a call from them.  That's not ace 
customer service that earns a price premium.  It is unfair to judge on one 
example,  but it is reasonable to throw the example into the ring so that an 
overall view can be taken.
Steve "
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