Metabo Duo problems

**journeyman Mick** · 17th April 2006, 03:24 PM

I bought a Metabo Duo sander just over 12 months ago, partly as a result of all the good press it's recieved here. I own two other Metabo tools, a planer which I bought 2nd hand and a large screw gun which I bought new.

The planer has given me 9 years of good service with just a few blade changes and one minor repair. The height adjustment for the front sole seized up and I found upon dissasembly that there was a plastic shaft that had expanded and seized. I touched it up with some sand paper and it's worked fine ever since.

The screwgun was (and is) a major disaster.

At the time that I bought it I was using a 2nd hand Makita screw gun which was underpowered for driving 14 gauge, 50mm roofing screws and 70 & 100mm batten screws. I went and bought the most powerful screw gun I could find thinking that it would be the answer to all my roofing needs. I did one reroof with it and it performed fine. My cousin, though, who had bought the same gun at the same time found that the clutch on his was failing partway through that job. He sent it off and it was repaired under warranty.A few months later my cltch started playing up also and I had probably only driven about a thousand or so screws with it. The gun went off for warranty repairs and I didn't have need of it again till after the warranty ran out.

Pulled it out of the box and promptly drove the first screw straight through the roof sheeting - the clutch wasn't working.:mad: Sent it off for repairs again - out of my own pocket. It worked alright for a while but the clutch started playing up again not long after. I rang Metabo and spoke to one of their techs who said the gun was no longer in production and any repairs would be at my expense. I've been using the 2nd hand Makita all this time.

To the Duo: A few months after I bought it, it didn't want to run up to speed. Took it to the local agent, who inspected it and couldn't find anything wrong. I took it home and it seemed to run fine. I reckon I've used it for maybe 6 hours total, the original dustbag is still connected and maybe 70% full. I went to use it last week, turned it over and pushed in the red button to change orbit sizes, turned the disc and the red button refused to pop out. I've tried bumping the tool and prizing the button but it won't come out and consequently the machine won't run up to speed (same problem as before?).

I dug out the original purchase invoice and found that it's a bit over 12 months since purchase. I never registered online for the extra warranty as I was having computer problems at the time. I've Emailed Metabo and am awaiting their response and am hoping they will still give me the extended warranty.

Apparently there's the manufacturer's warranty and an "implied" warranty under Australian consumer law. I'm guessing that the law would say that the fact that Metabo offers an extended warranty to those who register for it would imply that the tool would be expected to last for two years without any faults occurring. Anyway I'll keep you all posted as to progress but I can tell you I have been badly let down by 66% of all Metabo tools that I have purchased

. (I've also had a few Makita let downs and a lot of De walt letdowns but a real good run out of Hitachi and AEG)

Mick

PS BTW anyone who checks out my tools can tell that I look after them, they're clean (dust blown out daily) and well maintained and I've got lots of them so I use the right tool for the job so it really, really annoys me when they give up on me after very little use.

**RufflyRustic** · 17th April 2006, 03:47 PM

hmmm, food for thought. Thanks Mick

cheers
Wendy

**gnu52** · 17th April 2006, 06:52 PM

Hello Mick,
I know nothing of Metabo, never having owned one, but know how annoying it is when a tool you expect to preform lets you down.
Your experience will influence my thinking when I replace a ros shortly.
It will be interesting to see what back up Matabo offer because backup is half the battle.
All the best, Bill

**Bob Willson** · 17th April 2006, 07:05 PM

Maybe I won't buy one after all.

**knucklehead** · 17th April 2006, 08:01 PM

Mick bring it to the woodworking show, we can make a real scene at the Metabo stand.

An unhappy customer complaining loudly to anyone that will listen may persuade them to do the right thing.

**Harry72** · 17th April 2006, 08:43 PM

My Duo is still going strong after 12mths of reasonable heavy use, have you pulled the pad off to investigate the orbit change button sticking?

**vsquizz** · 17th April 2006, 08:46 PM

S**t Mick...the Duo has had nothing but good reports around the traps. Based on the good run I have had with Metabo in the past that was what I was going to get...Maybe you got the Friday arvo one..par for the course though in Mass production stuff these days..any brand will have duds. I suppose you'll have to head off to the Festool dealer now...

**Carpenter** · 17th April 2006, 09:59 PM

Can't say I've used one, but I'm not that jazzed with the direction Metabo is going in these days....just like everyone else, built to a price.

**journeyman Mick** · 17th April 2006, 11:16 PM

I might just have to point the good folks at Metabo to this thread

.
Harry, I had a look at the pad, but can't figure how to remove it to see what's going on with the button and am still hopeful that Metabo will treat it as a warranty case and am therefore reluctant to start playing with it.

Mick

**journeyman Mick** · 18th April 2006, 01:30 PM

I just recieved a reply from Metabo and it's not looking good!:mad: I've replied and referred them to this thread, so we'll see how things shape up. Forumites will be able to see how much Metabo Australia values repeat custom. I'm still hoping they will reconsider.

Their response was:

Mike,

Part of the condition for the XXL extension warranty is that the tool
must be registered WITHIN 7 Days of purchase.
Unfortunately your tool is out of the 12 month warranty period.

Cheers

George Stefanou
Operations Manager

Metabo Pty Ltd
10 Dalmore Drive
Scoresby, Victoria 3179
Australia

Tel: 03 9765 0102
Fax:03 9765 0189
Mob:0407 828 479

I'll also be contacting our fair trading department to inquire about "implied warranty", so that's another avenue. In the end it's not so much the cost of any repairs that bothers me, more the fact that the damn thing has broken down after very little work. I look after my tools and I've still got a lot of gear that's done 100's of hours so to have two expensive tools from an upmarket manufacturer fail after next to no work is very dissapointing.

Mick

**knucklehead** · 18th April 2006, 01:37 PM

It's food for thought Mick.

A metabo duo was definatly on my shopping list for this years show.
That purchase is under serious reconsideration.

**mat** · 18th April 2006, 02:29 PM

That's a short and sour response. They didn't even get your name right. You'd think they could at least say something positive or be helpful in some way.

It's good to get some feedback on the after sales service of these companies so we can all make informed decisions about our purchases.

**Buzzer** · 18th April 2006, 03:49 PM

A metabo dust extractor is/was on my to buy list during the wood show, but now?? I will also reconsider, maybe Festool, as I am in a rural area, reliability,repairs/backup service are a bigger issue than the intial cost.

Mick,
I hope you get a satisfactory response soon.

**kats1719** · 18th April 2006, 07:21 PM

Hi Mick to remove the pad just undo the cap allen key bolt in th senter of the pad (see pic). I must say that i have not had eney lproblem with mine I use it to remove gelcote from glider wings and it hasent mised a beat i have replased the pad the valcro war out but this is after about 3000 sanding discs worth. one thing i do is use a dust evtractor the little bag thing isnt up to the job . hope this helps

**journeyman Mick** · 19th April 2006, 12:24 AM

I got a phone call from George this afternoon

after I had directed him to this thread. He explained that they get a lot of calls from people that haven't registered for the extended warranty and then wish to access it. He said that usually in this case there is nothing they can do. However he said that they would be prepared to look at my Duo to see if it was a warrantable repair. He wouldn't make any promises as to whether they would fix it or not but if I send it to them they will check it out.

So I guess that's good news, morally anyway. Truth be told by the time I pay for postage and then wait for it to do a 6000km round trip I'd be better off just paying for it to be fixed locally. I was rather shocked when he told me that they have people calling them all the time with extended warranty issues, I buy more expensive tools more for the expectation of trouble free use and reliability than anything else. I'm really starting to wonder whether I may be better off buying a cheapo ROS and treating it as a disposable. Either that or get myself a huge 3 phase compressor and running lots of air tools. While I don't expect tools to last forever I have had tools give 10 or even 15 years of reliable heavy trade service. That's what I believe I'm paying for when I buy trade tools, but it seems that this may be a thing of the past.

Mick

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Metabo Duo problems

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bye bye duo

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