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.