I guess like everyone else I have been impressed by Code 3's attempt to re-connect with collectors recently. But I guess more serious for us is the quality and pricing of the models. TL-1 turned up today and worse than design flaws or inaccuracies or pricing was a kind of sloppiness in the assembly of the model I have not seen at Code 3 before: rookie rods bent back out of shape, sagging where cab is not properly attached to body, window transfer smudged "E Support Our Troops". The whole thing is shoddy in a way I have not seen before. Anyone can get a "lemon" - was this one bad piece of work off the assembly line or are people finding the same issues? This one should not have got past quality control - is it a one off?

This has been happening for quite a few months now. They slap together a simple repaint and charge you $20.00 more than when it was first released in 2003.

In both the October and November issues of the TOY TRUCKER Magazine, kitbasher Mike Adams refers to the multiple (different) factories that Code 3 uses to produce their models...in other words, one might never know from one day to the next which factory in a different part of China Code 3 is using at the actual time of production of certain models. So...even though there is supposed to be extremely tight QC at all factory locations, different factories (again, in different parts of China) have different people assembling the models, etc...and maybe this is why some releases have come out great lately while some have come out less than what we've been used to...

There's even more to it than that, and it's all well worth reading...

Copies of each issue of the magazine (October and November) can be had for only five bucks each, and that includes postage. Call Julie W at 1-800-533-8293 and she will take your order. They do take all credit cards, also.

Larry Phillips
TOY TRUCKER Magazine

Location: North Dakota

I got mine today and I am very unhappy with it, the front bumper fell off along with the two side riggers were not strapped tight to the truck they were hanging loose, and while I am on a roll I placed this order back on 7-31 along with E7 which I haven't received yet. According to Code3 and their records I NEVER ORDER THE UNIT, but I have a email from Code3 showing that I did.

ON THE BUFFALO RIGS I NOTICED THE QS WERE CROOKED ON 4 OF THEM .

Location: BUFFALO NY

A few of my readers have either called and/or e-mailed and told me that the gauges on the pump panel are on BOTH SIDES of the model of the Code 3 Buffalo Pumper...

Being I haven't seen the actual piece, has anyone else received a model in this same configuration?

I guess I find it hard to believe that the Buffalo FD would spec a COMPLETE set of gauges on both sides of the pumper...and, while it would be possible to build it this way at the ALF factory, what would be the advantage?

Larry Phillips
TOY TRUCKER Magazine

Location: North Dakota

Someone posted photos of their Buffalo engine on fireengines.net and the panel was the same way, both sides of the rig. I have seen multiple photos of the actual rig and other rigs from the same order, and they DO NOT have "dual" pump panels, and neither does any rig in current production as far as I know.

C3 made a boo boo, and a big one at that. I'm not sure which is worse, the dual pump panels, or the fact that the panel itself is at least 1/3 longer than it should be...the whole thing looks very wrong and out of proportion. If done right, I would have bought this one, such a shame.