Here ARE the FACTS:

Yes, I do talk with John from Code 3 from time to time. I also talk and email other vendors too.

This was not Andy's model that was trashed. In fact, there were two collector involved. BOTH were sending me emails.

Yes, I was involved with the Palm Beach Gardens model. This is the first project that John followed through from beginning to end.

Yes, I was involved with the Philly project. Every step of the process was approved by John and in some cases the Philly Fire Department. I am not responsible for what China does to the model or how it is shipped.

I AM NOT Code 3's Customer Support.

Yes, I locked the Philly thread on my forums. The very last post asked if anyone had problems with the Philly to please email me direct. I did not receive a single email. It set there for weeks until I removed the entire post yesterday. NOT ONE EMAIL.

Yes, I did contact John about Andy's problem and I kept Andy informed throughout the process. He thanked me for my assistance.

Yes, I emailed Andy the day before he made his final phone call to Code 3 with a contact name. I don't know if you used it or not.

Andy knows the entire story about how his problem with Code 3 was resolved. I even received an email from Andy that said, in part "Thank you for your assistance".

Yes, John is a good a decent man.

My forums is not a firehouse. You treat it like my home. When you enter my home, you do not bad mouth my wife, kick my dog, or trash my friends. PERIOD! If you don't like my home don't come in. If you don't follow these simple rules, as some of you already know, you are out the door and are not invited back.

You can stand at the sidewalk and cry and whine all you want. The rest of us just stand at the window and laugh and continue with one of the best hobbies around.

Larry Lorance and Rich Krom have done more for our hobby than just about anyone else. They are men of their word, and have done a lot to assist collectors in need. It is absolutely ridiculous that they are being criticized for correctly moderating a collector board that counts amongst its members some younger folks. The "Hitler" references demonstrate how totally ignorant some of you are.

They are not employees of Code 3, nor is their board an entity of Code 3. Their board, in fact, is something that Larry created, maintains, and funds out of his own pocket. Do any of you recall paying a membership fee? Do any of you recall ever being asked to pay one? Nope! So please respect their board as they respect their members. And if you don't like moderation, then go somewhere else.

There are not a lot of us who collect model fire engines. We need to stick together and respect one another. Blaming Larry or Rich for a problem with a Code 3 model is wrong. Not thanking them for going above and beyond to resolve a problem is just pathetic.

Location: Meriden, CT

Get a Room!!!

""I AM NOT Code 3's Customer Support.

Yes, I locked the Philly thread on my forums. The very last post asked if anyone had problems with the Philly to please email me direct. I did not receive a single email. It set there for weeks until I removed the entire post yesterday. NOT ONE EMAIL. ""


NO Email received :That's easy to answer Larry.
As you stated you are not code 3 customer service,simple but true.
I do not feel the need to get helped by you how friendly i may find your offer.
Code 3 p*ssed me off BIG TIME on the Philly and their crap service.
The ""i feel better then you attitude ""Code 3 uses
to p*ss off all non american buyers says enough to me.
Dunkel & friends have a long way to go before i'll be buying anything unseen again.
Hans

Location: land of make believe

Let me just restate Larry's post

Here ARE the FACTS:

Yes, I do talk with John from Code 3 from time to time. I also talk and email other vendors too.

This was not Andy's model that was trashed. In fact, there were two collector involved. BOTH were sending me emails.

Yes, I was involved with the Palm Beach Gardens model. This is the first project that John followed through from beginning to end.

Yes, I was involved with the Philly project. Every step of the process was approved by John and in some cases the Philly Fire Department. I am not responsible for what China does to the model or how it is shipped.

I AM NOT Code 3's Customer Support.

Yes, I locked the Philly thread on my forums. The very last post asked if anyone had problems with the Philly to please email me direct. I did not receive a single email. It set there for weeks until I removed the entire post yesterday. NOT ONE EMAIL.

Yes, I did contact John about Andy's problem and I kept Andy informed throughout the process. He thanked me for my assistance.

Yes, I emailed Andy the day before he made his final phone call to Code 3 with a contact name. I don't know if you used it or not.

Andy knows the entire story about how his problem with Code 3 was resolved. I even received an email from Andy that said, in part "Thank you for your assistance".

Yes, John is a good a decent man.

My forums is not a firehouse. You treat it like my home. When you enter my home, you do not bad mouth my wife, kick my dog, or trash my friends. PERIOD! If you don't like my home don't come in. If you don't follow these simple rules, as some of you already know, you are out the door and are not invited back.

You can stand at the sidewalk and cry and whine all you want. The rest of us just stand at the window and laugh and continue with one of the best hobbies around.


I also received this email from Larry

Andy, step up to the plate and tell the folks on the ATEV Board how I found out that your problem with Code 3 was corrected. You emailed me...

It was in reply to an email that I sent him in relation to a page that was still on his site despite asking for it to be removed


Now folks familiar with Larry's site will know Andy as his screen name British Firefighter.

YES I did send Larry an email thanking him for his assistance in getting mess sorted out.

YES the model was for somebody else, a fellow collector, Matt, who has been buying models from me (at cost price) and utilising the free shipping that Code 3 has given to me.
Between Matt and the other Australian collectors in the group (14 of us in total) we purchased 264 models at a cost of just under US$13,500 over the past 2 years.

YES both Matt and I sent Larry emails we also sent a number to Code 3 as well as phone calls and faxes to both Code 3 and Funrise.

YES we know that neither Larry nor Rich or even John Dunkel work for Code 3 Customer Service / Customer Support.

The story from the beginning

Matt requested I order him a Philly DP, when the model arrives there are parts missing including a mirror, the main hydraulic ram from the boom and other minor problems.

None of the main missing parts are in the packaging debunking Code 3's later claims that poor packaging was the problem.

I contact Code 3 who immediately dispatch another model as they have done on the other occasions this has happened. However the model is sent to me rather than Matt so I check it to make sure all is OK.

This model too has damage although not as bad as the first model. I contact Code 3 who agree to send a third model, which will be checked before it leaves.
In the interim more customers are found to have faulty models so Code 3 decides all models should be sent back via ground service for a refund of the model cost and shipping.

Ground service is not available from Australia so I seek clarification from Code 3. After several emails they agree that the least expensive FedEx service available, International Economy, should be used.

I requested a quote from FedEx and the cost if I pay over the counter is 50 cents less than the cost of the model. If I used my account it is some $50-00 less.

Realising that FedEx has a more you send the cheaper it is pricing structure I contact Code 3 to seek clarification of what they want done and suggest that having them pay the shipping would be cheaper more efficient.

In the interim several posts have been made to Larry's forum advising of the lack of progress and seeing if anybody else was having more joy.

At no time up until this point had any offer of assistance been made, rather posts were being pulled from that forum and various threats were being made.

It was not until well after the thread was locked that an offer of assistance was made and all the details were passed to Larry. After several days of hearing nothing 2 calls were made to Code 3, one by Matt the other by me.

The result, after the customer service supervisor spoke with her manager Code 3 agreed to refund the money paid for the model and they would not require that either of the models be returned.

As a former service quality analyst for a major telecommunications company I was happy to finally have the problem resolved. I was not happy with the time it took. On a personal note I was saddened by the friendships lost, but realised that had they been true friends then even this debacle would not have had the permanent result that is now the reality.

I noted today that there was some discussion here relating to my lack of response. I was waiting for the refund to appear on my credit card before making the details public. I also thought I should give Larry the courtesy of reading my response before it was posted. However as he demand that I "step up to the plate" he has forgone that privilege.

I don't know if Larry is "in Code 3's pocket" and I really don't care. If he is able to use his skills and experience to ensure we get a better model who am I to complain. If he get paid for it so be it we all have to use our talents to get by.

I do believe as do others that the actions of Larry and Rich have led to a public perception that they are "in Code 3's pocket", however it is their forum so that is up to them. There are other forums that I contribute to where people are aware that I run a part time business supplying lights and sirens for emergency vehicles and I quite often comment favourably about suppliers I am happy to deal with and bag those who are not up to speed. That is what I believe those sort of forums are there for, in part.

There are side issues that led to me leaving Larry's forum and he is aware of what was behind that decision and it is not up for public debate.

I hope that answers your questions.
For me it is CASE CLOSED.

Location: Sydney Australia

This was posted by British Firefighter on the fire engines.net site....... (about the statement above naming "Andy" as BFF) The Andy mentioned throughout this post is NOT British Firefighter from the other board.

""It has been brought to my attention that a post currently active on the ATEV board that relates to the Code 3 DP Philly Squrt mentions me by both name and my board name here of "British Firefighter".
It has been stated in a post by the owner of this board that he directly assisted me (by using my name) in the resolution of a problem I was having with Code 3 after purchasing this model.
May I make it known that as I never ordered this model (from any company/store) this claim is inaccurate. I can therefore not "step up to the plate".
I have had no contact via E mail, or any other source with the owner of this board in relation to this DP or any other subject for that matter. This is a case of a person mistaking me for someone who lives on the other side of the World.
I do not post on ATEV so am unable to advise the members of that forum of this error but as I know some of the members here do use that forum too I wanted to bring this to the attention of those to who it applies.
Andy""

Thanks, perhaps you could give him a message to email me so I can fill him in on what's what.

At least we are both Commonwealth Countries...

Location: Sydney Australia

Yep, I did mess up on that one. It should be Alan not Andy.

You will definitely have to get that KRAFT disease fixed Larry....

Now, can we put all this long winded silliness to rest.......?

The rest of us did 2 DAYS AGO

Location: Sydney Australia