Tools from Aldi

Just a word of caution to those who buy tools etc. from stores like Aldi. Like many, I have bought various machines and tools from their special buys over the years and have generally got good value for the outlay.

One of the purchases was an electric chain saw Model GCS2000S. A really excellent saw, it was a good buy. However, just out of guarantee, I got a bit over enthusiastic with the butt of a large sycamore and stripped a nylon bevel gear inside. My own fault entirely.

The problem is that Aldi don't take any interest once you are out of the guarantee period. On top of that they have changed their source of supply and the old source I'm told is out of business. Their present supplier didn't want to know.

I cannot find a supplier for the part so I am left with an otherwise perfect saw that is useless. What a waste.

Worth bearing in mind if you have any of their tools nearing their guarantee expiry!!!

PS. Anyone out there with a knackered GCS2000S with a serviceable nylon bevel gear?

John

**LINK**

Try these

Thanks Cyril, but no, they don't list the part and the saw they presently list is different.

John

To be fair to Aldi I don't think they are any different to many other retailers once the guarantee period has expired

To expect a retailer to fix anything outside of a guarantee period breaches the definition of a guaranteed period

Added to which it wasn't a defect of the machine but rather you own over enthusiasm with a large tree trunk

I will continue to buy Aldi and Lidl stuff as I find it's a cheap way of acquiring a tool for occasional use

If I relied on them for my job or used them frequently then I would consider more costly equipment with a robust reputation but for what I use them for they are great

John

John,

I agree Aldi are no different to any retailers. I certainly didn't expect them to repair it. My frustration is in not being able to source the part or the maker. I didn't find them helpful in that.

Graham, I make a very nice Sloe gin.

Seriously though, my workshop and my present expertise puts cutting a gear like that down the road a bit. However our chosen hobby thrives on solving problems so, another one on the to-do list for the future!

John

How about made in china.com

**LINK**

Guarantee is in addition to your statutory rights.

Retailers often hide behind the non-mandatory guarantee.

NGO and read the sale of goods act.

I can't yet comment on the quality, but I've just bought Qty.3 useful-looking circular saw blades

Reduced from £6.99 to £3.99 each, at my local store [Buxton]

Workzone Multi Purpose Circular Saw Blade, described as:

General Purpose TCT Blade for cutting Metal, Plastic and Wood

110mm diameter, with 20mm bore, and a Max no-load Speed of 4,500 rpm

... it looks like a suitable blade for use in the lathe, or in a stand-alone miniature Table Saw.

MichaelG.

> How about made in china.com

When I was a teenager I saw an opportunity in translating Chinese instructions etc. into decent English. 35 odd years later, it seems no-one has taken up this business opportunity!

Neil

This might be worth a read **LINK** followed by a revisit to the store concerned.

That's an interesting article Lofty, thank you.

To be fair to the store (Aldi) the saw was indeed a very good one. The damaged part was my own fault so I never expected to have it repaired by the company. It was out of guarantee also.

What annoyed me really was the fact that I was left with a saw that was perfect apart from one damaged part which I could easily have replaced .....if I could get it. And that was the problem. The company would not, or could not, tell me who the manufacturer was. As it is now the saw is just scrap.

My reason for bringing it up in the first place was to alert owners to the fact that if their bought machines/tools might in the future need parts eg. plastic gears, that could wear out, they might think of sourcing the spares before the guarantee runs out and the seller is no longer dealing with the product.

Falco,

Is this the same as the saw in question ?

If so, there are contact details in the document.

... All looks quite encouraging.

MichaelG.

Michael,

Thank you for posting the link.

That indeed is the saw and unfortunately I have already tried the contacts given but the results were as I have outlined earlier. I have tried their website and their customer care numbers in both England and Ireland.

Pity I don't have a bit of German. Maybe I should get on to the HQ!

John

John,

That's rather strange, isn't it

The web-page has a 2013 copyright stamp at bottom-left, so one would assume them to be operating.

If eMail doesn't work, it might be worth snail-mailing to the Netherlands address, at bottom-right.

MichaelG.