The Energon Pub

News Credits: 129 · Sat Jul 17, 2010 2:26 pm

One of the problems with the TFCC Seacons was that the Gestalt fist pegs were not necessarily straight. Did you have that problem?

Sun Jul 18, 2010 4:23 am

I'm starting to get a bad feeling about my order. I've had so many problems trying to preorder the damn thing, I'm starting to think the problems will continue when I'll eventually get it. I've got to import this damn thing to the UK as well.....great :sad:

News Credits: 217 · Sun Jul 18, 2010 7:56 am

It's time for The Perils Of Piranacon, part two.

So I managed to get a second Piranacon and get rid of the first. This time I gave the set a fairly serious ogle before I parted with cash. And I was happy to notice that this one did have both of Seawing's guns and a pin through Nautilator's bottom. In fact, apart from the sloppy stickers and Overbite mold issues it was a perfectly goWAIT WHAT?!?!

Yep, that's two left fists on Skalor. Not so big a problem as I have an original Skalor with some very cannibalisable fists but this is two for two on Piranacons with really really stupid QC issues.

Watch out guys.

News Credits: 241 · Sun Jul 18, 2010 8:07 am

Man, that bites! Thankfully you have Skalor/Gulf for parts.

News Credits: 36 · Sun Jul 18, 2010 8:10 am

Did you let a black cat cross the street in front of you, walk under a ladder to get to the toy store and then open up an umbrella whilst you were in there?

That is some really bad luck mate, i take it the previous one didn't have the lefty issue? I hope you get it sorted soon, no joy with Hasblow?

News Credits: 4 · Sun Jul 18, 2010 8:12 am

Pretender Skywarp wrote:
Diem wrote:Thanks for the tip. I sent a very annoyed email to Hasbro asking what they intend to do about it.

Hope you have more luck than I did with their European arm recently...

Sorry to hear about your bad luck tho', I'm expecting my preorder in about two weeks and hope this is an isolated incident.

It'd be pretty difficult to have less luck with anything than someone has with trying to get Hasbro UK/EU to act like a proper company.

News Credits: 60 · Sun Jul 18, 2010 8:14 am

Are they (Takara/Hasbro)paying their QC supervisors at their China plant? Or are the workers plain stupid? This is like henkei Starscream dejavu.....

News Credits: 217 · Sun Jul 18, 2010 8:22 am

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Man, that bites! Thankfully you have Skalor/Gulf for parts.

I'm more worried for fans who buy this set from an online store and either have to mail it back or go eBay hunting for parts.

I normally support Hasbro but applying such poor QC to an expensive collector's set is unacceptable.

Counterpunch, I can't see any huge problem with the gestalt's fists. I wouldn't want to put too much stress on them though.

fenrir72 wrote:Are they (Takara/Hasbro)paying their QC supervisors at their China plant? Or are the workers plain stupid? This is like henkei Starscream dejavu.....

Exactly. This is pretty terrible.

craggy wrote:
Pretender Skywarp wrote:
Diem wrote:Thanks for the tip. I sent a very annoyed email to Hasbro asking what they intend to do about it.

Hope you have more luck than I did with their European arm recently...

Sorry to hear about your bad luck tho', I'm expecting my preorder in about two weeks and hope this is an isolated incident.

It'd be pretty difficult to have less luck with anything than someone has with trying to get Hasbro UK/EU to act like a proper company.

I haven't heard anything back from them and I'm not expecting miracles.

Pretender Skywarp wrote:Did you let a black cat cross the street in front of you, walk under a ladder to get to the toy store and then open up an umbrella whilst you were in there?

That is some really bad luck mate, i take it the previous one didn't have the lefty issue? I hope you get it sorted soon, no joy with Hasblow?

The previous one may have had two left fists (I didn't notice) but in this case the fist was installed upside-down, making it impossible to flip out without busting out a screwdriver.

I've been pretty lucky lately. Maybe I'm paying the price.

News Credits: 3 · Sun Jul 18, 2010 10:05 am

That really sucks how much bad luck you've had with buying this set.

I do think on the whole though that we shouldn't complain too much about this reissue because since they got released by the TFCC so many people have said they regretted not getting the set back then, have complained about how much they now cost on Ebay etc and said how much they want a reissue.

Now we have the chance to get the reissued set for only $60 (I know Predaking is a much bigger combiner but he's going for $160+ and you'll have to wait until November at least to get him, maybe longer) AND Hasbro have had the decency to rush the release so that he was available for us to buy within one month of the news breaking officially.

If there are issues with the colour of any of the Seacons paint then I don't care at all, the stickers don't look great I agree but if one of them has a small colour change like the head or gun or arms from the original I don't give a crap.
I think they look great and am personally really happy that they've been reissued.

If the quality is bad when I get my set this week then I'll hold my hands up and will also be posting about it on this forum but until that happens (and if) I'd like to say well done Hasbro but that i hope you didn't use the same factory as you did for Dion in China because the quality is nothing like as good as the Henkei classics figures here in Japan.

Sun Jul 18, 2010 10:28 am

These QC issues are unacceptable for such a high-priced item. :evil:

News Credits: 767 · Sun Jul 18, 2010 10:34 am

I believe the reason for these issues is that it's a shared exclusive reissue for online stores and thus production has to be as cheap as possible.

News Credits: 7 · Sun Jul 18, 2010 11:05 am

Hmmm... I was on the fence about this rereleased Piranacon, but these problems seem to be too common to brush aside. Sure, two figures which both have big QC problems (missing pin, two left fists) can just be bad luck, but I can't believe that the general lack of QC is incidental.
For that reason, I'll think I'll pass on this one. I already own the God Neptune version of the mold (with better colors, although the lack of Nautilator and the weapons hurts it), and I don't actually care for the mold or the figure much anyhow.

Sun Jul 18, 2010 12:31 pm

Dead Metal wrote:I believe the reason for these issues is that it's a shared exclusive reissue for online stores and thus production has to be as cheap as possible.

Sorry... but it still doesn't sit well with me.

News Credits: 7 · Sun Jul 18, 2010 1:07 pm

Well I will role the dice just because I have always wanted a set of these.

News Credits: 6 · Sun Jul 18, 2010 1:09 pm

Just cancelled my preorder. Thanks!

News Credits: 129 · Sun Jul 18, 2010 1:13 pm

Original G1 Piranicon: $250-300 complete.

Reissue from BBTS: $60

Vintage Overbite replacement: $15 (no accessories)

Vintage Snaptrap for scrap and replacement head: $5-10

BBTS will replace or return your Seacons if they're defective. Yes, the quality control issues are disappointing. If you got the TFCC Seacons you should have known this was coming. It's all easily manageable though and much cheaper than buying vintage.

News Credits: 241 · Sun Jul 18, 2010 1:36 pm

Counterpunch wrote:Original G1 Piranicon: $250-300 complete.

Are you serious?! I got mine for $85, loose, priced down from $95 a year ago for helping the seller with assembling and cataloging the item. Sure, it was missing one small gun after closer examination, both me and the seller thought it was complete!

News Credits: 8 · Sun Jul 18, 2010 2:43 pm

I've always had good luck when it comes to reissues..I've never had any probems at all so I'm gonna take my chances with this one..besides Like CP said getting replacements parts isn't that hard nor exspensive and ity's kinda fun IMO

..That's the kitbasher in me talking I guess..I planned on leaving these guys MISB anyway...

News Credits: 129 · Sun Jul 18, 2010 2:57 pm

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:
Counterpunch wrote:Original G1 Piranicon: $250-300 complete.

Are you serious?! I got mine for $85, loose, priced down from $95 a year ago for helping the seller with assembling and cataloging the item. Sure, it was missing one small gun after closer examination, both me and the seller thought it was complete!

I may be a bit high on those prices, but that's what I was hearing people ask for in regards to a 100% Piranacon.

Even checking eBay, it's around $200 for a complete Seacon set. So...yea:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Transformers-G1-com ... 2eae0b1efd

News Credits: 241 · Sun Jul 18, 2010 3:19 pm

Counterpunch wrote:
JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:
Counterpunch wrote:Original G1 Piranicon: $250-300 complete.

Are you serious?! I got mine for $85, loose, priced down from $95 a year ago for helping the seller with assembling and cataloging the item. Sure, it was missing one small gun after closer examination, both me and the seller thought it was complete!

I may be a bit high on those prices, but that's what I was hearing people ask for in regards to a 100% Piranacon.

Even checking eBay, it's around $200 for a complete Seacon set. So...yea:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Transformers-G1-com ... 2eae0b1efd

I ain't selling mine, should you people get ideas.

News Credits: 3 · Sun Jul 18, 2010 3:32 pm

@Diem:

I hope you get a response from Hasbro, however I would not count on it because it is a store exclusive and not a regular mass retail toy. I had the same experience back in 2003 with Sam's Club Exclusive Universe RID yellow Optimus Prime. The toy had seem like it was put together buy two blind people. The parts were uneven. Rough edges on the plastic and the dreaded thumb print.I bought it at the NC state flea market brand new MIB, but I had no real receipt. I was at a loss to return it because I had moved from where I bought it from. The guy who I dealt with probably would have given me something comparable, but to drive 300 miles was not gonna do. Contacting Hasbro was hard, and after a series of calls I got the packing slip with tracking number to send it back postage paid. However, demand was fairly high in 2004 for that Sam's version, so I sold it with the explanation that it came rough. Still one guy paid me $50, which was twice as much as I paid for it MIB. Who knew?

From what other collectors have told me about exclusives is that Hasbro will send you something comparable to it. I wasn't sure what I would get because I had already replaced Powerlinx Optimus earlier that year, and wound up with Regular Super Armada Prime as a replacement from Hasbro.

News Credits: 7 · Sun Jul 18, 2010 3:35 pm

after reading this, Ive jsut canceled my preorder. Someone should let BBTS know about the issue so none go out until the issues are resolved. If it's that level of quality, then nobody should have to pay $60.

News Credits: 668 · Sun Jul 18, 2010 3:40 pm

Roadbuster wrote:after reading this, Ive jsut canceled my preorder. Someone should let BBTS know about the issue. If it's that level of quality, then nobody should have to pay $60.

You're being unreasonable. BBTS has the best track record for customer service. If you'd have a problem, and it's not guaranteed to... they'd correct it either by refund or replacement.

Heck, if 5 of the 6 figures are fine, they'll replace just the one robot!

Seriously, canceling the preorder and depriving them of business is just bad form. Especially when they'll bend over backwards to help you.

It's a little different on the TRNS figure, because it's been stated that they're basically junk from head to toe, but even then, BBTS would replace the entire figure for you, no charge. If they're willing to replace a piece, a robot, or the full set, what do you have to lose?

Seriously, you'll regret canceling that preorder.

Sun Jul 18, 2010 4:39 pm

I was actually curious how the connection was, especially to form Piranacon's left arm. Snaptrap holds it very loose, like if you turned it sideways, the left arm falls out. That was the only QC issue I ran into, back in 1988... well, that and the top fin on Overbite, refuses to stay up, but that might be due to old age...

News Credits: 241 · Sun Jul 18, 2010 4:48 pm

godzill216 wrote:I was actually curious how the connection was, especially to form Piranacon's left arm. Snaptrap holds it very loose, like if you turned it sideways, the left arm falls out. That was the only QC issue I ran into, back in 1988... well, that and the top fin on Overbite, refuses to stay up, but that might be due to old age...

The connections aren't as tight as they should be on my vintage one, but it's a good idea to slide the peg all the way into the socket.