I am frustrated by my dealings with Discovery Telescopes. I ordered an 8" F6 PDHQ from Bill at Discovery last October, and it took about a month to deliver it. Twice as long as Bill said, but not too bad. Yet.
When I unpacked the main tube, I immediately noticed that the spider vane was installed askew, based on obviously misaligned bolts on the tube. The main mirror holes were also not well aligned.
So I called Bill (which took several days to accomplish), and he said he would replace the main tube. Said he would send FedEx to have the tube picked up, so he could reinstall the hardware on the new tube. Fine.
After the third time that the FedEx truck never showed up when Bill said it would, I suggested (after again taking many days to accomplish a discussion with him) that Discovery just send out a re-drilled new tube, and I would install all the hardware myself. He said that he would be happy to do so. It is now January of 2007. He said it should take about a week.
So, etc., etc., it is now April 2007, and no tube! I have repeatedly tried to contact Bill, with occasional success, at which points he always said "no more than another week."
So, a month after he told me that it had just shipped out, still no tube. Well, now I'm done. I will now never do business with Discovery again. It's not the total time, necessarily (even though that's plenty long), it's more of the constant untrue estimates given on a $1000 investment. Here is the text of my final email to Discovery:
I'm sorry for the long post, but given no other practical recourse, I can only share my experience in the hopes of preventing someone else going through my same frustrating experience. Thanks for listening, fellow Astromarters.
When I unpacked the main tube, I immediately noticed that the spider vane was installed askew, based on obviously misaligned bolts on the tube. The main mirror holes were also not well aligned.
So I called Bill (which took several days to accomplish), and he said he would replace the main tube. Said he would send FedEx to have the tube picked up, so he could reinstall the hardware on the new tube. Fine.
After the third time that the FedEx truck never showed up when Bill said it would, I suggested (after again taking many days to accomplish a discussion with him) that Discovery just send out a re-drilled new tube, and I would install all the hardware myself. He said that he would be happy to do so. It is now January of 2007. He said it should take about a week.
So, etc., etc., it is now April 2007, and no tube! I have repeatedly tried to contact Bill, with occasional success, at which points he always said "no more than another week."
So, a month after he told me that it had just shipped out, still no tube. Well, now I'm done. I will now never do business with Discovery again. It's not the total time, necessarily (even though that's plenty long), it's more of the constant untrue estimates given on a $1000 investment. Here is the text of my final email to Discovery:
Bill,
At this point, I simply don't understand what is happening with you and your and your company. In fact, I don't know at this point if you intend to send out the replacement tube you promised at all. I purchased this 8" F6 PDHQ telescope form you in October of 2006 and it was delivered several weeks later. As of yet, I have not removed the mirror or the base from their shipping boxes, much less actually used the telescope. You have assured me on numerous occasions that you would make right the flaws in the original tube. And so far- nothing. I would think that sending out a replacement tube would be one of the easiest tasks to for you to complete, relative to completing an entire telescope.
I am embarrassed to have to send you this email, because I greatly prefer to have friendly relations and exchanges with people I do business with. But given the lack of email response, lack of answering your phone at your place of business, and the lack of communication in general, my options to finally complete this >$1000 deal are few. One way communication is not very efficient.
The repeated delays have greatly frustrated me- not so much due to the total time, but because on the rare occasion that your phone is answered, I was repeatedly told that the tube is just about finished- always a week away. I fact, the last time we talked over three weeks ago, you told me the new tube had already shipped out.
If I thought it would actually happen, I would demand a refund. But from what I have learned, the time line for that transaction could be another 6 months. So I will close with this. Send the replacement tube if you wish, or send a refund if you wish. But as far as I am concerned, I am through doing business with Discovery. And when the opportunity presents itself on the Astronomy forums that I frequent (CN, Astromart, Yahoo Groups...), I will truthfully relay my experiences with Discovery and my intention of doing no further business with you. In fact, I intend to post this email on all three of these sites as of tomorrow morning. I have been left with no other recourse. $1000 spent, and no recourse. A mistake I will not repeat.
All of this ridiculousness, Bill. Over the cheapest part of the telescope. The tube.
With Frustration,
John Powers
I'm sorry for the long post, but given no other practical recourse, I can only share my experience in the hopes of preventing someone else going through my same frustrating experience. Thanks for listening, fellow Astromarters.
