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Para Customer Service Issues: Resolved: See post 35

4K views 47 replies 29 participants last post by  Zsnake 
#1 ·
Just got off the phone with Para Ordanance...I had purchased a PDA 45 on the 14th..shot it on the 22nd and never carried it. It had a multitude of problems: brass hitting me in the forehead, jamming , mag not dropping free and the finish wearing off the end by the muzzle. I had to overnite the pistol to PARA ($65) I called this morning to check on what grips fit it and to make sure they recieved it. Talked to a nice guy named Jason and he informed me that nothing was available for the PDA yet...ok kind of a bummer. Then I asked if he could help me out on the 65 bucks worth of freight ( I am a manufacturers rep by trade and thought I would try a long shot mavbe a mag or two) Jason told me I would have to talk to his superior. This is where things went south fast...he informed me that they are not in the habit of giving things away...I informed him that I had given $1000 for a pistol and then had to spend another $65 to get it to function right. Then I asked him about the other issues and he informed me that the warranty doesn't cover finish wear....I told im that I had the gun a week and never carried it. He said that it didn't matter...what mattered was how many times I had taken it out of the holster! ( I only took it out to admire it and to show my friends...I can't wait to see what this lil gem looks like after a year of carrying) I wish I had taken the pistol and the $65 bucks freight and traded it in on something different. I am steamed right now... I will never purchase another Para product... I researched this pistol before I purchased it and it got great reviews... just thought I would pass this on... Robbie
 
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#32 ·
I agree. When it comes back, trade it in one one or two Glocks. You should be able to trade it even for maybe 2 Glocks.

The finish won't wear off, the gun will be just as accurate, and chances are very, very, very high that it won't have issues right out of the box. Plus, everyone their mothers make holsters for them!
 
#3 ·
They have always been cheaply made and their compact LDA products are the worse of the bunch. I owned a LTC for a short period of time and the finish immediately started to wear on the back of the slide on either side of the hammer. When I say wear, I mean it just came off immediately. And nothing even comes into contact with that area.

ranburr
 
#6 ·
Ughh I bet that hurts....I traded a G23c and have kicked myself since, though, my trade didn't let me down like yours did....Now that I dug up that bone I'm upset @ my self again *sighs*....first and last time I trade a gun away. From then on out what I get, I keep.

Sucks about this experience....I know my gut would have that pit in it...and loss of sleep. No rewind botton during life darn it.
 
#9 ·
Sorry to read of your Para experience. I learned that expensive lesson on a Para 7.45 LDA. Never again. Sweetest trigger I ever squeezed. Too bad it was attached to a poorly made, poorly finished, unreliable, overpriced POS.

One of the suits at Para Ordnance posts here IIRC. Maybe he will see this and give you some assistance...........I wouldn't hold my breath though. Good luck! Regards 18DAI.
 
#10 ·
I know it sounds corny and trite but, " the name of the game is customer service " People have long memories when they have been treated bad. Companies with great products and not so great products prosper by going the extra mile for the customer. I have never owned a Para Oridinance product, after hearing how they treat their customers they are minus one potential customer. Not attempting to placate a deservedly pissed off customer is " Penny wise and pound foolish " There's a reason for all these old sayings it has to do with dealing with jerks.
 
#11 ·
Well, I'll add my two cents.

Back in the seventies, Para only made frames. You bought their frame and springs and magazines and converted your own .45 to a 12 rounder. I did. I have loved that gun ever since.

I next purchased (years later) a compact .45. No problems with that either. In fact, I was so happy with it I mounted a laser on it and have in the nightstand.

With the laser, it wouldn't fit in my holster (Good excuse as any...lol) so I got a Warthog. Same story...works great and carries superbly. Yes, after a few years of carrying same it is a bit worn at the muzzle, but nothing radical. In all the years I have shot the three Paras, I have had ONE malfunction...a stove-pipe.

I hope that they have not lowered their standards so far as that yours is a common experiance. I.E. hope you just got the one bad apple in the bunch.

Well, THAT didn't sound nice at all...sorry about your misfortune, I just hope it isn't a common occurance.
 
#12 ·
Must have got a bad one, My 18-9 LDA Limited has shot over 1500 rounds without failure.

Finish is good.

Have been beaned in the forehead a few times but 99% of shells extract without issue.
 
#13 ·
The guys name at Para that told me this was Chris...I asked him if he could throw an extra mag in to help me on the freight and he told me that they weren't in the habit of giving things away...I stopped at my dealers at lunch and bought a G17 while I was there and told him about what was going on and I think he is going to send all of his Para's back...said he didn't want to sell a product that doesn't have better customer support than that....
 
#15 ·
I shot 6 mags worth and got beaned 5 out of six rounds each mag...had it lock back with rounds in the mag (like it was empty) at least 4 times on 5 of the mags (first mag funtioned fine) then on the last 2 mags it started stovepiping and I said @#@# it and gave up...and the one mag won't drop free...you have to pull it... and after only a week I have a nice shiney ring on the end of my slide (bare metal) ....don't think I am being pickey....
 
#16 ·
Don't own one but, you'll like it a lot more after you get it back and it's functioning correctly.
It's frustrating when you've got some screwy things going on with a brand new firearm that you just paid your hard earned money for.

The "brass in the face" is often a common problem with many different brands of semi-auto. It's a simple fix.

Then I would just let them tune it for you and hopefully it will be a good carry gun for you when you get it back and you'll forget about the bad start.

Also....Call them again and tell them that you posted the story of your bum pistol on DefensiveCarry.com and 20,000 + gun owners are now wondering how they are going to ultimately take care of your defective gun problem.
 
#17 ·
AS JD said...the parakote finish has been lambasted on here for quite sometime. As far as the mechanics go...it is a mechanical device and malfunctions happen. As long as they fix them and make you happy then you are golden. But I agree..the Paras have kinda become junk. Sell it for what you can....and buy a Smith or Springer or Kimber.
 
#21 ·
Dont feel like the Lone Ranger. I recently had a finish problem with a Smith & Wesson revolver. I contacted the service dept by email and through a miltiple of emails was basicly told "tough luck!" This is such a shame since I have long been a Smith fan and found this recently contact with them to be very disappointing! I will remember this if I ever think about buying another Smith product!
 
#22 ·
I am a manufacturer's rep by trade and deal with upset customers on a daily basis...and I was amazed at how this guy talked to me...he had no care that I was a little upset...that's ok...I'll spend my dollars with other companies. I also bought a NAA Guardian this year that jammed every shot...sent it in and called after 2 weeks and was told that it would be another month...I e-mailed the president (Sandy Chisolhm) thinking that I will never get a reply...I got a reply in 15 minutes telling me that he will check into it and another e-maill 15 minutes later telling me that I will have my pistol the next day by 10:00 am....now that's customer servce. I sent an e-mail to Para Tueday about the $65 freight and still haven't got a reply.... just passing on my experience to you guys because it sucks to lay your hard earned money down on a product and get treated like this....Robbie
 
#23 ·
I also bought a NAA Guardian this year that jammed every shot...sent it in and called after 2 weeks and was told that it would be another month...I e-mailed the president (Sandy Chisolhm) thinking that I will never get a reply...I got a reply in 15 minutes telling me that he will check into it and another e-maill 15 minutes later telling me that I will have my pistol the next day by 10:00 am....now that's customer servce. I sent an e-mail to Para Tueday about the $65 freight and still haven't got a reply.... just passing on my experience to you guys because it sucks to lay your hard earned money down on a product and get treated like this....Robbie
I once had a NAA in need of a little tlc from the company and found them to excellent. They went above and beyond in my opinion. I just couldnt believe the attitude of this rep for Smith & Wesson. I probably should have contacted the president about him. Hopefully all their reps arent like this one and its a shame that one rep can give the whole company a black eye! :ahhhhh:
 
#24 ·
Sorry to hear of your troubles. Give'em hell and don't stop squaking until you are satisfied. I make a lot of noise when I think I'm being screwed and most times the company will relent and make things right. Just got a full refund out of GE/ Home Depot on a crappy washer dryer set they sold us. Complain loudly and stay on them. I don't own any Para's, and after reading what I've seen here I won't be buying any.
 
#26 ·
Sass, ya hit it on the head...feeling like I am getting screwed....don't like that feeling... i wish i could find the president of Para's e-mail, I definitely would be sending an e-mail.... I wish Para would see this...but I doubt they care...they already have a grand of my money......
 
#27 ·
Just curious...

What about the dealer who sold it to ya?! I think the first thing I would have done was to take it back to him...and he should have sent it to Para. Manufacturers like Para would most likely listen to a dealer and accept the gun for adjustment. All the gun stores I've ever dealt with give at least a 30 day warranty for function defects...putting aside the muzzle wear.

Did you take it back to the gun shop...what did HE say ? If he told me I had to send it myself, and that he wouldn't try to help...well...it would look kinda funny hanging outta his ass...:ahhhhh:

It really sounds like an extractor problem...that could easily be fixed...even by the gun shop who sold it ( is he a 'smith ? )

BTW...I would wait the month and see if they do take care of the problem...they may even refinish it. I dunno, maybe it's me, and I understand your mad...but I would give them a chance to make it right first...it's your investment.

just my 2 cents...good luck and let us know how ya make out !!
 
#28 ·
My dealer tried to get me to get him to send it in..(they are my buddies and very good to me ) he is going to take care of it for me when I get it back... I thought I could take care of it myself easier....they did say that they will get it functioning right...but the finish isn't covered under warranty....that is what ticked me off the most..
 
#29 ·
I would be very upset if If I had to pay $65 to ship someone a gun to fix that should have been right to begin with.It would be a different story if it was a couple years old and a 1000 or more rds through it but right out the box and less than 100 rounds? I have been thinking about a Commander size .45 1911 and it looks like Para just got crossed off the list.
 
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